Conference Address by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 4, 1876

Conference Address.

By James White

PROGRESS AND WANTS OF THE CAUSE.

Ours is a missionary work. We are constantly pressing our way onto new ground. And the Lord goes out before us and manifests his power in the conversion of men, without our instrumentality, to the very unpopular sentiments we hold dear. Our publications are doing a great work. Those tracts already printed in the French, German, Danish, and Swedish tongues are reaching many precious souls in our own good country, and are finding their way to the Old World, and alone, without the living teacher, are converting strong men to the present truth.

THE DANES.

Eld. Olsen, president of the Wisconsin Conference, is in possession of letters from Denmark giving the information that three ministers in that country have embraced the doctrines of the third angel’s message, and that one of them has been successful in bringing over to the faith six persons as the fruits of his labor. This state of things in old Denmark makes it necessary that a teacher of the present truth should go from this country to that without delay, to open that as a missionary field, and establish the work there. As much as he is needed in this country, we see no way to give the proper assistance demanded at this time, only to send Eld. Matteson as a missionary to Denmark.

The foregoing relative to Denmark illustrates the progress and wants of the cause in different parts of Europe and in our own country. This growth of the cause, constantly entering new ground, makes frequent changes of our feeble forces necessary, hence the importance of the extra session of the General Conference. The late Conference was truly a refreshing season to those who were present. Good news from all parts of the field was cheering. And there was great harmony of action and feeling by the members in the new measures taken for the advancement of the cause.

THE FRENCH.

No branch of the work received more attention than that among the French. The work among the French at the present time bears marks of the especial favor of God. The conversion of Bro. J. E. Morin in this country, an educated Frenchman from France, is truly wonderful, when we consider the simple means which the Lord employed in his conversion. Since he finished his education in the University of France he has traveled quite extensively. And while on a hunting tour in Northern New York he fell in company with a French Seventh-day Adventist from whom he received the Sabbath.

After spending a few days with Eld. Bourdeau he came to Battle Creek and was baptized, and has since labored successfully among the French in Illinois. He was at the recent Conference at Battle Creek and has returned to Illinois, where he designs to remain until the camp-meeting in that State, when he expects to be ordained and leave immediately for Europe to assist Elder Andrews in translating, to act as interpreter, and to teach Elder Andrews and his children the French language more perfectly. He will thus relieve Elder Bourdeau to go to France, his much-desired field of labor. At Bro. Morin’s especial request we had a most precious season of prayer with him before he left for Illinois.

SWITZERLAND.

But right here, while we were praising God for the valuable accession of Bro. Morin, the good news comes from Switzerland of the conversion of Prof. Louis Aufranc from the college at Locle, under the labors of Elder D. T. Bourdeau who has been giving a course of lectures in that city. Elder Bourdeau says:—“There are twelve new converts here keeping the Sabbath. Most of these spoke in tenderness last Sabbath. The teacher of whom I wrote last week is firm in the truth and seems to be advancing in knowledge and experience. As soon as he became convinced of his duty to keep the Sabbath, he wrote as follows to the ‘Commission d’ Education’:— “LOCLE, MARCH 27, 1876.

“MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN:—Having become convinced that the first day is not the day that we should keep as a day of rest, and that the seventh day is still the holy Sabbath of the Lord, my conscience does not permit me to give lessons on Saturday. In case that you do me the favor of authorizing me to give the lessons of Saturday on other days, I shall cheerfully continue teaching in the college, and shall do this with a zeal and faithfulness that will answer to the debt of gratitude which I owe you. Be pleased, respected gentlemen, to receive the assurance of my esteem and faithfulness. “LOUIS AUFRANC.”

“He then wrote the following letter to his pastor:— “LOCLE, MARCH 27, 1876. “MR. PERROCHET, DEAR PASTOR: In harmony with what I have just written to the ‘Commission d’ Education,’ I hereby inform you that the conferences held by M. Bourdeau have convinced me of the importance of sanctifying, not the first, but the seventh, day of the week. Therefore, I send you my resignation as elder of the church. I pray you to believe me when I say that it is not mere caprice which has led me to pursue this course; for I was and am still attached in heart to the National church, in the bosom of which I was reared and instructed. I have resisted the convictions of my conscience for eight days, and it is after realizing much anguish that I have come to this decision. I have not sought for my temporal interests, but for the eternal interests of my soul.

“I leave you with tears, and pray you to still keep for me at least some of the affection that you have always manifested to me since I became acquainted with you. Be pleased to tell the members of the college that it is not without deep feeling that I leave them, if they cannot give me liberty of conscience; and if I do leave them, I shall bring with me fond recollections. Tell them also to judge me with that charity that you entertained us with yesterday; for it is not my own will that I seek (this were insanity), but the will of God, as I understand it.”

“Respectfully yours, “LOUIS AUFRANC.”

“Upon receiving this letter, the pastor requested Bro. A. to visit him. Bro. A. complied. The pastor labored hard to persuade this brother to retrace his steps, and said he hoped he (the brother) would take time to reflect, and then recall his letter of resignation. The next day Bro. A. sent the pastor the following note:—

“MR. PERROCHET, PASTOR: Having reflected on all that you told me yesterday, and having read the passages that you referred me to, I cannot believe in the abolition of the Sabbath, and I still cleave to the restoration of the Sabbath, just as God gave it, whatever may be the temporal loss that I shall sustain. I stand by the decision of my first letter, and I pray you to tell the elder of the church who will be called upon to replace me, to call on me to receive the accounts.

