The Work in Virginia for the Year 1912 by W. J. Stone

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 23, 1913

The Work in Virginia for the Year 1912

By W. J. Stone

The year 1912 has been a fairly prosperous one for the work in the Virginia Conference. While the strongest efforts have been put forth at Richmond, the capital of the State, more or less work has been done in nearly all our churches, and a number have embraced the truth in different parts of the conference.

We have carried on work for both the white and the colored people in the city of Richmond, and had hoped at the beginning of the year that we should see as many converts among the colored people as among the white, but in this we have been disappointed. Over fifty white persons and about twenty colored persons have accepted the truth in our efforts at Richmond. Accessions to the faith have also been made at Lynchburg, Rileyville, Guinea Mills, Newport News, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Spencer. Ninety-five persons have been baptized and about fifteen others have embraced the faith, making about one hundred ten in all who have taken a stand for the truth during the year 1912.

That this has been a healthy growth, and that the people have actually embraced the faith, is demonstrated by the

fact that the tithe for the year was nearly one thousand dollars more than for the year 1911. The increase in tithe has been in proportion to the increase in membership. Not only has this been true of the tithe, but it has been more apparent in our offerings, there having been a gain in offerings of nearly sixty per cent. The offerings for missions during the year 1911 amounted to $1,074.91, while for the year 1912 they amounted to $1,754.68, a gain of $679.77. The total tithe and offerings for 1911 were $5,731.56, and for 1912, $7,388.04, or an increase over 1911 of $1,656.48. The Sabbath-school offerings for the year 1911 were $337.81, and for the year 1912, $634.32, or nearly double.

These figures are a source of encouragement, and show what God has wrought through a more consecrated effort upon the part of his children. And what he has done for the work in Virginia during the year 1912 he is willing to do even more abundantly for the year 1913.

The future of the work in Virginia looks encouraging, and we see no reason why this conference should not make a steady growth. We are planning and praying that the year 1913 may be a more prosperous year for the work in Virginia, than any previous one has been.

May God bless his faithful children who have made this showing possible for the year 1912, and greatly increase their spiritual as well as temporal blessings.

W. J. Stone.