[A writer in the Indian Witness, styling himself “Do Better,” has sent some words to missionaries which they would do well to remember and profit by. We present the article herewith.—J. L. S.]
IF there is one thing a missionary has to watch himself about in this land of sunshine and whitewash, it is infirmities. “Would the giftie God would gie us to see ourselves as ithers see us, it would from many a trouble free us and sair affliction”—for the one we live with. There are two classes of infirmities,—those we can't help, and those we can help. The first may be a weak body, a timid, sensitive, bashful, or acrid disposition; the second sort, a sharp or slanderous tongue, an unforgiving spirit, a cruel self-will, a gossipy, touchy, bossy, egotistic, critical, or unkind disposition, “believing all things,” especially bad things about everybody.
Now missionaries come out here from various motives, and they and their God must settle that; but what sort of nature they bring with them to the work is what interests the ones they have to work with. Is the new missionary sweet, gentle, helpful, spiritual, tractable, willing to learn? or is the new missionary sour, self-conceited, bossy, and open-eared for all bits of gossip floating about?
A good start is a good thing in mission work, and woe be unto the missionary who hinders the new missionary in the start by whispering some evil thing about a fellow worker; by shrugging the shoulders when a certain one is mentioned, until a suspicion is aroused; by giving some “valuable hints as to whom to watch.”
The Word says, “Woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.” Whoever poisons the mind of a new missionary against another missionary is causing some one to offend; and I believe the Good Book is true, and that it were better that that whisperer had fallen overboard en route to India than that suspicion, distrust, and unfriendliness should be sown by him in some fresh young heart full of zeal for God. Grace can cover all the infirmities under number one, and the missionary can get a strong body, overcome his timidity, and get thick-skinned, and grow in favor with God and other missionaries.
The cause of the second sort of infirmities is sin. They proceed from an evil heart, and the first thing to do is to go to the cross and get rid of them. Only the blood of Jesus will wash them away. Nowhere in the world can a sharp tongue and a gossipy nature find so ready a sphere of action as in the mission circle. Nowhere in the world is an unforgiving spirit so deadly, and a cruel self-will so cruel to the meek little new missionary as out here. Nowhere in the world can slander so kill and maim as out here, where we all live in the limelight. Nowhere in the world can unkindness be so unkind, and touchiness be so on the lookout for fancied wrongs as here.
He Knows
By Allen Francis Gage
He knoweth all my frame,
And with a father heart
He pities me.
He reaches forth his arm,
Calm grows the soul's deep strife.
The might of his great name,
As he doth take my part,
My foe shall see.
His grace shall sin disarm;
His power shall guard my life.
He knows both day and night;
To him all times are plain
And ope as day.
Each arrow from his bow
Shall meet at last his will.
I need not trust to sight;
Earth's sorrow, woe, and pain,
And rugged way,—
E'en these, I well do know,
His purpose shall fulfil.
He knoweth all my need,
And, knowing that he knows,
I trust his love.
I safe may place my all
Within his gentle hand.
Hath not his word decreed
That even threatening woes
No scourge shall prove?
That I shall never fall
If in his strength I stand?
Chicago, Ill.
The Tonic for the Sick
How few know how to conduct themselves in the presence of a sick person! After twenty-five years of experience it is an increasing conviction that visitation of the sick should be limited almost entirely to a very few. Some stay too long. Some talk too loud. Almost all talk about other sick persons. Few ever laugh or smile. The test of the value of any visit to the sick is its effect upon the patient. So tested, most of our trying to do good to the sick is a clumsy, depressing affair.
There is no finer art under the sun than to pitch one's thought and one's voice to lighten up one's face, to illumine one's soul with gracious good cheer, so that one's coming brings a tonic of strength, and one's going leaves a ray of sunshine on the soul of the sufferer. And even this art of healing is only one aspect of all life. How brutal our charity is sometimes! How abrupt and awkward the hand that reaches the dole! This ought not to be. To fill the stomach while we wound the heart is poor policy. It is the spirit that needs our healing everywhere. Out of two decades of contact with human misery we declare with absolute conviction that in nine cases out of ten the human need is for what Jesus gave rather than for what we even try to give.
