The Southern Union Conference Bookmen’s Convention by E. R. P.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 15, 1912

The Southern Union Conference Bookmen’s Convention

By E. R. P.

THE Bookmen’s Convention of the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, composed of the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, convened at the Seventh-day Adventist church, North Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 14, 1912.

The attendance was very encouraging. All the field agents of the Southern Union Conference, several presidents and other officials of the union and local conferences, ten out of the twelve colporteurs who had won the privilege of attending this meeting by selling $1,000 worth of books, or by working 1,600 hours during the year 1911, A. F. Harrison, general agent of the Southern Union, W. W. Eastman, general agent of the Southwestern Union, R. Hook, Jr., representing the Southern Publishing Association, and the writer, were present from the beginning of the convention. Brother Harrison was elected permanent chairman, and Brother Hook secretary.

All plans for the convention had been carefully arranged, and the program was entered upon with a definiteness and vigor which indicated that this was not the first experience of the kind for these workers. In fact, the Southern Union Conference in its struggles to build up the publishing work with a small constituency and under difficult conditions, has been blessed with the labors of several field agents and colporteurs of long experience, to whom our methods and organization as a denomination are very familiar. It was indeed a privilege to be associated with these brethren in their bookmen’s convention, where they sought the Lord together for his blessing upon their labors, and joined hands for a strong and successful work during the year 1912.

The program, which embraced the discussion of the fundamental features of our publishing work, gave opportunity for nearly all the representatives of the work present to take some important part.

Brother Harrison’s report showed a gain in the sale of publications during the year 1911 over the previous year, as reported by the publishing house, of $17,830.52, the total distribution for 1911 amounting to $49,853.12.

The most interesting meeting of the convention was held January 16, when we were privileged to hear reports from the colporteurs who had earned their way to the convention by selling and delivering $1,000 worth of books during the year 1911, or by working forty hours a week for forty weeks. The following-named colporteurs were seated on the platform: C. H. McColrey and Virgil Smith, from Mississippi; Gerhard Jorgenson from Louisiana; Joseph S. Moore, Miss Mamie Moore, and C. E. Morphew, Tennessee; H. E. Beck from Kentucky; Benjamin Griffith, M. L. Ivory, and I. W. Peevy, from Alabama. A vacant chair was placed on the platform for Sister Emily Billups, who had expected to be present at the convention, but failed to come.

All who were present felt that this was the best meeting of the convention. The publishing house closed down for two hours, so as to give the entire office force an opportunity to hear the stirring testimonies of these faithful field workers. It was an inspiration to all, and there was hardly a dry eye in the house as these faithful ones recited their experiences of the past year. These were no theories nor imaginary stories that we listened to. They bore marked evidences of industry, faithfulness, and victory all the way. We hope to be able to publish some of these experiences in future numbers of the REVIEW, believing that they will create within the hearts of our colporteurs everywhere a determination to work more faithfully in the future than in the past.

Brother Harrison, the general agent, has now labored in the Southern Union Conference for twenty years. The Lord has greatly blessed his faithful servant, and has given him the hearts of the people, and the confidence and cooperation of the colporteurs. His enthusiasm and kindness in dealing with his colporteurs have left a strong impression. The colporteurs feel that they can with confidence lean upon him, and they gladly follow his instruction and leadership. His success during the past two or three years is especially marked in one particular. He has been able to train quite a large number of the colored people to the point where they are loyal, successful colporteurs. Three of our colored colporteurs were among those who won their way to the convention.

During the union conference meeting which followed the convention, the union conference and publishing house united in making arrangements for W. W. Eastman, general agent of the Southwestern Union, to take charge of the circulation department of the Southern Publishing Association; A. F. Harrison has been elected general agent of the Southwestern Union Conference, and C. D. Wolf general agent of the Southern Union. C. F. Dart, field agent of Kentucky, has been transferred to Tennessee to take the place made vacant by the election of Brother Wolf as general agent, and H. E. Beck, one of the colporteurs in Kentucky, has been elected field missionary agent of that conference.

The spirit of courage and confidence manifested by the leaders in the work, and the strong cooperation between the publishing house, the general and field agents, and the conference leaders, give promise of a continually prosperous and growing work. E. R. P.