From the Gambier Islands we came to the Cook Islands, to relieve Brother and Sister Piper, whose health calls for a change from the tropical climate. It is with deep regret that we leave those islands, as but little appears to be accomplished, yet we are encouraged with the thought that a beginning has been made. Romanism has lost its firm grip on the people. The seed has been sown, and the harvest will reveal how much has been permitted to grow. Our work has not been continuous, but has been broken by visits to Pitcairn Island and other places.
The missionary history of these islands runs thus: a Mr. Henry, a missionary, and associate of John Williams, came here and converted the cannibals,—for such they all were,—numbering six thousand or more. After a while he left them, but soon after two French-Catholic priests arrived, and compelled all to become Catholics, following the conversion of the king to their faith (this is an ancient method of Rome, and she never changes). Their own version is that God worked a miracle on their behalf. Upon landing they were chased into the mountains, where they hid; and the inhabitants, unable to find them, set fire to the tall grass to burn them out. The fire, they say, stopped short, and made a circle around them. Rome's testimonies of this sort are numerous, as we all know; for, lacking the testimony of Holy Scripture to confirm her right, testimonies of her own invention are resorted to. After this, true to its Scriptural name,—“the abomination that maketh desolate,”—Rome bore full sway. Although placed under the French flag, the islands were ruled by the priests. What then followed may best be gathered from the unerring prophetic name itself and from the history of the Dark Ages.
Fewer than fifty now remain of the Gambier islanders proper. This speaks for itself. In May, 1880, the government sent a resident, when the tyranny of the church ceased somewhat. Yet this smoldering spirit still exists, and we have had to meet it in our work, but, thank the Lord, the bulwarks of Romanism have been broken down here by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the third angel's message. Several Catholics have admitted this to me, but they lack the courage to follow their own convictions. The priests tell them that they will die, and this threat means more than idle words. Two Europeans have already left the Catholic faith, and one of these now boldly defies the priests with his open Bible. I had hoped he and others would be ready for baptism on my return from the general meeting at Papeete, but while he has forsaken the Catholic Church, he has not as yet forsaken his pipe; others are also in this difficulty. He is severely opposed by his own family, but he has a faithful, earnest spirit. The other, a well-educated Catholic merchant, has taken his stand with us on all points, and has forsaken his meat, his wine, and his smoking, and now trusts in Jesus alone as his Saviour from all his sins. Therefore I baptized him, and left him there as a witness of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is well known in Tahiti and all the islands, and speaks the native tongue and French and English. “The Lord has need of him,” this I know.
We have organized a Sabbath-school of eight members; just now there are twenty visitors from Pitcairn, and these will continue to come and go with every trip of their vessel.
The Tuamotus, which consist of more than eighty islands, though not quite all are inhabited, must be visited and worked very soon. Romanism and Mormonism are deluding these poor people. There are no pleasant inducements for the worker. This is in every way a hard field, and these sandy islets produce only cocoanuts. Because of the recent troubles there, ninety came to Raratonga, and these have heard the message for this time. I have freely given our native books and tracts to those who will be returning to their sandy, fruitless islands. This is no time to be niggardly with our gifts, even our very selves. I have tried hard to induce the Pitcairn church to have a burden in this work. What blessings would come to them if they only would! I am more and more astonished that any of our people can hold back at such a time as this.
A Tuamotu native was in our home to-day who lost six of his children in the storm of January. When I told him that the whole world was experiencing such sorrows, and what it all meant, he listened attentively. I gave him a tract on the signs of our Lord's coming. After reading it, he said, “These are great truths which the people do not know.” True indeed, and how shall they hear without a preacher? I then furnished him with several of our books. He was here only four days, and will return by the next vessel.
There are less than four hundred people in the Gambier Islands, but many come and go, and so will take to their homes the message they have heard, and the booklets they have received.
I am hoping that our school at Raiatea will quickly train devoted workers for these islands. It is only with difficulty and danger that one can reach any of these islands, and but few people live on each. Yet the truth must go, and some are waiting for it. I understand that none of our workers have ever yet been to the Tuamotus or Marquesas.
The present-day troubles are scattering the people hither and thither. Why?—That they may come in contact with the Lord's workers, and so learn the truth. “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few.”
Raratonga, Cook Islands.
