The New-England Conference Tract Society.
By Stephen N. Haskell
The tract society of the New-England Conference held their first quarterly session Feb. 5, at 2:30 A. M., at the quarterly meeting in South Lancaster, Mass. Twenty reports were presented, three by letter, and seventeen by individuals present. Some had visited the sick and widows, and prayed with them. Others had made special efforts to remove prejudice from some minds, and had succeeded in awakening an interest to read. Some had embraced the Sabbath, as the result of these efforts, nineteen had subscribed for the REVIEW, and eighteen for the Instructor. One had got fifty to reading, another forty, others less. Many very interesting incidents were related. And the most encouraging feature was, that nearly all realized to some extent the importance not only of doing something, but of living so near to God that they might do that something right, and that God might bless the word spoken; and the tracts circulated, that fruit might be the result to the glory of his name. Only about one-fourth of the members of the society reported. This was doubtless owing in part to the fact that some had but just joined the society, and others hardly knew how to set themselves to work. As we expect to hear from every member of the society at our next quarterly meeting, I would make the following suggestions:— 1. Give the number of subscribers obtained for each of our periodicals.
2. State the number of tracts lent, sold, or given away, and the value of those given away.
3. Make a minute of the number of families visited.
4. Note down such incidents as would be of general interest in as few words as possible. The standing of the society as regards numbers, finances, &c., was reported as follows:— Number of members, 75.
Amount of tracts placed in hands of churches and individuals for distribution, $322.70.
Amount of cash on hand, $53.34. After an intermission of ten minutes, we again met, and listened to the reading of the constitution of the Vigilant Missionary Society, a society conducted by the sisters, the object of which is to hold correspondence with any that may be benefited, to circulate tracts, visit the sick, &c. Some reports were also read which showed its workings thus far. They donated from their treasury $10.00 for the REVIEW to be sent to the poor. This stimulated the brethren present to donate $10.50 more. We all felt encouraged to enter more heartily and devotedly into the work. S. N. HASKELL.
Feb. 10, 1871.