“Respectfully yours, “LOUIS AUFRANC.”

“Bro. A. has just placed in my hands an honorable discharge, signed by the president and secretary of the college, who express gratitude for Prof. A.’s long and faithful services, though they had hoped he would still continue a teacher of the first class. They also express hope that Bro. A. will prosper and find happiness in the new field of activity that circumstances may trace and open before him.”

The conversion of Prof. Aufranc to the theory of truth as we find it in God’s word is not the only cause of rejoicing we have in his case; but that one in his high position should break away from former associations so suddenly, and in a manner so gentlemanly and so Christian-like as to secure the good will and parting blessing of his former pastor, employers and associates, is indeed admirable. In the very start he has shown himself capable of uniting firmness in acting up to the convictions of his own mind with that gentleness and power of kindness which is the true ornament of a Christian.

THE PRESS IN EUROPE.

The way now seems fully open for Eld. Andrews to commence publishing at Basel, Switzerland. At present he can hire his printing done. And, as we have said before in our prints, there is the sum of $2,000 in the missionary treasury at Battle Creek subject to his order. And before this shall be exhausted our people will cast into the treasury liberally of their abundance. The time is not far distant when there will be connected with the European mission a complete office of publication controlled by our people and wholly devoted to publishing the present truth. And we recommend that W. C. White, president of the Pacific S. D. A. Publishing Association, and also business agent of that publishing house, be on the ground before next New Years to take charge of our European Office. Mrs. Mary Kelsey White, his wife, local editor of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, would have a favorable chance to finish her French, and to teach young men and young women the art of printing, for compositors for the new office.

The late Conference voted that $10,000 be raised immediately to establish the press in Europe. It was understood by that Conference that this sum would be necessary to meet the immediate expenses of printing a paper and other publications as fast as they can be prepared, and to purchase printing material for the European Office excepting the presses. The sum of $10,000 should be raised immediately, and all should be collected during the present year. Some weeks since we called for $1000 men to help in this good work. But only two have responded at this date. It was the general opinion at the Conference that $100 men should be called for, so we submit to this arrangement, and now call on all the friends of our great and growing cause to send in their pledges of $100 each for the European press. In all cases where it is possible immediate payment should be made. Those who have not present cash, but have money at interest, which they cannot collect because of the hard times, can forward their notes payable in one year with use to the S. D. A. Publishing Association, located at Battle Creek, Mich. On the strength of such notes the Association can hire money.

We do not object to persons of limited circumstances in life donating less than $100 each. But we recommend that these smaller sums which our poorer brethren cheerfully donate should be used for home missionary purposes, such as the circulation of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES; and that the necessary sum to establish the press in Europe and carry on printing there until the cause shall be self-sustaining, should be donated by our more wealthy brethren who would regard it a pleasure to give $100 each, or more.

THE SOUTH.

The Southern States now present inviting fields of labor. Elders Lane and Corliss are already in the field with their new tent in Virginia. Elder Osborn commences immediately with his new tent in Kentucky. And we are informed by a letter received at the Review Office this morning (April 23), by a father in the gospel who has recently been preaching the Sabbath in Alabama, that already there are about one hundred Sabbath-keepers in that State. He says,

“As to the Sabbath, my attention was called to it by a brother from the State of Missouri, by the name of Blackman. I at once went into the investigation of the subject, I embraced the truth, and immediately began the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, and at once began to teach it.”

And Bro. S. H. King returns to us from Texas giving favorable accounts of that field. He states that there are already about forty Sabbath-keepers there, and many others investigating with deep interest. And it is also stated with confidence by these parties that if a laborer should enter that field under the sanction of the General Conference he would be well sustained.

It is with the deepest feeling and the most lively interest for the prosperity of the cause in all parts of the wide harvest field that the progress and the wants of the cause have been considered since the Conference by those in charge of the work. And after a season of prayer at the Review Office for divine guidance this morning (April 23), it was decided that Eld. D. M. Canright be invited by the General Conference to enter the southern field at once and spend one week or more in each of the aforementioned States. We now look to the South as a favorable winter resort for our worn laborers instead of the more distant field of California. And we look forward to the time as not far distant when our lines of camp-meetings shall reach from Texas in early spring to Minnesota, and from Maine to Alabama in late autumn, covering a period of nine months in each year.

BATTLE CREEK COLLEGE.

From personal knowledge we are prepared to state that the Battle Creek College is in a prosperous condition. The teachers are earnest in their work, and united in their efforts for the best good of their pupils, as none but devoted Christian educators are. And there is a feeling of entire confidence and satisfaction on the part of the students. We venture the statement that there is not another school in all our land, where the moral and religious influence is as salutary as at the Battle Creek College.

Great changes have taken place at Battle Creek. Long had been the struggle between a lax state of government, the tendency of which is always downward, and that thorough discipline and promptness to maintain the right which ever bears upward, sustaining a high moral and religious standard. But thank God, the right is in the ascendancy, and will prevail. There are those who are thoroughly aroused to the importance of fortifying our institutions as safely as possible.

J. W.