p. 107 | HOW TO MAKE GENERAL MEETINGS PROFITABLE by G. I. B.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, February 17, 1885

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 7

HOW TO MAKE GENERAL MEETINGS PROFITABLE

By G. I. B.

The experience at the Hillsdale general meeting, reported in this number, gives valuable hints as to how such meetings may be made profitable. Unless there is a general attendance of people, the preaching and exercises may be ever so valuable, and yet little good be accomplished. We have brethren in all our churches who see the benefit of attending such meetings; but the very ones that most need the help of them are apt to stay away. At the Hillsdale meeting we had a very large attendance, nearly every church in the district being well represented.

We have every reason to believe that this was owing to the faithful efforts of the director, who had such a burden and interest for the success of the cause in his district that he visited the various churches beforehand, and invited many whom he was anxious to have present, and wrote many letters.

The notice was not made more prominent in the REVIEW than is often the case; but we were very happily surprised to find such a large attendance as there was; and most of them came to stay through the meeting. We shall feel very much gratified if the same state of things exists in many of the meetings to be held this season. We greatly wish every director would stir around, and work up an interest to attend these meetings. They are held at considerable cost, and much good can be accomplished if all will attend.

The ministers who labor should feel the burden of souls resting upon them. Their preaching should not be dry and formal, but upon the living issues of present truth. If they do not feel a burden in their hearts, they should pray to God for it beforehand until they do. If there is anything discouraging in this cause, it is to have large numbers of the brethren and sisters take much time to come out to listen to the truth, and be at considerable expense to come, and then have the teaching and social meeting dry, formal affairs. A minister of Jesus Christ ought to consent to labor in such meetings unless he can feel the inspiration resting upon him with power, so he can impart life, and energy, and hope to those for whom he labors.

The missionary meetings, the Sabbath-school exercises, etc., should not be neglected. Our missionary meetings are many of them the most interesting of all, because the spirit of labor connected with this cause is its most important means of efficiency. We fervently believe that if our brethren would consider these points before important meetings are held, they might make such meetings more profitable. G. I. B.