Autumn Council of the Executive Committee of the North American Division Conference
By G. B. Thompson
The fall council of the executive committee of the North American Division Conference convened in Loma Linda, Cal., Nov. 5, 1915. The regular session of the Division Conference having been postponed until the time of the next session of the General Conference, the presidents of the local conferences were invited to attend, also some closely connected with our leading publishing houses, and the field agents from the union conferences. The meeting of the Division Conference Committee and that of the General Conference Committee being held conjointly make a large council. As the list of those present appears in the General Conference report, it need not be reproduced here. A most excellent spirit pervaded the opening exercises of the council. The entire council united in seeking God for that heavenly anointing which enables all to have a clear vision of the needs and responsibilities of the hour. The needs of mission fields were set before us by Elders A. G. Daniells and W. A. Spicer, who the past year had made extended visits to those fields. Appeals by our devoted and earnest brethren from abroad stirred all our hearts with a desire to plan more broadly for the extension of the work. At this writing the indications are that this will be one of the strongest and most important councils we have ever held. The following standing committees were appointed:— Committee on Plans: E. E. Andross (chairman), G. I. Butler, S. N. Haskell, B. G. Wilkinson, F. Griggs, W. C. White, C. S. Longacre, M. E. Kern, W. W. Eastman, F. W. Paap, C. B. Stephenson, J. O. Corliss, Miss E. M. Graham, Mrs. L. Flora Plummer, L. H. Christian, S. E. Wight, O. Montgomery, G. F. Watson, M. N. Campbell, R. D. Quinn, H. W. Decker, H. W. Miller, G. B. Thompson, W. A. Spicer, E. W. Farnsworth, A. R. Ogden, A. R. Sandborn, A. Moon, W. D. MacLay, W. A. Westworth, C. A. Burman, R. W. Parmele, B. E. Beddoe, P. T. Magan, Newton Evans, G. F. Haffner, S. Mortenson, J. G. Walker, John Isaac, W. H. Branson, A. V. Olson, P. E. Brodersen, W. W. Prescott, W. J. Fitzgerald, H. R. Salisbury. Committee on Nominations: C. W. Flaiz, Chas. Thompson, E. W. Farnsworth. Committee on Finance: W. T. Knox (chairman), Chas. Thompson, R. A. Underwood, C. W. Flaiz, E. R. Palmer, J. J. Ireland, H. S. Shaw, J. L. Shaw, Wm. Guthrie, L. R. Conradi, R. C. Porter, J. E. Fulton. Committee on Auditing: The officers of the Division Conference, the presidents of union conferences, with H. W. Cottrell, E. K. Slade, J. E. Jayne, E. T. Russell, A. T. Robinson, C. H. Jones, C. F. McVagh, W. H. Heckman. Committee on Distribution of Labor: The president and the secretary of the North American Division; the president and the secretary of the General Conference, the presidents of union conferences. Elder I. H. Evans, president of the North American Division Conference, presented a report for the first biennial term of this organization, from which we make the following quotation:— During the two years that the Division Conference has been in operation, whatever success it has attained has been due to the splendid cooperation of union and local conference officers, and those responsible for departmental work. Our union presidents have been true and loyal to our general policies, and our local conference presidents have united their strength with the union and Division officers in every line of work. The departmental secretaries have rendered every possible assistance that could be asked, and on no occasion have they been called upon for information or service, when they have not, apparently in the most cheerful and intelligent way, given all the help they could. When the North American Division Conference was launched, it was given funds sufficient to cover one month's pay roll, and then it was supposed to be able to finance itself, and carry on the various lines of work which had been in operation during the time when the territory was under General Conference administration. I am glad to say that, thus far, we have been able, by the united help of all our workers, to minimize our operating expenses, and have so cut down our appropriations that the tithe and per cent of tithe given by local conferences have met all expenses, and a surplus of $41,702.16 was in the treasury on the first day of October, 1915, with all liabilities paid. We have not been able to make as large appropriations to some of our union conferences as were made during the administration of the General Conference. In order to make these appropriations, we should have to increase the per cent of tithe coming from the local conferences. Our brethren in charge of conferences where appropriations have been seriously reduced, have accepted the situation with commendable patience, and have reconstructed their work in harmony with the reduced appropriations. In 1913 the tithe in the North American Division Conference amounted to $1,201,138.77, in 1914 to $1,269,962.09; the total amount for the two years was $2,471,100.86. During 1911 and 1912 the tithe amounted to $2,089,099.80. Hence the gain in tithe during 1913 and 1914, over the two years before the North American Division Conference was organized, was $382,001.06, or 18.28 per cent. The offerings to foreign missions have been most encouraging. I think I can truthfully say that nearly every president of a local conference, every union conference president, and all who have been responsible for administrative work, have done their best to raise the full twenty cents a week per