p. 88 | THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 13, 1879

THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

AGAIN we deem it necessary to say something about the holding of quarterly meetings, the time for which will soon be here. The more we consider the matter, and the longer they are tried, the more thoroughly we are impressed with the importance and indispensableness of these meetings. The reasons for holding them have been stated several times. We simply wish here to again urge upon our brethren the absolute necessity of holding these meetings promptly on time and in every church, according to the plan.

If any of the churches have been negligent in this matter, the president of the Conference should know it and see that they do not neglect it again; but particularly the elders in the individual churches are responsible in this matter. We are ashamed and grieved to learn that in some cases the elders themselves never come near the meeting on that important occasion. Perhaps it is a little cold, a little muddy, or something of that kind. Now we believe it is a sin against God to neglect sacred duties for these reasons.

Brethren, we appeal to you again: Hold your quarterly meetings on time. Every individual church is to meet together in its own place of worship for the transaction of business pertaining to every branch of the work, such as the S. B., Sabbath-school, T. and M. work, etc., the first Sabbath and Sunday in April. Every district is to hold its quarterly meeting the second Sabbath and Sunday in April. Then the State quarterly meeting comes the third Sabbath and Sunday. Now it is not of so much consequence about the special time of the State meeting; it can be put off a while if there is any necessity for it, though that should always be held on time unless there is some very urgent reason for changing it; but the church quarterly meeting should not be interfered with nor changed for any reason. There are several reasons for this: If a change is made in one section, it produces confusion all over. Moreover, if we throw the meeting out of its regular order, many scattered brethren will not learn this until it is too late; and many who do not take the REVIEW would know nothing of it, and hence it would result in a failure. But if we punctually attend to this matter, every Seventh-day Adventist in the world will understand that his or her name will be read, all the business pertaining to that church will be attended to, and he will be put under censure if not heard from.

The church quarterly meeting the first Sabbath in April will be an unusually important one, as an address from the General Conference touching matters of the greatest importance, will probably be sent to every church to be read on that day. But we cannot particularize here. Read the instruction already given respecting these quarterly meetings, and be sure to attend to them on time. D. M. CANRIGHT.