The Council of the North American Division Conference
By G. B. Thompson
No question which has come before the council, created greater interest than that of pushing the evangelistic work in the Division Conference by raising up and establishing churches and companies everywhere. The burden of bringing souls to Christ is resting upon the assembled servants of the Lord, and we believe that we are on the verge of the greatest soul-winning campaign which we have ever seen in this land, and that thousands will be brought into the truth. This is the keynote of the council. Brethren L. R. Conradi, W. J. Fitzgerald, and R. C. Porter stated that the strong campaign being organized in this country to raise up churches and bring men to Christ was having an uplifting influence in other lands. The following-named brethren were appointed a committee to bring recommendations before the council on this question: R. D. Quinn (chairman), A. R. Ogden, B. E. Miller, E. K. Slade, A. J. Clark, W. A. Westworth, C. S. Longacre, B. W. Brown, H. M. J. Richards, W. H. Branson, John Isaac, C. A. Burman, G. F. Enoch, W. J. Fitzgerald, A. J. Haysmer, J. E. Fulton, P. A. Hanson, F. W. Paap, G. B. Starr, R. E. Harter, E. T. Russell. M. E. Kern, secretary of the Missionary Volunteer Department, gave a most interesting report showing the results achieved by the department in behalf of our young people. God has surely been blessing this work in a special way. Most encouraging growth in various lines is seen. We reproduce here the following from the report:— Report of the Missionary Volunteer Department
Without giving full statistics, the growth of the North American Division is shown by the following comparative statement:— Largest number of societies reporting in this territory before the organization of the Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,768
Offerings to foreign missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $1,217.93
Offerings to home missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $1,513.41
Largest number of societies reporting since the organization of the Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,618
Offerings to foreign missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $4,401.85
Offerings to home missions (in one quarter) . . . . . . . . . . $2,234.98 The following table gives a few of the items of our report during the two years—July 1, 1913, to June 30, 1915—since the organization of the Division:—
Missionary visits . . . . . . . . . . . 265,890
Periodicals sold and given away . . . 1,289,119
Tracts sold and given away . . . . . . 1,441,027
Offerings for foreign missions . . . $34,025.55
Offerings for home missions . . . . $15,151.65
Conversions of young people reported . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,157
Reading Course certificates issued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,547
Standard of Attainment certificates issued . . . . . . . . . 1,380 At the time of the last General Conference, Miss Erickson conceived the idea of a Missionary Volunteer goal. Accordingly one was set for 1914. That God has blessed our efforts is shown by these figures:—
AIM RESULTS
Young people converted 1,500 1,766
S. of A. certificates . . . . . . . . . 500 676
R. C. certificates . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 1,913
Money for missions . . $25,000 $19,289.77 Each point was passed except the financial goal, and there is no doubt that our young people gave more than $25,000 to missions last year, but some confusion in the matter of reports prevented a proper showing. An Educational and Missionary Volunteer Council was held at St. Helena last June, with a limited delegation representing every union conference in the Division, except one. This was the first general Missionary Volunteer meeting (except department meetings at General Conferences) since the Mount Vernon convention in 1907. The Lord greatly blessed this meeting. The keynote of the council was, “Deeper Consecration and Greater Efficiency,” and there was not a discordant note during the ten days we were together. This council passed several important resolutions, which appear in the report of the council, and ought to be studied by all of us. Our great perplexity, now as ever, is the problem of leadership. The last General Conference, among other resolutions, passed the following:—
“Resolved, (a) That our conference officers and school faculties encourage promising young people to prepare for this line of the Lord’s work. . . .