Bible Societies in China
The British and Foreign Bible Society and the American Bible Society sell several millions of Bibles, Testaments, and Scripture portions in China every year.
A Church Building Needed in Lindsay
By Sadie Baker
Ontario
LINDSAY.—This has been my field of labor since last October. The Lord has blessed in the work at this place. We have a Sabbath-school of thirty members, and others are interested. One hundred dollars has been paid as tithe. Fourteen thousand nine hundred and sixty pages of tracts have been given away, twenty-six health journals have been distributed among the doctors, thirty-seven copies of the Advocate among the public-school teachers, fifty-five copies of the Sentinel among the lawyers, and many copies of the Signs of the Times among the bankers. One hundred treatments have been given; forty of these were given at the city hospital by advice of the doctor.
We have reached the point in our work here where we need a church building. A lot has been offered us for two hundred dollars, with a small house on it. At one of our Sunday evening Bible studies the building of a church was spoken of, and all responded favorably. Fifty dollars was pledged. We shall be able to raise about one hundred dollars. We shall then need one hundred dollars more to finish paying for the lot, before we begin building. Several have promised to help on the building. We have been holding our meetings in private houses, but our school is almost too large for home services; so we are asking for a church home. There are no wealthy ones among us, but we are expecting great things. There is a great deal of prejudice here, so we shall have to depend largely upon our own people and interested ones. We also need treatment rooms and a church school. May we not have the prayers of all who read the dear REVIEW, also their help?
May the Lord’s work not be hindered, but make speedy progress until the message has gone to the uttermost parts of the earth. SADIE BAKER.
W. H. GRANGER
By W. H. Granger
Ohio
CINCINNATI.—The work in this great city is moving as never before. We are now beginning to reap the fruit of our summer’s work. September 5 six precious souls were buried with their Lord in baptism, and others will soon be baptized. In our work this summer we have been using The Family Bible Teacher. This is a neat little four-page paper, containing a single Bible reading on some subject of present truth. There are twenty-eight of these lessons. They begin with the foundation principles of the gospel, and advance in a systematic way until all important points in the message are covered. This course has been specially prepared for house-to-house work. Last May we began here in Cincinnati to distribute about eleven hundred of these lessons each week. We selected our territory, and then visited every home once each week, leaving a Bible lesson. We began the first week with Number I, then followed it the next week with Number II, and so on with the entire course. The number of readers has gradually dropped off, until we now have about eight hundred families, most of whom are deeply interested. We are now delivering the eighteenth lesson, and the interest seems to deepen as the testing truths come. I have been teaching, by this method, over three hundred families each week, and it has been the happiest experience of my life.
The people soon become acquainted with the worker, and look for him each week. Nearly every member of our church has taken an active part in this grand work, each handling from five to forty copies a week. We have rented one of the best halls in this city for Sunday night meetings, where all these people will be invited to hear the living preacher. We are also planning to distribute a thousand or more of these lessons each week on the street, with an invitation to the meetings stamped on the margin. As soon as we have delivered our last lesson in the course, we shall immediately take new territory and repeat the same course. The interest of the previous readers will be followed up with the Signs.
The entire course of twenty-eight lessons will be out by the first week in October; and that all our people may become acquainted with this course of readings, they are invited to send ten cents to The Family Bible Teacher, 3222 Warsaw Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, and receive, postpaid, a full set of these lessons. While practically no effort has been made up to the present to introduce the use of these lessons among our churches, yet the interest in the course has been such, by those who have known of its preparation, that we have found it necessary to print, on an average, over seven thousand lessons a week to meet the demand.
W. H. GRANGER
Spanish Honduras
By Alvin N. Allen
SAN JUANCITO.—We arrived here one week ago last evening, with our baggage, consisting of two mule loads. Since then we have been very busy getting settled and canvassing. We have rented one good room and a kitchen, with bedstead, table, and two chairs, and we have made cupboards of empty boxes, put up curtains, etc., so we are now very comfortably situated, and are among kind people. All the comforts and advantages which we enjoy here are not often found in one place. God is with us, and the work is onward. Although I have had nothing to work with since coming here except El Mensajero, and a few tracts which were left here by Brother Owen last spring, I have taken thirty-one yearly subscriptions for the paper at one peso each, and have sold a number of tracts. I have taken in $16.20 gold this week. Many are asking for books, some for Bibles, and several told me they wanted everything I could get them. All business done is cash.
