EASTERN UNION CONFERENCE.
By E. E. Miles
It is with much pleasure that the writer embraces this opportunity to speak to the 2,250 families who take the Review and Herald in the Eastern Union Conference, and I only regret that the number is not much larger; indeed, I wish that our most excellent church paper might find its way every week into every home where there is one of our people, in our entire district, and I feel like calling upon all to work most earnestly to this desired end. Here is a grand work for all ministers, church elders, and librarians, and I would suggest that a systematic canvass be inaugurated at once, and wherever it is found that any are not able to subscribe, a meeting of the more fortunate ones be called, and plans devised that will place the paper in the remaining homes for a year, or for a short period at least; better make it a year, but 75 cents pays for the paper six months, and 50 cents for four months. Give employment to any who are able to earn a subscription; donate the paper to all who can not pay in money or work. God will greatly bless you in this effort, I am sure. I am glad to say that prospects are bright for increasing the circulation of our publications in the Eastern Union Conference, — periodicals, tracts, pamphlets, books. I mention all these because I want every lover of truth to be a worker for the salvation of souls, and I want all, both field missionaries and neighborhood missionaries, to know that I am equally interested in their work. Are not the hearts of our people crying out for a revival of the old-time missionary spirit? Once we were more earnest in the work; and the sale of “Christ's Object Lessons” in recent months has demonstrated that our lay members can successfully work for God. Every member in every family in every church, even to the children, is the word of the testimony concerning this one publication, and if all can sell this one, why may they not also sell others? Here is another testimony: “The Lord God of heaven would have the entire church devising ways and means whereby high and low, rich and poor, may hear the message of truth.” This is exactly what is needed to carry on still farther the work with “Object Lessons,” and to do what should be done with our other publications. This is our hope for the future of the canvassing work; for when the entire church is gaining a constant and continued experience in the work at home, the Lord will qualify some of their numbers to enter the field work. Already several of our conferences are working to the end of securing one or more canvassers from each church, and they hope to succeed. We were fortunate in getting our Union Conference organized some days before the close of the General Conference, thus giving us time to meet together to talk over our plans of work. Elder Underwood, speaking for Pennsylvania, said: “It seems to me that we in Pennsylvania could get one canvasser from every church, — that is not an exaggerated number, — and we should then have seventy-five agents in the State, and we could do three times as much as we are doing.” Elder Underwood also spoke encouragingly of the work with “Christ's Object Lessons,” the use of tracts by the canvassers and the churches, also the Signs of the Times, and concluded by saying, “Our ministering brethren are in full sympathy with the canvassing work, and they feel that it is not belittling them to canvass. Several have taken hold to sell ‘Christ's Object Lessons,’ and they do not feel that it is letting themselves down to sell books.” The Atlantic Conference was represented by Elder Place, who spoke particularly of the 3,000,000 people in Greater New York, and of the use that is being made of the Signs and Good Health to get access to the people, and to prepare the way for books to follow. Elder Basney opened the way for correspondence with people in Maine, and it is hoped that a number will enter the field, and that a State agent will be7employed at the time of their State meeting in June. Elder Watt spoke for Vermont as follows: “I have been feeling quite encouraged over the canvassing work the last few months. We have five or six agents in the field. We have given our State agent liberty to go anywhere he likes, and find material to work in as agents. We have appointed a short institute, and we are going to do all we can to encourage others to enter the work.” Elder Burrill and W. S. Cleveland spoke for New York, showing that they are finding that the work for the relief of the schools is developing regular canvassers; that they propose to hold canvassers' institutes, and to follow the Saviour's plan of sending out their workers, two and two. Elder Farnsworth, speaking for New England, brought out the fact that this conference is making an effort to enlist one or more canvassers from each church, and that they have a canvassers' home and training-school where the workers will be educated on the normal plan, combining study and work, all returning every Friday night for the purpose of holding experience meetings together and of receiving added instruction. In this way they hope to develop a good corps of canvassers this summer. Elder Cobb's remarks showed that West Virginia has a similar plan in mind, and that they intend to organize for success on a larger scale in his conference, new canvassers being enlisted, and ministers, all, including the president, taking a hand at selling books. Elder O. O. Farnsworth spoke for the ten churches of the Chesapeake Conference, from each of which they hope to get at least one canvasser. Health works, religious works, and the Signs are all being used in that conference, equal prominence being given to each. Through Elders Williams and Hottel we obtained a view of the situation in the Quebec and Virginia Conferences, and it is hoped that the work will be revived in these conferences, as elsewhere. No one was in the meeting to speak for our mission fields, but we also have these in mind. Several State meetings are being held this spring, at all of which the brethren assured us that the canvassing work would be made prominent, and the months of June, August, and September will be fully taken up with camp meetings, some of which will be attended by brother S. N. Curtiss and some by the writer, urgent and cordial invitations having been extended to us to do so, and I wish to say that we desire to form the personal acquaintance, so far as possible, of all who are interested in the circulation of any of our publications in any way, — ministers, canvassers, Bible workers, colporteurs, home workers, one and all; and we hope that this will leave no one out. E. E. MILES,
Publishing Agent, E. U. Conf.