member for foreign missions. Up to date, however, this has not been fully realized. The year 1914 was our banner year in raising the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund. During10 1911 and 1912, the biennial period preceding the organization of the Division Conference, the funds raised on the twenty-cent-a-week plan aggregated $802,015.96. During the last two years, the Division Conference has raised $1,115,279.60 on this fund, a gain over the preceding two years of $313,263.64, or 39.07 per cent. During 1911 and 1912, $686,220.68 was contributed to home mission and local church work. During 1913 and 1914, in the same territory, $821,609.49 was given, making a gain of $135,388.81, or 19.73 per cent. At the time of its organization, the North American Division Conference adopted the policy, so long advocated by the General Conference, of reducing its liabilities as rapidly as possible. We are sorry to say that less has been done than we could wish, but we have bettered the aggregate standing of the entire field during the biennial period, by increasing our assets $216,013.54, and decreasing our liabilities $83,325.53. We believe most of our conference and institutional men consider debt to be so serious that they are doing their best to greatly reduce their liabilities. It is true that we have increased our assets in a greater ratio than we have reduced our liabilities. Our hope must lie in reducing our liabilities, for though we swell our assets to any amount, we are not free men till we so minimize our liabilities that they cease to embarrass us. Our publishing work shows an encouraging growth during the past two years. The secretary of this department reports literature sales during 1913 to the amount of $1,170,390.80, a gain over the previous year of $11,551.23. In 1914 the literature sales in the Division Conference amounted to $1,372,903, a gain over 1913 of $202,512.20. The total sales of our three publishing houses for the first nine months of 1915 amounted to $594,626.14, a gain over the same period in 1914 of $107,175.25. These latter figures do not include periodicals or magazines, but simply the subscription book business. Our Medical, Educational, Missionary Volunteer, Home Missionary, Sabbath School, and Religious Liberty Departments have kept pace with the other branches of our work, and show good growth. I will not go into details concerning these, for the reports of the secretaries will show the work that has been done, as well as the growth made. We feel that some progress has been made in the Division Conference along evangelistic lines and the winning of souls to Christ. Money should not be our standard of attainment, nor should we gauge our progress and growth by the condition of the treasury. We should not say that the financial standing of our organization is the keynote of our work, and it should never be regarded as the strong evidence of our denominational prosperity or adversity. The success of our cause must depend upon the increase in a reliable, substantial, consecrated church membership. A conference losing in membership should not give us satisfaction, but pain and sorrow. If Christ's estimate of the value of a soul saved is our guide, our joy and satisfaction must be in the souls we win to the Master. Judged from this standpoint, the North American Division Conference has made some growth, and bids fair to make greater growth in the future. In 1913 the gain in church mem- bership was 3,403, and in 1914 the gain was 4,747, making a total gain in church membership, during the biennial period, of 8,150. During this same time the Sabbath School Department increased in membership 9,150, or 13.54 per cent. According to the statistical secretary, there has been 6.61 per cent larger gain in Sabbath school membership than in church membership. During the first nine months of 1915 we baptized 7,477, or 140 more than during 1914. The gain in membership was 4,511. To me, the most encouraging omen in the work of the Division Conference, is the effort being put forth to win souls to Christ. This is manifest, not only in the work of the ministers and the licensed workers, but also in the activity of our churches. You will observe, from the reports of the different departmental secretaries, that each department is showing greatly increased activity in this all-important soul-winning work. During the autumn and winter following the last General Conference, our union conferences held their biennial sessions. These conferences were preceded by workers' institutes, continuing about one week. These institutes were attended by the workers in the respective union conferences, and were helpful in many ways. From these institutes, the union conference workers went forth with new faith in God and with the determination to be stronger soul winners than ever before. The good derived by the workers in general was in proportion to the interest taken by those in charge of the work. The prospects for the work of the Division Conference seem most encouraging, and we have every reason to face the future with great hopefulness. Our men are more determined than ever before to enlarge the work along evangelical lines, and to utilize all our institutions in winning souls to Christ. We are very glad to have such a representative attendance at this important council, and trust that every member of the committee, and all others invited to attend, will address themselves to the tasks in hand for the next few days, with great seriousness and much prayer. Strong, aggressive policies must be inaugurated, with which all concerned can harmonize; and we have every reason to believe that our Heavenly Father will give the members of this council wisdom for the work to be done. To this end, I trust that we shall all unite in contributing the best there is in us to the furtherance of the Master's work. The treasurer, W. T. Knox, rendered a financial report for the year 1914, showing total receipts of $189,452.65; total expenditures of $146,219.40, leaving a surplus for the year of $43,233.25. The balance sheet of the Division Conference showed assets of $70,157.19; liabilities of $2,005.01; present worth, $68,152.18. Report of the Statistical Secretary
