Earlier text: VISIBLENESS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE(Lesson 6, November 9, 1889.) 1. WHAT warning did the apostle give to his brethren in Heb. 3:12?
"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." 2. What did he direct them to do?
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Verse 13. 3. What did he say would befall them if they failed to do this?—Ib. 4. What is the nature of sin?—Ib. 5. How was it that the first sin on earth was committed?
"And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." 1 Tim. 2:14. 6. On what condition are we partakers of Christ?
"For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." Heb. 3:14. Compare verse 6. 7. Did all provoke the Lord who came out of Egypt?
"For some, when they had heard, did provoke; howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses." Verse 16. 8. How many were so faithful as to go into the promised land?
"Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun." Num. 14:30. 9. Why could not the others enter into this rest?
"So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." Heb. 3:19. 10. How did they regard Caleb and Joshua for their faithfulness? Num. 14:6-10. 11. What fear is held before the brethren? "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Heb. 4:1. 12. What rest is spoken of in this verse and in chapter 3? 13. Was the gospel preached to them that fell in the wilderness?
"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Verse 2. 14. Are the same gospel and the same promise preached to us?—Ib. 15. Why did not the word preached profit them?—Ib. 16. Was the same faith required of the Israelites that is required of us? See note. 17. What is said of those that believe?
"For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." Verse 3. 18. Is this rest now received? or is it a matter of promise?
"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." Verses 1, 9. 19. When were the works of God finished?
"For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." Verse 3. 20. How is this proved?
"For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works." Verse 4. 21. What relation has this fact to the rest promised to us? See note. 22. What is the meaning of the expression, "If they shall enter into my rest" (verse 5, and margin of 3:11)? Ans.—It is a Hebrew method of expressing a strong negative, and in this sense is transferred to the Greek. It is correctly rendered, "They shall not," etc.649 WHEN the house of Israel is spoken of in distinction from the household of faith, we shall greatly mistake if we suppose that faith was not required of Israel. It will be seen by the whole argument in this letter that it was. There have never been two systems of salvation. As children of the covenant of Abraham, of which their circumcision was the token (John 7:22; Gen. 17:10-14), they were under covenant obligation to have the faith of Abraham. THE rest to which the children of Israel were journeying, was the land of Canaan. To the two tribes and a half who chose their land on the east of Jordan, Moses said: "The Lord your God hath given you this land to possess it; ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, . . . until the Lord have given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the Lord your God hath given them beyond Jordan." Deut. 3:18-20. Again: "For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you." Deut. 12:9. The rest and the inheritance are the same. Joshua led them over Jordan, and to the two tribes and a half he said: "The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. . . . Ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them; until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them." Josh. 1:13-15. When all was accomplished, the record says: "And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers; and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them." Josh. 21:43, 44. The rest unto which the Lord was leading them, and which they who fell in the wilderness never entered into, was the peaceable possession of the land of Canaan—the land of promise. THE REST THAT REMAINS.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
A FRIEND asks an explanation of Heb. 4:9. We accordingly give the following, which, although brief, will, we think, be found a sufficient key to the entire chapter. That God made to Abraham a promise of an inheritance, is well known. We will quote only two texts. The first is Gen. 13:14-17: "And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee." Again the Lord said to Abraham, after he had offered Isaac:— "I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." Gen. 22:17. Putting these two texts together, we learn that the inheritance promised to Abraham contemplated peaceable and quiet possession of the land; not simply of a few square miles, but of the whole world. Rom. 4:13. Now it was in pursuance of this promise, that the Lord delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. See Ex. 6:1-8. Passing by the wanderings in the wilderness, we come to the address which Moses made just before his death. Speaking to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, who were allowed to settle on the east side of Jordan, he said: "The Lord your God hath given you this land to possess it; ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, . . . until the Lord have given rest unto your brethren as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the Lord your God hath given them beyond Jordan; and then shall ye return every man unto his possession, which I have given you." Deut. 3:18-20. From this we learn that the giving of them rest was nothing more nor less than the establishing of them in their possession. The same thing is also shown by the following words:— "For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you. But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; then shall there be a place," etc. Deut. 12:9-11. In further confirmation of the idea that the promised rest comprehended quiet possession of the land, we read 2 Sam. 7:1, which says that "when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies," then he thought to build a house for the Lord. In refusing to allow him to do this work, the Lord made great promises to David, and said:— "Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime." 2 Sam. 7:10. It is evident, then, that the "rest" promised to the Israelites was the inheritance. Into this rest Joshua led them, as it is written: "And the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their fathers; and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand." Josh. 12:44. Yet in the face of this declaration, the apostle declares (Heb. 4:8, margin) that Joshua did not give them rest, and that the Lord afterward spoke of "another day," in which they might secure rest. We have just read from 2 Sam. 7:10 the promise of that rest. If Joshua had given them that rest, then another day could not have been spoken of. Although God did give to the Israelites the land of Canaan, Abraham had no part in it (see Acts 7:5), neither did Isaac and Jacob, to whom the promise was made as well as to Abraham; and the apostle, after mentioning these patriarchs, and many other worthies, says: "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Heb. 11:39, 40. This shows that the possession of the land of Canaan by the Israelites did not fill all the specifications of the promise. This is still more evident from the fact that they were at peace when the Lord renewed the promise in 2 Sam. 7:10. But how shall we explain the statement in Josh. 21:43-45, that God gave to the Israelites that which he promised? Simply on the ground that the partial inheritance which they had might have been made complete if they had obeyed and trusted God. That they did not have the complete rest and inheritance that was promised to Abraham, is evident from the fact that the promise to him included nothing less than the possession of the whole world. Rom. 4:13. Now from Jer. 17:19-27, we know that God designed that the Israelites should be forever established in the land of Canaan, whose capital, Jerusalem, was to be the capital of the whole world, even as the New Jerusalem will be the capital of the earth made new. But although they were given possession of the capital of their inheritance, they entered not into the full possession thereof, because of unbelief; so that it was the same as though they had never had any of it. But the "Lord is not slack concerning his promise," and so "there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." This rest is the same as that promised to Abraham, namely, the whole earth; for, after evil-doers have all been cut off, "the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Ps. 37:11. The fact that some could not enter into rest because of unbelief, does not invalidate the promise that those who will now believe shall enter into it, for the rest was prepared and completed from the foundation of the world; and God will not allow his original plan to be frustrated. With the knowledge that the earth is the rest that was promised to Abraham and to his seed, and which remains for us who believe, it is very easy to understand Heb. 4:3, 4, and the relation which the facts there stated bear to that rest. Thus:— The apostle says, "And God did rest on the seventh day from all his works." This is positive proof of the statement made just before, namely, that "the works were finished from the foundation of the world." Gen. 2:3 says that God "rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had made," and that his blessing pronounced upon the seventh day was "because that in it he had rested from all his works which God created and made." He made the earth "to be inhabited" (Isa. 45:18), and gave it to man for a peaceful abode; and the fact that he rested on the seventh day was a proof that the works were finished and the rest prepared. The Sabbath, therefore—the memorial of God's rest—a day in which to be glad through the work of God, and to triumph in the works of his hands, as we meditate upon their greatness (Ps. 92:4, 5), is an assurance that God has prepared a rest for his people, and that they will share it just as surely as he is the great Creator who changes not. When Christ shall descend in glory, sitting upon the throne of his glory, having received the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, that he may rid it of all that corrupt it, he will say to the righteous who have kept the faith, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34); and when they, with him, shall have executed upon the wicked the judgment that is written (see Jude 14, 15; Ps. 149:5-9), then will be fulfilled the promise given through the holy prophet: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places." Isa. 32:17, 18. Then shall the people of God enjoy the rest which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world. A WRITER in the Christian Union, in speaking of Paris and its people, has the following:— "The London and the New York laborer works always under protest. This is plainly written in every word and look. When he is not complaining of his hard lot, he is making demands upon one's sympathy by his dolorous appearance. He uses every means to create the impression that he is a miserable and altogether unhappy creature. How different the French laborer or worker of any sort! He is never on evidence in his own behalf, but endeavors in every possible way to disguise the fact that he is hard at work." Whether this is true or not, there is a lesson in it. The picture drawn of the New York and London laborer is all too true throughout the world. With cheerfulness, double the amount of work can be performed at the same wear of nerve than with gloom and moroseness. It is worry and gloominess and moroseness that break down the nerves and cause unhappiness more than any amount of hard work. It pays to be cheerful, from a purely physical point of view, and it is much more satisfactory. A cheerful heart is an elixir of life to its possessor, and it "doeth good like a medicine" to others. CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.
