Earlier text: IF WE ARE ONLY SINCEREORGANIZATION AND REGULATION OF LEGAL SOCIETIES.
The mode of organizing a legal society to control church property under the provisions of the law of Michigan, is as follows:— First, Let the male members of your church and congregation, of full age, who desire to form such society, sign the following articles:— In pursuance of an act of the Legislature of the State of Michigan, entitled, “An act concerning churches or religious societies, establishing uniform rules for the acquisition, tenure, control, and disposition of property conveyed, or dedicated for religious purposes, and to repeal chapter fifty-two of the revised statutes, approved February thirteenth, eighteen hundred fifty-five,” We, the undersigned, being desirous of forming ourselves into a religious society, do hereby agree to be bound by the following articles of association:— ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE SOCIETY OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS OF _____, MICHIGAN.
This society shall be called the society of the Seventh-day Adventists. This society shall be located in the of in the State of Michigan. The object of this society shall be to legally hold the house of worship and land belonging thereto, a dwelling house for their minister, and such other buildings as may be necessary for the direct and legitimate use of the society, and to manage the temporal affairs of the Seventh-day Adventists of _____; and it shall not hold any other property; except grants, as hereinafter provided, nor transact other business aside from the temporalities of the society. The officers of this society shall consist of three trustees, a clerk and treasurer to be appointed by them of their number. The trustees shall be elected for three years, except those first elected, who shall be divided into three classes, and shall hold their offices for one, two, and three years, respectively, one being elected each year to fill the vacancy of the one passing from office. At least fifteen days’ notice shall be given to the congregation of the time when, and the place where, any election shall be held, and such notice shall be given in the manner that is, or may be, provided by law. All regular elections shall be held at least six days before the term of office expires, and in case of a vacancy by death or any other cause, a special election may be held, by notice thereof being given as aforesaid. All property that may be given, granted, conveyed, or devised to this society, whether personal or real estate, except the house of worship and land belonging thereto, the dwelling house for their minister, and such other buildings as may be necessary for the direct and legitimate use of the church as before provided, shall be sold by the trustees, and the proceeds thereof applied to the religious and benevolent purposes of the society. This society may erect, alter, or improve, a church building, a house for their minister, and other buildings for the direct and legitimate use of the society, by a vote of two-thirds of the members, and dispose of the buildings and erect others, as the wants of the congregation may require, and shall have power to execute securities for church debts, upon church property, as provided by law. After the first election, such persons shall be entitled to vote as shall have subscribed to these articles at least six months before the annual election, and shall have been stated worshipers with this society at their house of worship for the same period of six months, or shall have contributed to the support of the society according to its usages for one year. When these articles are drawn up, and signed, let the elder, deacon, or, if not present, any male member, read a notice, like the following:— Being desirous of forming ourselves into a religious society to be known as the society of Seventh-day Adventists of , to legally hold and manage our church property, an election will be held at , on the day of , in the year 18—, for the purpose of electing three persons to serve as trustees of said society. Elder, Deacon, or Member, (as the case may be). Such notice must be given at least fifteen days before the day of election, and must be read in two Sabbath meetings, and those two Sabbaths must be the last two on which you have meeting before the day of election. See sec. 4. When you come together to hold your first election, you will organize your meeting by choosing your elder as president. This may be done by some one moving that the elder act as president, and then vote upon it by voice or uplifted hand as you choose. The next step will be to elect a clerk for the time being, who may be nominated and elected in the same manner as the president. Your next step will be to select two inspectors of the election. If there are two deacons of the church present, they are lawful inspectors without any vote for them. If there is one deacon present he is an inspector, and the second is to be chosen by circulating blank ballots and letting all who have signed the articles write upon the ballots the name of the person they wish to act as inspector. The one getting the greatest number of ballots is the other inspector. If there is no deacon present, both inspectors shall be elected as above. The president shall then announce that the inspectors are to pass blank ballots on which he wishes you to write the names of three male subscribers to the articles, to serve as trustees, the three names to be written at one balloting. The inspectors shall take up the ballots and examine and report to the president, who shall declare the vote. The three persons receiving the highest number of votes are the three trustees. The trustees shall then draw cuts from the hand of the president, to decide who shall serve one, who two, and who three years. When they are thus divided, the president, clerk, and inspectors should make a writing like the following:— At a meeting of persons who had signed Articles of Association for the purpose of forming a religious society to be known as the society of Seventh-day Adventists of , Michigan, notified according to the provisions of the statutes of the State of Michigan, held at , on the day of , 18—, was by a plurality of votes, chosen president, and , clerk. Whereupon and , deacons, acted as inspectors of election for the election of trustees for said society, who make the following certificate. In case two laymen are chosen as inspectors, or one layman to act with one deacon, let it read, Whereupon, , layman, was nominated by a plurality of votes by ballot to act with the deacon, , as inspectors of election, &c., or if two laymen, let both their names be mentioned as nominated for inspectors. At the meeting above specified, by a plurality of votes by ballot, , , and , were chosen as trustees of the society of Seventh-day Adventists of , Michigan, and immediately thereafter divided into three classes, as follows, to hold his office for one year, , for two years, and _____ for three years. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, this day of , in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and _____. Inspectors { , [L. S.]