The report of the statistical secretary showed the total membership in the North American Division Conference on Dec. 31, 1914, to be 72,015; on Sept. 30, 1915, 76,526, a gain during nine months of 4,511. The number baptized in the Division during 1914 was the largest ever recorded, but the number baptized during the first nine months of 1915 shows an increase over the corresponding time the preceding year of over thirty-five per cent. Attention was also called to the financial statement of the organizations and institutions in the Division for 1914, and it was shown that the increase in net worth during the year was $286,348.33. Report of the Publishing Department
W. W. Eastman, secretary of the Publishing Department, submitted a brief report covering the past two years. We take the following from his report:— “The press is a power; but if its products fall dead for want of men to circulate them widely, its power is lost. . . . By judicious calculation our brethren can extend the light in the sale of books and pamphlets. They can send them into thousands of families that now sit in the darkness of error.” This quotation from the Testimonies, while recognizing the power of the press, emphasizes the fact that unless its products are circulated, its power is lost. It is also evident from this statement that it is the Lord's purpose that “books and pamphlets” be sold, and in this way the light of truth be extended into thousands of families. Since this statement was made, we have seen our publishing work, both in production and in distribution, grow to such proportions as but few of us ever dreamed of, till today nearly a million and a half dollars' worth of our literature is distributed annually in this country alone. And who can tell where this ever-widening and deepening river will stop? That it is growing each year is shown by the following figures:— In 1911, our total literature sales in this country were $1,087,245.97; in 1912, $1,158,839.53, a gain over 1911 of $71,623.56. In 1913 they were $1,170,390.80, a gain over 1912 of $11,551.27. In 1914 they were $1,372,903, a gain of $202,512.20, or 17 per cent over 1913. This is probably the largest gain made in any one year. Eternity alone can reveal the good being done by our evangelistic colporteurs. Thousands of families are in this way being reached who otherwise would never hear the message. Our conferences are constantly reaping the fruit of this work. This is shown by the following statement from the spirit of prophecy: “I have been instructed that but few have any correct idea of what the distribution of papers and tracts is doing. By this means doors are opening everywhere, and minds are being prepared to receive the truth from the living preacher. The success attending the efforts of the ministers in the field is due in a great degree to the influence of the reading matter which has enlightened the minds of the people and removed prejudice.” This is well illustrated by the following interesting extract taken from a letter recently received by a field agent from one of his colporteurs, who says:— “The first week I was out, I traveled on foot, and not being used to the work, it did not take me long to grow quite weary; so one evening about sunset, noticing a nice home ahead, I planned to stop there overnight, but was unsuccess-11 ful, and was sent a mile and a quarter to the next house. It seemed a long distance, and my spirits were quite depressed. On reaching the place a kindly appearing woman met me at the door, and when I stated the nature of my work and the object of my call, I was very cordially invited in, and she saw to it that I was entertained while supper was in preparation. She seemed delighted to know that some one engaged in such good work was in the community. “When the husband came in, he seemed somewhat reserved and distant, but when I told him about my work, he at once became more friendly. After supper, when they had finished their work, I gathered the family about me and showed them my book, and they all seemed delighted with it. Mr. Thompson seemed to hesitate about something, and finally ventured the question, ‘What denomination publishes this book?’ I immediately replied, ‘The Seventh-day Adventist.’ ‘That's just what I was afraid of,’ he replied. I asked him if he knew anything about Adventist doctrines. He confessed that he didn't, but that he had heard many things about them. He also expressed a desire to know what we teach. Being assured of my willingness to explain, they plied me with questions till after eleven o'clock, and I answered them from the Bible. They became much interested, and gave me an order for the full morocco; his mother, who was visiting the family, gave her order for a cloth binding. We then had worship together, and retired. “In the morning they seemed unwilling to let me go, as they wished to know more of our truths. They kept me there till about ten o'clock, when, after again having worship together, and getting my promise to call again, they let me go, bidding me Godspeed.” Not only does our publishing work carry the truth to the homes and hearts of the people, but it renders very definite aid to those who engage in the work. Large numbers of men and women filling responsible positions in the work today were drawn from the rank and file of our church membership, and received their initial education and training through the colporteur work. There are in our academies and colleges in the country at the present time between 250 and 300 students who have earned one or more scholarships during the past summer, besides a half hundred or more who have earned part scholarships. In order for this work to succeed we must have strong leadership. The call of the hour is for strong, well-educated men who have gained an experience in this work, to educate others to sell our literature. In every part of the field where this has been done, the work is prospering; and where it is neglected, the work is languishing. The president of one of our largest conferences recently said that where our literature work prospered, all other lines prospered with it; and we believe this is true. In the winter of 1913-14, we held a series of short conventions in each union conference, in connection with the ministerial institutes. Last winter a convention was held in the territory of each of our large publishing houses. At these latter conventions the tract society secretaries, with field, local, and union agents and publishing house men, were called together. In some instances union and local conference presidents met with us, which was greatly appreciated by all. As is always the case, their counsel was exceedingly profitable. We feel of good courage in this work. We believe with all our heart that it is a part of God's great plan for enlightening the world with the truths of the third angel's message, and are glad with you to dedicate our lives anew to the ministry of the printed page. Report of the Department of Education
Frederick Griggs, secretary of the Educational Department, submitted an encouraging report, from which we glean the following:— According to the report of the statistical secretary for the year 1914, there were in the North American Division Conference 519 elementary schools, 40 secondary schools, and 6 colleges; a total of 565 schools, which is a gain of 46 over that of the previous year. The enrollment of these schools is as follows: Elementary, 9,980; secondary, 4,147; colleges, 2,049; a total of 16,176. This is 665 more than the enrollment of 1913. There are employed in our elementary schools 586 teachers; in the secondary schools, 287; and in the colleges, 181; or a total teaching force of 1,054, 43 more than we had in 1913. These figures are particularly encouraging, revealing, as they do, a substantial growth, one which fully measures to the yearly average of the past decade, if indeed it is not in advance of it. The total property valuation is given as $1,943,999. It also appears from the statistical report that these schools increased their present worth $94,414.95 during 1914, and at the same time received $159,669.64 in donations. During this past summer the Educational and Missionary Volunteer Departments of the Division Conference held a joint council at St. Helena, Cal., followed by six conventions. Five of these conventions were held at the following colleges: Pacific Union, Walla Walla Union, Emmanuel, and Washington; and the sixth was held at Graysville, Tenn., which is in the territory of the Washington Missionary College. One purpose of thus locating them was to unite all school interests of each college territory with the college. We believe that much was accomplished to this end, and that our educational work throughout the country was accordingly strengthened. These meetings were distinguished by a spirit of consecration. As the needs of our people and churches in the homeland, and our mission undertakings in the foreign lands, were presented, emphasis was laid continually upon the fact that “our schools and our school-teachers, the men and the women who are training the youth for the finishing of the work, hold the key to our great foreign missionary problem;” and that, in the words of Elder Evans before the council, “There is not a nation in the heathen world today that will not welcome the Christian teacher. You can go into every town and hamlet in China, Japan, Korea, and Manchuria, and meet fewer difficulties in preaching the third angel's message than in Chicago or New York.” As these needs in home and foreign lands were forcibly presented, those in attendance at these meetings received a clearer view and better and more comprehensive understanding of their work. The council and conventions laid broad plans for a more systematic organization of our entire school system, for unification of our courses of study and textbooks, for a closer connection between our Educational and Missionary Volunteer Departments, for a stronger and better financial policy, and for a stronger union of the home and the school. In following these general lines, the convention transacted a large amount of detail work, and provided that a still larger amount be transacted in the office of the department. There is yet much to be done to make effective the plans set on foot. Our schools have had an excellent opening this fall. There is a substantial increase in nearly all the advanced schools, and the reports which are now coming in from our superintendents and secretaries