“(d) That all conferences make a special effort to build up this department of their work by a careful selection of secretaries, in counsel with the union and General Conference Missionary Volunteer Departments, and by having secretaries who have been reasonably successful remain in office long enough to enable them to build up a strong work.” And still the procession of secretaries passes along. The Year Book is out of date before it is off the press. This is partly due to the lack of well-qualified leaders, perhaps; but I think the failure is largely due to the fact that many conferences do not recognize the importance of continuity in this work. It is true, we have few well-trained secretaries. This work is new, and we must train them in the field. How important, then, that one who gives ordinary promise of success should be retained in the office long enough to get a training and make a success of the work. It seems to me that this question of leadership is one of the greatest questions confronting us today in all departments, and especially in the Missionary Volunteer Department. In many cases the leadership of this department is merely nominal. A Missionary Volunteer secretary who is also secretary of the conference and the tract society, as well as Sabbath school secretary,—or, I should say, a conference and tract society secretary who is Sabbath school and lastly Missionary Volunteer secretary,—writes: “We need help, and we need it badly. This department is not so well established as the Sabbath school work, and so needs some one to be going out among the churches and building it up. I hope help will soon come.” Personally, I believe that the plan which some conferences have of choosing the Missionary Volunteer secretary by appointment rather than by election, makes for inefficiency. Under these conditions, it is most easy to let the matter pass by until after the camp meeting. The secretary should be elected early in the meeting, that he may make the camp meeting the basis of his year’s work. I do not believe that those who are appointed feel the same responsibility to the people which they otherwise would feel, or that their office has the stability which it should have. But the first requisite is efficient leaders who have time to lead. We have been told that to deal with youthful minds is the nicest work ever assumed by human beings. We are wont to apply this to the work of the teacher in our schools, but it is as applicable to that of the field secretary. If it is a nice and delicate work to train and develop youthful minds in the school, surrounded by the school atmosphere and almost entirely under the guidance of a strong school faculty, how much more is it a delicate work to exert a strong influence on those in the unstable period of youth, surrounded by worldly influences, and to lead them to Christ and into a place in our work. I believe a man should have a calling, and should follow it until he learns how to make a success of it. We ought to choose for this nicest of all work those who have a special fitness for it. It is a strenuous and delicate work—reaching the young people where they are. And I want to tell you, my dear brethren, that it is before our schools have a chance to influence our young people, that we lose them. At the Panama Pacific Exposition I noticed a demonstration of an orange sorter. The oranges came rolling down a trough, which gradually widened at the bottom, so that the small ones dropped out into a box, the next larger into the next box, and so on. How many thousands of our young people have dropped out of sight before the school had any chance to influence them! With all our educational efforts we are reaching only about half our young people. There are many thousands of them who have dropped out before our school system had any chance to influence their lives for God and eternity. It is for this half that I plead.9It is the work of the Missionary Volunteer Department to lay hold of these young people where they are, fix their attention upon the things of God, and direct their minds to a preparation for the Lord’s work. For this work we need the strongest young men that our colleges can give us,—educated and refined young men, evangelists, with the ability to organize and educate,—and it is a short-sighted policy which does not demand and secure them. In closing, I must say that our courage is good. “The prospects are as bright as the promises of God,” and we look for the day of preparedness speedily to come when we shall have a well-trained army of Missionary Volunteers ready to move at a moment’s notice. Report of the Home Missionary Department
The Home Missionary Department, though organized since the last General Conference, is showing encouraging progress. From the interesting report of F. W. Paap, the secretary, we glean the following:— In all sections of the field there is manifest a deepening interest in this department of our work. We surely have reached the time of a great awakening. In the following extracts from the Testimonies is set forth our responsibilities and the importance of this home missionary work:— “The leaders in God’s cause, as wise generals, are to lay plans for advance moves all along the line. In their planning they are to give special study to the work that can be done by the laity for their friends and neighbors. The work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church membership rally to the work and unite their efforts with those of ministers and church officers. . . . There should be a well-organized plan for the employment of workers to go into all our churches, large and small, to instruct the members how to labor for the upbuilding of the church, and also for unbelievers. It is training, education, that is needed. Those who labor in visiting the churches should give the brethren and sisters instruction in practical methods of doing missionary work.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. IX, pages 116, 117. “If the families around you are opposed to the truth, strive to lead them to yield to the claims of Christ. Work patiently, wisely, considerately, winning your way by the tender ministry of love. Present the truth in such a way that it will be seen in all its beauty, exerting an influence that cannot be resisted. Thus the walls of prejudice will be broken down.”—Id., Vol. VII, page 11. Throughout the field there is manifest a spirit of earnest cooperation. From nearly every conference in the Division we have had urgent invitations to come and join the leaders in organizing the churches for more active and aggressive missionary work. This attitude has been most helpful, and has assisted very materially in bringing about a changed condition. We see omens of a better day. Already several union conferences have appointed home missionary secretaries, who are devoting all their time to this work. This is also true in a number of local conferences. We shall welcome the day when this will be universally true. Our ideal is far from being realized. While there are thousands of our church members at work doing what they can to win the lost, there are many thousands more who are doing comparatively nothing. We feel that we cannot rest until we have the entire church devising ways and means and executing their plans, whereby high and low, rich and poor, may hear the message of truth. Under no circumstances are we to be negligent. We are to labor for souls though we may regard them as unpromising. The department has sought in every way possible to encourage and instruct our people how to do service for God. From the Word of God and from the Testimonies of his Spirit, much has been presented to show the need and importance of our doing personal work for those around us. Some can work in one way, some in another; but there is something for every one to do. We are told by the servant of the Lord that “if we are not active in the service of Christ, we are ranking with those who are in positive hostility against him; for we are in the position of stumblingblocks.”