We shall have bitter opposition as soon as the Catholics find out what we are doing. The first time I canvassed San Antonio, I was received very friendly. The next time, after the priest had been there, a very bitter spirit was manifested. Yet I found some who were anxious to read, and who are now reading eagerly all they can get. There are also some here who are anxious to get our books. I am sure God has a people here, and he will bring them to light in his own good time.
A large American mining company is operating here, and is removing much gold, silver, and quicksilver. Quite a few foreigners are connected with the mill. The superintendent expressed the general feeling this morning, when he said, “You might as well put all your religious literature in the San Juan River, and let it float down, for all the good it will do.” He has been very kind to us, however, and says he will be glad to help in anything that will raise the18standard of morality. I do wish we had a few good health works in Spanish.
It has been over nine months now since we left Belize. Very little has been done. Months are still coming and going. We are doing what we can with what we have, but we can not speak the language well enough to speak publicly; and if we could, it would be only to be stoned. Work must be done quietly here. It must be a work of education, from house to house — a Bible here, a tract there, a smile to another, to break the reserve of prejudice. We work and pray, and look to God for increase. But how much greater work would be done if we had plenty of books! We could use a few copies of the Good Health and the Youth's Instructor, also English tracts, and a copy of each of our standard English books, to put in the reading-room at the mine. The superintendent has given us the privilege of supplying it with religious reading-matter. If several feel inclined to answer this call, there are two other larger mines starting up within two days of here where we can easily place the books. These mines are run by foreigners. Some of them are very glad to get anything to read, as such matter is very scarce. Books should be wrapped well, and postage paid in full. ALVIN N. ALLEN.
Colombia, South America
By I. G. Knight
COLON.—We began meetings in this place on the evening of September 4. The hall is well filled, and also the street in front. Music has charms for this people, and as soon as we begin our song service, a crowd collects. Three intelligent Chinamen are attending, and are interested. We are now studying the prophecies. Last night a tailor in attendance said, “Why don’t these other ministers preach that way? I intend to see them, and get them to attend this meeting; they will learn something.” Our courage is good; we expect to raise up a company of Sabbath-keepers in this place. Pray for the work in this field.
MRS. I. G. KNIGHT.
West Indies
By W. G. Kneeland
TOBAGO.—We have recently baptized four persons, the first fruits of our effort in this field. Three others are preparing for this rite. One of those baptized was a lady eighty-one years of age. Her relatives opposed the step, on the ground of a weak mind. Her pastor labored several days to convince her of the uselessness of the rite, but to no avail. And the government doctor forbade her baptism because of the infirmity of age and the danger of an early plunge in the water, as we expected to have baptism in the morning.
In spite of it all, she insisted on baptism, and we prepared a baptistery in our hall, and before a very large audience she went forward. Her health has improved, rather than been depressed by the service. As she is probably the oldest church-member in the islands, and a very intelligent person, I believe it will work good for the cause of present truth. Her son is rector in Barbados. I had an opportunity to reply to his letter of inquiry respecting our faith, and supplied him with a copy of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” Seeing the interest in this case, and our lack of cheap literature, I had my letter printed, and several thousand are already in circulation, and are arousing attention.
Things are moving slowly in many ways. I bought a horse, and expect to make monthly trips around the island, and do what I can to arouse the country districts. The Lord has blessed me with a good degree of health, and I am glad to be on the front line. May he give us all courage to go forward to the end.
W. G. KNEELAND.
A Visit to Gwelo
By W. S. Hyatt
RECENTLY, with my wife and the younger children, I made a visit to Brother Armitage, near Gwelo. It takes five days by rail to reach Gwelo, and from this point it is a full twenty-four-hour trip to the mission. We had the privilege of sleeping one night on the veldt. But we enjoyed the trip. We found all quite well, although only a short time before Brother Armitage's daughter had been very ill, and had been taken to the hospital at Gwelo.