indicate that the elementary schools also have made a substantial gain in enrollment. One of the most important means of developing our work as a whole is to increase the number and size of our elementary schools. Our educational work has reached that stage where its further upbuilding will require the constant and efficient efforts of local conference educational superintendents. Nearly all our churches having a live interest in the cause of Christian education, and pupils sufficient to warrant schools, now have these elementary schools; but we have a large number of churches which for some reason are lacking in vital interest in the Christian education of their children and youth. And in them special effort must be put forth to enlist the sympathy and support of all the members of the church in this very important phase of its work. And indeed, from every point of view, we have reached the time when further progress in our educational upbuilding is very dependent upon efficient superintendents who have sufficient time given them for their work. The upbuilding of the advanced schools is almost wholly dependent upon the upbuilding of the elementary schools; and when we consider that the advance of our message in the home and foreign fields is directly affected by the spirit and work of our schools, this question of strengthening and upbuilding them becomes a very vital one to us. They should be brought into the closest touch with our home life, and should seek in a definite and aggressive way to uplift the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual standards of our homes, and so become a vital, positive force in the work of this great second advent movement. Report of the Medical Department
The work and future plans of the Medical Department were set before the council by Dr. H. W. Miller, with a supplementary report by the assistant secretary, L. A. Hansen. We take the following paragraphs from Dr. Miller's report:— I am glad to say that today the sanitariums which are not filled with guests are the exception, and the institutions not reducing their liabilities in addition to maintenance are in the minority. We believe that much is being accomplished in every way through our efforts to unify our methods and increase the efficiency of our sanitariums. Especially12 were the medical conventions held the early part of this year of great value to our medical work. Here the doctors and managers gave careful study to their common problems. The results of these meetings clearly pointed out some of the possibilities of making our medical work more uniform in its organization and methods. In our recent visit to a few of these institutions we find more careful planning for the nurses' training school, a better service installed, and our institutions in a better state of repair. Much remains, however, to be done. Much that has been a matter of custom and routine in our methods of treatment is being eliminated, and that which by very careful study has proved to be of real worth and of therapeutic value, is supplanting many of our pet theories of the past, which science today, as also our experience of the past few years, has proved worthless. Our various institutions are doing careful and conservative surgery, and yet are doing considerably more work than at any time in the past. Very helpful service, which we believe was generally greatly appreciated, has been rendered our department by E. G. Fulton, who in his recent visits at our several institutions endeavored to improve the cooking, table service, and general housekeeping. Already there have been a number of much-needed reforms installed in connection with our sanitarium service. It has been the one aim of our department to improve the training given to our 650 nurses now distributed among the seventeen denominationally owned sanitariums in this country. We recognize four very important essentials of a nurses' training school: First, faculty; second, students of mature years and sufficient education to enter this profession; third, patient patronage; fourth, facilities, including apparatus, library, field work, etc. A careful survey of our various training schools is now being made, to endeavor to classify them in harmony with the above requisites. Unfortunate would it be should the Medical Department confine its efforts to the problems of sanitariums alone. Certainly by far the greatest task to which it should address itself is promulgating the distinctive and heaven-born principles of true health reform among our people in this country and in other lands, leading in the temperance issues, and seeking the betterment of humanity wherever its workers go. Our great army of Christian nurses and physicians should be conservators of the health and lives of many of our workers, who are innocently falling victims of disease and death. If ever a movement was in need of such service and aid, certainly the need exists in connection with this stirring message, which pushes men and women to the uttermost parts of the earth, to grapple with tremendous problems; and that in the most insanitary conditions. In making provision for the world-wide work, God is providing sanitariums, and is raising up devoted nurses and skillful physicians. Our sanitariums should all become more evangelical in their work, not only in behalf of their guests, but by working in neighboring territories. Such field work could be so carried on as to result in a larger patient patronage for our sanitariums. Report of the Negro Department
