The Present and Future by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 7, 1877

The Present and Future.

By James White

We were very happy to meet Elders Canright and Haskell at Battle Creek the 25th. The General Conference Committee will remain in council until June 4. The matters under consideration relate to the work in all its branches, throughout the entire harvest field. The subjects now before us are, equality in raising means, the proper distribution of laborers, the pioneer sheet for 1878 for the T. and M. workers to use, the establishment of the Atlantic Press, and to perfect as far as possible the system of tract and missionary work.

Elder Canright brings most cheering news of the work in the State of New York. More has been done in that State since he commenced his labors there, ten months since, than had been accomplished in the State in five years before that time. Elder Canright reports that New York puts six tents into the field this season. Both Elders Haskell and Canright are in possession of facts as to the great work the SIGNS OF THE TIMES is doing in the East, in converting scores, if not hundreds, and favorably impressing whole communities that are reading, which are calculated to feed the missionary fires in the breasts of our faithful T. and M. workers. We are laying plans for a general effort from all the States to commence in good season for 1878. Our discerning people and T. and M. workers are fully satisfied with the SIGNS, and are giving it a wide circulation.

The work in the South is receiving particular attention. Elder S. Osborn of Kentucky has been with us several days. He reports one hundred and sixty Sabbath-keepers within the bounds of his mission in Kentucky and Tennessee. They have an organized Conference. That mission, from first to last, has not cost the General Conference five hundred dollars, including the cost of their tent, and is now self-sustaining. Bro. Osborn is one of our hard-working, faithful men.

The manner of raising means, not only to properly support our ministers and to carry forward tract and missionary work, but also to build up and sustain our institutions, will be thoroughly canvassed. We see this great evil amongst us: Only a few of those who constitute our present rapidly growing membership have taken stock in our Publishing Associations and our College. Those who have recently cast their lot in with the Seventh-day Adventists do not take stock in these worthy and indispensable institutions. There is a wrong here that must be corrected.

There are no reasons why those who enter the vineyard at the eleventh hour should not work sharp this last hour. God bless them! Let them have their penny, as well as those who have borne the burden and heat of the day; but all the circumstances will fully justify these last in putting their time and means into the cause in good earnest.

We think that the old hands who have been sacrificing largely all the way from five to twenty-five years in the past, would not be grieved if those who enter the vineyard as the sun is nearly set, should come nobly forward to the work with their means. They should do this. Our ministers should preach equality in bearing the burdens of the way.

Our system of benevolence to support our ministers is equitable, scriptural, and right. It touches the poor man so very lightly that he does not feel it, and brings the burden on the wealthy who can bear it without the least difficulty. Why not establish equality in raising means to sustain other branches of the cause? Let those who have taken but little or no stock in our institutions answer this question.

It will require time and faithful, patient labor to bring all our people up to equality in bearing the burdens of the way. This is not the work of a day. It must be taken hold of with a will, combined with patient toil. The people must first be instructed, then tenderly entreated, and, if necessary, repeatedly and persistently urged to do that which is scriptural and right in the sight of God.

Our Eastern brethren have raised $10,000 to furnish the Pacific Press with presses, types, and other printing material. We recommend that no certificates of stock be issued to these Eastern brethren, unless they urge it, as the majority of stock must be represented at the annual meeting of our Pacific Association, either by person or proxy; and it would be difficult to have this large amount of Eastern stock, held by so many persons, represented.

The cause on the Pacific Coast is in a healthy and growing condition. The few that were members in 1875 nobly raised about $20,000 for the Pacific Press. Those who have joined the little army on the coast since that time, and who will join it by the autumn of 1878, will be as able to raise $20,000 more as the old hands were to raise that sum in 1875.

These new hands, these eleventh-hour men, are scattered all along the coast from Mexico to British Columbia. There are no reasons why our good people in Oregon and Washington should not take stock in the Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association. As fast as these new hands take stock, it should be refunded to Eastern brethren, to put into the Atlantic Press, which must be established very soon. Our Eastern brethren did well to send $10,000 to California to help there in time of need, until new friends could return it. This they did with pleasure. And now if equality shall be established on the Pacific Coast, as in other parts of the great field, then Eastern brethren will have the double joy of lifting twice with the same means, first on the Pacific, and second on the Atlantic.

“Why does J. W. suggest so many changes?” impatiently inquires some narrow soul who can see but little importance to the work outside his own neighborhood. We confess to suggestions of change, and it would be strange if we did not make some mistakes. May God guide and help.

Were we connected with a cause that had gotten its growth, and had found a fixed position, like that of Lot’s wife, and had no more growth than some of our denominational neighbors, we could go around in the circle of our limited work without seeing the necessity of a change.

But our growth makes changes necessary. The Battle Creek church and congregation changed from a private house to their house of worship number one, then in a few years to number two, and soon to number three, and soon must move again. In a cause like ours, spreading everywhere, and where every man of our available forces is demanded at some post of duty, new missions opening, and new laborers entering the gospel vineyard, new plans and broader plans will ever be necessary, demanding change until the great work shall be finished.

The present is a time of the deepest interest to those who love the Lord, and his truth, and sinners, also, in and out of the nominal churches. There is a general waking up to the importance of the near future in all the wide field. May God guide us in all our plans for the future, and may he move on the hearts of all our people to help by their labors, their prayers and their means, in their execution to his glory, and to the advancement of his cause. J. W.