When Brother Armitage went to this mission farm two years ago, he took with him the native children that had been in Brother Tripp's family. He began to erect buildings, and one year ago last April opened a school. The work of building and getting the garden started required time, yet his boys were able besides to do some work teaching in the kraals. He now has about thirty-five in attendance at the school, and of this number twenty-six are staying with him in the home, the remainder coming in from the kraals. Quite a number of these are full-grown young men; and some of them are very promising, as far as the eye can discern. He has two boys that Brother Tripp adopted in the beginning of the mission work in Matabeleland, and these are a great help to him. They are seventeen and eighteen years of age, and they take a great interest in anything that Brother Armitage does. They are like sons with a father. They look after the school, if need be, and do a large part of the teaching, and assist in keeping order, etc. They understand the English well, although they speak it very little. They serve well as interpreters. I talked to the people through them several times, and was well pleased with their work.
I must tell you of some of the boys that came to Brother Armitage. They were young men, and desired to find a school where the teacher taught that it was wrong to drink and smoke. After a long hunt, they found this little mission. When they had been there a week, like Philip, they went to find some more of their friends, and brought back three with them. In four months these young men have learned to read their Bibles, and write a fairly good hand. They are now writing home and telling their friends of the good things they have found. They are anxious to return and open work in that section, where little has been done by the missionary.
Brother Armitage has thus, by being able to turn his hand to different kinds of work, not only supported the mission, but has a little to their credit. The Lord has indeed blessed him, and opened the way before him, and he has done a great work for the boys that are there. No one can doubt, in looking the work over and hearing the words of thankfulness that the boys utter, what God has done for them. One of the larger ones arose at the close of one of my meetings, and with the tears streaming down his face, thanked the Lord that when they were in darkness and their hearts hard as stone, then the Lord sent the mission to them.
Mrs. Hyatt will remain five or six months with her brother, and assist him by teaching some of his English classes. She takes delight in this kind of work, as she has had some experience in the past, and is glad she can now drop home duties for a time, and enter upon real mission work at the front. We enjoy this work much, but realize more and more that great wisdom is needed to make it a success. W. S. HYATT.
Report of Lacona (N. Y.) Camp-Meeting
By Stephen N. Haskell
The camp-meeting held at Lacona, N. Y., was a success in many respects. From the beginning, the Lord's blessing rested upon the encampment. Lacona and Sandy Creek, two small villages, have their center near the camp-ground. The camp-meeting was held on the fair-grounds, and the big pavilion was in the center of the grounds, with many tents pitched around it. The houses on the fair-grounds also furnished very comfortable places for our brethren and sisters who could not be accommodated in the tents.
The first night of the meeting there was a heavy rain, and on one day and night afterward there was rain, but most of the time the weather was fine, and everything tended to make the camp-meeting a success. On Sabbath the Spirit of God rested upon the people in a special manner. I should judge that five hundred of our brethren and sisters were present, and although the meeting lasted about five hours, scarcely a person went out of the tent. There was a general desire on the part of the people for a renewed consecration to God, while several for the first time gave their hearts to God.
One feature which was prominent, and which reminded some of the old camp-meeting days, was the interest taken in the sale of books. In former times a minister who could not sell books was not so successful in his labors as those who could sell books, but for some time ministers have not taken much interest in this important means of spreading the gospel. On this occasion formalism was laid aside, and many of our brethren and sisters were canvassing on the camp-ground during the entire meeting. As nearly as we could learn, not less than three hundred dollars' worth of books was sold.
The general interests of the work were presented before the brethren, and we understood that not less than nine hundred dollars was raised for the various enterprises which were presented to the people.
We could find no evidence that Lacona and Sandy Creek have ever had any labor on present truth, not even canvassing; but many manifested an unusual desire to hear. The people of the town were favorably impressed with the camp-meeting, and a good interest was awakened.
The business meetings passed off harmoniously. Elders Cottrell, Thompson, and Place, and myself were the general laborers present. Elder Daniells was also present a portion of the time.
There seems to be a general impression among our people that the cloud has now moved from Battle Creek to Washington, D. C., and this indicates a forward march of the people of God. Twenty-three were baptized, while many others were to be baptized as soon as they returned to their homes. Could the meeting have continued ten days longer, and other points of present truth been brought out clearly, far greater results would have been seen, but we are thankful to God for what we saw upon the encampment.
Another noticeable feature of the meeting was the large number present who had had experience in the former messages. There was something in the manner in which these early pioneers embraced the truth that gave them an experience which proves an anchor to the soul. They saw the Sabbath from the sanctuary standpoint. Such are not easily moved.
