State of the Cause

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Apr 5, 1877

State of the Cause.

CHEERING PROSPECT OF THE WORK, ON THE PACIFIC COAST.

The past six days have been fraught with interest to the friends of the cause who have attended our meetings at Oakland. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Pacific S. D. A. Publishing Association, the dedication of the new house of worship, the quarterly meeting of the California Tract and Missionary Society, the arrival of Elder Smith and the favorable opening of the Biblical Institute, constitute the leading events of deep interest to the friends of the cause here.

THE MEETING OF THE STOCKHOLDERS

Passed off with perfect harmony. The report of the workings of the Association was most cheering, reflecting great credit upon the youthful President of the Board, W. C. White, who has also acted as business agent during the past year. He has worked out the problem, that this Association can be managed so as to be more than self-sustaining, even while growing up from infancy. The Association enters upon the third year of its existence with prospects more flattering than we had anticipated it would reach at any future period. There is a growing activity on this coast to increase the circulation of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. This live pioneer sheet is appreciated by Eastern T. and M. workers to that degree that frequently a single “Overland Mail” brings more than one hundred new subscribers. To-day we receive 135. Let the good work go on.

THE DEDICATORY SERVICE

Of the “House of Prayer” of our people in this city has left a satisfactory and cheering influence upon the minds of the Oakland church, visiting brethren, and also upon the liberal feelings of the public. It is evident to all who can discern spiritual things that the Lord has come in and taken possession of his own. May his people who worship in this house walk worthy of the Lord, and ever share his presence.

THE BIBLICAL INSTITUTE

Opens very encouragingly and promises to accomplish more than we had hoped. Elder Smith comes among us in the enjoyment of health, and in possession of that happy good cheer, and aptness to teach, which have made his former efforts of the kind eminently successful. He has a good class. Here are young men of mind and culture who are making the best of their time in close study of the great Bible truths that lie at the foundation of the last message. Great results will appear in the future history of the cause from this series of Biblical Lectures.

THE QUARTERLY MEETING

Of the California T. and M. Society presented a favorable state of things. Some good work has been done, from which great results appear already. Several of the churches, also individuals, are taking packages of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and by patient labor are working them into the hands of subscribers for the year.

When all our brethren, of all our churches, have so favorable an opportunity to do good work for the cause by letting the light of truth shine, and when they have a young publishing house to sustain, the only marvel is that all do not take part in this work. We press the matter home to the consciences of all the friends of the cause in all the Pacific Coast States and Territories, and urge their duty to send for packages of the SIGNS, more or less copies, to use in the missionary work. They can pay for these copies in monthly installments. Sixteen copies, postage paid, at missionary rates, $1.50 a copy for one year, cost only $2.00 each month. Let orders for packages come in from all parts of the wide field.

The Congregationalist says: “At the late Sunday-school Congress in Plainfield, N. J., it was remarked that the gospel of Christ and the gospel of Moses are like a two-ply carpet. The figure is the same on both sides, but in different colors, and if you try to separate them you have no carpet at all. So the two Gospels of the Old and New Testament are one and the same. We wish that some people who are accustomed to disparage the Old Testament might become thoroughly possessed of the above idea.”