—Universalist Leader.
The Noon-Hour Prayer
By Editor
"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice." "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends."
SINCE the last issue of the REVIEW, our mail has brought a number of earnest requests. Some express their great thankfulness that this department has been opened in our church paper. While they have burdens to present themselves, they feel glad to unite in the noon-day service in behalf of their afflicted brethren and sisters.
42. A sister in Detroit, Minn., who has had poor health for years, and has gradually grown worse until at the present time she is unable to do much of any work, believes that the time has been reached for her to ask direct help from the Lord. If she were well, there is much she could do in the teaching of a church-school or in selling our publications. She desires the prayers of the believers in Minnesota, and especially of the ministers in that conference, that God will give to her health and strength.
43. A burdened wife and mother writes from New Jersey, asking the prayers of her brethren and sisters in behalf of her unconverted children and husband. She has also an afflicted son, for whose healing she feels a special burden.
44. From North Carolina an afflicted brother writes, asking that his case may be presented before the throne of grace for healing, in order that he may have a part in carrying the third angel's message to the world. His heart goes out also in earnest desire for his wife, who has grown cold, and has entered the service of the world. Pray for her restoration to the Lord.
45. A sister in Oklahoma writes in behalf of a relative afflicted with tuberculosis who feels some interest in the truth, and some desire to give herself to the Lord, but has not strength to obey the Master's call. Pray for her healing of body and soul.
46. From Maine comes a request from one of our sisters that her husband, and also a friend of his, who are under conviction of the truth, may be led to yield to this conviction.
47. A brother in Norway writes of one of our sisters in Christiania, who is suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs and of one leg. Let us remember this Scandinavian sister in earnest prayer.
48. The husband of one of our sisters in Ohio is a traveling man. As such, he is thrown into associations the influence of which is to draw him farther and farther away from the Lord. Her heart goes out in earnest desire for his conversion, and she asks the prayers of her brethren and sisters that God may bring this about.
49. A similar request comes from another wife in behalf of her unconverted husband; also in behalf of her daughter, who is suffering with a serious affliction. Pray that God may send healing of soul to one, and of the body to the other.
50. The son of one of our sisters in Maine, who at one time loved the Lord and earnestly engaged in his service, has been drawn off by evil associates. He is her only son. The mother stands alone in seeking to lead him to God. Pray that the earnest desire of her heart may be realized in his conversion, and in the conversion of her husband, who likewise is cold and indifferent.
51. From New York City a sister writes of the wonderful conversion which she experienced some thirty years ago. This prepared her to go through the terrible affliction that followed in the death of her husband. She was left alone with ten children. Later she became a Seventh-day Adventist, and rejoices in the soon coming of the Lord. This hope she earnestly desires to share with her children, but thus far only three of them are keeping the Sabbath. Some of her children are now suffering serious affliction. For their conversion and restoration to health she earnestly requests prayer.
52. A similar burdened request comes from a mother in North Dakota who has two sons, aged fourteen and sixteen13years. They once knew the Lord, but have left the truth. For their return to the Father's house, and for the conversion of her husband, she most earnestly desires the help afforded by the prayers of others.
53. In Fitchburg, Mass., lives one of our sisters who for four years has suffered from a very painful disease. Remedies have proved of no avail, and she is slowly succumbing to its ravages. She asks to be remembered in prayer that the door of deliverance may be opened to her.
