The Ohio Conference by H. H. Burkholder

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 14, 1904

The Ohio Conference

By H. H. Burkholder

Report of the President at the Lake Union Conference.

I WILL not attempt a long report, but in a few words will endeavor to set before you facts showing that we are making some progress in the Ohio Conference.

Our conference was organized in 1863, and at present we have a membership of 2,250, with eighty-five organized churches. We have seventeen ordained ministers on our pay-roll, fourteen within our own borders, one in China, and two in the Southern field. Thirty missionary licenses have been issued to as many different persons, who are serving the conference in various ways under the direction of the conference committee. Five churches have been organized and five buildings erected during the past two years. Two annual camp-meetings have been held, well attended by our people, at which seven men were ordained to the work of the gospel ministry.

I can truthfully say that as far as I know, the laborers of the conference are a band of happy, contented men and women, believing that our only safety depends upon keeping close to the old landmarks, which have been tried and tested and proved true. These principles are carried into every department of conference work. I sincerely believe that we are making spiritual as well as numerical and financial progress.

I will now submit a few figures that may prove an item of interest in my report:—

	1902	1903	TOTALS
Tithe	$19,064.29	$22,584.42	$41,648.71
Weekly offering	692.05	818.32	1,510.34
Sabbath-schools	832.01	970.51	1,802.52
Annual offering	1,356.42	1,610.41	2,966.83
Mission Board	597.65	1,087.37	1,685.02
Haskell and Jas. White Homes	369.79	338.63	708.42
Mission work in United States	656.76	782.29	1,439.05
Totals	$23,568.94	$28,191.95	$51,760.89

Two years ago an indebtedness of four thousand dollars was hanging over our Tract and Missionary Society department. It is a pleasure to announce to you to-day that through the blessing of God and the untiring efforts of the secretary of this department of our conference work, we are clear and free from this financial burden. I must not forget to mention one thing that materially helped us in our financial struggle, that is a cash policy. Neither has it retarded our work, and we like it. During this effort to rid ourselves of debt, this department has sold books, tracts, and periodicals to the amount of twenty thousand dollars.

There has been another debt hanging over us for a number of years. It is the debt on our Mount Vernon Academy. On July 1, 1902, our books showed an indebtedness on this institution of $15,145.16. May 1, 1904, the books show that this debt has been reduced to $7,292.50. This shows that we have paid on this debt, $7,852.66.

We have realized from the sale of “Christ's Object Lessons” during the past two years $6,400. The total amount received from the sale of “Object Lessons” from the beginning, and applied on the debt of the academy, amounts to $9,800.

From a small beginning the work of the academy has grown until within the last two years we have been unable to accommodate the young men and women who applied for admittance. Scores have been turned away. This we very much regret. To-day we feel proud (in a good sense of the term) of the work that has been done at our academy.

The church and Sabbath-school work has been gradually growing, and we are hoping to see better results follow our future effort along all lines of work. I might say more, but have perhaps said enough for this occasion and at this time.

H. H. BURKHOLDER.