To one quart of bread sponge add salt, and a little more sugar than for white bread. Of half and half white flour and corn meal make a rather soft dough. Knead well, and set to rise. When risen, add the yolks of two or three eggs. A trifle of flour may be required; but the dough must be very soft. Put in a tin; and when light, bake slowly but very thoroughly. If the eggs do not make richness enough, a portion of nut meal may be added. MRS. D. A. FITCH.
CEREAL PUFF.
By Mrs. H. Tyszkiewicz
Pass a pint of cold mush through a colander. Add a cupful of cold water in which has been stirred two egg yolks, then just enough dry bread crumbs to make it firm. Lastly, add the stiffly beaten whites. Drop in spoonfuls on an oiled pan, and bake until slightly brown. Serve with nut gravy, maple syrup, or fruit sauce.
Mrs. H. TYSZKIEWICZ.
BAKED OR BOILED MUSH.
By Mrs. S. T. Rorer
Stir sufficient corn meal into actually boiling water to make a rather thin gruel, about half a cupful to a pint. Boil carefully for two or three hours, then turn into a mold. Stand aside overnight. When ready to use, turn out and cut into slices; place in a shallow baking-pan, the bottom of which has been dusted with gluten or sifted granola. Dust the mush lightly with salt; then brush the top with egg, and put it into a quick oven until it is golden brown. It may be broiled by simply being dipped into the white of egg and water, and broiled over a clear fire. If egg is not convenient, the mush may be brushed with milk, and baked. These are to aid in browning.—Mrs. S. T. Rorer, in Ladies' Home Journal.
Keeping Door Hinges From Creaking
“Apply a drop of oil to the door hinges to keep them from creaking.”
“ONCE IN GRACE, ALWAYS IN GRACE.”
This formula expresses a pleasing fable, with which many seem disposed to congratulate themselves, quiet their consciences, and allay their fears in regard to the consequences of the future. The old query, What shall we do to be saved? is still a live query in many minds. A correspondent in Berrien County, Mich., writes: “There has been a man around here who preaches that if a person is once truly converted, he never will be lost. No matter what he does, he will come to God again and be saved. He never will die in his sins.”
Our correspondent says he does not know what denomination this man belongs to. The text he appeals to in support of his position is John 1: 29: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Of course, it is easy to give such scriptures as this a general application, and keeping back all the conditions to be complied with, come to most erroneous conclusions.
For instance, on this text it is easy to begin to reason that if Christ takes away the sins of the world, then they can appear no more against us for condemnation. But there are conditions attached to everything Christ proposes to do for us, and all the promises He gives us. It is true that He will take away the sin of the world. But is it to be done without any conditions on the part of the people? That would be Universalism. So the question still recurs, On what condition does Christ propose to take away the sin of the world? On the day of Pentecost, Peter mentioned one of the conditions. After his powerful discourse (Acts 2: 14-36) his hearers were pricked in their hearts, and cried out, “What shall we do?” (verse 37) and he said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Verse 38.
A little later Peter states the conditions more fully (Acts 3: 19, R. V.): “Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus.”
In both these texts the conditions are plainly expressed. These are repentance and conversion. Without these, sins are not to be blotted out and taken away by Christ.
Conversion is a miracle of grace; and the question is, When it has once been experienced, can it ever be lost? That we understand to be the contention of the man here referred to. And if it should be lost, is it not sure to be restored before the close of one’s probation, so that he who has once been converted would not die in his sins, but be at the last under grace, so that it can be truthfully said, “Once in grace, always in grace”? that is, no matter how far he may have wandered from the path of grace, or the favor of God, he is sure to come back into it again before the end.
Such a position may be considered very full of consolation, and any apparent failure is very easily excused. If any one dies apparently in a state of condemnation, the excuse is at once at hand, “Then he never was converted.” But what reason is there for supposing that if a person has been once in grace, or favor, or acceptance with God, he is bound to return to that condition, if he has lost it, before he dies?
