Notes of Progress by C. W. Flaiz

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 17, 1903

Notes of Progress

By C. W. Flaiz

The North Michigan Conference has organized its forces for a “closing effort in the work with ‘Christ’s Object Lessons.’” Every laborer is in the field, and is pushing the work to the utmost.

The fact that the Michigan State paper is being printed as a daily during the campaign for the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” indicates the vigor with which the work is being prosecuted in that State. The East and West conferences will undoubtedly have their quotas disposed of by the middle of February.

From information just received we learn that New Jersey has conducted a very successful campaign in the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” during the past season, and that they expect to continue in the good work until their quota is in the hands of the people. Our correspondent adds, however, that the “work moves slowly.” How would it do to issue “rush orders,” and close up the work by the time of the General Conference?

We note the following in a recent issue of The Central Advance: “Referring to the work with ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ in Kansas, I will say that it is not dead. We will send Union College another thousand dollars this week. We have demonstrated that we have some ministers and workers who are abundantly successful in their efforts. We have instructed these to continue the work, by going from church to church where they have not sold their books, and getting the members to engage in the work.”

Elder W. B. White, president of the Montana Conference, writes as follows: “Our conference is awake to the necessity of finishing the work with ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ at once, and we are trying to do so. We are glad to be so nearly through. Our little conference will, I am sure, spread its victory banner by the time of the General Conference. The original quota for our State was twenty-one hundred books. We have less than three hundred remaining unsold, and an active campaign is now in progress.”

Elder Rupert, president of the South-western Union Conference, writes very hopefully of the work with “Christ’s Object Lessons” in his conference, and then adds, “We have heard of debts until the whole body is sick from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head.” Granted. The symptoms are well-nigh universal. But now that we have learned the nature of our malady, and found debt a hard taskmaster, let us take the specific provided for our disease,--sell “Christ’s Object Lessons,” and then anathematize debt for the future.

Elder Russell exhorts the laborers of the Central Union Conference to close up the work with “Christ’s Object Lessons” in that field, in the following earnest words: “The remaining months of this winter is a good time in which to finish the work of selling ‘Christ’s Object Lessons.’ It should be taken hold of in earnest. Why not between now and April work with all diligence, and dispose of the number allotted to us? As ministers and people let us take hold of the work in earnest, and not rest until it is done. Then our educational institutions can sing the jubilee song, and as conferences and people we can rejoice with them that the work has been accomplished.”

“The Spirit of the Lord has assigned us a task in the sale of the book, ‘Christ’s Object Lessons.’ Some individuals, churches, and conferences have sold more than their quota, while there are others who are not more than half through with their part of this specially assigned work. Of course this must be completed. We must not lay our hands to the gospel plow and turn back. We should remember Lot’s wife. Our faces are set as a flint Zionward. The Christian knows not defeat. All the people in each conference in the Atlantic Union Conference should again take hold of this work with a will to complete this special sale by April 1, 1903. This can be accomplished. The General Conference and all other union and local conferences have a fixed purpose in mind, and are making an effort to finish this work by the time of the next General Conference. Brethren and sisters, let us renew our courage; the work is Spirit-given. Let us as a body arise as one man, and complete our part of the task by April 1. Conference laborers should take hold with a strong hand, and assist the rank and file of the people to complete this work.” The foregoing earnest appeal is from the pen of Elder H. W. Cottrell, in The Atlantic Union Gleaner.

The last campaign for the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” is gaining momentum every day. Here and there a straggling individual, company, or even a conference may be seen. But even these are gathering courage and pressing forward to the front ranks. The leaders are rapidly taking their places, and are leading their forces to certain and complete victory. The goal is a completed work by the first of April. The reward is the joy of seeing our institutions relieved of a heavy burden of debt, and ultimately of seeing souls saved in the kingdom of God as the result of the efforts put forth, and not only so, but we shall have a far more efficient corps of laborers to carry forward the grand work of giving the last message of mercy to the world.

C. W. FLAIZ.