p. 168 | Pacific Coast Council by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 13, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 11.

Pacific Coast Council.

By Editor

LAST year Elder Haskell advised the holding of councils on the Pacific Coast. We are so far removed from the places of holding the General Conference, that very few of our citizens, and comparatively few of our laborers, have much knowledge of such meetings. Of course it is understood that our councils have no strong resemblance to a regular Conference meeting; and yet they may add greatly to the interest and usefulness of our Conferences.

Last week we published an article from Elder Haskell on this subject; and we received it with especial pleasure, because there had been consultation in regard to it of late in this State.

At our camp-meeting in San Jose, in 1883, we were much pleased to meet Bro. Colcord of the Upper Columbia Conference. And at a recent, and very important meeting in Healdsburg we were again made glad by the presence of Bro. Boyd, of the North Pacific Conference. We believe that the cause in these two Conferences was benefited by the attendance of their Presidents at these important meetings.

In consultation with Eld. W. C. White, who is on the General Conference Committee, it was decided to recommend that a council be convened at the next North Pacific Camp-meeting, which we expect will be held in East Portland. East Portland is separated from Portland only by the Willamette river. A more important place for a camp-meeting cannot be found north of the California line. It is expected that that will be the largest meeting ever held in the Northwest.

Within the next year, we may reasonably expect, our work will be vigorously pushed into new fields. We speak more particularly of the country known as "the Pacific Slope." Our College at Healdsburg is doing a great work in preparing laborers for missionary work of various kinds. There is a large extent of territory east of California, Oregon, and Washington Territory, which calls for laborers. Indeed, there is a large amount of territory within California, Oregon, and Washington, which urgently calls for helpers. We hope that soon Nevada may have labor bestowed on her ripening fields. Idaho is ready and waiting, yes, calling for help. The islands of the Pacific demand attention. "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few."

Seventh-day Adventists believe in order. Almost all Adventists, after the churches so generally shut their doors against the doctrine in 1844, were opposed to organization. But twenty-five years ago or more we plainly saw that without organization there would always be confusion, and our work would be crippled. Even at that time, when our numbers were so few, our churches were constantly laboring under difficulties; and much time was lost by the ministers, which might have been saved if order had been sooner established. Every year has confirmed us in the conclusion at which we then arrived, that there must be organization if we would remain united and have our work effective.

And it has become apparent that the work, especially in our younger and weaker Conferences, may be greatly strengthened and expedited if there are councils where the workers and representative men of several Conferences can meet together, to canvass the prospects and wants of their several fields, and of new fields, and to devise means to best carry on the work under their circumstances. These also become seasons of special religious effort, to increase the spirituality of the laborers and the people, and by thus together drawing nearer to God. In this our courage is renewed and our strength is increased.

At the coming meeting in East Portland we think we may safely promise that, of those now in California, there will be present, Eld. White, of the General Conference, Eld. Corliss, the editor of the SIGNS, and Bro. Ings. We are not now able to speak for others. The ministers and principal workers, and the officers of the Conference, should attend from Upper Columbia. There should be no failure in this. And there should be some from Idaho. Boise City should surely be represented.

Idaho, being outside of any organized Conference, is, according to the Constitution of the General Conference, missionary ground. As such it is placed under the jurisdiction of the General Conference. Laborers going there should go under the sanction of the General Conference. But as the General Conference will be represented at East Portland, and the neighboring Conferences will there meet in council, it is of the greatest importance that Idaho be represented there. If there shall be even two or three friends of the cause from that Territory, or even one if no more can go, it will be the means of so interesting the brethren in that field, and so informing them of its wants, that the work may be greatly forwarded there. If Idaho is not represented there, if her wants and situation are not set before the council, it may hinder the work more than can be readily appreciated. There is a strong desire now arising to do something for Idaho. We earnestly hope that we shall meet some friends of the cause from that Territory.

It seems unnecessary to speak for a general attendance from all parts of the U. C. and N. P. Conferences. This will be the most important, and therefore the most interesting meeting which has ever been held in the Northwest. We shall further speak of it hereafter.