54. Of the evil influences associated with worldly schools this people has many times been warned. In order that our youth and children might be safeguarded and trained for God and for his work, Seventh-day Adventists have put into operation the system of church-schools found in this denomination, and the great army of youth among us who love and fear God bear witness to the wisdom of this plan. Some, however, have failed to realize the importance of placing their children in denominational schools. A spirit of heart-anguish is borne by a letter coming from one of our sisters in Michigan regarding this matter. Her heart's desire was to educate her daughter for the work of God. She did not feel, however, that she could arrange to send her to one of our own schools, and sent her instead to a school of the world. In one short year she married out of the truth, and as a result has become careless about questions which she once sacredly regarded. The burden of this mother's heart is that she herself may be sustained in this experience of 'the most bitter disappointment of life,' and that her daughter may be awakened to her sense of duty to God and to his truth.
These requests for prayer represent but a small part of the great burden borne by a disappointed, suffering world. There are but few hearts that have not felt their full burden of woe, but few homes where death has not entered. Let us hold up in the arms of our faith our suffering, faltering, discouraged brethren and sisters. They need our sympathy and our prayers. And let us not confine ourselves alone to these requests which are made from week to week. Every reader of this paper lives within personal touch of some poor, suffering heart. Let us stand ready to extend the helping hand, to speak the sympathetic word. If we give to others in their affliction love, or sympathy, or temporal benefit, we shall be doubly blessed in return.
Fifteen Million Pupils Ill.
Fifteen million American schoolchildren need a doctor's attention. This is the estimate furnished the United States Bureau of Education by Dr. Thomas D. Wood, professor of physical education in the Columbia University Teachers' College.
"Of the 20,000,000 schoolchildren in this country," says Dr. Wood, "not less than seventy-five per cent need attention for physical defects which are prejudicial to health, and which are partially or completely remediable."
Some of the doctor's conclusions are as follows:—
"Several million children have two or more handicapping defects; 400,000 have organic heart-disease; at least 1,000,000 have or have had tuberculosis; about 1,000,000 have spinal curvature, flatfoot, or some other moderate deformity; more than 1,000,000 have defective hearing; about 5,000,000 are suffering from malnutrition; more than 6,000,000 have enlarged tonsils, adenoids, or enlarged cervical glands; more than 10,000,000 have defective teeth which are interfering with health. About one hundred cities have as many different kinds of organizations for the care of health in the schools."—Selected.
Who Follows?
By Eliza H. Morton
ELIZA H. MORTON
A LITTLE child in the darkness
Clung close to his father’s hand;
“O, listen,” he said in terror,
“Who follows us on the sand?”
The father replied most gently:
“Somebody, forever, aye,
Is walking within our footsteps,
And following every day.
“It is true we can not see them,
And, perchance, we can not hear;
But many we influence daily;
So we must be careful, my dear.
“We may lead some soul from Jesus,
When we least expect it so;
Or some word may give an impulse
For the noblest work below.”
Who follows within our footsteps?
In the home are tender feet;
And whether we care or care not,
We influence all we meet.
Portland, Maine.
Portland, Maine
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
THERE are several reasons why Portland is a very important center. First, the State of Maine is the storm-center of temperance and prohibition for the world, and Portland is the ruling city in the State. Second, Portland, with the many islands in Casco Bay, has become one of the largest summer resorts in the United States. Third, the same God that guarded the spot where Abraham offered his son, selecting it as the site of his temple, and promising that the heavenly Jerusalem would cover the spot, has a regard for the birthplace of the message, the place from which he chose the messenger whom he has used as his mouthpiece for over sixty years.
In July, 1911, we reached Portland, only a few weeks before the election which was to decide whether Maine would remain prohibition or not. We found no aggressive temperance work being done by our people in the State. We saw the great need of immediate action, and as the Temperance Instructor was the best thing in sight, we conceived the plan of distributing fifty thousand copies of this valuable paper throughout the State. The brethren both in and out of Maine took hold heartily to help as soon as they saw the work moving, and we passed the fifty-thousand mark. The Temperance Instructor was distributed in Maine to the number of 53,797, and even our enemies confessed that the Seventh-day Adventists saved the State to prohibition.
