No Conversions in 1,399 Congregations
FROM the Conference on Evangelism, recently held at Montreat, N. C., there was sent out an appeal to the pastors of the Southern Presbyterian Church, in which is made the following statement, according to the Christian Observer of Aug. 5, 1914:— In view of the continued destitution in our beloved Zion and the slow growth of the church, and especially in view of the meager report of accessions and of the distressing fact that last year 1,399 congregations — approaching one third of the whole number of our congregations — reported no conversions, we would earnestly appeal to all our people to bow in importunate and faithful prayer to God to build up our waste places and to bring multitudes into the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are led to consider as we read of this situation in the Southern Presbyterian Church what proportion of the churches among Seventh-day Adventists would be compelled to report the same conditions for last year. We hope there are none, and yet we fear there are some, doubtless a much smaller per cent than the preceding figures represent, who would be forced to confess that during the last twelve months not one new convert has come to Christ as the result of their labors. If this is true of the last twelve months, shall we let the condition continue to exist during the year to come? Let us earnestly resolve that with God's help we shall be the agencies through whom he will work to bring one or more souls to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.