p. 15 | Massachusetts by H. C. Hartwell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 20, 1911

Massachusetts

By H. C. Hartwell

While looking up some items for information in laying plans for future work recently, I was much gratified to note the degree of prosperity that attended this conference during the year 1910.

Our tent-meetings and other evangelistic efforts met with more than average success, and our actual gain in new Sabbath-keepers for the year was 114.

Our tithe in 1909 was $17,282, and in 1910 it was $22,050, a gain of $4,769. Donations to everything outside of the conference in 1909 amounted to $6,393, and in 1910 they were $9,210, a gain of $2,817. The adoption of the plan instituted by the General Conference, of paying ten per cent of our tithe to missions and five per cent to the Sustentation Fund, besides taking on a number of additional laborers, has considerably increased our expenses; but the increase in our tithe and other conference funds has enabled us to meet these demands without embarrassment thus far.

In Boston much seed is being sown at the present time. Elder A. E. Sanderson and the writer, with a corps of workers, have been conducting a strong central effort for the last few weeks with encouraging results. Elder G. B. Starr, with the assistance of New England Sanitarium workers, has been carrying on schools of health in various parts of the Boston district, making many friends. There have also been a number of smaller efforts conducted in the city; and at the present time new Sabbath-keepers are taking their stand for the truth nearly every week.

Frequent additions are being made to the church in Worcester, where Elder Lee S. Wheeler is laboring. In other parts of the Bay State, also, success is attending our workers, and new churches are being organized.

This little State of nearly 3,500,000 population is made up of cities. Aside from Boston, with its three quarters of a million, we have seven cities with a population of from 75,000 to 150,000; sixteen with a population of from 25,000 to 75,000; and thirty-one with a population of from 10,000 to 25,000. Many of

these have had no labor bestowed upon them. Next to Rhode Island, Massachusetts is the most densely populated State in the Union. It is said that five eighths of its population is foreign, making it the most foreign of any State in the Union; it is also the most Catholic of any of the States.

While these characteristics do not indicate that this is an easy field for the spread of the third angel's message, a spirit of earnestness and consecration is taking possession of the hearts of our workers and of all our people; and in nearly all lines we see evidences that our work is being strengthened, and that it is going forward. These things cause us to be of good courage, and afford us great reason to praise God.

H. C. HARTWELL.