The Spirit of God is a very sensitive and tender Spirit. It occupies the unique position that a real sin against it has no forgiveness. Matt. 12: 31. It is very easily grieved. Hence the injunction as found in Eph. 4: 30: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” We may grieve this Spirit till it takes its leave of us, and we are left to ourselves. The same rule holds good to-day, and will till the end of time, that was applied in the days of Noah: “And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Gen. 6: 3. The antediluvians were once in grace, and the Lord’s Spirit was striving with them. But they resisted more and more, till the earth was filled with violence, and every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. Then the Lord took His Spirit from them, and at the last, instead of being in grace, they found themselves in the waters of the flood, which took them all away. So the Spirit of God may be grieved to-day; and the sentence will go forth in reference to the world in its present condition, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” So we have this admonition: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Cor. 10: 12. And many such admonitions are found in the Scriptures, showing that although we have been standing, we may fall. And the apostle tells us what that fall is. It is a fall from grace, showing that we have previously been in grace. Gal. 5: 1-4.
By one more reference it can be shown that though once in grace, it does not follow that we must always be in grace, or that we shall always be thus. We will take one who was eminent in the Christian life, yea, the very chiefest of the apostles. This was the apostle Paul; and what does he say of himself? Read his testimony in 1 Cor. 9:24-27: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” Paul, acting as an apostle, and preaching to others, was certainly in grace. To him, after all his experiences and sacrifices and abundant revelations (2 Cor. 12:7), the Lord will never say, “I never knew you.” Matt. 7: 23. Yet he did not deem it sure that he should always be in grace. He had fears that he might be a “castaway.” Then he certainly would not be in grace. And to guard against such a calamity, he fought against, with an unsparing hand, all the impulses and inclinations of his carnal nature. “I keep under my body.” And here he uses the figure of a pugilist. Literally, “I smite it in the face, bring it into abject bondage, lest it get the mastery over me, and cause me to be a castaway.” If Paul had reason for such fear, how much more has any man to-day? Let no man flatter himself into a feeling of safety, with the pleasing fable of “once in grace, always in grace.”
WHERE IS YOUR HEART?
By L. A. S.
“WHERE your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt. 6:21.
Each of us knows where he has invested his treasure, and according to these words of Christ, each one may know, with equal certainty, whether his heart is set on things above or on things below. If your treasure is below, your heart is there also, no matter if you have been trying earnestly to persuade yourself it is somewhere else.
It is true now, and will be true to the end of time, that “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” And when time shall end, it will be forever impossible to change the location of either the one or the other.
And the location of the heart fixes the location of the individual, soul and body. If the heart is below at the day of Christ’s coming, the individual will not be translated above; and if the heart is above, the individual will not be left below. It is certain, therefore, that each one of us, by the disposition he is making of the treasure, great or small, that comes into his hands, is deciding his destiny for “eternal gain or loss,” to be revealed a few years hence. Treasure laid up below, means eternal loss when the earth and the things that are therein shall be burned up; and treasure given to the Lord, means eternal gain when the servants of God enter upon their reward in His kingdom. The bank of heaven will never fail, and will pay the highest interest to all investors throughout eternity.
Where are you investing your treasure? No more important question than this can demand your consideration just now.
L. A. S.
THE TRUE MISSIONARY.
By L. A. S.
The true missionary is he who follows the missionary example set by Jesus Christ.
Of Jesus it is written: “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4.
There is no light, apart from the life. If the life of the would-be missionary is not right, he may talk howsoever he will, and it will be but as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. The very truths that he utters are turned to darkness if “the life” is not in him.
The missionary is not necessarily one who goes somewhere. “The field is the world,” and every Christian in the world is in the field. There is urgent need everywhere of that life which “is the light of men.” In many places there is plenty of theoretical Christianity,— plenty of preaching,— but everywhere there are those who are dying spiritually for the want of that life which would demonstrate to them that Christianity is a divine reality, and set before them the power of God unto salvation. This is so in many Seventh-day Adventist churches.
Jesus Christ came from God; and of the apostle John it is written that He was a man “sent from God.” Every true missionary is sent from God. First he must be raised up to sit with Christ in the heavenly places; so that, as has been said, the Christian is not one who looks up from earth to heaven, but one who looks down from heaven to earth. To him there is no “home” field or “foreign” field. He sees only one field, and that is the world.
The life of Christ was both in doing and in teaching. Acts 1:1. His teaching was founded upon His doing. All Christian teaching, to be effective, must rest upon this foundation. The light is in the life. It is the life that will draw the soul to the truth, or repel him from it.