After the September election last fall, seeing the need of continuing aggressive temperance work in the State, we requested the Review and Herald Publishing Association to print in tract form the chapter in "Ministry of Healing," entitled "The Liquor Traffic and Prohibition." They not only printed the tract, but very generously gave to the temperance cause in Maine fifty thousand copies, which we have distributed throughout the State. As there was no political issue on, we have had more time in which to plan the work than in the campaign last fall, when everything had to be done in a few weeks.
Sister Jennie Bates, who was in touch with the W. C. T. U. workers, sent a sample copy of the tract to the leaders of all the companies of W. C. T. U. workers in the State, asking them if they should like to use the tracts in their localities. Very cordial replies were received, many asking for from ten copies to two thousand copies of the tracts. They paid enough to defray all expense of shipping the tracts. We received many expressions of gratitude from these faithful temperance workers for the literature. After we had supplied the temperance societies, we began a systematic work of distribution. Our workers visited ministers and men in charge of factories and different institutions and stores; and wherever they found men interested in temperance, the matter was laid before them, and often the worker was cordially invited to distribute the tracts to all the employees, or the man in charge would ask for a sufficient number to give one to each individual in the institution.
One minister took four hundred copies for his congregation. One Sunday-school teacher, who attended our health meetings last winter, asked for a quantity of the temperance tracts. After examining them, her minister had ushers stand at each door, and, at the close of the Sunday-morning service, give a tract to each member of his congregation. In all cases we gave the people to understand that the tracts were printed and given by the Seventh-day Adventists.
On holidays our workers distributed the tracts to the people at the different sea-side resorts. Many interesting experiences were related by the workers. One man to whom a tract was given, carefully examined it, then said, "I wish this had been given me three years ago, before I formed the habit of drinking." We often met individuals who greatly appreciated the work being done; and many spoke in high terms of the Temperance Instructor distributed last year. Several said they had been watching the work done by our people; had carefully read the reports of the cooking schools and health schools that have been published in the daily papers from time to time. The following remark made by one woman is similar to others made to the workers, "What I like about the Seventh-day Adventists is that they are not only doing aggressive temperance work,14but by their vegetarian cooking schools they are teaching the people how to live temperate lives."
For six months last winter, we held either a cooking school or a health school every week in the vestry of the Portland church. These were well attended by a good class of people, and we have learned of several influential families in the city who have almost wholly discarded flesh-meat from their tables as a result of the lessons learned at the cooking schools. These favorable impressions that have been made will, we trust, be a ray of light which will some day lead souls into the full light. After dropping our cooking school for a few months, we received so many requests to have the school continued that we held two schools during the month of August, and were well pleased to see a good audience present. The daily papers published gratifying reports of the school.
During the summer we have had three nurses connected with our work. Two of them have taken cases and done regular nursing; the other nurse, Sister Esta Svensen, has given treatments only. She has charged a first-class price, and has done first-class work. By the treatments, she has entered homes where our Bible workers could not gain access.
Our year's work in Maine has been largely in the nature of seed sowing. We have purchased over three hundred dollars' worth of our denominational tracts from the Review and Herald. These tracts were made up into thirty five-dollar packages. Fifteen of these were purchased by our brethren in the churches outside of Portland, and the remaining fifteen packages have been lent, sold, or given away in the city of Portland.
We wish to thank publicly the brethren at Washington for their generosity and kindness in helping to furnish us with literature to carry forward the work here. The Pacific Press has also very generously furnished a club of one hundred weekly Signs of the Times, which we greatly appreciate. These papers have all been faithfully used, and we trust have convinced many minds of the truthfulness of this last message of mercy.
During the year the following literature has been distributed by those connected with our training-school in Portland: 682,281 pages of tracts given away; 189,356 pages of tracts lent in families; 3,450 pages of tracts sold; 6,741 papers given away; 2,478 papers sold; 397 bound books sold. The copies of the Temperance Instructor distributed last summer are not included in this summary.
