p. 20 | Greater New York by C. H. Edwards

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 9, 1908

Greater New York

By C. H. Edwards

The work in Greater New York is advancing slowly, but steadily. While we have not seen accomplished all that we had desired, or all that we ought to have seen, yet we can but feel grateful to our Heavenly Father for the measure of success that has attended the efforts of his servants during recent years.

At the present time we have about eight hundred Sabbath-keepers, who compose twenty-one church organizations. These churches are divided into the following nationalities: thirteen English, two colored, two German, one Scandinavian, one Swedish, one Italian, and one Bohemian.

At a recent union meeting in the city the following nationalities were represented: American, English, Irish, Scotch, Swiss, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Slav, Jew, Bohemian, Russian, Filipino, Swede, Dane, Norwegian, Finn, West Indian, and Chinese.

During the last year one hundred eighty believers have been added to our membership, and five new churches were admitted to the conference; and there are three or four companies at this writing awaiting organization.

During the past summer six tent-meetings were held with varying success.

Surely the dear Lord has blessed his servants abundantly, when we think that in the past four years the conference has considerably more than doubled itself. Over five hundred believers have united with us during that time, and eleven churches have been accepted into conference membership.

In the last two years we have started work among the Italians, the Spaniards, the Bohemians, and the Chinese.

We already have one Italian church of about twenty-five members, and in a few days will organize another of about twelve souls. We also have one Bohemian-Slavish church of nearly twenty members, and others are about ready for baptism.

The Spanish and Chinese work is moving very slowly indeed; but the harvest is sure at last.

Our tithes and offerings have grown steadily in proportion to the growth of membership. The following figures will illustrate this growth for four years:—

During the year 1904, we received $13,490.60; the following year, 1905, we received $15,814.09, a gain of $2,323.49. The next year brought us $19,564.90, a gain over the previous year of $3,750.81. The past year, 1907, has given us the sum of $23,658.02, a gain over the year before of $4,093.12. Thus in four years our receipts jumped from $13,490.60 to $23,658.02, a gain of $10,167.42.

The tithe alone for 1907 amounts to $19,808.83; this, allowing a membership of 800, would give an average of $24.76 a member, but as only about seventy-five per cent pay tithes, we have an average of nearly $33.

For this gain in membership and finances we wish to emphatically repudiate any personal credit to ourselves. The work has been so desperately perplexing, and the efforts so feeble, we feel assured that to the Lord belongs the honor and glory for what has been accomplished.

Our workers have labored faithfully and loyally; they have sacrificed at every step, and thus the Lord has blessed their efforts.

C. H. EDWARDS.