—An Appeal, page 30. The sick and suffering are to be visited, and a kindly interest shown in them. Through this tender ministry their hearts will be softened and their souls won to the truth. We little realize the value of the opportunities afforded us every day of doing work for God. It is the plan of the department to encourage our dear people everywhere to make more of these opportunities. It is our constant endeavor to lead our people to know that a Christlike life is the most powerful argument that can be advanced in favor of Christianity. One writer has said, “Not all the books written can serve the purpose of a holy life.” It is the duty of the church to demonstrate the power of Christian religion. When our people everywhere can be led to see this, these opportunities that come without number will be used to give the message in all the various ways represented in the activities of the department. Several special campaigns have been launched, with fairly good results. The Signs weekly—a real soul winner—has received considerable attention, and an effort is being made through this department to place the REVIEW AND HERALD in every Sabbath-keeping family. These and many other lines of work have been fostered by personal effort—correspondence as well as through the columns of our church, union, and local conference papers. Fully two thirds of your secretary’s time has been spent in the field, as well as quite a little by your assistant secretary, Miss E. M. Graham, who is also secretary of the General Conference Home Missionary Department. In this way we have come in direct touch with the larger portion of the field. Three general home missionary conventions have been held,—one at Nashville, one at Takoma Park, and one at Mountain View. These were held in connection with the bookmen’s conventions, with good results. In many of the local conferences and churches, home missionary conventions have been held with very encouraging results. The report from our field for the first quarter of 1915 shows a splendid gain in every line of missionary endeavor: 73,605 members; 11,278 reporting; 26,488 letters written; 11,717 letters received; 69,868 missionary visits; 24,188 Bible readings and cottage meetings held; 6,032 subscriptions taken for periodicals; 113,717 papers sold; 642,758 papers mailed; 22,413 papers lent or given away; 21,645 books lent or given away; 32,712 tracts sold; 500,077 tracts lent or given away; 57,753 hours of Christian Help work; 25,531 articles of clothing given away; 21,418 meals provided; 6,052 treatments given; 850 signatures secured to temperance pledge; $5,446.17 offerings for home missionary work; 911 conversions. If 11,278 believers can through their efforts bring a saving knowledge of this blessed gospel message to 911 persons in three months, they could bring the light to 3,644 in twelve months; and if 11,278 could lead 3,644 to Christ in twelve months, 73,605 working as faithfully and earnestly, could win 23,686 for Christ in twelve months. Shall we not lay plans for advance moves all along the line? With a better organization in the union and local conferences and with efficient leadership throughout the entire field, we believe we shall see results of the greatest magnitude. Recommendations of the Committee on Plans
The following recommendations of general interest have been passed:— The question as to whether the weekly Signs shall continue its present size, or be reduced in size and price, was considered, and it was— Voted, That we favor the Signs’ retaining its present size and price, and that it do not carry advertising matter. UNION AND LOCAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS
We recommend,—
That the union conferences hold their sessions every four years, beginning with the present autumn and winter of 1915 and 1916, thus fixing the time midway between the quadrennial sessions of the North American Division Conference.
That the local conferences be held every two years, beginning with the year 1916. Whereas, The second million dollars to missions was given by our Sabbath schools in a little less than three years and one quarter; and,—
Whereas, The speedy finishing of the Lord’s work in the earth requires more liberal giving; therefore,—
We recommend, That the new Sabbath school financial goal be, “The third million dollars to missions by the close of 1916.” (It is understood that this gives a period of a little less than two years for the raising of the third million dollars.)
That the Sabbath School Department be authorized to prepare a Sabbath school manual dealing with all phases of this part of the work. Whereas, There is need of broadening our educational work and extending it into the homes, giving such instruction10as will create a deeper interest in child welfare, and a greater appreciation of the importance of Christian education, and an atmosphere of Christian home culture and refinement; therefore,— We recommend, That the Department of Education and the Missionary Volunteer Department of the Division Conference take steps to create such a general educative movement throughout our churches and homes, bringing out as rapidly as consistent a number of small leaflets emphasizing the importance of Christian education, home culture, and reading, in an inexpensive form, for general circulation. Whereas, We should put forth additional efforts to develop interest on the part of our churches in the fundamental principles and unfolding light pertaining to healthful living, and also seek a closer sympathy and cooperation on the part of our people in medical missionary work, as represented by our health institutions, be it— Resolved, That the first Sabbath in April be designated as Health and Temperance Day, and that a suitable program be arranged by the Medical Department for use on that date; further,—
That a collection be taken on this day for the needy sick, the same to be held and dispersed by the local conference as a relief fund for such as the family or local church are unable to care for; further,—
That such needy sick as are supported by church funds and as are recommended by our conference officers, be cared for by our sanitariums at the uniform rate of seven dollars a week, which shall cover board, room, treatment, and medical attention, with special nursing at cost, and a nominal fee of ten dollars where surgery is required. That the domestic labor required in the nurses’ training course shall not occupy more than six months of the regular training period. That a careful survey be made of the training schools for nurses now being conducted in connection with our sanitariums, with a view of determining the qualification of applicants accepted, the extent of the faculty, the facilities provided, and the nature of the curriculum, both theoretical and practical; and that a report be rendered to the spring convention with a view of unifying the work of these schools. Whereas, There is need of greater uniformity and closer cooperation between our medical institutions in order to obtain greater efficiency and more economical management; and,— Whereas, This last year three local medical conventions were held, from which recommendations were referred to, and committees appointed to report to, a later general convention, where final consideration could be given to effecting definite plans for this department of our work, we recommend,— That such medical convention be called in the spring of 1916, time and place to be designated by the North American Division Conference Committee, said convention to be attended by the medical superintendents and business managers of all our sanitariums, together with the officers of the North American Division Conference, and such members of its committee as may arrange to attend. G. B. THOMPSON, Secretary,
North American Division Conference.