“In Him was life,” and in Him was God. No man can create this life; nor can he acquire it, save by opening his heart to Christ. He who opens his heart to Christ, becomes a missionary by the manifestation of the life of Christ in him, no matter in what part of the world he may reside. The darkness of sin and ignorance of God is not in one part of the earth only, but in all parts; it covers the earth, and gross darkness covers the people; and nowhere is the darkness greater than where people have put darkness for light and light for darkness. Nowhere is there greater darkness than in so-called Christian lands.
The word from heaven is, “Arise, shine.” All are not called on to make a missionary journey; but801all are called to “arise” where they are, and give forth light into the surrounding darkness. And now, as ever, it is the life that is the light. Theories are plentiful, and words are cheap; but the life of Christ shown forth in human flesh is rare indeed. It will attract the attention of those who see it, as a light attracts the gaze of one wandering in darkness. Everywhere the invitation is to be sounded, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink;” but he who would sound the invitation must first himself have drunk from the life fountain. To become a true missionary is, in short, simply to open the heart fully to Christ, allowing Him to be in the soul a well of water, springing up unto the life that is everlasting.
L. A. S.
Bearing the Message Without Delay
“While the angels hold the four winds, we are to work with all our capabilities. We must bear our message without any delay.”
Awake and Feel a Burden for the Perishing
“As you see the peril and misery of the world under the working of Satan, do not exhaust your God-given energies in idle lamentations, but go to work for yourselves and for others. Awake! and feel a burden for those who are perishing.”
In the Question Chair.
(Designed for the consideration of such questions as will be of interest and profit to the general reader. All correspondents should give their names and correct post-office address, that queries not replied to here may be answered by mail.)
842.—Within Thy Gates.
The Fourth Commandment forbids on the seventh day the labor of the man and woman, their son and daughter, manservant, maidservant, cattle, and stranger within their gates. How much is included in the words “Within thy gates”?
N. L. McC., Pomeroy, Wash.
Ans.—The whole question reveals the fact that the querist wishes to know if we consider it right for a Sabbath-keeper to hire out his horse to work on the Sabbath, or loan any tool or farm implement to be used on that day. The same question might be extended to the question of renting a farm or land to non-Sabbath-keepers; and questions of this class have been live questions among our people for the past fifty years, and have been presented with every modification of construction, and fine shade of meaning, that would naturally arise with those laboring for a practical solution of the problem.
Years ago the consensus of opinion among Seventh-day observers seemed to settle down on these points; namely, that so far as inanimate things are concerned, like tools or farm implements, where no intelligence nor moral obligation is involved, no blame could attach to a man who is disposed to accommodate his neighbors by lending them the use of such implements on the Sabbath, they being non-Sabbath-keepers and having no scruples about using them on that day. The same reasoning would apply to a certain extent in regard to the use of land on a rented farm on that day. But on this point certain conditions would necessarily be taken into account; that is, a person living on a farm, and making that his home, should take steps to safeguard his situation against annoyance and disturbance on the Sabbath day, which would interfere with his proper observance of the institution.
One, then, in letting a farm to a tenant who is not a Sabbath-keeper should, if he wishes to keep the Sabbath himself, stipulate in the rental that said tenant should not engage in any violent or boisterous labor on that day which would interfere with, or prevent, the peaceful and quiet observance of the day by any on the premises who desired so to regard the day. This the tenant could agree to and easily observe without surrendering any of his rights.
When it comes to the use of horses or other working animals, on the Sabbath, still another principle is involved; for the Sabbath commandment is designed to guard them, as well as men, against the constant strain of labor; and to secure this they must have regularly recurring seasons of rest from labor. Of course they have no intelligence or conscience which would confine them to just the seventh day as their period of rest. But it is generally thought that the periods of rest and labor enjoined in the commandment, that is, one day in every seven, is well-proportioned for the best good of working animals.
At this point comes in the question of taking pay for work done on the Sabbath. Here there ought not to be any dishonesty or trickery which it would be necessary to guard against. But in the present state of human nature, any one can see what would follow if it should come to be understood that one would hire out his horses or other animals on the Sabbath without compensation, or the physician would follow his profession on that day without fee; these free Sabbath workers would be subject to all the demands which their physical nature could endure, however light the demands might be on other days. Therefore in agreeing that my neighbor might employ my horse in his own business for a season, I would make this restriction, though there would be nothing in his case to confine his labor to the seventh day, yet I would stipulate that he should have whatever physical advantages might be secured by the proportion of labor and rest specified in the Fourth Commandment.
