Where Are the Licentiates?
By W. M. Healey
In No. 11 of the SIGNS in an article headed "Where are They?" meaning the nine persons who received license to preach at the last session of our State Conference. Here is one. Where are the rest? I have made my home in Healdsburg most of the time since the Conference. Owing to other affairs which seemed to require my attention, I have done but little preaching and did not expect to do much, if any, this winter and so stated before the committee. I have given five discourses in this place, with what result the members of our church here are best able to judge. We have had a few outsiders at our meetings that seemed to have some interest in the truth of God. The quarterly meeting here was a very interesting season. All seemed humble and earnest. It may be too much was expected of those nine licentiates, two of whom were going to Battle Creek to attend the Biblical Institute; and one, upon whom the conference urged a license, said he "was too lazy to preach" (and perhaps that would have fitted some of the rest). There may be danger of our going out unfitted for the work; but there is no danger of our getting ready any too soon. I feel that we are half asleep in this cause. We surely belong to the lukewarm church. See Rev. 3:16. I hope to be able by the help of the Lord to arouse myself more fully to the work; and I know God will help those who trust in him and put themselves in a position in which he can help, by trying to help themselves. Oh! while we pray for strength to do God's work let us not fail to use what strength we have. God help us to consecrate our all to him and do our duty as those who are to give an account of their stewardship. W. M. HEALEY.
Healdsburg, Cal., Dec. 22, 1874.