The time has come when present truth in clear, distinct tones is to be preached, and hearts are prepared to receive it. We have reached a crisis. The people of God are called upon to take advance steps. Hearts will be tested to the utmost. Shall we be switched off on to some side-track? or shall we stand unmoved, like those who embraced the message in former times?
S. N. HASKELL.
Report From Brother Loughborough
By John Norton Loughborough
My last report for the REVIEW was written August 11, at Boulder, Colo. Since that time I have held meetings in Denver, Pueblo, and Salida, Colo.; in Newton, Kan.; Grand Island, Neb.; and Wiota, Iowa. The four places last named were camp-meetings. The last named closed last evening. With the exception of one day I have had “camp life” now for thirty-five days, and have endured it well. Thank the Lord. In these four camp-meetings I have spoken thirty-three times, besides attending sixty-five other meetings. These were either business meetings or occasions where others were preaching. The first three camp-meetings were State meetings. The one at Wiota was a local one, attended by about one hundred and fifty of our people in that part of the State. A portion of the time of the local meeting was devoted to the Stuart intermediate industrial school, which is soon to be opened near Stuart Station—about19thirty-five miles east of Wiota. There is a prospect of a full attendance at the opening of the school.
The Colorado camp-meeting, at Salida, though central in the State, was quite a distance from the largest churches in the conference, so was not as fully attended as those meetings that were held in former times in the vicinity of Denver. It was, however, a very interesting meeting, many important interests being considered. Some things which it was feared might lead to perplexity receive a harmonious solution instead.
The Kansas meeting, at Newton, was a large meeting, over one thousand being encamped. The camp was the beautiful city park, right in the heart of the city. There was no opening among the trees of the park large enough to receive the large meeting tent, so it was pitched on a large lot on the main street adjoining the post-office block, two blocks from the camp proper. It was an interesting sight to see the thousand campers marching quietly back and forth several times a day to attend the services. Crowds of people from the town attended the services, especially in the evenings.
The Kansas health institution at Wichita received careful consideration at the Newton meeting. Many hundreds of dollars in cash and pledges was secured for that enterprise.
The Nebraska meeting at Grand Island was also held in a city park, near the heart of the town. There was not so large an attendance of our people as in the Kansas meeting. One of the matters receiving careful consideration in this meeting was arranging for printing and publishing in the Scandinavian and German languages at Union College. Brother W. C. White was present to aid in the council concerning this work.
In all three of these State meetings, Brother Washburn was present to set before us the leadings of the Lord in the removal to Washington, D. C. Substantial aid was secured from our people for the Review Office, and the Washington sanitarium and school.
Brother Russell, president of the Central Union Conference, attended all these meetings, and gave substantial aid in the work. There were also representatives of the schools and medical work of the district at each meeting. Revival services were conducted at all the camp-meetings. In these, at the Kansas and Nebraska meetings, Brother Luther Warren took a prominent part. I was informed that at the Kansas meeting seventy-two persons were baptized, many of them being converted on the grounds. At the Nebraska camp about forty-two were baptized. At the Iowa meeting, although not over one hundred and fifty attended, eight were baptized, and many others decided to be baptized later in the home churches.
I thank the Lord for his sustaining grace and power in the labors of these last few weeks. I have been able to do much more than I expected when I entered upon the work. Our people seem to enjoy the recounting of the providences of God in connection with the rise and progress of the great second advent movement. To me the recounting of these mercies of God is like living them over again.
I suppose other particulars respecting these camp-meeting conferences will be given by those directly connected with the secretary work in the respective fields. For myself, these meetings have been seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and tokens of what he is waiting to give in greater fulness, as his people consecrate themselves more fully to the work.
At this writing (September 21) I am at the Iowa Sanitarium in Des Moines, expecting to be with this church for one week, and then pass on to the local camp-meeting in Rome, southeastern Iowa. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
The New England Camp-Meeting.
By H. W. Cottrell
THE New England annual conference and camp-meeting was held on the Chautauqua grounds at South Framingham, Mass. The site was a beautiful grove, situated about one and one-half miles from the city. There were about five hundred of our people in attendance. The weather was cold and rainy the first half of the meeting, but the remainder of the period was very fine. Much attention had been given to the question of advertising, and money was not spared in calling the attention of the general public to the meeting; but there was not a large attendance of the people from without.