“Within thy gates” would naturally cover and be confined to that area over which one has control. In case of a rented farm, it is virtually sold, as long as the tenant controls it; and if the owner reserves a portion as a home, as long as nothing is done to disturb his quiet and proper observance of the Sabbath, he is obeying what the commandment specifies as to “the stranger within thy gates.”
MATABELE MISSION — ITS LOSSES AND ITS NEEDS.
By W. H. Anderson
From Mission Board Correspondence.
AGAIN we are called to mourn the loss of the superintendent of this field. Elder F. L. Mead died in Kimberley, October 7. He was on his way to Cape Town to attend the council there. We are not yet informed as to the cause. When he left us, he was unusually well. Why he should be taken away at this time we know not. We can only say, “Thy will be done.” Our mission has lost an efficient superintendent. The cause has lost a devoted worker, and we here have lost one who has been a father to us.
You all know what his work has been in the home land. I need not mention it. When he came here, this mission was having dark experiences. He put his whole soul and strength into the work, and succeeded in getting things started on a good basis. He staggered under the heavy burden, and had to go to Cape Town twice to regain his strength. As our work was rapidly expanding, and success attending our efforts, he rose above the heavy burdens that had been so wearing. He also divided the work so that it was being carried on harmoniously.
That you may know some of the things he had in mind to present at the council, I will send you the last letter he ever wrote. It was written on the train the day before he was taken sick:—
“ON TRAIN, Sept. 27, 1901.
“DEAR BROTHER ANDERSON: We are going on very slow. Lay in Mafeking last night and Machudie night before last. Expect to stay in Vryberg to-night [at this place he was taken sick] and Kimberley to-morrow night.
“When in Bulawayo, I called on Mr. Taylor [he is the native commissioner]. He gave his full consent for opening a school at Wankies, and a letter to take to the native commissioner who is to be stationed there next month. I see no other way but that you will have to go as far as Wankies with the boys the first of January, and remain with them a week or two.
[I made a trip through this country in July and August. I went to the Zambesia and crossed it at Victoria Falls. This Chief Wankie expressed a desire for a school at his kraal, and sent two boys down with me to our school here. It is because of this that we plan to send two of our native teachers there the first of January.]
“A gentleman with whom I am traveling has just returned from the Kafui River, north of the Zambesia. He says that the country beyond the Kafui is the finest in all Rhodesia. Many people live on the river. We ought to be up there establishing a main station at once. Then we should be pushing up toward Tanganyika and Nyassa.”
From this you can see what Elder Mead had in mind802to present at the council. Seven years ago King Khama invited our brethren to establish a mission in his country. Seven years is a long time to wait. What answer can we give to God for our neglect?
Our present situation is this: We have conducted three schools in native kraals this year, with an attendance of about seventy-five in all. The work has been very successful, and we have calls for three additional schools to be opened the first of January. At present I do not see how we can open but one, the one on the Zambesia. We have not a sufficient number of teachers trained to meet the demands.
We have divided our work for the present as follows: Walter Mead will take the shop, and buy the shop goods and our provisions in town. Sister Mead will continue to act as treasurer and bookkeeper. Brother Riley, a colored brother from the colony, will do the building, and direct the boys in the farm work. Mrs. Anderson and myself will give our entire time and attention to the school. This is the best we can do at present.
Our present need in this field is a superintendent, and two men with their wives, who can teach school.
We can at present only go on with the plans Elder Mead had in mind. Briefly stated, they are these: Two men with their wives at the home station, conducting a training school for Christian workers who can go out into the kraals and teach the gospel.
The superintendent should be free to explore the country, find openings for new stations, labor for the white population with whom he comes in contact, and work along such general lines.
I do not think we have asked much. So please give all we ask.
These workers should arrive here not later than April 1 of next year. W. H. ANDERSON.
Mission Farm, Bulawayo, Oct. 17, 1901.
ON THE ALTAR OF AFRICA.