The work of the Negro Department was placed before the council by C. B. Stephenson. We have space for only a few encouraging paragraphs:— There are in the United States, according to the census of 1910, 9,827,763 Negroes, an increase of over five millions in fifty years. About seven millions are located south of the Mason and Dixon line. The greatest Negro population is found in five States; namely, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Mississippi and South Carolina are more than fifty per cent colored. The other three States mentioned run between forty and fifty per cent. Cities having the greatest Negro population are: Washington, D. C., 94,000; New York, 91,000; New Orleans, 89,000; Philadelphia, 84,000; Baltimore, 84,000; Memphis, 52,000; Birmingham, 52,000; and Atlanta, 51,000. We have churches in all these cities, and are doing aggressive work in them, with one or two exceptions. Our work for the colored people in the South began about twenty-five years ago. There were at that time perhaps not over twenty colored Sabbath keepers south of the Mason and Dixon line. The tithe was about $50. Today we have churches and schools established in all the States in the North American Division where there is any considerable number of that race. We are conducting organized work for the colored people in all the conferences composing the territory of the Southwestern, Southern, and Southeastern Unions. For this work we are employing colored laborers. Institutes are being conducted in most of the mission departments of these conferences yearly for the instruction of canvassers, and as a result a goodly number have entered this branch of the work. Among these are many students from the Oakwood Training School, some of whom have been eminently successful. The work of our colored ministers in evangelical effort, with tents, etc., has proved fruitful in the conversion of souls and in establishing churches. Ten camp meetings and several general meetings have been conducted by the department during the past summer. There are approximately seventy churches in the Negro Department, with a membership of three thousand. As nearly as I can ascertain, the tithe for 1913 and 1914 was about $40,000. Offerings for missions approximated seven dollars per capita. We have sixteen church and mission schools, and one academy. The Hillcrest School, privately owned and managed, is also operated in the interests of the colored work. These schools, I should judge, are carrying an aggregate enrollment of 700 pupils. Our academy is located five miles west of Huntsville, Ala. The plant consists of nineteen buildings. The farm has about three hundred acres of very good land. We are operating a printing office, tent factory, sawmill, blacksmith shop, broom factory, and the farm, all of these industries employing student help. Students from this school are located throughout not only the North American Division, but also in the island field to the south, laboring faithfully to bring a knowledge of this blessed message to their race. I think I am safe in saying that about 70 per cent of the colored workers in this department have had more or less training in this school. As a rule, those going out from the school are loyal to the organized work. The new dormitory, authorized a year ago, is now partly occupied, and is a very valuable addition to the plant. It is thirty-eight by eighty-four feet, three stories high. It is a frame structure, and all the rough lumber used in its construction was cut in our sawmill, from logs obtained from our own land. The building is modern in every respect. This comfortable home for our girls will doubtless prove a strong factor in building up the work. The net present worth of the plant is $45,009.79, there being no liabilities. We are glad to say that the colored people are ready to receive the third angel's message. Tent efforts invariably result in establishing churches ranging in membership from ten to fifty, and sometimes as many as one hundred accept the truth as the result of an effort. We are endeavoring to work the large cities as fast as possible. Perhaps there will never be a more favorable time than the present to labor for the Negroes. Adverse conditions are arising, which will make it more and more difficult to reach them. Our greatest need is more workers. In some of the Southern conferences with large colored population, we have only one ordained minister. Special efforts are being put forth at the Huntsville school to develop workers. In closing, I wish, in behalf of the department, to express to the brethren who have contributed so freely to the uplift of this needy race, our great appreciation of the sacrifices they have made. Report of the Sabbath School Department
Mrs. L. Flora Plummer submitted a most encouraging report covering the work of the Sabbath School Department for the past two years. Great interest was manifested in the various evidences of growth presented. The amount of funds raised by this department for the work in the regions beyond is remarkable. We take the following from this report:— The Sabbath school work in the Division has gone steadily forward during the last two years. Like a great wheel which, in its turning, regulates the speed of many lesser wheels, the schools in the homeland set the pace of progress, not for themselves only, but for the schools in other lands. Whether we would have it so or not, and regardless of the fact that we are yet far from the ideal, the eyes of others turn this way. The number of schools in the Division is 2,767; the membership, 76,751. This is an increase in the two years of 