A number of questions were brought before the delegates and congregation by20topical discussion and the reading of papers, which in many respects were educational. The Spirit of Christ guided in the business meetings of the session, as well as in the preaching and other services. They were truly praise services to the Lord, as every business meeting should be.
Besides raising several hundred dollars for local interests, there was secured in cash and pledges for the Washington, D. C., work, $1,094.25. After a discourse delivered by Elder S. N. Haskell the last Sabbath of the meeting, a revival service followed, in which a number of persons surrendered their lives to the Lord, twenty-seven of whom were baptized the following day.
The rank and file of the people throughout the Eastern conferences grasp eagerly the information concerning the opening providence of God in directing the establishing of the denominational headquarters at the capital of the nation, and desire to move in spirit when the cloud moves.
Prof. F. Griggs was ordained to the sacred work of the gospel ministry, Elder A. G. Daniells offering the prayer, and Elder S. N. Haskell giving the charge. Elders Daniells, Haskell, Watt, Lane, Griggs, Dr. Nicola, Brother E. R. Palmer, and the writer were present.
The conference was divided, and a new conference organized, embracing the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut. The new conference took the name of Southern New England Conference. Elder C. H. Edwards, of New York City, was elected president, Brother Royer, secretary and treasurer, and these with several other good men will form an executive committee. We shall look for aggressive work from this new conference, which takes from New England approximately one third of its constituency, one third of its tithe, and a proportionate number of its laborers. The name of the New England Conference was changed to Central New England. Elder A. E. Place was again elected president, and H. B. Tucker secretary and treasurer. The other officers remain about as last year. We trust that great prosperity will attend both these conferences in their work for Christ.
H. W. COTTRELL.
The New England Camp-Meeting
By A. E. Place
This meeting was held according to appointment on the Chautauqua assembly grounds, at Montwait, Mass., August 27 to September 7. The attendance of our people was excellent, and a good spirit pervaded our camp. Elders Daniells, Cottrell, Haskell, Lane, and Watt were in attendance, and their words of counsel were appreciated. Our people were especially pleased to have Elder Daniells visit us, and the donation toward the extension of the work in Washington, we trust, encouraged him to feel that not only were we interested in his presence with us, but also in the progress of the work.
A portion of the meeting was given to the reading of papers covering the important phases of our truth and work, then the subjects were opened for free discussion by the brethren and sisters. This proved to be a very interesting feature and materially shortened the business meetings of the conference.
A good work was done for the young people by Elder M. D. Mattson, the Bible teacher in the South Lancaster Academy. Every meeting seemed to be filled with interest. The same can also be said of the children's meetings in charge of Sister Carrie E. Robie, of Kensington, N. H.
Three new churches were received into the conference. Twenty-six candidates were baptized at the meeting, ranging in ages from twelve to sixty years. One of the aged ones was a deaf mute, but he heard the voice of the Lord, and received the promise of the Holy Spirit.
An item of business which occupied considerable time was the question of dividing the conference. It was finally voted to organize the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island into a conference to be known as the Southern New England Conference. The officers were elected, Elder C. H. Edwards being president, and a committee was appointed for the adjustment of property, etc.
The remaining portion of the old conference, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, was named the Central New England Conference. This division seemed to awaken new life, and we hope that the future may show it to have been a wise step.
The delegates and others present had a pleasant time giving their part of the shout of jubilee in that their proportion of the material fund for “Christ's Object Lessons” had been met, and more than their quota of the books sold.
The blessing of the Lord has attended the work of our academy and sanitarium the past year. In a word, the work in all departments has been encouraging, and the new conference year opens with a good determination to make it better than the last. A. E. PLACE. Pres. Cen. N. E. Conf.
Southern California Camp-Meeting
By Clarence Santee
This meeting was held at the time and place appointed. From the first, the attendance was larger than at any meeting previously held in this part of the State. The number of our own people was one-third greater than at any time before, and the outside attendance was more than double that of any previous meeting. This was, in part, owing to the systematic effort made, that portion of the city having been divided into sections for personal invitations and the handing out of literature.