While we have not seen all the results that we hoped to see, yet we thank the Lord for a few faithful souls, and that some of them are already developing into good workers. We consider a foundation has been laid here in Portland for a substantial and fruitful work.
S. N. HASKELL.
Sailing Against Adverse Winds
“It is possible so to arrange the sails of a yacht that adverse winds send her forward rather than backward; and it is just as possible for human craft out on the broad sea of life so to arrange the sails of their will and resolution that the adverse winds of circumstance and trial and temptation, so far from driving them backward, or in any way hindering their progress, shall bring them on their way. Full many a heroic soul reaches the haven where she would be, by sailing right in the teeth of a biting wind.”
Haiti
By Henry Williams
I MUST report at this time the sad death of my wife, which occurred July 11, while engaged in household duties, in which she was always faithful. She was seventy-four years of age. We came to this country from Kingston, Jamaica, thirty-five years ago. Three years later we accepted the Sabbath truth, and have tried faithfully, all these years, to live up to the light we have received.
We had been united in marriage for thirty-eight years. Before her death, she became convinced that her time was short, for she felt her weakness daily, and in our family prayers she always prayed that, after she was gone, the Lord would keep me steadfast to the end, that we might meet on the resurrection morning. I am now left alone as far as immediate family connections are concerned. The words of her prayer are sounding in my ears continually, and they stimulate me to be more diligent in spiritual things. Her death is widely regretted, as we are well known throughout the town. The Baptist and Wesleyan ministers conducted the funeral service in the Wesleyan church. She now sleeps until the Life-giver comes.
I ask the prayers of all in behalf of my loneliness. I can not work at my trade again in consequence of recent serious sickness, and my advanced age of seventy-three. My short future is with the Lord.
I wish to state also that the Haitian field has been left too long without a minister, as the work is progressing all the time. There are about fifty candidates for baptism. We are hoping that a man may soon be sent to take charge.
HENRY WILLIAMS.
Kuala Lumpur, Malay States
THE following report from a new mission station on the Malay Peninsula will interest our readers. Elder and Mrs. R. P. Montgomery were sent out in the early part of 1911, the first to be sent under the provisional appointment plan. The report is taken from a letter to Prof. M. E. Kern:—
"We received your kind letter and Seminary Record a few weeks ago, but have neglected answering till now.
"I am very much interested in the work of the Seminary, the changes taking place there, the students going out into active missionary work, the new students coming to get a fitting up and trimming down, etc. It is very interesting and encouraging, too, for us to read of some of our fellow students at the Seminary who are now in China, India, South America, Cuba, Africa, Egypt, Turkey, and Mexico. Truly the Lord has greatly blessed this institution, and may it continue to send out these heralds of the gospel till the Saviour comes and its good mission is done.
"Since coming to this place our health has been good. Mrs. Montgomery, while at Singapore, had the dengue fever for a few days. Aside from a few colds, this is the only sickness we have had since arriving in the Orient. I do not think we could have had better health in the home land. However, the constant heat and the humidity of the atmosphere eventually pulls one down. We are not able to do as much hard work as in the temperate climate. We are truly thankful for good health, and for such a delightful climate in which to labor.
"Concerning the work here,—and that is what all of us are most interested in,—we can report some advancement. Our meetings have been in progress for some time, and a goodly number are attending regularly. Most of those who attend are good, substantial people, and are convinced of the truth of the message. We are giving some Bible studies to them outside of regular meeting hours, and no doubt some of them will take their stand for the Sabbath soon. One Tamil man is arranging to start a small printing-house of his own so he can keep the Sabbath and employ a few others who want to obey.
"Mrs. Montgomery has a number of Chinese Monyas with whom she is studying the truth in Malay and English. (Monyas are Strait-born Chinese women; the men are called Babas.) One woman especially is becoming deeply interested. Some of the people who do not have faith enough to begin to obey are working with their friends and relatives, and circulating literature.
