Important Meetings in the Southern Union Conference
By George I. Butler
HAVING received a kind request for a report of recent meetings in this union conference, I will endeavor to present a few of the most important items as briefly and comprehensively as possible. Meetings of general interest were begun at Graysville, Tenn., January 7, and were continued until the 12th. These were followed at once by meetings at Nashville, continuing through the 18th. The meetings at Graysville were those of the Cumberland Conference, alternating with the executive sessions of the Southern Union Conference Committee. There was a very general attendance of the members of the executive committee, and also of delegates to the Cumberland Conference, which embraces the eastern portions of Tennessee and Kentucky. There was quite a general attendance of brethren and sisters from the surrounding country. The commodious meeting-house was literally packed on the Sabbath, and at night meetings. We were favored with the presence of Elders A. G. Daniells, W. C. White, and W. W. Prescott, and Dr. J. H. Kellogg. As to the order of the meetings, Elder Prescott held interesting and instructive Bible studies every morning at eight o’clock, and religious services were held in the evening, the day being devoted to business meetings. The spiritual atmosphere seemed free and good, and the business sessions were harmonious and encouraging. Such meetings are necessarily wearing because of the pressure of so many interests which demand careful attention. Graysville, though but a village so far as population is concerned, has become quite a center in our Southern work. Our training school for workers is indeed an important institution, and is the central one for education among the white population of nine States. All our candidates for instruction in gospel work are sent there. An interest is taken in this school in all the States, even in those farthest away. Louisiana sends this year seventeen students, Florida eleven, while those nearest send large delegations. The school seems to be flourishing as never before, the present main embarrassment being where to put any more students. The religious interest among the pupils seems to be excellent, nearly all who have come being converted. The present season the school has undertaken practical work by sending out perhaps twelve of the best-trained pupils, under the charge of one of the faculty, to the flourishing city of Chattanooga, to engage in canvassing, Bible reading, nursing the sick, etc. It is thought that this kind of training will thoroughly qualify those about to close up their school life, to enter at once upon their work in the great harvest field. Prof. J. E. Tenney has endeared himself to his pupils and to our people generally all through this Southland by his earnest, devoted services in our training school. Our sanitarium, which is being built high up on Lone Mountain, perhaps a quarter or half a mile distant from the school, is becoming quite a conspicuous building. It looms up above the surrounding trees, and can be seen from afar. It was enclosed at the time the meeting was held, and the work is being rapidly advanced toward completion. In building it the policy of not running in debt has been followed. This had made progress slower than it would have been with borrowed capital, but many think the end is sweeter. However, though funds are short, the building is surely going to be completed. It will meet a long-felt want. One thousand dollars or more was subscribed for it with considerable enthusiasm. If our people generally felt free to contribute to its completion and efficiency, it would prove an excellent investment, as it is a worthy enterprise. The work of advancing the sanitarium and health enterprises is onward in various places — important centers — in the Southern Union Conference. The building in the beautiful city of Atlanta, Ga., one of the finest cities in the South, once occupied by the Review and Herald Publishing Company, will, we expect, be put to sanitarium uses immediately. The Review Board has made a contract to deed it for that purpose on the payment of two thousand dollars. This is a very great concession, as the property is really worth two or three times that. This act on their part should be highly appreciated by our people. Through the faithful labors of Brother and Sister Curtis a great interest in our methods of treatment has been awakened among some of the most influential citizens of Atlanta. A fine building has been rented in the city of Nashville by Brother Hansen, and is being used for bath rooms, restaurant, and health food supplies. I19expect this will continue to grow until it becomes at last a full-fledged sanitarium. Also in the great city of New Orleans, the metropolis of the South, a restaurant and food supply store is in successful operation. These are some of the beginnings of an important series of health institutions in important centers of the South. I think another is being developed at Louisville, Ky., and another at Hildebran, N. C. May the good work go on. No part of the country needs these health influences more than the South. The executive committee of the union conference, with all the leading brethren in attendance, traveled from Graysville to Nashville in the night, and so were ready for business the next day. Six busy days were spent in Nashville, crowded with business meetings, some of them of great perplexity. Everything passed off pleasantly, and valuable work was done. Elder Prescott stayed during part of this time, but had to leave for other important duties. Dr. Kellogg was with us nearly to the end of the