By W. A. Spicer
Just now we are thinking and talking about giving for missions. Money gifts are not the largest offerings. Lives are to be laid upon the altar. When the late Brother F. L. Mead's aged mother gave up her only son for Africa, she made a precious offering to the missionary cause. I am sure she will permit me to make an extract from her letter, written in reply to one conveying to her the news of her son's death at the front. She wrote:—
MEMBERS OF KING KHAMA’S BODYGUARD.
“My heart aches for the dear ones left there, and for the work he loved so much. But ‘God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,’ and He cheers and comforts me with the precious promises of His word. I felt it when they went away; but they felt it duty to go, and I would not hold them back. I laid my sacrifice upon the altar of Africa then, and I have never taken it back, and I hope I never shall. ‘The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock.’ I know He can give beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning, for He has done it for me, and He can do it again in His own time and way.”
This precious cause, which centers in the gift to us of God's only begotten Son, calls for the consecration of the best that we have—of all. While now some are giving life itself, and gifts as precious as the very life, shall any feel that duty is done by an ordinary contribution for missions in this extraordinary time? Let us throw into this cause every interest of our lives, and finish the work. There is a real battle going on at the front, and our comrades look to this land for volunteers to supply the places of the fallen, and for the consecrated means necessary to press the battle to the gate.
Brother Anderson's letter, in this issue, states the immediate needs. The Mission Board will be glad to hear from tried workers who feel that they ought to respond to the call for laborers.
W. A. SPICER,
Cor. Sec. Mission Board,
Words as a Savor of Life or Death
“Words that should be a savor of life unto life, may by the spirit which accompanies them be made a savor of death unto death.”
QUEBEC AND MICHIGAN.
By D. T. Bourdeau
Further Labors and Profitable Reflections.
The thirteenth and fourteenth of November were profitable days to me and to others at St. Constant, Quebec. Here I met with and visited Baptist brethren I used to stop with forty-six years ago while evangelizing among Catholics. I had not seen these dear ones during this long period. Many had died during my absence. Some remained to rejoice at my return, to listen attentively and respectfully to a relation of facts on the advancement of the cause I had espoused, and to accept at my hands French literature on present truth. Especially was I treated kindly and hospitably by the French Baptist minister of the place. I would have spoken in his church at his special request the night of the day of my arrival, had not a fearful snowstorm attended with high winds, piling up the snow in heavy drifts, made it impossible to hold a meeting.
How many profitable reflections were caused by my halt and brief stay at this place! Almost in sight in a westerly direction was the parsonage of the Catholic priest who forty-six years ago divulged to me the astounding fact that the Catholic Church changed the Sabbath. It was this circumstance, brought about by a kind and wise Providence, that led me seriously to study the Sabbath question, and to arrive at the conclusion that the priest referred to had told me the truth. About five miles in an opposite direction was the sacred spot on which, having prayerfully and thoroughly canvassed the subject of the Sabbath from every standpoint, I, the same year, took my stand in favor of the seventh-day Sabbath, not knowing that there was a Christian in all Canada who observed God’s holy day. I, then and there, upon rising from my knees from a season of agonizing cries to God, decided, by God’s grace, to keep all His commandments, at the sacrifice of friends, worldly support, worldly honor, and life itself, if necessary. I then received a special baptism of the Holy Spirit, answering to the one I had received at my first conversion in 1844, when God, in mercy and love, gave me the Spirit of adoption.
It was not without a struggle that I broke away from former associations, and began keeping the Lord’s blessed and sanctified rest-day. This required a crucifixion that I had never fully experienced; and in passing through the trying ordeal, I experienced a second and more advanced conversion. This was the clearer and more precious to me from the fact that I was alone and was influenced by no human being. With a heart thirsting after truth, I obtained an experience that I have ever since valued infinitely above all that I sacrificed to walk in the light of the reformatory message of the third angel of Revelation 14.
This second-advent movement, like that of the first advent, had a small beginning. It was based on the fulfillment of prophecy, and could not be started until certain prophecies had met their accomplishment. Forty-six years ago this movement had only about one thousand adherents. We then had no well-equipped publishing house. We did not even have as much as a power press. We had no organized Conferences, no church schools, no colleges, no sanitariums, no medical colleges. What marvelous progress has been made in all these lines! We can truly exclaim, How wonderfully, miraculously, the Lord has wrought! Surely, we are drawing near the close of this glorious work, and soon Jesus will come.
