The Work in the South by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 20, 1913

The Work in the South

By F. M. W.

RETURNING from the Pacific Coast several weeks ago, we came into brief touch with the organized work in the great field of the South. One day and night were spent at Keene, Tex. Here it was our privilege to meet with the students of the Keene Academy and to speak to them at the chapel hour. We faced a company of earnest, sturdy young men and women, whose evident and determined purpose is to fit themselves for active, efficient work in connection with this great movement. Prof. C. B. Hughes and his associates are doing faithful and painstaking work in this Southern training-center. This school is located in the midst of a great needy field, and no class of workers can do so much for the development of the work in the South as those who are born in the field, educated in it, and who are thus acquainted with its needs and peculiar conditions.

From this school have gone out a goodly number of earnest young men and women who to-day are bearing an active part in the carrying forward of the gospel, and we are satisfied from what we saw that there are many others who will go out in the near future to do valiant work for the Master.

We regret that the day following our visit a fire destroyed their broom-factory. It had been enjoying an excellent patronage, and the academy board, which was in session at the time, determined to rebuild at once, and so continue this excellent feature of industrial training in the school.

The meetings of the Southern Publishing Association were in session at the time of our visit. From all parts of the Southland the workers were gathered at Keene to consider the work of our Southern publishing house, elect a board of directors for the ensuing year, and transact other business pertaining to the publishing work. We were pleased with the whole-hearted interest which these brethren manifested in the publishing work, showing that they recognize it as a strong leading factor in the development of the cause in the South. Of the excellent success that has attended the work of the association Elder A. G. Daniells speaks quite fully in another column.

Certainly the Lord has prospered the faithful efforts of Brother R. Hook and his associates, enabling the publishing house to net the neat little sum which was reported at this meeting. We believe that these workers will be even more abundantly blessed in the year to come, and that the results of the work for 1913 will greatly surpass the record of succeeding years.

We were pleased to greet at this meeting Elder G. F. Watson, an old-time associate in labor, who is president of the Southwestern Union Conference; Elder S. E. Wight, president of the Southern Union Conference; and Elder C. B. Stephenson, president of the South-eastern Union Conference; and a number of others whose acquaintance we formed for the first time.

We were particularly pleased to meet L. A. Smith and C. P. Bollman, the editors of the Watchman. These brethren have done faithful and efficient work, as the character of our Southern magazine testifies from month to month. We have always regarded the Watchman as a most excellent exponent of the great issues before the world at the present time. Many have been brought to a knowledge of the truth through the ministry of this paper, and we believe that our people throughout the country, and particularly in the Southern field, should give to this journal their hearty and constant support from month to month. Much can be done in the way of increasing its regular subscription list, and even more can be done in the circulation of the paper by our brethren and sisters in their localities in selling the magazine regularly from house to house. This will place the truth it contains before many readers, and will furnish remunerative employment as well.

In the Southland as well as in other parts of this country and the field at large, there is still a great work to be done. Men are needed to establish more firmly the work that has been begun, and to extend it into new avenues. May the Lord bless the efforts of the faithful workers in the hard and difficult field of the South. F. M. W.