Your ShelfYour Projects

Third Annual Meeting in Mexico

4%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 31, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 5.

Read the full edition

Third Annual Meeting in Mexico

By Geo. M. Brown

IN harmony with previous plans, this meeting was held in Mexico City, Dec. 7-16, 1906. It was the largest and most representative meeting ever held in Mexico, and was marked by a spirit of hopefulness, courage, and consecration. Elder W. A. Spicer was with us during the entire time, and his labors were much appreciated. Brethren were present from Guadalajara, San Luis Potosi, Cuautla, Tampico, and Ameca; and these, with the friends in Mexico City and its vicinity, made a congregation which filled our meeting hall to its utmost capacity.
The address of the superintendent of the mission showed that there has been progress in all branches of the work. Six persons have been employed all or a part of the time during the year. Thirty-five persons have begun the observance of the Sabbath. At the end of 1905 there were fifty-three church-members, forty-one others keeping the Sabbath, and seventy-eight members of the three Sabbath-schools then in existence. There are now fifty-eight church-members, sixty others are keeping the Sabbath, and there are five Sabbath-schools, with a membership of one hundred.
We have Sabbath-keepers at the following points: Cuautla, State of Morelos; San Luis Potosi, Celaya, State of Guanajuato; Monterey, State of Nuevo Leon, and Cananea and Nogales in the State of Sonora, besides those living in Mexico City and Guadalajara, where there are churches organized.
During eleven months of 1906 the tithe was $1,500, and the offerings amounted to $415, making a total income from the field of $1,915 in United States money. The missionary paper, El Mensajero de la Verdad, has had an average monthly circulation of three thousand copies. This means thirty-six thousand copies of the paper placed in the homes of the people, and in addition to this some books and about nine thousand tracts have been sold, so that there have been more than three quarters of a million pages of present-truth literature placed in the hands of the Mexican people during 1906. Thus the seed is being sown. Brethren, pray that we may know how to water it, and that God will be pleased to give an abundant increase.
The death of Sister Clara Jones, widow of Elder Dan T. Jones, occurred in April. Sister Jones and her husband were the first Seventh-day Adventist missionaries in Mexico. At the time of her death she was Sabbath-school secretary for the mission field.
The Guadalajara Sanitarium has been closed, and its affairs are now in process of liquidation by a representative of the Battle Creek Sanitarium who has been sent to Guadalajara for this purpose. The medical mission which had been for some time under the supervision of the sanitarium was secured by friends of the cause, and is being carried on in the same place as formerly.
The publishing work has prospered during the year, and is on a sound financial basis. Three thousand five hundred copies of El Mensajero de la Verdad have been printed each month. We have printed fifteen thousand tracts, besides the Spanish lesson pamphlets for adults, and a series of lessons for children.

Plans for the Future

It was decided to increase the edition of El Mensajero to five thousand copies a month. The following resolution relative to the circulation of the paper in the United States was passed:—
“Whereas, The Spanish paper published by the Mexican Mission, entitled El Mensajero de la Verdad, is well adapted for use as a missionary paper among those in the United States who speak Spanish, and,—
GROUP AT MEXICAN MEETING. PRINTING-OFFICE IN REAR
GROUP AT MEXICAN MEETING. PRINTING-OFFICE IN REAR
“Whereas, This paper can be furnished to our brethren in the United States for less than it would cost to produce such a paper there, therefore,—
“Resolved, That we invite the brethren in the home field to co-operate with us in giving the paper a wide circulation among Spanish-speaking people in the States; and further—
“Resolved, That we request the officers of the General Conference Publishing and Foreign departments, and the officers of union and local conferences to unite with us in calling the attention of the people to the El Mensajero as an excellent missionary paper and recommending its general use.”
As the editorial work costs no more for a large edition than it does for a small one, and as we have the privilege of sending our paper at pound rates from Mexico City to all parts of the United States by direct fast mail, it will be seen that we are in a position to furnish this paper at reasonable rates, and that subscribers will receive their papers promptly. We invite correspondence in regard to prices and discounts.
The Spanish lesson pamphlets for senior classes will be continued, also the Old Testament history lessons in Spanish for children. A quarterly, devoted to hygiene and health and temperance, will be issued in the Spanish.
Seven physicians and one nurse were in attendance at the meeting, and thus we were privileged to hear from different parts of the field where medical missionary work is being carried on, and to lay plans for future enlargement of the work.
Plans were laid for increasing our force of colporteurs, and it was voted to secure as soon as possible a suitable person to act as general canvassing agent, also an experienced printer to take charge of our printing-office.

Features of Special Interest

Elder Spicer's talk on the progress of the work throughout the world were inspiring and very instructive. All hearts thrilled as he related the marvelous manifestations of the Lord's providence in the great closing work which is to prepare a people for translation.
The closing chapters of “Early Writings” had been translated into Spanish, and were read during the meeting. The warnings and counsels contained in these chapters were especially appreciated by our Mexican brethren and sisters to whom they were entirely new.
One hour was devoted especially to the Bible as an influence in evangelical work. The agent of the American Bible Society, Mrs. Hamilton, was present, and told of the great work that the Bible Society is doing. Since the agency was established in Mexico in 1878, more than half a million copies of the Bible have been placed in the hands of the people. It was decided to continue the plan of taking up an annual collection for the Bible Society.
Friday afternoon seven persons were baptized and received into the Mexico City church. Sabbath, December 15, the ordinances of the Lord's house were celebrated. About fifty were present, and the special presence of the Spirit of God was felt by all.
The last Sabbath and Sunday of the meeting the general secretary of the Mexican National Sunday-school Association, E. M. Sein, was with us. His talks on plans and methods for improving the efficiency of the Sunday-schools were very helpful.
Our good meeting closed Sunday evening with a praise and consecration service. For various reasons the work in Mexico has seemed stationary for some years. But little results were seen, and some even advocated withdrawing from the field. A change has come. Hopehas taken the place of fear, courage reigns where before discouragement abounded, and with a united front and hearts aglow with enthusiasm and faith in their Captain, the believers in present truth in the Mexican Mission field are heeding the trumpet call to a forward march. “The Lord is coming. Let this be the herald note of jubilee.”
GEO. M. BROWN.