SPECIAL NOTICES by H. E. OSBORNE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 7, 1902

SPECIAL NOTICES

By H. E. OSBORNE

To Conference Officers.

DURING the General Conference Council last November one of the important questions carefully considered was that relating to the handling of our funds. The experience of our Union Conference auditors during the past season has served to emphasize the need of adopting a uniform system of accounts, so simple as to be practical for the use of the inexperienced, and yet so safe as to give assurance that all moneys reach their intended destinations.

Accordingly the council appointed a committee of business men to arrange such a system as present conditions manifestly demand. This committee was composed of the following persons: W. A. Wilcox, business manager of the South Lancaster Sanitarium; C. L. Kilgore, secretary and auditor of the Eastern Union Conference; C. M. Everest, missionary secretary of the Minnesota Conference; W. H. Edwards, secretary and auditor of the Lake Union Conference; Prof. E. E. Gardiner, formerly head of the Commercial Department of Battle Creek College; C. T. Caviness, auditor of the Southwestern Union Conference; and W. O. Palmer, of the Southern Publishing Association. The experience, ability, and consecration of the members of this committee will be recognized by a large portion of the REVIEW readers.

Concerning the value of the blanks and records which these brethren have prepared, it is not here needful to speak. Church treasurers will welcome them, for it will save them from the annoyance of inaccuracies, and will reduce to a minimum the time and labor involved in keeping the accounts of the church funds. This economy will also be extended to every office through which the funds will pass, for the correction of an error in local accounts often involves the accounts of the Conference treasurer. And, moreover, hard-earned means will be saved to the precious cause of truth by thus stopping any leaks now occasioned by a loose and imperfect system.

It is desired to introduce the new system in all the churches as soon as possible; and to this end, all our local Conferences are requested to inform the Review and Herald Publishing Company, without unnecessary delay, the number of record books, etc., desired in their Conference, thus enabling the publishers to produce immediately such an edition as may be required. The price of a treasurer's book of 144 pages has been one dollar, but if all will order at once, thus making possible a large edition, we are assured the price will be less.

Please give this matter early attention. The committee has done its work, and we believe all will agree that it is well done. Realizing the need, they undertook the task in the spirit of prayer and consecration, and received the assurance that God helped them. Now let their effort be supplemented by a general movement in favor of this improved system. Remember that this call did not originate with the council. The principle involved is clearly and concisely stated in the following language from “Testimonies for the Church,” No. 34:—

“God calls for decided improvement to be made in the various branches of the work. The business done in connection with the cause of God must be marked with greater precision and exactness. There has not been firm, decided effort to bring about essential reform.”

Let there be “firm, decided effort,” and let it be put forth now. H. E. OSBORNE, Sec. Gen. Conf.