, [L. S.] The inspectors shall then go to some justice of the peace, or notary public, and make acknowledgment of the certificate, and have his certificate of acknowledgment on the back, which may read like the following:— State of Michigan, }
County of _____, } ss. On this day of , A. D. 18—, before me, a , in and for the said County, personally appeared and , to me personally known to be the persons described in and who executed the foregoing certificate, and each acknowledged to me that he executed the same freely. , for , County, Michigan. Then the articles of association and the above certificate should be filed for record in the County Clerk’s office, and from the time of such filing, you are a body corporate, empowered to receive and hold the property of the church. On being notified of their election, the trustees shall choose one of their number as clerk, who shall fulfill his office as set forth in sections 11, 14, and 17. They shall also choose one of their number as a treasurer to pay out funds by order of the board of trustees (sec. 11). The notice of any election after the first is provided for in sections 14 and 15. Such elections will be conducted in the same manner as the first, with the exception of choosing a clerk, for the clerk of trustees is a clerk of the meetings for election. See sections 15, 3, 5, 17. No certificate is made of any election after the first, but a record is made of the proceedings and election of trustees, on the society’s books (not the church book). See section 11. FORM OF CLERK’S NOTICE, SEE SECS. 14, 15.
, Michigan, , 18—,
To , Elder in charge of the Society of the Seventh-day Adventists of ___, You are hereby notified that the expiration of the term of office of , one of the trustees of this society, will terminate on the day of _____ next. This notice is thus given in order that you may notify your congregation publicly of the time when and the place where an election will be held to fill the vacancy, said notice to be read for two successive Sabbaths, last before such election, and be given at least fifteen days before such election, and such election must be held six days before the expiration of the said term of office. The person receiving this notice shall read to the congregation a written notice as required by law, (see sections 14, 4,) as follows:— An election will be held at , on the day of , at o’clock, (A. M. or P. M., as the case may be), for the purpose of electing a trustee to fill the vacancy occasioned by the expiration of the term of office of , which term expires on the day _____ next. God, who made man from the dust at first, can restore him to life after he has turned to dust again. He who plants such vitality in tiny seeds that after thousands of years of dormancy they burst and grow, and bud and blossom, can also restore the dead who have slumbered for ages in their tombs, and bring them forth to life and joy and immortality. Man is of more value than a flower. God will not preserve the lilies of the field, and forget his own children.—The Armory. Humility Brings Peace With God and Man
If thou wouldst find much peace and favor with God and man, be very low in thine own eyes. Forgive thyself little and others much. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.” LEMUEL POWERS LELAND, youngest son of John and Phebe A. Leland, fell asleep in Benona, Mich., on the morning of the 18th inst., aged 4 years, 5 months, and six days. He contracted a severe cold on his way home from Virginia with his parents, which finally settled in his throat and almost stopped his breathing; fever set in, terminating fatally. As he was a bright, obedient child, and this the first death in the family, his loss is greatly felt. Funeral discourse from Jer. 11:16, by the writer. GUSTAF A. CARLSTEDT. My wife, A. L. Kemp, died Sept. 8, 1877. Her sufferings were great, but she bore them with patience. To those who visited her she spoke of her strong hope that she should have a part in the first resurrection, when I hope to meet her again. She received present truth some years ago from reading, and joined the church at Hillsdale, of which she was a member at the time of her death. She died at Nevada, Steuben Co., Ind., and was taken to Hillsdale to be buried. On account of sickness, I was unable to attend the funeral. JOHN KEMP. Died of diphtheria, in Maple Grove, Mich., Nov. 16, 1877, Mary, daughter of Jehiel and Mary Mead, aged 12 years. She had kept the Sabbath with her parents 14 months; and met death with willingness and childlike faith in God. Funeral discourse by the writer, from Matt. 5:4. GEO. C. TENNEY. Annual Meeting of the N. Y. and Pa. T. and M. Society.
