To the Churches in Minnesota.
By H. F. Phelps
Dear Brethren: I have for some time in the past been thinking over matters in regard to the cause of God here in Minnesota. While I write and you read, I hope we may all be directed by the Spirit of God, without which we can do nothing acceptable to him. We all know that the cause of present truth is, or in years gone by has been, advancing but very slowly. You have had sore trials to encounter. The enemy has ever been on the alert, and as yet we have the same enemy to contend with. Still we can feel that, in the midst of adversity God has been with us. We can say of a truth, God has not forsaken us. And our blessings have not all been spiritual blessings merely. God has blessed many in temporal affairs. How many in looking over the past five or ten years, can count an increase in their goods of twenty, thirty, and, in some cases, even a hundred fold. Some during this time have given nobly for the cause, and have marveled that they were greatly blessed in store; while others have been toiling almost night and day, and clinging to the things of this world as though they were their all, and their only hope lay in this life. As I have witnessed these things, the words of the apostle James, concerning riches, have come to my mind with wonderful distinctness. I would ask those who put down their property on S. B. account at the one half, and even less than one half, of what they would take for it in cash, and not even pay, from one year to another, what they do put down, and those who put down liberally, but who also do not pay;—I would ask them to look for one moment at our preachers in the wide harvest field, whom you have believed God called to the work of reaping in the harvest. See their labors, their tears, their privations; how they go out and labor with you and others night and day, till worn by toil, fatigue of body and mind, they return to their homes to—rest? No; to labor still harder. They, perhaps, find their families destitute of even the necessaries of life, and they, with little or no means with which to provide for their wants, are compelled to go to work; not that they are above work, no, but what man is there but what needs rest? Release them from the duty of preaching the gospel, and they would soon soar above want. Look at these things, and ask yourselves if they ought so to be. Minnesota has been considered missionary ground; but why consider it so longer? We have preachers in our midst and means to keep them at work, if it were brought in. But, say some, those who now preach, do but little. They work on their farms most of the time, and young men who wish to preach, they hinder. Why are they on their farms? I answer, Because they see no other way to do. Do you wish to see laborers raised up to preach the truth? Then support those already in the field. Do you wish to see them in the field all the time? Then raise your own S. B. to their honest amount. “Bring in the tithes,” and prove God, and see if he will not pour you out a blessing. This Conference has been much in debt. Last year we were over $300 in debt, and I doubt not but the coming Conference meeting will find us still in debt. We say we believe we love the cause of God; and that it lies near our hearts. Then let us prove it. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” “Actions speak louder than words.” Let us lay up bags in Heaven. Oh! what treasuries are there. Transfer your gold and silver to the bank of Heaven, by using them in God's cause. Now, they are needed; soon, they will not be. You can now secure a treasure that will not corrupt. A word to the officers of the different churches. According to our constitution, it is the duty of all treasurers to report to the State Secretary, every three months. Who have reported? Who have not? The Greenwood and Oronoco churches have reported each quarter; Deerfield once; and the remainder have been silent. Where is the fault? Perhaps nothing has been paid in, so there has been nothing to report. But I would say, Report every time, even if you have to report a cypher; then the State Secretary can make his report properly. It is too late to mend the matter this year, but whoever may be Secretary next year, report to him promptly.