I have lately enjoyed precious seasons with the church at Montreal; and last Sabbath the ordinances of humility and the Lord’s supper were celebrated for the first time with the young French converts at Namur. This was a great victory, and I was thankful to enjoy it with others.
I have recently come to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take a short period of rest from vocal and physical exertions, in doing necessary writing. To those who have inquired about my wife’s state of health, I would say, to the praise of God, that she is fully restored to what she was before her sickness.
My post-office address, until further notice, will be 629 South Ingalls St., Ann Arbor, Mich.
D. T. BOURDEAU.
Dec. 2, 1901.
CANADA
By J. W. Boynton
ALBERTA.—Since my last report, in July, I have spent some time in searching out the isolated Sabbath-keepers in Alberta, encouraging them to greater faithfulness, and seeking to become acquainted with the needs of the field as I had opportunity. I have visited all the principal towns in northern Alberta, and find a good class of people, who are willing to read, and who manifest very little prejudice. Everything is new, settlers far apart, and accommodations poor in many places, but people are warm-hearted and hospitable. As I could not obtain a house to rent within my means, I bought a lot and put up a small house in Ponoka, where my family are now living. During the summer the rain and mud were so excessive that it was hard to travel; but since the ground has frozen, we can get around a little better.
I have held one series of meetings, about fifteen miles west of Olds, in private houses, as there was no schoolhouse. A few families of our people had moved here, and by careful living had awakened an interest in the minds of some of their neighbors. November 19 I had the pleasure of baptizing four dear souls in a beautiful mountain stream. One of them was a sister who had long believed the message, but had neglected baptism; another was raised a French Roman Catholic; another desired rebaptism into the Third Angel’s Message. A few more of our people are expected to move here from the States soon, and we hope to organize a church. The brethren have voted to get out logs for a church building and church school, during the winter. They have a Sabbath-school of about thirty members. They have prayer-meetings and Reading circles each week. Each family is supplied with the REVIEW, the Good Health, and other papers.
We have only one organized church and four Sabbath-schools in all this territory, but we are glad that others are becoming interested, and calls for labor are coming from different parts of the territory. One of our greatest needs just now is a team, or saddle horse, with which to go from one settlement to another, and scatter the tracts and papers. We shall be glad to receive clean copies of our periodicals in the English, German, and Scandinavian languages, and will seek to place them where they will do the most good. I have secured thirty-seven subscriptions for the Good Health, three for the REVIEW, two for the Signs, several for the Missionary Magazine and the Instructor, and have disposed of twelve copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons.”
All have good health, and are of good courage in the Lord. Although we are in a far-off corner of the earth, we shall be glad to hear from our friends in the States, and from any others who are interested in this field. Our permanent address is Ponoka, Alta., Northwest Territories. J. W. BOYNTON.
THE VIRGINIA CONFERENCE.
By R. D. Hottel
The eighteenth annual session of the Virginia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was held at Richmond, Va., according to appointment, Nov. 8–17, 1901. As we had held a State meeting in the spring, and a local camp-meeting in August, we did not expect a general attendance of our people at this meeting, yet we were glad to see nearly every church represented.
Elder H. W. Cottrell, President of the Eastern Union Conference, of which our Conference is a member, Elder O. O. Farnsworth, President of the Chesapeake Conference, and Elder S. M. Cobb, President of the West Virginia Conference, were present to give instruction and counsel in the meetings of the session. The laborers of the State were also present to assist in the work. Best of all, the good Spirit of the Lord was present to move upon hearts; and alienations, differences, and wrong living were confessed, put away, forgiven, and a bond of unity was brought about, such as only the Spirit of God can accomplish. For all this we praise our Heavenly Father, and know that if we follow in the path He has indicated, the results can be but good.
A report of the work during the past year did not show many additions in membership, yet a few had accepted the message as a result of the labor put forth. The rainy and stormy weather during the summer hindered the tent work and the local camp-meeting, yet good results are seen, and we trust that the influences which have been set to work in a small way will widen, and that fruit will yet result from the same.