Returning from Massachusetts to Battle Creek, in company with Eld. Haskell and family, we stopped over at Rome, N. Y., and attended the above-named meeting, Nov. 17 and 18. We can speak as highly as any who have before spoken, of the neat and commodious house of worship the brethren have erected here. Without any efforts at display or extravagance in the building or surroundings, everything tends to render the house pleasant and attractive as a place of worship. A little over a year ago, the truths for this generation were shining out for the first time to the people of Rome, through the cotton walls of Bro. Canright’s tent. It was a matter of good cheer to behold near the spot where the tent stood, this permanent place of worship established, a continual witness to the important message now going to the world. There was a large attendance from different parts of the State. Brethren from the north chartered a car, and came down in force. The meeting was one of good interest throughout. The brethren are growing stronger in the truth. They take a lively interest in all parts of the work, and in the success of the various enterprises established to carry it forward in different parts of the earth. Bro. Haskell spoke fully at different times in regard to the tract and missionary work, its nature, its efficiency, and what might be accomplished by it, if all would engage heartily and intelligently in it, as they should. We believe those who were present will enter into this work with new spirit, and that this meeting will give a new impetus to the cause in that State. Their Conference, embracing the States of New York and Pennsylvania, the two leading States in the Union in point of inhabitants, contains a population of something over eight millions, or more than four times that of any other of our Conferences. It will be no small work to set the light before all these, yet there are earnest workers there, who are determined that this shall be done. They suggest a Biblical Institute to be held at Rome, or in its vicinity, the latter part of March or early part of April, 1878, which we have engaged to attend, if a sufficient number desire such an occasion. Nov. 20 we reached Battle Creek. Here we find the work growing in all its departments, our meeting-house literally incapable of seating comfortably all who attend on the Sabbath, and new facilities demanded in the Office for the accomplishment of the work so rapidly accumulating in the onward progress of this message. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. After considering the wants of our brethren in Dist. No. 3, Mich., more carefully, we have thought best to make some changes in our appointments for meetings as follows:— Partello, Nov. 28, at 2 P. M. and Sunday Dec. 2, at 10:30 A. M.
Convis, Nov. 29, at 2 P. M. and Sabbath Dec. 1 at 10:30 A. M.
Marshall, Nov. 30, at 2 P. M. and evening.
Kalamazoo, Dec. 3, at 2 P. M.
Mattawan, “ 4, at 2 P. M.
Kendall, at Bro. Geo. Howland’s, Dec. 5, at 2 P. M.
H. M. Kenyon.
I. A. Olmstead. No Providence preventing, I will meet with the brethren at Rochester, Ind., Dec. 1, 2; at Elizabethtown, Ky., Dec. 8, 9. In Tennessee, where Bro. Soule may appoint, Dec. 15, 16. The week between these dates I will spend as Brn. Osborn and Soule may arrange. At Gadsden, Alabama, where Bro. Heath may arrange, Dec. 22, 23. At each of the above places we desire to see a general attendance of the Sabbath-keepers. Matters of importance will be considered in connection with the cause. S. N. Haskell. Meetings in Vermont will be held as follows:—
East Richford, Dec. 15, 16.
Berkshire, 6½ P. M., “ 19.
Bordoville, “ 22, 23.
Brownington, “ 29, 30. The meetings at East Richford and Bordoville will commence Sabbath evening. The church at East Richford desire that every member of this church who cannot attend the meetings as above appointed for that place, should without fail report to E. Kellogg, East Richford, before the meeting, stating his or her spiritual standing, as the brethren who shall visit the place intend then to set things in order in the church. It is further desired that all S. B. and T. and M. pledges for this church should be paid up then to the close of the present year. A. S. Hutchins. There will be a general meeting at Rochester, Fulton Co., Ind., Dec. 1 and 2. Matters of the greatest importance in reference to the T. and M. work will be introduced. We hope to see a general turnout of the brethren and sisters. Wish to see the directors of the various districts. Let all come prepared, as far as possible, to care for themselves. Eld. S. N. Haskell will be present. Let there be a general turnout. Come praying the Lord to meet with us. S. H. Lane. I will attend meetings in Wisconsin as follows:—
Leon, Monroe Co., Dec. 7–9.