"We have been having a pretty hard pull of it, but now the clouds are beginning to roll back, and we can see a few rays of sunlight. We are glad for the privilege of being right here. I know this is the place the Lord wants us. We have met with some experiences that have driven us nearer to him. Will you remember to pray for the feeble efforts put forth in Malay?"
Ohio Conference and Camp-Meeting
By R. A. Underwood
This meeting was held on the fair-ground in Springfield, Ohio, from August 15 to 26. It was said to have the largest attendance of our people of any meeting held in the State for a number of years. About nine hundred from the various churches in the State were camped on the ground or occupied rooms in the vicinity. About two hundred of these were young people, and about one hundred were small children representing the kindergarten department. The fair-ground in Springfield is surrounded with quite a large population, and is only about one mile from the center of the city. The close proximity of the meeting to the people of the city encouraged a good attendance, especially at the evening services. The laborers from the General Conference and from the union conference were A. J. Haysmer, Meade MacGuire, I. A. Ford, B. G. Wilkinson, R. T. Dowsett, J. E. Shultz, S. M. Butler, N. S. Ashton, J. W. Mace, and the writer. Most of these laborers spent only a part of the time at the meeting. However, it was my privilege to be at the meeting from the beginning until its close. But few changes were made in the election of officers, Elder E. K. Slade being reelected to the presidency of the conference.
The meeting was said to be one of the best that the brethren of Ohio have enjoyed for a number of years. During the year of 1911 the tithe of the conference was over $30,000. During the first six or seven months of 1912 quite a large increase in both tithe and mission offerings was seen in the conference over the corresponding portion of the former year. More than one hundred had been baptized in the churches just previous to the camp-meeting. Only thirteen were baptized at the meeting, but a larger number returned to their homes to receive the ordinance. Both Sabbaths there was a strong revival movement, in which a goodly number found the Lord for the first time, and hundreds consecrated their lives anew to the service of God. The first Sabbath $129 was contributed by the Sabbath-school to foreign15missions. The last Sabbath the offering amounted to $388.98, making a total offering by the Sabbath-school of $517.98. For the purpose of liquidating the indebtedness of the Mount Vernon College there was raised in pledges and cash $2,900. About one thousand dollars of this was pledged on condition of the sale of property. There was also donated to foreign missions, besides the amount given in the Sabbath-school, about $1,250. The sales from the book-stand amounted to $800. The sales of our literature in the conference during the year 1911 amounted to more than $25,000, and the first half of 1912 indicates that it will go considerably over $30,000 the present year. There are about thirty employed laborers in the conference. Ohio has a number of young men who, with God's blessing, will develop into strong laborers.
I was much pleased to see the good spirit upon the grounds. Elder Slade has the confidence of the brethren, and the loyal support of all the churches and the laborers. It was pleasing to see him lead out in various lines of work calling for self-sacrifice in advance movements. It was a great pleasure personally to attend this meeting, and to meet a goodly number of the old Sabbath-keepers who were the backbone of the conference twenty-five or thirty years ago, and it was a greater joy to find among the laborers and active men and women of the conference those who were but children when I left the conference. While I could not ignore the fact that the older members of the conference show the marks of the frost of time, I was glad to know that they are loyal and true to the message. During the meeting I was often reminded of some who were most active among the laity twenty-five years ago, who are now sleeping in Christ, awaiting the resurrection.
The brethren returned to their homes feeling that God had greatly blessed them during the meeting, and with hope and courage to believe that greater advancement will be made in the Ohio Conference the coming year than ever before.
R. A. UNDERWOOD.
Colorado Camp-Meeting
By G. B. Thompson
THE annual camp-meeting of the Colorado Conference was held in Denver, August 15-25. The camp was in Rocky Mountain Lake Park, in the suburbs of the city, and was easily accessible from the street-car lines. There was a good attendance of the people from the city. Many showed a deep interest in the fundamental doctrines of the message, which were presented each evening; and some, I understand, began the observance of the Sabbath during the meeting.
