Cumberland Conference by O. C. Godsmark

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 24, 1903

Cumberland Conference

By O. C. Godsmark

FOLLOWING the annual meeting of the Cumberland Conference, there was held a meeting of the conference executive committee at Chattanooga, Tenn., Monday, January 19. At this meeting all except one of the seven members were present. The meeting was a precious season. Time was taken to seek the Lord for wisdom to guide in counsel. The Lord has said, “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord,” and all felt that our first step in starting out on the conference year was to obtain the proper nearness to the One whose servants we are.

The work throughout our conference was fully discussed with the greatest of Christian love and harmony. No one had a discordant note to raise. Just as fully as it was possible the work for the coming year was planned, the needs of the field being looked into, and plans laid to meet these needs.

The first important consideration was to provide a strong corps of field workers for the Tennessee portion of our conference. We feel that the Lord would be pleased to have two strong, devoted laborers enter this section with a tent, and use every possible means within reach to raise up a strong company of Sabbath-keepers.

In accordance with this idea it was decided to ask Elder W. C. Wales to move his family to this part of the conference, and to unite with Elder Geo. W. Wells in vigorous, aggressive work for the Master in the salvation of precious souls. Brother J. W. Franklin was also asked to return to his work of taking subscriptions for our papers, selling books, and doing Bible work, a kind of work in which he has been very successful in days gone by. Some one of these workers will probably locate in Knoxville to help build up the work there when not out in actual field labor.

Brethren Wells and Cole now have their homes at Sanford, where Sister Maud Dortch, besides conducting a successful church school, is doing considerable Bible work. With these three workers at Sanford, Brother M. H. Johnston with his growing health food bakery at Chattanooga, our most excellent schools and sanitarium at Graysville, and a good spirit of hope and courage springing up all over this portion of the field, we look for good results in the near future. It is planned to hold a camp-meeting in the Tennessee portion of our conference the coming summer.

The Kentucky field was by no means neglected at this conference. Brother E. L. Sanford was invited to go with his family to Lexington, where he will make his home, and he and his family will do all they can to build up the cause of truth in this region. We are planning to have him pitch his tent somewhere on the borders of this blue-grass section, and hold up the standard of present truth here in eastern Kentucky. It will seem good to have a tent running in Kentucky once more, and our people in this part of the field are feeling the impulse of the new life that the arrangements that are being made are bringing in.

In order that I may be free to spend the greater portion of my time among the churches and companies, it has been arranged to have Brother E. W. Carey remove with the tract society to Louisville, where he will not only look after the tract work, but also take an interest in the building up of the work in this great city. The change of address of the tract society will be announced as soon as it can be settled upon.

The work in Kentucky is prospering. Our Louisville Sanitarium, 224 West Broadway, is doing most excellent work. Both our Louisville churches are full of hope, and something is being done. Brother Osborne sends in encouraging reports from Covington, and Brother John W. Steine is doing a good work in Moberly, Madison County.

Brother V. O. Cole, in connection with Brother A. F. Harrison, has been spending some time in eastern Kentucky, reviving the interest in the canvassing work. We are glad to see this, for nothing so brings real life into the soul as to get out and do something for the Lord. When we impart to others the precious rays of truth that have done our own souls so much good, then, and not until then, we receive our richest blessings. The sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” has been a real blessing to every one of our people who has taken hold of it in the fear of the Lord. First, let the soul be filled with the precious things the book contains for you, and then you can tell it to others; but if you merely try to sell it as you would some article of merchandise, then you will fail, and find leanness and discouragement awaiting you at every door. Tell the simple story of what the book has actually done for you, and others will want the same precious experience. O. C. GODSMARK, President Cumberland Conference.