Liberty Pole, “ 11–13.
Vickery, Bro. Clark may arrange, Dec. 15, 16.
Kickapoo Center, evenings, Dec. 18, 19.
Sand Prairie, evening, “ 20.
Mount Hope, “ 22, 23.
Waterloo, “ 29, 30.
Will Bro. John Atkinson meet me at Leon? H. W. Decker. THESE lectures will begin in the college with the coming winter term. A full course is promised, extending through the winter and spring terms. If the churches in New York should call for a Biblical Institute in the spring, as some of them now suggest; it would not materially interrupt the lectures in the school; for that would be placed so as to cover the spring vacation of one week; and hence an Institute three weeks in duration could be held in New York, by omitting the lectures in the school during the last week of the winter term, and resuming them one week after the commencement of the spring term. Thus the students would lose only two weeks, and those which they could best spare, namely, at the close of one term and the beginning of another. We expect a large class in the school, and a course of unusual interest. Meeting at Oakland.
By James White
MRS. WHITE and the writer met with the church at Oakland in their house of worship Sabbath, Nov. 3. We opened the meeting and spoke quite fully upon the progress of the cause. Mrs. W. followed with a stirring discourse for one hour. A social meeting followed. First-day evening Mrs. W. addressed a good congregation who would not be deterred from coming out in the heavy rain. There are some additions here in Oakland, and a good outside interest. J. W. Notices: Visit to the South and West
By S. N. Haskell
We now have in mind to visit the South and West, as will be seen by this week's REVIEW. Following our meetings in Alabama, we will spend two weeks in Missouri, at such places as Eld. Butler may arrange. Bro. Butler will please send appointments direct to the REVIEW Office, and write me at Nashville, Tenn., or Gadsden, Alabama. If the brethren in Iowa think it advisable for me to visit that State at this season of the year they will please correspond with me at once, at points where I may be. I will also correspond with other Conferences West if general meetings can be held so late in the season. We make no arrangements for postponement on account of weather. We hope to see as many of our brethren at these meetings as is consistent, as the principal object of our meetings is to help in the missionary work, and we are satisfied that not one-tenth is being accomplished that can be done, if all come up to the help of the Lord. S. N. Haskell. Cardinal Pacci Named Camerlengo Amid Papal Succession
The Home Journal, of Nov. 10, 1877, a Catholic paper published in Detroit, Mich., says:— “The office of Camerlengo, when bestowed upon one of the Cardinals, empowers him to exercise the whole authority of the Pope in the interregnum between the death of the actual Pope and the election of a successor. This office has just been conferred upon the Italian Cardinal Giovacchini Pacci, who was born in 1810.” From the foregoing it will be seen that the Jesuits are taking every precaution to have the death of the present pope occasion as little disturbance as possible in the Holy College at Rome. How evident that the papists look upon the future of their anti-scriptural system with bodings of evil. Notice to Minn. T. and M. Society.
The S. D. A. Publishing Association has received instructions from your president to fill no orders on the credit of the society unless they come through the hands of the secretary. The members will please take notice, and act accordingly. Annuals for Vermont.