An excellent spirit prevailed throughout the meeting. The laborers took hold earnestly, and in several special services many who had become discouraged renewed their consecration, while others gave their hearts to the Lord for the first time. Twenty-six were baptized. Others decided to be baptized at their home churches. When consistent, we believe this to be the better way, as there is more time for consideration, and the influence in the home church is encouraging.
The public ministry was clothed with unusual power. The burden of the whole meeting was a call to missionary zeal and effort, connected with a series of lessons on the direct points of our faith as a distinctive people. Aged brethren and sisters testified that they had never realized the beauty and power of the truth as now.
Among the visiting ministers, Elders W. T. Knox and M. C. Wilcox took a prominent part in the public instruction, while Prof. M. E. Cady held a class each day in the interests of education. Other laborers from the Arizona and North California Conferences visited our meeting, and their assistance was appreciated.
More than three hundred and fifty dollars' worth of literature was taken by the brethren and sisters to open anew the tract work among their neighbors.
The Fernando school was considered, and although the dormitory has been enlarged to more than double the capacity of last year, yet at the close of the camp-meeting, students came in numbers that have filled it to overflowing.
It was decided to follow the interest created, with the house-to-house Bible work. Altogether, this meeting has been the most important, in many ways, of any ever held in this part of the State, and as all leave the grounds, it is with a feeling of courage and added confidence in the leading of God in this message.
CLARENCE SANTEE.
Our Financial Resources
By W. T. Bland
IN reply to frequent inquiries received as to whether the General Conference will accept loans or deposits of money, perhaps a brief statement will be of interest to all our people. In our general offices we maintain three distinct organizations: the General Conference, the Mission Board, and the General Conference Association. The General Conference and Mission Board officers and committees assist in the21work of the various State and union conferences, in establishing missions in various parts of the world, and in fully supporting their needs until they are placed on a self-supporting basis. The General Conference is aided in carrying forward its work by the gifts and tithes it receives from our people in America. The Mission Board carries forward its work by means of special donations and the weekly offerings received from our people throughout the world.
Thus the amount of work undertaken and carried forward in the conferences at home and in the great mission fields throughout the world depends entirely upon the liberality of our people in gifts and offerings, and in their faithfulness in paying tithes. Neither of these organizations borrow money or accept deposits which they must sometime pay back, but their whole effort is given to the forwarding of the gospel, sending missionaries to their various fields, supporting them in their work, and the printing and circulation of literature. In this work every Seventh-day Adventist has a personal interest, and our boards greatly appreciate every donation or payment of tithes received, and endeavor to acknowledge all such with a personal letter.
The General Conference Association is the legal organization of the denomination. It is incorporated to hold property, both personal and real. It receives not only donations, but wills, legacies, and deeds to property from those who desire to have their money or property used in carrying forward the gospel message of truth. In the past all our institutions that were not stock companies were built and held by the Association. It was then that debts were incurred, for which money was borrowed. This money has all been loaned to the cause by our people. Many have placed it at long time without interest, some expecting never to withdraw it. Others have felt the need of a small interest, many asking only one per cent, others two, three, or four, as they felt able or could afford. Some have never called for their interest, while others have given it back as a donation. The trustees greatly appreciate the liberality of our people in thus placing their money where it can be used in the cause of God. A careful record is kept of every note given, and of every payment made, whether of interest or principal. All notes are signed by the president and secretary or treasurer of the Association. It has always been the policy of the Association to hold sufficient property to make secure all money borrowed, and to pay every note when due if called for. While the majority do not call for their money, either letting it remain or taking out new notes with reduced interest, others find it necessary to withdraw part or all as it comes due, and those in charge of the office are always glad to make prompt response. The Association has never been sued, nor has its note ever gone to protest, although a few years ago it passed through some most critical times. By the exercise of caution it is believed that these experiences will not have to be passed through again.
Now that the headquarters of the denomination have been established in this important place, the most important in the whole country to-day, it is earnestly hoped that there will be a ready response with means with which to push this great work as never before. Every gift, be it large or small, is most gratefully received, and is at once sent upon its mission of warning the world, and of rescuing those who must perish without it. We shall also be glad to correspond at any time with those who wish to deposit or loan at a low rate of interest to the General Conference Association and to meet notes falling due from time to time. The undersigned will take pleasure in personally corresponding with any who may be willing to aid in this great work.
W. T. BLAND,
Assistant Treasurer,222 N. Capitol St., Washington, D. C.