The Church Officers Hold the Key by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 22, 1910

The Church Officers Hold the Key

By Arthur G. Daniells

Where the Harvest Ingathering Stands or Falls

THE success or failure of any great campaign depends primarily upon the officers or leaders nearest the people by whom the work is done. General plans may be laid, good facilities be provided, and the work be organized perfectly; yet the organized efforts of general officers depend for their success upon the faithfulness, enterprise, and inspiring leadership of the local officers, who have immediate charge of the rank and file.

The general of an army may plan his campaign ever so wisely; he may provide the best ammunition and the most improved implements of warfare; but all his preparation will prove of little use unless he has the support and co-operation of captains and lieutenants who are intelligent, loyal, and brave.

Authors may write good books filled with the third angel’s message; publishers may put them up in attractive form; branch houses and tract societies may be organized and conveniently located; general agents may travel and write and hold institutes; but the provision of all these necessary facilities and helps will accomplish little unless the field agents, who have actual charge of the workers, are faithful, thorough, and competent in all the details of their responsibilities.

We earnestly invite the officers in our churches to study this important principle and its relation to their responsibility in conducting the Harvest Ingathering campaign.

Early in the year the General Conference Committee, at its annual meeting, laid broad plans for conducting the Harvest Ingathering campaign this year. Committees were appointed, who, for several months, have been preparing

the necessary facilities for the work. Editors have secured reports and photographs from our foreign mission stations, which make this Harvest Ingathering number of the REVIEW the brightest and best we have issued. The publishers have begun printing a month earlier than last year, and many thousands of copies of the REVIEW are being wrapped and stored, ready to fill orders. The Treasury Department has prepared the necessary campaign leaflets, order blanks, instruction leaflets, and solicitor’s cards.

Arrangements have been made for the officers of each local conference to conduct the campaign, and secure the orders. All the necessary preparations have been made. The responsibility now rests primarily with church officers to take up the work thoroughly and systematically in their churches, and follow it up with such faith, enterprise, and leadership as will make this campaign a great blessing to our people and to the communities in which they live.

I have before me a report from one of our churches which made the Harvest Ingathering work a great success last year. Some features of their plan are very interesting and practical, and worthy of consideration at this time. When the time arrived for plans to be laid for the Harvest Ingathering work, the officers of the church met together in a special session, to consider how the work might best be carried on in the city where the church was located. The following points were agreed upon:—

1. That the work must be thoroughly organized, and the territory mapped out and assigned, to accomplish the best results.

2. That the church tract and missionary society was the proper organization through which to work for the accomplishment of this purpose.

3. That the tract society be strengthened by a thorough reorganization, and that the society hold regular weekly meetings.

4. That all supplies be ordered through the church missionary secretary (librarian).

5. That the campaign be continued until the city had been thoroughly worked.

6. That the Harvest Ingathering campaign be followed by a revival of all features of the church tract and missionary work.

This plan was carried out under the direction of the church officers. The president of the union conference in which this church is located, reports that this organized movement has brought a strong revival in all features of the church work.

I have referred to this experience in order to emphasize the fact that the success or failure of this campaign depends primarily upon the officers of the church. It is now time for action; the campaign will soon be on, and the supplies should be in the hands of the workers in good time. If our missionary work has been neglected during the busy summer months, this is the time to revive it. If the church tract society is not in the best working order, this is the time to strengthen it. Let the officers of the church meet together as soon as possible, and lay broad, practical plans for this work.

The foregoing outline shows what can be done by the officers of the church, and indicates their responsibility. Let us organize and work and pray for great results. A. G. DANIELLS.