By A. S. Hutchins
THE season for active service in circulating the Annuals for 1878 has come. I have waited to hear from the directors as to the number which the districts would respectively take. Last evening I heard from the last one to report. The smallest district in the State, and financially the least able, voted to take the same number, 600, that they took last year, which certainly was fully its proportion of the five thousand which we took. To one other small district I ordered the same quantity taken last year, while other and larger districts cut their orders down one-half, or about that. Believing our brethren in these districts would feel better satisfied with themselves and with the officers of the society to have a chance to do more in this direction than to dispose of so small a number as those ordered, and that it would be a mark against the T. and M. workers in Vermont to make our orders smaller than last year, I have ordered to my address for Dist. No. 2, twenty-two hundred and twenty-five Annuals, which is over fourteen hundred more than this district had last year, making for the whole State five thousand. Now I am confident that Dists. Nos. 1, 3, and 4 will come to the relief of No. 2, and help dispose of these excellent pamphlets. Certainly, in some respects the prospect brightens. Bro. R. S. Owen, now laboring in an entirely new field in Canada, writes that he wants three hundred, and calls for Bro. C. F. Worthen to come and help organize the T. and M. work there. One church which took forty Almanacs last year, is to take two hundred this year. Dear brethren, let us gird on courage for the work. Our time to work is short. I am much pleased to hear that in one district the Annuals are already briskly selling. Probably by this time every district will be supplied with some to go to work on. Don’t lose any time. The P. O. address of the district secretary of Dist. No. 10, Mich. T. and M. Society, is H. G. Bump, Flint, Mich., Box 336. Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the REVIEW & HERALD to which the money received pays—which should correspond with the Numbers on the Papers. If money for the paper is not in due time acknowledged immediate notice of the omission should be given. $2.00 EACH. Nancy Sanders 52-21, Mrs H D Randall 52-20, Sarah J Merrill 53-2, H C Stone 52-22, A J Scott 51-14, Henry Barstow 52-15, Mrs Jennie Norstrom 51-9, Wm E Morton 51-24, J M Ballou 52-20, C E Green 52-20, Mrs E J Filling 52-21, Alvin Pippin 52-21, Chester Pomeroy 52-19, Homer Howe 52-21, Solon Farrar 52-21, Sarah J Charnley 52-21, Abby Orcutt 52-21, Carl R Herrguth 53-25, Eveline Cole 52-22, A Christianson 52-21, Jacob Shively 52-22, Nason Hoyt 52-18, Geo Perkins 52-21, J F Piper 52-21, J C Adams 52-21, C S Worthing 52-23, Peter Nelson 52-20, Wm Fenner 52-1, W T Henton 50-18, Dianthia Fero 52-21, C Lawton 52-20, B M Osgood 53-1, Mrs Clarissa Brown 52-21, C B Preston 52-21, Maggie Clemmons 52-21, S G Peabody 52-18, Jennie Adams 52-21, J B Ingalls 58-1, Julia A Williams 52-10, Horace Barstow 52-15. $1.00 EACH. J M Rees 51-21, L C Slawson 51-21, G C Clark 51-21, Amanda S Kemp 51-21, S L Wise 52-5, Anna J Wichman 51-21, D W Barr 51-21, Geo A Thomas 51-21, G W Colcord 51-20, M Pearce 51-6, M W Neal 51-19, Andrew L Keefer 51-20, Mrs O L Taft 51-20, Thomas Lane 51-14, Chloe S Grant 51-21, J B Sweet 51-21, Flora A Covert 51-22, P L Hoen 51-21, W H Cronk 51-21, L Sanborn 52-9, Asa Hayes 51-20, H Aldrich 51-20, M L Davis 51-21, Mrs S E Welch 52-6, H L Richmond 51-20, Mrs Anna Metcalf 51-21, S O James 51-21, Martha Gibson 51-21, D A Robinson 51-21, S H Peck 51-21, Mrs Sarah Cooper 51-21, John F Filmore 51-21, W E Stone 51-21, Frank J Holman 51-21, Isaac H Millikin 51-21. Miscellaneous. A C Harris 50c 51-18, M W Harris $5.00 53-9, M B Tripp 75c 58-14, John McCabe 25c 51-4, L S Nutting 3.00 54-13, Mrs E B Goodsell 1.49 52-9, J G LaRue 1.50 52-9, Samuel Thomas 1.50 52-21, Cornelia Priest 1.50 52-21, E Wilcox 1.50 52-21, J G Carpenter 1.50 52-21, J F Chubb 1.50 52-21, Lizzie Stevens 1.50 52-21, Herbert Carpenter 1.50 52-21, Abbie Hamilton 1.50 52-21, Lydia Smith 1.50 52-21, Lydia Mattison 1.50 52-21, Frank Carpenter 50c 51-12, I Bowen 1.50 52-21, N F Tenney 50c 51-12, Mrs H H Green 1.50 52-21, Geo Hoffman 75c 51-21, C L B Aurner 1.50 52-21, M Stremann 1.50 52-21. I P Knowlton $1.00, H W Young 1.00, William Heytz 1.20, A O Decker 1.94, S M Smith 25c, Luman Cresson 1.20, M Boardman Cottrell 50c, M P Prettyman 3.00, Amy E Dart 3.05, Matt