By E. A. Chapman
THE eighteenth annual session of the California Conference was held in connection with the Oakland camp-meeting, commencing September 26, the president, J. N. Loughborough, occupying the chair. Delegates to the number of 170 were present from 32 churches. The new churches of Susanville, Lockwood, Laytonville, and Pasadena were admitted into the Conference. The following were the committees appointed:—
On Nominations—Frank Brown, B. F. Winkler, and W. N. Glenn.
On Resolutions—W. M. Healey, H. A. St. John, and M. C. Wilcox.
On Credentials and Licenses—W. M. Healey, H. A. St. John, and Wm. Ings.
On Auditing—N. N. Lunt, Frank Brown, P. Scazighini, Joseph Leininger, M. J. Church, and Geo. C. Martin.
On National Religious Liberty Association—W. C. White, A. T. Jones, W. M. Healey, Geo. H. Derrick, and D. C. Hunter.
To consider a communication received from Dr. J. H. Kellogg, president of the American Health and Temperance Association—C. P. Bollman, W. C. White, and G. K. Owen. Officers for the coming year were elected as follows: For President, J. N. Loughborough; Secretary, E. A. Chapman; Treasurer, Pacific Press Publishing Co.; Educational Secretary, R. S. Owen; Executive Committee, J. N. Loughborough, W. C. White, W. M. Healey, N. C. McClure, R. S. Owen. The following resolutions were brought before the Conference and heartily adopted, the first two being indorsed by the congregation by a rising vote:— WHEREAS, We are again permitted to meet in our annual conference, and in reviewing the past year can see much advancement in the cause, Resolved, That we acknowledge the guiding hand of God in this work, and offer to him our sincere gratitude for the part he has given us to act, and will endeavor by his aid to be more efficient and faithful. WHEREAS, The Lord has given us a message to all the world, and we see in Utah and Arizona an unoccupied field; therefore, Resolved, That we annex those Territories to this Conference as requested by the General Conference Committee. Resolved, That the interesting address of our president be published in the Signs of the Times. WHEREAS, Our message is to the world, and to more readily reach all minds our work needs a careful preparation; and, WHEREAS, The Healdsburg College is well adapted to this purpose; therefore, Resolved, That we urge all our people to support said college by their prayers and patronage as far as consistent. Resolved, That we approve of the establishment of schools in our different churches where the same is practicable. WHEREAS, God has been pleased during the past three years to bless the Bible work in the California city missions, increasing the result of the labor performed, bringing many souls to the light of the truth, and assisting and encouraging our churches and tent laborers; and, WHEREAS, There is no lack of opportunities to reach the people, but rather an increased demand for this class of work; therefore, Resolved, That we give our moral and material support to those who engage in Bible work, and will encourage those to enter the work who may be fitted to do so, that souls may be saved and God glorified. WHEREAS, The publishing work is recognized by us as a people to be one of the most important agencies in giving to the world the last threefold message of warning; and, WHEREAS, The Pacific Press Publishing Company, which has done so much in this direction in the past, and whose main office is located in our midst, has felt called upon to greatly enlarge its work to meet the demands of the message by establishing branch offices in the great literary and commercial centers of the world, New York City and London, England; and, WHEREAS, This enlargement calls for an additional outlay of means (1) in maintaining a separate corps of workers at each one of these offices, and (2) in carrying a large and varied stock of all publications demanded by this time of the message and adapted to the different