220 schools and a few over 9,000 members. The Sabbath school membership is larger by 4,700 than the church membership. During the Sabbath school counsel meetings held with Sabbath school secretaries in connection with the last General Conference, we spent much time in centering the Sabbath school aim upon things essential. We saw many lines worthy of promotion, many things need-13 ing to be done, many gaps waiting to be filled. But one hundred good things worked for, but not accomplished, do not advance the work so materially as would a few of the hundred pushed to completion. Careful study of our work reveals three essentials, each distinct, each of prime importance, each worthy of our best endeavor. Of so great magnitude is each of these that a complete failure in either line spells disaster for any school. These three essentials are, daily study of the Sabbath school lesson, personal work for every pupil, Sabbath school offerings to missions. These are the things for which we have been working in the most direct ways possible. I deeply regret that there is no way to measure the record for the first two. However tangible the results, they cannot be diagramed or charted. Note the first one: It is absolutely certain that the large majority of our people are not pursuing any systematic course of Bible study aside from the Sabbath school lessons. To them, the days when the lesson is not studied are days of famine for lack of spiritual food. That the famine is of choice and not of necessity does not remedy the situation. Those who are carelessly negligent of the soul's cry for the Bread of heaven are as truly in need of help as if the body were starving for sustenance. That the pangs of the soul's hunger are soothed by the enemy so that the people, young and old, are more or less unconscious of their need, only makes the attainment of this goal more difficult, but takes not one jot or tittle from the need. Everywhere and all the time a strong, positive influence in favor of this goal should go out from each conference president and from each worker in the field. Note the second: It always brings a feeling of regret to see what was a fine crop of hay, rotting in the sun. The seed was sown with a careful hand, and the growth was all that could be desired. The hay was fully ripe, and cut in even swaths. But the rains came before it could be garnered, and there it lies—ruined. The seed sowing was vain, for the crop was not saved. It was almost saved, but not quite. Applying the illustration, we may well say that the Sabbath-school teacher should not be content merely to sow the seed of truth in the soil of the pupils' hearts, but that he should also make the effort to garner the harvest. In every way we have tried to center this responsibility upon the teacher. No teacher can be said to be doing his full duty until he is ready to do personal work for his pupils, and is seeking to become skillful in doing it. We have added a line to our report blanks, asking for the number of Sabbath school pupils converted and baptized during the quarter. The number thus reported for the biennial period is 9,258. We may be exact in dealing with the third goal, for dollars and cents can be weighed, measured, and compared. About forty years ago Sister White called attention to the custom of the children of Israel in dropping a piece of money into the treasury when they came into the Lord's house. She stated that “it would be well for our people to do the same thing.” With the intent of carrying out that instruction, it was voted to ask both teachers and pupils to contribute one penny or more each Sabbath, and boxes were provided for the pennies. “Great oaks from little acorns grow.” And that growth well illustrates the development of the Sabbath school offerings from “Penny Boxes” to “Dollar Day.” In closing, I want to plead most earnestly for a removal of every hindering policy in the conducting of Sabbath school affairs. No one should feel that the Sabbath school work is so old and so well established that it can take care of itself. What H. Clay Trumbull said is true: “Nothing ever runs of itself unless it is running downhill.” Every conference officer may well note whether his interest has been as active and as sympathetic as he could make it. This child of the church which has to do with the children of the entire denomination should not be regarded in the conference as merely an organization for the collection of reports, and the work thus restricted. Every conference needs a devoted, faithful, capable Sabbath school secretary,—one who can be trusted; one who has a burden for souls; one who knows how to conduct the work, or who will determine to learn how; one who has time for this work; one who is not carrying so many other burdens that the Sabbath school work is merely incidental; one who will be an inspiration to every school in the conference. If you have not such a worker, why not develop one? This can be done, but not by frequent changes of secretaries. Then see whether or not the influence of the Sabbath school work pays in souls saved, pays in dollars and cents. In this work we must be daunted by no difficulties, overcome by no obstacles. The time has come when the machinery of this organization must be geared to high speed and operated at its fullest capacity. It is the spirit in a man that decides the outcome, rather than the height of the barrier, or the number of barriers. “One ship goes east, another west,
By the selfsame winds that blow;
'Tis the set of the sail, and not the gale,
That determines the way they go.