P Cady 30c, Dr W H Masely 1.00, Thomas Elliott 3.00, I M Harwood 20c, Nels Jensen Dam 10c, Melva Hartley 50c, Wm Simpson 1.05, W B Siddel 30c, Mrs E D Gilbert 1.00, A P Ackerman 75c, Luet Nelson 50c, Titus & Hicks 2.00, A W Fuller 3.00, J R Calkins 2.00, Carl R Herrguth 2.00, John B Moore 3.50, John Valentine 30c, Peter Blosser 10c, Dr D B Amick 20c, J H Brown 85c, Sarah Pirrle 1.00, Mrs Irene Hollenbeck 2.00, D Winters 1.00, C S Worthing 48c, W T Henton 3.00, G C Clark 2.00, Olive E Merrifield 1.00, S & F A Butler 85c, Chas Thompson 30c, Ira B Haynes 50c, Martin Kittle 70c, Amanda L Kemp 1.00, James McDermott 1.85, B A Hamilton 10c, J W Rees 1.75, Boston Bedgood 1.00, Belle McCrillis 2.00, Lizzie Youngman 2.00, T L Murphy 09c. R T Fultz $10.64, C L Boyd 8.00, Wm Covert 12.66, E Eigley 27.75, B L Whitney 22.80, D N Wood 4.95, J A O’Bryan 2.50, Willett Reynolds 105.15, W W Sharp 7.00, John Fulton 3.75, John F Klostermyer 19.70, M P Stiles 2.50, Jessie Dickey 5.00, Mrs E A Turner 5.00, Albert Kellogg 5.00, W S Daley 2.50, T C Pierce 5.00, D F Quimby 5.00, S D Yaw 12.50, Geo Foreman 15.00, Cary Dryden 15.00, Martin Kittle 15.00, J W Lesson 6.25. J D Shilling $23.80, C L Boyd 45.91, Burgess Van Dorn 5.00, Proctor McCormick 7.50, J W Adams 25.00, W W Conklin 7.50, Solomon Myers 2.50, S M Holty 46.85, E D Hurlburt 21.32, B L Whitney 58.75, S N Haskell 271.07, James Brown 40.75, Mrs M F Mullen 38.05, S Osborn 12.00, Clinton Owens 10.30, S E Barr 10.30, G L Moore 12.80, Geo Randall 33.00, John Wright 7.75, M Dennis 7.75, E G Doud 25.40, J J Boardman 15.40, Wm Beecher 12.30, Harrison Grant 50.60. A Lover of the Truth $10.00. Newton $19.00, Estella 11.00. Helen Andrews (thank-offering) $2.00. M J Luke (on share) $1.00. Ole Jensen $5.00, J Shively & wife 10.00. Ky & Tenn T & M Society $9.00, A J Stover per L C Stover 13.00. This Week's Paper
By Editor
We are happy to learn, from private letters, of the continued improvement of Bro. White's health, and glad that he is able to speak so fully in this number of the REVIEW. The reader will find in his articles the usual proportion of interesting matter, and thoughts worthy of consideration. Those who have requested that something be published in the REVIEW in relation to the organization of churches and the holding of church property, will find articles on those subjects in this number. We call especial attention to them in this manner, that they may not be overlooked. THE Thanksgiving Hymn on our first page, carrying the mind from these earthly seasons of re-union and gladness, to the great gathering and eternal re-union at the close of our mortal pilgrimage, will incite in many hearts a more earnest longing to join at last the festal throng in our Eden home. The Watch Tower department is filled with significant items relating to the signs of the times. The death of the pope, now daily expected, is looked forward to as an event which will bring a great crisis in the affairs of Europe. The facts brought out in the article “An Extraordinary Season,” are startling. In the department of general articles, we call attention to Bro. Butler's report of a Missionary Sermon and Remarkable Tradition. What a lesson for missionary workers in this more favored land. The article on Church Organization, showing how to organize churches, was published some years since in pamphlet form; but the edition was long ago exhausted, and the article is now published by the request of those who desire the information here given. The same may be said of the directions for organizing legal societies to hold church property, as published on page 175. This applies only to Michigan. The law in other States may differ somewhat from this. Bro. E. R. Jones on page 171 touches upon an important point. That any family of Sabbath-keepers should be without the REVIEW, REFORMER and INSTRUCTOR, is wrong. The increase of subscribers to the REVIEW should keep pace with the increase of believers in this message. But while believers are multiplying on every hand, and membership in the different Conferences is rapidly increasing, the REVIEW list is not growing in any such proportion. Will all our ministers and T. and M. Societies please look after this matter? The interest still continues in Massachusetts, according to the report of Bro. Carright; while at the other side of the continent, the organization of the North Pacific Conference, for Washington Territory and Oregon, will mark a new era for the work on the Pacific coast. PLAN OF WORK.
