THE MINNESOTA T. AND M. INSTITUTE by D. P. Curtis

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, April 15, 1880

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 16

THE MINNESOTA T. AND M. INSTITUTE.

By D. P. Curtis

This Institute was held with the Medford church, March 25 to 31. The season of the year was unfavorable to a general attendance, and but few were expected from other parts of the Conference. All were agreeably surprised, and perhaps none more so than our President, when forty-five reported from the churches outside of Medford. Among the number present were twelve of the fifteen ministers of the Conference, three of the directors, the State Secretary, three district secretaries, and six librarians. The whole number enrolled was seventy-six.

A part of the time the weather was very unfavorable and the roads exceedingly bad, but the attendance was quite regular, few feeling that they could afford to lose the opportunity for gaining all the instruction possible in the time allotted. All regretted that the time that Bro. Whitney could tarry with us was so short.

The T. and M. work occupied the larger portion of the time; but the Sabbath-school, Conference, H. and T. work, and parliamentary practice, each received a reasonable share of attention. The claims of the General T. and M. Society were presented, and an opportunity was given to invest in life-memberships. Twenty-five names were secured as life-members of the society.

On the subject of the sale of books and publications, the ministers adopted this resolution:—

Resolved, That we, the ministers of the Minnesota Conference, heartily approve the action of the General Conference in relation to ministers acting as agents in selling books and

other publications; and we hereby pledge ourselves to help sustain the T. and M. society by giving it the profits of such sales.

On the H. and T. question the following resolution was adopted:—

Resolved, That, as the H. and T. Association is one of the important branches of the work in which we as a people are engaged, we therefore recommend that all the ministers of our Conference introduce this work, and that they organize H. and T. clubs wherever practicable, in their respective fields of labor, upon the plan adopted and recommended by the General H. and T. Association.

A committee appointed to prepare resolutions expressive of the sense of the members in regard to the Institute, reported the following, which were unanimously adopted:—

Resolved, That it is the sense of this Institute that such a school of instruction was greatly needed in our Conference; and that we are grateful to the General Conference for affording us the efficient labors of our brother, B. L. Whitney, in our Institute.

Resolved, That we hereby tender to Bro. Whitney our warmest thanks for his patient and untiring efforts to make the Institute a success.

Resolved, That we deem it very desirable that a similar Institute be held in our Conference next autumn, to continue two or three weeks; and that we extend to Bro. Whitney a hearty invitation to conduct such Institute, at such time and place as may be designated by the President of the Conference. Also that we deem it important that a suitable instructor be employed in practical elocution.

Resolved, That we tender our heartfelt thanks to the brethren and sisters of the Medford church for the kind and hospitable entertainment which they have extended to their brethren from abroad.

It was unanimously voted that a copy of these resolutions, with a summary report of the proceedings of the Institute, be sent to the REVIEW AND HERALD for publication.

D. P. CURTIS, Sec.

Hutchinson, Minn., April 5.