TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MINN. CONFERENCE.
By Harrison Grant
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Will you permit me to stir up your minds by way of remembrance? At our good camp-meeting in June 1874, many of you pledged liberally in support of the California mission to help start a paper there. By the kindness of Bro. White, those pledges less than one hundred dollars were transferred to the Minn. T. & M. Society in consideration of the hard times in Minnesota and that the Society was in debt. At present, but few of these pledges have been paid, and the T. & M. Society owes a large debt. Shall we leave it so? Some one said at that camp-meeting that S. D. A. pledges were worth ninety-five cents on a dollar. If we wish to keep up that reputation we must pay our pledges. I entreat every one who is able, and who pledged at that camp-meeting, to make an earnest effort to pay from five to ten dollars, at least, on every pledge, and that smaller ones be paid up entirely, if possible. It is better not to vow than to vow and not pay. The directors have your pledges, but they can do nothing if you are not willing to do your part. Shall we not make a covenant with the Lord by sacrifice, and so be prepared to come to our next great annual gathering with at least a great part of this debt off our hands! It troubles me greatly, and I entreat you, brethren, to labor in this direction. You have had one year and a half to raise this money. If you don't do it now, will it ever be any easier? The Lord has promised to bless those who deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. The T. & M. Society is doing a good work here. About two hundred have been added to our Conference since our last camp-meeting. Many of them were first aroused by reading matter furnished them by the T. & M. Society. Shall we not sustain this Society, and help in keeping up the work? HARRISON GRANT. Medford, Minn., March 15, 1876.