By Maria L. Huntley
The query may arise, How shall we take hold of the work, and what shall we do first? It is well understood that the distribution of the Annuals must principally be done within two months; yet they can be disposed of during the first three months of 1878. A special effort should be made to canvass towns and cities with the Annuals immediately. The youth and children should be encouraged to commence at once on the YOUTH'S INSTRUCTOR. More can be accomplished between now and January than three months afterward; for during this time we have the holidays. The “Poem” should first be read, and then the canvasser will be prepared to speak of its merits from personal knowledge. Subscribers can be obtained for the REFORMER and the SIGNS during the whole year, but more especially when the farmer gets his fall work done, and wants something to read during the long winter evenings. There are more than five hundred men and women among Seventh-day Adventists, who, with the Manual, could go out and procure from twenty to thirty subscribers per week, and thus earn from $1.50 to $2.50 per day this winter, and the same during the summer months in the cities. In short, a good livelihood could be obtained from one year's end to the other. This some are doing; therefore we are speaking simply of what we know from a practical demonstration. The taking of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES in clubs, and then sending to friends, loaning to your neighbors, and when once they have become interested, offering them the Way of Life as a premium to induce them to subscribe for it, proved to be successful last year. For this purpose there were not less than 3,500 copies of the Way of Life thus used by the tract societies. A thousand cities and villages in this country should be canvassed this winter. Those who canvass on a per cent will take cities and villages, and go to every house. They should make thorough work. If a paper is published in the place, make the editor a present of the Manual, and make known to him your business. By pursuing a proper course, the press will speak in your favor, which will aid you very much. For those who simply canvass around as they get time, the ground should all be laid out, so that the same persons may not be called upon by two or three different individuals. If agents wish to sell the Way of Life exclusively, they will be charged $1.00, 40 per cent off.2 sold or given; and finally the number of pages of tracts and pamphlets given and loaned. Having done this, at the close of the quarter it will be a very easy matter to add up the various sums and carry the amounts to their proper places on the blank report. First, give the number of your district and the date when the quarter ends. At the right of “For Membership,” under “Dollars and Cents,” place as many dollars as you have induced individuals to join the society, also one for yourself if you have joined during the quarter. At the right of “Donations Received,” place what may have been paid you by others as donations to the society during this time. At the right of “Book Sales,” all that you have received from the sale of tract and missionary books, including Annuals; of “New Subscribers,” all that you have received for new subscribers to our periodicals. Every tract society member is an authorized agent to sell books, obtain subscribers for periodicals, &c., for the society, and is expected to act in that capacity as far as circumstances admit. At the right of “My Donation” place the amount you have donated to the society during the quarter, including the one-third. All this money should be paid to the librarian or district secretary before, or at the time the report is sent in, so that the reports and the money received will agree. Under “Periodicals,” the space at the left of their names, under “Number,” is designed for the number of paying subscribers obtained for each; at the left, the number of copies sent on trial and paid for by individuals or the society. “Periodicals Given” should include every number of S. D. Adventist periodicals given separately; “Almanacs,” the Annuals sold or given. It is not necessary to give the value of tracts, pamphlets, &c. distributed. Only the number of pages is necessary, which should be set down at the right of “Tracts and Pamphlets Distributed,” under “No. of Pages.” Any additional item can be written on the margin, or on the back side of the report. The Secretary's Abstract is intended for the district secretaries. We cannot think that there is a single tract society member, who, during thirteen long weeks, at this important time, does not make even one missionary visit, write one letter of encouragement, distribute a single tract or paper, or in some other way do something in the missionary work; and we dislike to think that there will be any who will fail to see the importance of reporting, or, who seeing, will be negligent in the performance of this duty. Facts which are brought to light call for a radical reform in this respect. It is among the “few things” which, if we are faithful in, will not fail to bring a reward in the kingdom of God.