The Work in the South by Smith Sharp

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Sep 24, 1903

The Work in the South

By Smith Sharp

The readers of the REVIEW are all interested in the progress of the work in this Southern field. While I am not in position properly to represent all branches of the work in all parts of this great field, yet there are some things with which I am conversant that I think will be of interest to all. So much has been said by the spirit of prophecy about the destitution of this field, and our people have been so frequently solicited for means with which to establish the work here, that any information concerning the situation in this respect will, I believe, be appreciated by all. It has indeed been a great undertaking to establish the work on a scale commensurate with its importance, in a field with so small a constituency, where there are so very few in possession of more than the bare comforts of life.

The publishing house, of considerable dimensions, has been established at Nashville, Tenn. A training school for white workers is conducted at Graysville, Tenn., and one for colored workers at Huntsville, Ala.; a sanitarium is in progress of erection at Graysville, Tenn., and the building formerly owned by the Review and Herald, at 243 South Boulevard, Atlanta, Ga., has been purchased for treatment rooms, or sanitarium purposes. Besides this the conference owns a Good Health Bakery, at Chattanooga, Tenn., and a residence property worth about three thousand dollars. I am not in position to give any intelligent opinion concerning the value and condition of the publishing house. I think a safe, conservative estimate of the rest of the property owned by the Southern Union Conference is forty thousand or fifty thousand dollars.

When the great debt was apportioned to the different union conferences, ten thousand was given to the Southern Union Conference. Through the sale of ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ we have been enabled to reduce this at least three thousand dollars. In consequence of having to borrow money in order to secure the Atlanta property, and to keep the work going on the Graysville Sanitarium, we have incurred a slight debt, but I think the entire debt on the Southern Union Conference will not aggregate over fourteen thousand dollars. A considerable amount of this was loaned us without interest, to facilitate work on the sanitarium at Graysville, and to secure the Atlanta property. However, we have about two thousand dollars in outstanding pledges, which will reduce this indebtedness to a sum not to exceed twelve thousand dollars, perhaps less. This will not be considered a bad showing even for a field where there is as small a constituency as there is here. We hope by perseverance and close application and the liberality of our people everywhere, in a comparatively short time to be able to liquidate our entire indebtedness. The institutions that we have are wholly inadequate for properly carrying on the work in this great field, where there are fifteen million inhabitants.

Some branches of the work can never be made self-supporting. One of these is the work for colored people. The education of colored workers, and the giving of the message to the colored race, will ever be a privilege that all our people everywhere can have a part in. It is for this purpose that the school at Huntsville is established. Its facilities sadly need increasing, and when this is done, our people everywhere can expect to continue to be permitted to share in the work for this neglected and oppressed race. In the near future an active campaign will be inaugurated for this purpose. Just what the policy will be, will be defined later by those having the work especially in charge. There is an indebtedness of one thousand five hundred dollars on the Atlanta property, which must be met before the first of January next. Besides this a few hundred dollars is badly needed to equip the property, and as soon as this is done patients can be received in sufficient numbers to bring in a good income. The Graysville sanitarium is still in an incomplete condition, and it will be necessary to raise several hundred dollars in the near future. We are making most persistent and determined efforts to secure the needed amounts. This institution is certainly needed, if ever there was an institution needed among our people. It is indorsed by the plainest statements by the spirit of prophecy, by the General Conference, and by the Southern Union Conference. There is no institution like it south of the Ohio River. Brethren, is it not right that our people everywhere should rally to the aid of this much-needed institution, and help us push this work to completion?

The Southern Training School, at Graysville, Tenn., is, we believe, second to none in our denomination. Without it our work in this field would be sadly crippled. Experience, as well as the Testimonies, has taught us that workers for this field should be educated in the field. We have no institution that we can spare. In fact, we need many more, especially small schools and sanitariums. It is our policy not to concentrate our institutions in any one place, but to build small ones in many different places. At present Nashville, Graysville and Huntsville are, in a sense, centers, but in the near future we ought to have many more.

We have given this frank statement so that all our people everywhere may know our true condition. For any branch of the work in this field money may be sent at any time to the Southern Conference Association, at Graysville, Tenn., with the assurance that it will be faithfully and conscientiously appropriated to the purpose for which it is donated.

SMITH SHARP, Financial Agent, S. U. Conf.