series of meetings. A Medical Missionary Association for the South was organized as a department of the union conference, unifying the medical missionary forces in the South, solidifying these important forces for good, and providing for the holding of property designed for the uses of the health work. As our young printing house in Nashville has been something of a storm-center for a year or two in the past, as it has struggled for a bare existence against many difficulties, it may be proper for me to speak more fully concerning its past, and concerning its present and future prospects. It is a young institution, having had an existence for only two or three years. It was built under great stress and difficulties. It has never had a proper equipment, as sufficient funds were never obtainable. Being in such a condition, it labored under great disadvantages in doing its work. These difficulties added to the cost of production. The number of Sabbath keepers in the South formed a meager constituency for its support. Added to this was a lack of proper organization of our people to carry on our work energetically and successfully. When I became its president last April, I had little acquaintance with this immense, unworked field. I knew very few in it, and of course labored at great disadvantage. The office at that time seemed in great danger of utter collapse. At times we hardly had funds to issue our periodicals, and had not some furnished their own private funds, we could hardly have kept running. I feel certain that had not vigorous efforts been made to raise funds among our people, the office would have been obliged to shut down. As several thousand dollars was generously contributed, this disgrace was prevented, and the office has struggled through till the present time, and is indeed at this moment in a much more hopeful condition than last April. Some pressing debts have been paid off, and some improvements in equipment added. But it is a fact that the office has been running behind, not having constant receipts of earnings equal to expenditures. Our credit has been maintained, and is excellent, but we do not propose to use it beyond a very limited extent. We could easily get trusted, if we had any wish to do so, to the extent of many thousand dollars. A careful investigation of the financial condition of the publishing house has been made by competent persons, and it is demonstrated that we have a capital above all liabilities of over twenty thousand dollars. Surely this is not so bad as it might be. The question will naturally arise, Are we going to continue running under forever? I think not. Plans are being laid which I trust will put our office on a self-supporting basis. I firmly believe another year will show that we not only have not run behind one cent, but that some money has been earned above expenses. We shall see. Some changes have been made, or are in process of being made. At our late meeting, Brother W. O. Palmer resigned his position as business manager, and his resignation was accepted by the Board. All who know the facts are well aware that he has suffered greatly from ill health the past year, and that it was utterly impossible for him to devote that time and attention to the office that were really needed. It was a great relief to him to lay down the responsibilities of his position, and give place to a man of strength and competency. At the invitation of the Board, Brother John N. Nelson, long in the employ of the Review and Herald, and one of its most confidential agents, has accepted the position, and at a recent meeting was elected as trustee and business manager. This gives us all great encouragement. We know from his reputation of business sagacity and careful management that he is the very man the place demands. He is already at his post, hard at work. Plans are being considered which we believe will add greatly to the productiveness of our office. Elder C. P. Bollman has also announced that he will leave in a month or two because of his health. The pressure and perplexity of the past year have told on those who have had them to bear. I hope they will yet have strength given them to do much valuable work for the Lord. Altogether, hope is springing up in our hearts. We have faith in the final success of this office. Our experience of weakness and lack of facilities has been the experience of every institution among us. When we read Testimony after Testimony in which the Lord has said plainly and emphatically that this institution was established by his direction, that it was needed, that it was to be sustained by the contributions of our people, I for one have not the least doubt that it will be a final success. Brethren and sisters, let us have faith in God and in the Testimonies of his Spirit. They have always been justified in the final outcome. This article is already too long. The field is too great to do it justice in an article of reasonable length. If I have any ability to discern anything, we are going to have better days in this great Southland. God has been pleading with us for a long time to interest our people in this great field. I see a new and glorious movement ahead of us. Things are beginning to swing into line. It takes time for the great ocean steamer to swing itself around into its dock in proper shape. The little rowboat can do it in a minute. This great Southern field is a little world of its own. Our Northern people are not prepared to do the best kind of work for this peculiar field till they have become acquainted with it. I expect to see a great work done here, and that not far ahead. Brethren and sisters, prepare for good news from the South.