The Seventh-day Adventist Anniversaries.
PROF. J. ALLEN, delegate from the Seventh-day Baptists to our late General Conference, publishes through the Sabbath Recorder, a very candid and generous report of his visit on that occasion, from which we make the following extracts. The doings of the different meetings, with the various statistics, the reader has already had in the previously-published proceedings; but he will be interested in the account as given by one outside, of our own organization. Bro. A. says: Having recently attended the Anniversaries of the Seventh-day Adventists, at Battle Creek, Mich., as delegate from the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference, while not forestalling my official report to the General Conference, yet I would like to make a few statements. The General Conference, the Michigan State Conference, the Publishing Association, the Missionary Society, and the Health Reform Institute, held their Anniversaries, commencing March 15. The first held its eighth anniversary, the second and third their tenth, and the fourth its first. The General Conference was organized by the appointment of James White, President; U. Smith, Secretary; G. H. Bell, Treasurer; James White, J. N. Andrews, and J. H. Waggoner, Executive Committee. The State Conferences of Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania, Ohio, Vermont, Wisconsin and Illinois, also the Missions of New England, California, and Switzerland, were represented. The statistics were: Churches 179, ministers 87, licentiates 53, members 5,440, funds pledged $21,822 49, paid in $2,747 88, expended 3,020 78. Resolutions were adopted in reference to the various interests of the Conference, among which were those expressing sympathy for brethren in other lands, and those in America of foreign birth, and pledging the Conference to do all in its power to publish works in their respective languages; extending love and Christian salutation to the band of fifty converts in Switzerland; acknowledging their representative, James Ertzenberger, whom it was resolved by the Conference to set “apart to the work of the Christian ministry, that he may return to Switzerland to preach the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Resolutions were adopted in reference to “Spiritual Gifts,” affirming their “perpetuity as manifested in the Testimonies.” Ground was taken against the influx of unwelcome settlers in the neighborhood of the Publishing Office—insisting that the influence surrounding it should be of the best kind. Incipient measures were taken, looking towards the establishment of a Ministerial Institute, to aid in the work of preparation for the ministry. On motion of Eld. J. N. Andrews, Prof. Allen, delegate from the Seventh-day Baptists, was unanimously received as a member of this body. The following resolution was then read, and after interesting remarks from Eld. J. N. Andrews, Prof. Allen, Elds. Cottrell, Waggoner, Bates, and White, was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That we cordially welcome the representative of the Seventh-day Baptist denomination, a people whom we esteem for their adherence to the Sabbath of the Lord. That we express an earnest desire to maintain with them relations of Christian friendship, and, as far as the circumstances of our respective bodies permit, to co-operate with them in leading our fellow-men to the sacred observance of the fourth commandment. Resolved, That we appoint Eld. James White as a delegate to the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference, with liberty, if he should be unable to attend, to appoint his alternate. In the discussion arising on these resolutions, very liberal and generous sentiments were expressed. It was the sentiment that the two denominations were gradually approaching each other in feeling and aim; that the law of God was a common platform sufficiently broad on which to stand. And when the President of the Conference—Eld. White—proposed that “from163this good hour onward, let us not obtrude upon Seventh-day Baptists those doctrines wherein we differ from them; defend these points when attacked; let your light shine; but let us no longer be aggressors upon them; henceforth let there be peace between us;” these sentiments received a hearty response from the Conference. The following is from the editorial in the last number [14] of the REVIEW AND HERALD: “The visit of the Seventh-day Baptist delegate, Prof. J. Allen, of Alfred, N. Y., was a very pleasant feature of the meeting. We hail with joy this tangible evidence of friendly interchange of feeling between these two denominations, not only because they occupy common ground on the fourth commandment, which is a cardinal point with them both, but also because, in the grand contest which is approaching in reference to this primeval and heavenly institution, all its friends will need to stand together, with joined hands and sympathizing hearts. A more intimate acquaintance with each other will, we believe, correct misapprehensions, show less of difference than has been supposed, and reveal a common ground on which they can accomplish a great and good co-operative work.” It is earnestly to be desired, that these liberal and generous sentiments shall meet with a hearty response from the Seventh-day Baptist denomination. Two denominations, that have accepted the law of God in its completeness, without “one jot or one tittle” effaced or discarded, have a common ground broad enough and high enough for a great and glorious co-operative work. Can we not all, with hearty response, say, “Henceforth let there be peace between us.” “As far as possible, let there be co-operation.” The Publishing Association held its annual meeting, which was full of interest. This is rightly considered the right arm of their power. They number converts by the hundred, through this instrumentality; who never saw one of their ministers. Its workings and results are very instructive to the Seventh-day Baptists, as showing what can be accomplished through efficient organizations. It has property to the amount of $40,487 69. Of this, $7,751 19 was added during the last ten months, chiefly from the income of its publishing interests. It is thought that, with efficient management, a thousand dollars a month might be realized the coming year. The Association owns a fine two-story building, with basement, built of brick, in the form of a Greek cross. The rooms are light, airy, and commodious. The building was supposed sufficient for the purposes of the Society when built; but already it is getting over-crowded, and arrangements for another building are under consideration. The business employs from thirty-five to forty men and women—the majority women—all Sabbath-keepers. The Secretary and Treasurer, upon whom much of the Office work devolves, are women. Experience has taught them that women are more faithful and reliable than men in these offices. They have a power press, running five days in a week. They have lately established a bindery; so that they now have a complete publishing establishment. The energy and boldness with which they do things, are admirable. For illustration, after our Tract Society had exhausted its resources in getting out a small stereotyped edition of Eld. Brown’s work on the Sabbath, so expensive as to forbid its general circulation, and while our Board stood debating whether to venture on a cheaper edition or not, a copy of the work fell into the hands of the officers of this Association. They said, This is too valuable a light to be hid under a bushel; let us ask permission of the Tract Society of the Seventh-day Baptists to publish a joint edition for us and them, so cheap that it can have a general circulation. Permission was asked and granted. They published an edition of fifteen thousand copies, at an expense of between four and five cents per copy. As I left, a book was placed in my hands, damp from the bindery, and upon which those having it in charge had worked extra time in order to supply me with the first volume, wherein Andrews’ History of the Sabbath, Littlejohn’s Seventh Part of Time, Waggoner’s Nature and Obligation of the Sabbath, Morton’s Vindication of the True Sabbath, Brown’s Thoughts on the Sabbath, were bound up together, to go forth on their mission. It is trusted that this book is symbolic of a not-far-distant union of the authors who are thus preaching together from the same volume, and of the two peoples of whom these are representative men. A more intimate acquaintance and union would be for the good of both, with little danger of evil to either. The Seventh-day Baptists have, most of them, come in possession of the Sabbath by a birthright inheritance, with a touch of the conservatism usually attendant on such inheritances, while the Seventh-day Adventists have come to the Sabbath through divine re-generation, or conversion to the truth, with a large share of that earnestness and zeal springing from convictions wrought out, accepted, and followed, amid opposition and sacrifice. A more intimate alliance of the two people with these correlative characteristics, for the purpose of promulgating the great truth which they have thus come in possession of, would doubtless be for good.