fields; therefore, Resolved, That we approve of the action taken by the stockholders in establishing these branch offices, and that we will heartily respond to the call of the directors for more means with which to carry forward the good work, (1) by taking stock in the Pacific Press Publishing Company and urging others to do so, as far as is consistent, and (2) by reducing to practice the recommendation of the General and State Conference that we should make this office a place of deposit. Resolved, That we request the Executive Committee of our Conference to publish, at their earliest convenience, in pamphlet form, the proceedings of the Seventh-day Adventist Conference of California for the Conference year ending September 1, 1889, and that they decide as to the number and expense of the same. Resolved, That it is the judgment of this Conference that its ministers, when actively engaged in labor for the salvation of souls, should briefly and frequently report their labors and experiences to the Signs of the Times for publication, that we may feel a closer sympathy and deeper interest in their labors. Resolved, That we extend our thanks to the daily papers of Oakland for the full reports published in regard to the meetings held in connection with this Conference. The committee to whom was referred the letter of Dr. J. H. Kellogg, president of the American Health and Temperance Association, submitted the following:— WHEREAS, Health and temperance principles are an important part of present truth; and, WHEREAS, It is desirable that our character as an aggressive and consistent temperance people should be everywhere known; and, WHEREAS, The circulation of health and temperance literature is an efficient means of preparing the minds of the people to receive the truths of the Third Angel's Message; therefore, Resolved, That we encourage suitable young persons to fit themselves to engage in the work of canvassing for health and temperance publications, and to teach to others the true principles of Christian temperance. Resolved, That we employ Brother G. K. Owen to devote himself to the health and temperance work during the coming year, and instruct him that in so doing he co-operate with whosoever shall have charge of the canvassing work for health and temperance literature. The following amendment to the constitution of the California Conference was adopted: ARTICLE 3, SECTION 2.—In case of surplus funds at the close of an annual settlement the Executive Committee shall have the power to invest two-thirds of the same as they may deem for the best good of the cause, provided, in such case at least $5,000 shall remain in the treasury. Resolved, That section 2 of article 3 of California Conference Constitution shall be numbered section 3, and section 3 shall be numbered section 4. It was voted to request the chair to appoint a committee of three to draw up a set of rules for the government of the deliberations of this Conference, the same to be printed in a convenient form for reference, before the next session. It was voted to request the church at Lafayette to disband and unite with the Oakland church, and that the company of Sabbath-keepers at Dayton, Nevada, unite themselves with the church at Virginia City. Credentials were granted to the following: J. N. Loughborough, N. C. McClure, W. M. Healey, J. H. Cook, E. A. Briggs, H. A. St. John, A. W. Bartlett, M. C. Wilcox, J. W. Scoles, John Fulton, Sanford Rogers, E. R. Jones, E. P. Daniels, Wm. Ings, R. S. Owen, and G. K. Owen. G. H. Derrick was ordained and received credentials. The following-named persons were granted ministerial licenses: Geo. Hollister, L. A. Scott, A. S. Hickox, Frank Lamb, Mrs. G. K. Owen, D. C. Hunter, Frank Thorp, and Philip Kent. Five meetings were held during the session, and the resolutions called out many interesting remarks, which lack of space forbids us to give. ANNUAL SESSION OF THE CALIFORNIA TRACT SOCIETY.
