Untitled article by S. B. WHITNEY

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 29, 1867

THE LATE N. Y. CONFERENCE.

By S. B. WHITNEY

This was the best Conference, conceded by all present, I believe, ever held in the State. And, brethren, why should it not be so? As we near the final consummation of all earthly things and the time of our deliverance, can we be consistent with our profession of faith if we are not better prepared from year to year to engage in the duties belonging to the annual gatherings of God's people? And this is what makes them better.

The excellency of our Conference did not consist in the fact of a great degree of animation and spirit of rejoicing resting upon the brethren and sisters, but in the heartfelt and faithful performance of present duty, and the earnest desire shown by all to seek a better preparation for the great and solemn work before us.

While the transaction of business was characterized by almost perfect unanimity of feeling and harmony of action, yet it called forth solemn and impressive exhortation and appeal to the church from those that feel the burden of the work. The preaching was not of that flowery and flighty character that pleases the ear and excites the imagination, but leaves no abiding conviction upon the heart, but was such as to impress the hearer with the solemnity of the times and the necessity of strong faith, consistency, deep devotion and complete consecration, marking our conduct and experience in these times.

The new feature, a prayer-meeting, well attended, at 5:30 in the morning, was a happy one, and the effort to arrange more social meetings than usual on such occasions for the benefit of the believers assembled, told upon their spiritual advancement.

Among the prominent points that elicited an earnest expression of feeling were the spirit of emigration that our brethren partake so largely of, the reformed dress, Health Institute, the spirit of vanity and self-laudation that has come over us as a people, and last, though not least, the resolution that the work of God shall advance among us during the coming year; and as Bro. Andrews endeavored to impress our minds with the importance of a daily conversion to this work, and gave this to the brethren as a recipe for good Monthly Meetings without a preacher, we all felt in our hearts that this resolution must be carried out.

The last day, Monday, over which most of the brethren remained, was indeed “that great day of the feast;” and as we dispersed, we felt that we had had a holy convocation in which no servile work was done, and that we had taken another step, at least, in preparation for the gathering of the saints in the New Jerusalem.

We felt deeply afflicted in the absence and illness of our dear Brn. Fuller and Cottrell, but felt that, as their condition in a great measure arose from their devotion to the cause, we could commend them to the Great Physician, and hope and pray earnestly for their recovery and restoration to the church.

S. B. WHITNEY.

Genoa, N. Y., Oct. 11, 1867.