A lot was secured, and plans made to place a tent near the park and further develop the interest aroused by the meeting. The prospect seemed good for the raising up of a strong company of Sabbath-keepers.
The attendance of our own people was fair; about one hundred tents were pitched. The location of the camp was in many respects an ideal one, and the weather was fine nearly all through the meeting.
The business of the annual session of the conference was marked with the utmost unity, and the desire was expressed to move forward with the work in a strong, aggressive manner. The reports rendered during the conference indicated progress. Nearly $1,200 was pledged for the work of the Eastern Colorado Academy, at Loveland; and about $450 for the foreign mission work. The Sabbath-school offerings during the meeting amounted to $226. About one hundred believers have been baptized during the year. In addition to these, thirty-four were baptized at the camp-meeting, and some others will be baptized in their churches upon their return home.
The officers elected for the coming year were about the same as for the past year. Elder C. R. Kite has the confidence of all and was unanimously re-elected president. In addition to the union and local conference laborers, Elders W. A. Spicer, G. F. Haffner, J. H. Schilling, and the writer were present, and shared in the blessing and labor of the meeting. Much of God's precious Spirit was manifested daily as the people of the Lord humbled their hearts and put away their sins.
During the camp-meeting I spent one evening at Lupton, where Elder H. M. J. Richards and a company of workers have been holding a tent effort during the summer. At this place I found twenty or more who are keeping the Sabbath. A lot has been secured, on which they hope to erect a church building. I enjoyed the privilege of speaking to a good congregation in the tent, on the progress of our work in the various mission fields of the world.
Personally, I enjoyed meeting with our brethren and sisters in their annual convocation in this conference, and am encouraged to believe that the Lord will greatly bless his work in this prosperous State the coming year.
G. B. THOMPSON.
Tennessee River Conference and Camp-Meeting
By C. P. Bollman
This meeting was held at Camden, Tenn., August 15-25. It was not only the largest meeting ever held in the conference, but it was, to say the least, one of the best in the entire history of this field.
In addition to the ministers and workers of the local conference, there were present Elders S. E. Wight and E. H. Rees, of the Southern Union; Elder O. Montgomery, of Indiana; Elder E. L. Maxwell, of Louisiana; Elder H. B. French, of Texas; and Prof. C. L. Stone, of the Southern Training-school. These brethren all rendered good service in making the meeting a spiritual and financial success.
The business of the conference was transacted quickly and harmoniously. It having been previously understood that the writer, who had had charge of the work of the conference during the last eleven months, had been asked to connect again with the Southern Publishing Association, Elder Maxwell was unanimously chosen president on the first Monday of the meeting. This gave Brother Maxwell an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with all the details of the conference work. A new secretary and treasurer was also chosen, Brother T. E. Pavey, the former secretary having accepted a call to Alabama.
The treasurer's report showed an encouraging gain during the year in both tithes and offerings, and the conference year closed with a substantial balance in the treasury, approximately $1,400.
The book and periodical sales during the year showed an increase of more than $1,500 over the previous year. Five hundred dollars was raised in cash and pledges toward a nine-hundred-dollar tent and camp-meeting fund. Over $200 was raised for the Nashville Sanitarium, in addition to the substantial donations made to that institution in Nashville last winter. Contributions to missions during the meeting amounted to about $750.
During the year Elder W. R. Elliott, of Alabama, and Elder C. A. Hansen, recently pastor of the church at Grand Rapids, Mich., were added to the force of laborers in the Tennessee River Conference. Elder Elliott, who has been in this field about two months, will follow up the good interest developed at Camden, while Elder Hansen, who arrived only in time for the latter part of the camp-meeting, takes charge of the work in Nashville.
The outlook is encouraging. The workers are devoted, the conference is united, and the people are courageous and willing. C. P. BOLLMAN.