THE nineteenth annual session of this society, consisting of five meetings, was held in connection with the Oakland camp-meeting, September 25 to October 7, 1889. After the opening exercises of the first meeting a brief summary of the proceedings of the society during the year was given by the secretary. This was followed by an address from the president, W. C. White, in which he spoke of the general workings of the society. He said that the experience of the past year had been an instructive lesson as regards the possible results of united and harmonious action, in the circulation of literature, and by the various means adopted to defeat the efforts being made to secure religious legislation. The Tract Society should be ready to act quickly in any emergency where truth, principles of justice, and the honor of God, are at stake. The society was organized for this purpose, and its members should ever be ready to enter heartily into the work wherever and whenever duty calls. At this annual session we are called upon to decide how the work shall be carried forward. Among the questions that should receive consideration are:— - Will the California Tract Society annex the Territories of Arizona and Utah? If so, can it send an active and efficient corps of workers into those Territories?
- Will the society adopt the plans proposed in the August Extra of the Home Missionary, for the thorough canvass of every place where it has a branch?
- Shall the society offer to take charge of the canvassing work in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada?
- Shall we employ a canvassing agent to give his entire time to the health and temperance publications, selecting and training agents for this work, and employing, as far as possible, a good local agent in every city and town in the State?
- Shall arrangements be made to put four or five men in the field to give their time to the work, each one to be a vice-president of the society?
- What shall be done in the ship and city mission work the coming year? and what provision shall be made to meet this expense and the present debt?
- What shall be done at the expense of the State society in sending the Sentinel, and other literature upon the relation of civil governments to the church, and the evils of religious legislation, to the State and territorial legislators, lawyers, judges, editors, and other prominent citizens?
These questions, in connection with other important matters, were carefully considered in counsels composed of the board of directors and ministers, and the results of the deliberations presented in subsequent meetings of the society.651 In accordance with the resolution passed at the last annual session, the financial and statistical portion of the report of the society had been printed. Copies of this were placed in the hands of those present at the meeting. It is as follows:— The society has 45 local branches, 5 of which were added during the year. The approximate membership of the society is 1,600. The use of the Sentinel in the Tract Society work has surpassed that of the SIGNS, as the copies taken in clubs of the latter is 4,588, while the SIGNS is but 2,860. (At two different times during the year, a special edition of the Sentinel was issued to meet the demands of our work. Of these, about 61,500 copies were circulated. The local branches responded nobly to the call for means to defray the expense of printing these papers; the sum of $875.45 was realized. The society has furnished the Sentinel to the newspapers of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah; as the result editorials favoring our position, as well as selections from the Sentinel, have appeared in many of these journals. The Sentinel has also been sent to members of Congress and to California State officials. Copies of the "Civil Government and Religion" have been donated to the senators of this State. The number of public libraries, reading-rooms, etc., furnished with our various periodicals, is as follows: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, 27; American Sentinel, 27; Pacific Health Journal, 23; Good Health, 36. The book sales for the year, not including the work of field canvassers, have amounted to $2,253.14. A new feature introduced into our work during the year is the circulation of petitions to Congress opposing Sunday legislation. The number of signatures obtained in this Conference is now about 45,000. The truth has in this way been brought before thousands. Men of influence not only gave their own names but united with us in securing the signatures of others. Our own people entered into the work heartily, and many have gained a valuable experience. Our field of usefulness has been broadening from year to year, and especially during the one just closed has the Lord opened the way for a more varied and aggressive work. A more hearty co-operation of the members has been secured, and God has added his blessing to the efforts made. The prominence with which our position and work as a people has been brought before the public, has been largely due to the activity of the society. Committees were appointed by the chair as follows:—
On Nominations—W. M. Healey, F. V. Harmon, B. R. Nordyke.
On Resolutions—H. A. St. John, W. N. Glenn, C. P. Bollman. The Committee on Resolutions submitted the following:—
Resolved, That the constitution of this society be amended by substituting the following:—
CALIFORNIA TRACT SOCIETY—CONSTITUTION.
# ARTICLE I.—NAME.
This society shall be called the Tract and Missionary Society of the California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
# ARTICLE II.—OBJECTS.
The objects of this society shall be: (1) The publication and circulation of religious, temperance, and educational literature; (2) the dissemination of information in regard to home and foreign missions, and the raising of funds for their support.