The work among the churches has resulted in bringing up the tithes, so that the past year has shown the largest tithe ever paid into the treasury in any one year. We believe the spiritual condition of our people is better also. Only a little more than seven hundred dollars has been received and paid on the heavy indebtedness of the Tract Society Department. The Sabbath-school work showed a better condition than in the past. More books were sold the past year than the year before, and the prospect for the future is bright in this line of our work.
The Conference has laid before our people, for their immediate consideration and action, plans which, if carried out, will bring relief and prosperity to the work in the State.
The Conference Committee have arranged that the laborers be distributed as follows during the winter:—
Elder H. W. Herrel, who has just accepted a call from this Conference to labor in our midst, will be located at Richmond, working for the upbuilding of the church, and looking after the outside interest as the way may open, and also visit other points near by as the committee may require.
Elder B. F. Purdham will go to Lynchburg, and labor in that city as the way may open.
Elder T. H. Painter will continue the work assigned him at Clifton Forge and other points near by for the present.803
Brother Geo. W. Lewis will labor at Charlottesville and other points arranged by the committee, doing Bible work, canvassing, etc., as the way may open.
Brother J. A. Strickland will remain in Newport News, teaching the church school already started, and giving what attention he can to work at that point for the present.
Brother M. S. Wooding will work among his people as in the past, under the direction of the Conference Committee.
Dr. A. M. Neff will still continue to have charge of the Tract Society Department, performing the duties of this office in harmony with the constitution. He will also collect and adjust the accounts of this department, and will receive orders for trade books, tracts, supplies, etc., in harmony with the recommendation passed by the Conference.
Sister B. F. Purdham will have charge of the Sabbath-school Department, and will perform the duties of that office in harmony with the constitution.
The Pacific Press Publishing Company, New York City, will still have charge of the canvassing work in the State, and all who are thinking of entering this branch of the work should address Brother J. M. Calvert, Greensboro, Md., who is the State agent.
May the Lord bless every effort to His glory.
R. D. HOTTEL.
“AFTER MANY DAYS.”
By H. E. Simkin
WHEN Elder Corliss and the party accompanying him on the boat to Australia fifteen years ago, became acquainted with a Mr. Thomson and wife (Baptists), who were passengers on the same boat, doubtless they little thought that this family would be constant and interested attendants at a Seventh-day Adventist camp-meeting in Victoria, as a result of that acquaintance. Such is the case. Some of that party of missionaries preached the message while on the voyage. This man and his wife heard it, were somewhat interested at the time, and now are daily attending a meeting held a short distance from their home in Moreland, one of Melbourne’s northern suburbs. He says the meetings seem like home. Yesterday he rose with others, publicly expressing a desire to live out the whole truth. A fuller report will doubtless follow.
H. E. SIMKIN.
Nov. 3, 1901.
UPPER COLUMBIA CONFERENCE.
By L. M. Stuller
Baker City, Ore.—Last September I was elected president of the local W. C. T. U. Having so many other pressing duties at home and for the church, I would not have accepted this added burden, had I not been positive that the Lord had a hand in it, and so I laid all the cares on Him, and He bears them.
The W. C. T. U. has a Penal Department of work, and has been holding meetings at the county jail every two or three weeks. There are seven prisoners incarcerated—a Chinaman, a negro, and five Americans. They enjoyed the services well, and wanted them oftener, so our church people have been meeting with them for the last two Sabbaths in the afternoon, and will continue to do so until after court meets. Then these prisoners will leave here. They think they will go free. Three of them show every evidence of conversion. The Spirit of God comes especially near on Sabbath; and as we read the word of God, they are melted to tears. One of the three who have asked for our prayers is a nice-appearing boy, not yet sixteen. He wants to sign the total abstinence pledge, when we (the W. C. T. U.) meet this afternoon. I believe the other two will sign the pledge also. They say liquor has been the cause of their downfall.
Our Superintendent of Prison Work uses the Life Boat in her work, and also reads it in the union to the women. The same woman has started a Chinese mission. Brother Frost and myself, together with others, are assisting her.
Our people should have begun this work two years ago. Dear brethren and sisters, do not neglect this work in your cities a day longer.
My letter is already too long, and there has been nothing said about our work on the church building, but things are moving. L. M. STULLER.
