Father Stehle writes about his new parish. He found an unfurnished house, no horse, or provisions, no resources so that he ran considerably into debt and had it not been for the Giles family he does not know how he would have got along at first. He tells this not to complain but to correct statements that these missions were rich. He made furniture himself and also received some as a gift from some Catholics at Grand Rapids . Since he left Detroit he has taken a drink only a few times and then only for courtesy's sake but he intends not to do that any more. His people being strongly attached to their former pastor, were ill-disposed to the coming of a new one but now they love him. They come to church assiduously and the children attend catechism. School is to commence next week. The teacher is a man of both morals and education. Owing to want of a horse he has not yet paid a visit to his people at their homes but will soon. They will have a post office in a few weeks. Mr. Giles is to be postmaster. Agreeable to Lefevere's wishes, Stehle went to Grand Rapids only when he absolutely had to go. Mr. Fay came there lately with a large family in order to have his children taught in a Catholic school. He intends to open a small grocery store. Because the church is so cold Stehle has fixed up an altar in a room of his house where he can say Mass during the week and asks Lefevere's pérmission to do so. There are some ill natured and quarrelsome fellows there, among them the McCarthys, Kennedys, Mr. Thom Wynn, Denis Driscol, Mr. Sheardon, Lappen. Lefevere will probably receive a letter from Thomas Chugwinn complaining that he cannot obtain his pay for carpenter work done at the priest's house. It is Terry McGee who owes the $59 not Stehle. Stehle wishes he could have a letter from Lefevere to this congregation to convince then that $32 for a congregation of 109 families as a support for a priest through the year won't do. $32 is all Father Francis Van Erp got last year. Stehle sends his respects to all the priests and especially to Father F. X. Roth and Father Peter Hennaert. :: III-2-i A.L.S. 4pp. 8vo.