# ARTICLE III.—MEMBERSHIP.
Any person of good standing in a Seventh-day Adventist Church, or who is recommended by such a church, may become a member by the payment of one dollar.
# ARTICLE IV.—OFFICERS.
The officers of this society shall be: (1) A president; (2) a first vice-president, and as many additional vice-presidents as the society shall deem necessary; (3) a treasurer; (4) a secretary; (5) a board of directors, of which the president, vice-presidents, treasurer, and secretary shall be members ex officio. These officers shall be elected at each annual meeting of the society.
# ARTICLE V.—MANAGEMENT.
The board of directors shall have the general management and oversight of the work of this society.
# ARTICLE VI.—DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
SECTION 1.—President. The duty of the president shall be to preside at all meetings of the society, and of the board of directors, and to have general oversight of the work of the society.
SEC. 2.—First Vice-President. It shall be the duty of the first vice-president to act in place of the president in his absence, and to work in connection with the president at his request.
SEC. 3.—Additional Vice-Presidents. It shall be the duty of the additional vice-presidents to personally superintend the field work of the society, under the direction of the board of directors.
SEC. 4.—Treasurer. The treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the society, and shall render account thereof to the society annually, or when requested so to do by the board of directors.
SEC. 5.—Secretary. The secretary shall keep the records of the society, conduct the correspondence, and perform such other duties as usually devolve upon such officers.
SEC. 6.—Directors. It shall be the duty of each director to labor for the promotion of the objects of the society in his entire district; and to visit the several branch societies at least once a quarter, to encourage, assist, and instruct them in their work. It shall also be his duty to appoint in each branch society in his district, a chairman, who shall preside at all meetings of the society; a librarian, who may also act as secretary; and an agent for foreign missions; the three to constitute the Executive Committee of the branch society, to plan for, and to direct its work, and appoint such assistants as may be necessary.
# ARTICLE VII.—FUNDS.
The funds of this society shall consist of money received on membership fees and sales of publications, and also free-will offerings.
# ARTICLE VIII.—AMENDMENTS.
This constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, by a vote of two-thirds of the members present. Resolved, That we give expression of our gratitude to God for his blessings during the past year, and for the success with which he has crowned our feeble and imperfect labors in his holy cause.
WHEREAS, Our annual reports show a marked increase over the previous year in almost every line of work in the society; therefore,
Resolved, That from the encouragement of this showing, as also from the momentous character of the times, we redouble our diligence, and, the Lord helping, prosecute the good work with renewed vigor during the coming year.
Resolved, That we will encourage by our prayers and moral support, those who qualify themselves for, and engage in, the canvassing work.
Resolved, That contributions be solicited every missionary Sabbath by each society, as formerly.
Resolved, That, as workers' meetings, where faithfully and fully tested, give satisfactory proof of practical utility, we recommend our directors to inform themselves at once, as to the best method of conducting them, in order that they may be efficient and instructive, and establish the same in each branch society where practicable.
WHEREAS, There has been a lack of uniformity in securing funds to sustain the work in the different districts, and debts have accumulated, to the discouragement of the members; therefore,
Resolved, That we recommend that weekly pledges be made by all the members, according to their ability, and paid as often as once a quarter.
WHEREAS, It is demonstrated beyond question, that the American Sentinel is a powerful agent for good in connection with the Lord's work for this generation; therefore,
Resolved, That all our branch societies be solicited to make special efforts to place this important journal in the hands of the people.
WHEREAS, The SIGNS OF THE TIMES has been established in the providence of God as a medium for the dissemination of his truth for the last days; and,
WHEREAS, It is proposed to make it more and more not only a teacher of righteousness, but a teacher of true religious liberty, and to show the connection of this liberty with Bible Christianity—thus well-fitting it to follow the work of the American Sentinel; and,
WHEREAS, This paper is furnished to the societies at a loss to the publishers; therefore,
Resolved, That we as a society will heartily support the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and give it as wide a circulation as possible, and pay the regular single subscription price per copy for our own.
