p. 745 | THE GENERAL CONFERENCE by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, November 25, 1884

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 61, No. 47

THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.

By George I. Butler

Our annual meetings have just closed, and we look back over the three weeks spent in busy care and perplexity concerning many important interests, with thankfulness to God for his love and mercy toward us as a people. It was stated many times before the Conference assembled that these meetings would be the most important ever held among Seventh-day Adventists. No one who has attended them and watched them carefully will question the truthfulness of this statement. We trust the readers of the REVIEW will read the proceedings of our business meetings carefully, and consider well the moves that have been made in the advancement of the cause. These will serve as pointers to show how rapidly the truth is spreading.

The resolution to open a mission in Australia by sending a corps of laborers there with Eld. Haskell to superintend the opening of the work in that country and in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, is one of these. By this one step the advance post of present truth is moved thousands of miles westward in its progress around the globe. Doubtless, after a little, papers proclaiming present truth will be published in those countries. The sending of two of our leading laborers to England, Scotland, and Ireland to act a prominent part in spreading the truth in the British Isles is another very important movement. The vote of the Conference recommended Bro. W. C. White to go to Europe to aid in the equipment and establishment of two new printing houses, one at Bâle, Switzerland, another at Christiana, Norway, which will soon be ready for their important work. This is another forward move. We may say in this connection that it was earnestly hoped by all the delegates at the Conference that Sr. White would conclude to make this trip with him, and thus greatly help and strengthen the work in the Old World. This we know would be, at her age, and with her infirmities, a step which would seem like a great sacrifice; but God could strengthen her for it.

The Conference also voted to establish a mission in Ontario, or Canada West, which has long been neglected. Eld. T. M. Steward, one of our oldest laborers, is recommended to go to that field, which he will do very soon. Eld. Guilford, of Ohio, another minister of experience, is to go to Delaware and Maryland to open another hitherto unoccupied mission.

Never in the history of our people has there been such a changing of our ministering brethren from previous fields of labor to other more destitute fields as has been seen during the present Conference. No one who will carefully study the changes introduced in the report of the General Conference, can help being struck with the magnitude of these movements. This would not have been done had it not been felt that there was a great necessity for an advance movement all along the line. Burdens of responsibility are increasing. Our brethren who have labored long and gained experience in some fields are sent to others that need their help; while other rising men take their places in the fields they have left vacant, to grow up into greater responsibility and usefulness.

Another important feature is the movement to increase the circulation of the Signs of the Times by means of the attractive book, “Sunshine at Home.” We expect to see at least fifty thousand copies of the Signs go out into new fields to persons who have never read it before, within the next few months. All these movements will be noticed hereafter more fully.

God is moving at this place as never before. We shall see of his salvation, and the advancement of the truth such as has never before been witnessed in our history. Of this we feel sure. The time has come for our people to cast in as never before their influence, ability, and means to advance the work of God. Burdens which would seem almost crushing in their weight are dropped upon many laborers who need more than human strength in order to accomplish this work.

Our Conference, though full of labor and great perplexity, was a pleasant one. The instruction given by Sr. White was excellent, and such a spirit of love and union prevailed in our midst as has seldom been seen before. Some whom we feared were lost to the cause have returned to help us in bearing the burdens of the work. Our delegates go home with courage and hope. We shall have much more to say in the near future about many matters of importance. G. I. B.