Like the winds of the sea are the ways
of fate
As we voyage along through life;
'Tis the set of the soul that decides the
goal,
And not the calm or the strife.” Report of Religious Liberty Department
C. S. Longacre gave a stirring report concerning the work of the Religious Liberty Department. We reproduce here a few excerpts:— This report covers a period of about two and one-half years, the time during which the present secretary has been in charge of the work of the department. More than half this time has been spent in the field. The past two years have been filled with interesting and startling developments, in both religious liberty and temperance lines. Recent plans set in motion to bring Sunday legislation to the front, presage still more startling things for the near future. The indications are that the very foundations of the third angel's message will be assailed with intense vigor in the future. The department succeeded in keeping five Sunday bills from being reported out of committee during the closing session of the Sixty-second Congress, and kept six Sunday bills from being reported out of committee during the Sixty-third Congress. Three hearings were granted on three of the last six bills before the committee. S. B. Horton and your secretary represented the Religious Liberty Association at these hearings, and others from other organizations joined them in presenting reasons why these Sunday bills ought not to be enacted into law. All these bills died in committee, presumably because of our opposition, and because of the tremendous influence the thousands of petitions of protest from our people had upon Congressmen. During the legislative year of 1913-14 there were eighty-seven Sunday bills introduced into the different State legislatures, and during the legislative year of 1914-15 there were more than one hundred and thirty such bills. Nearly all these bills were introduced at the request of religious organizations. Through the splendid cooperation of the union and local religious liberty secretaries, and the presidents of conferences and our local ministers, who were wide-awake and responded just at the critical time, we succeeded by the blessing of God in defeating every important bill that we opposed. One noticeable feature concerning all these Sunday bills which have come before Congress and the various State legislatures during the last two years, is the absence of all exemption clauses and the increase of the penalty in fines and imprisonment. While I am discussing legislative matters, I wish to mention the Fitzgerald and Gallivan bills, designed to restrict the freedom of the press by authorizing the Postmaster-General to eliminate from the mails all publications which reflect upon any religion or religious belief held sacred by any of the citizens of the United States. A hearing on these bills was secured by the Religious Liberty Department, and a large number of influential speakers appeared before the committee in opposition to these measures. The department also sent out many blank petitions to our people. Through the splendid cooperation of our brethren in the field, Congress was soon flooded with protests against these bills. Deep interest was awakened by the time of the hearing before the Committee on the Post Offices and Post Roads. The hearing was not only an interesting one, but it served an effectual purpose in defeating the proposed legislation. Elder W. F. Martin, the former religious liberty secretary of the North Pacific Union Conference, conducted a series of religious liberty institutes in the various conferences of that union during the winter of 1913. These institutes resulted in a great uplift to the churches by establishing them more firmly in the truths of the third angel's message. Elder C. B. Haynes, religious liberty secretary of the Southeastern Union Conference, held a very profitable series of religious liberty institutes in that union during the winter of 1913-14. From the encouraging reports received concerning the interest that was taken in these local institutes, we are convinced that more of them ought to be held to encourage our people, and to prepare them for the trying ordeals they must soon pass through as they are brought before the courts and the rulers of the land to answer for their faith.14