WHEREAS, The California Conference has annexed the Territories of Arizona and Utah; therefore,
Resolved, That these Territories be accepted as a part of the California Tract and Missionary Society.
Resolved, That we approve of the plans proposed in the August Extra of the Home Missionary, for the thorough canvass of every place where we have a branch society, and will endeavor with divine aid to carry them out.
WHEREAS, The ship and city missions have already accomplished great good in bringing the truth before thousands of the traveling public who could not have been reached in any other way; and,
WHEREAS, Greater demands are now being made on the society for extending its work into new fields; therefore,
Resolved, That a fund of five thousand dollars be raised to sustain the work for the coming year.
Resolved, That we instruct the secretary to have two thousand copies of the new constitution, together with the list of officers, and the resolutions passed at this session of the society, printed immediately, for gratuitous distribution to the members of the society.
Resolved, That we request the board of directors to arrange to take charge of the canvassing work in the California Conference, as soon as practicable.
Resolved, That we request the California Conference to employ the five men chosen by this society as vice-presidents to devote their entire time to the work of this society.652 This constitution was carefully considered and adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members present.
The remaining resolutions were discussed and adopted.
The Nominating Committee, before submitting their report, recommended that San Diego County be taken from district number 6 and constitute district 7. The territory formerly known as district 7 be divided, and the counties of Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, and Sierra in California, and the portion of Western Nevada lying north of the Central Pacific Railway, with the exception of Reno, be known as district 9, while Reno and all Western Nevada south of the railway, with the counties of Mono and Inyo in California, comprise district number 10.
These proposed changes were made by vote of the society, after which the following report was submitted:—
For President, W. C. White; First Vice-President, and to have special oversight of districts 3, 4, and 5, H. A. St. John; additional Vice-Presidents—Wm. Ings, Northern California, composed of districts 1, 2, and 8; J. H. Cook, districts 9 and 10; D. C. Hunter, districts 6, 7, and Arizona; G. H. Derrick, Utah and Eastern Nevada; Secretary, Anna L. Ingels; Treasurer, B. R. Nordyke; Directors—District 1, Wm. Ings; 2, Erastus Banta; 3, W. N. Glenn; 4, F. Brown; 5, J. W. Beall; 6, Frank Stubbs; 7, W. S. Swayze; 8, G. H. Gibson; 9, W. K. Ball; 10, L. A. Scott. These persons were elected to office for the ensuing year.
It has been decided that Sister Marian Klaiber, who has acted as assistant secretary of this society for four years, connect with the work in Colorado for the coming year, as one of the secretaries of the Tract Society there. Her labor is needed in that field, and a change of climate was thought advisable for her health.
At a subsequent meeting the following resolution was presented by the Committee on Nominations, and carried:— WHEREAS, J. W. Beall was elected director of district 5 without being consulted, and the delegates of Fresno and Lemoore represent to us that, in their opinion, he is so situated that he cannot be expected to devote sufficient time to the work; and,
WHEREAS, These delegates suggest the name of J. S. Howard; therefore,
Resolved, That we substitute the name of J. S. Howard for J. W. Beall as director of district 5. In carrying out the resolution relative to raising funds for the furtherance of the work, the brethren and sisters freely gave for the support of the society to the amount of $2,807.80; of this $621.05 was cash, and the balance in pledges, the greater share of which are to be paid on or before January 1, 1890.
Among those who gave interesting experiences of their connection with the work during the past year were D. C. Hunter, E. A. Briggs, J. F. Bahler, C. B. Secord, M. J. Church, and H. P. Gray. Sister White, A. T. Jones, and Wm. Ings also favored us with fitting remarks.
The society was adjourned.
W. C. WHITE, Pres.
ANNA L. INGELS, Sec.