The Meetings in Oakland by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 10, 1883

The Meetings in Oakland.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

BY ELDER S. N. HASKELL.

THESE meetings we trust were profitable and in many respects were of special interest. They were quite well represented by our ministers and those laboring in the cause, and the leading brethren in the State, as well as our tract and missionary officers. The interests of the cause were freely discussed; and while all could realize that that advance was not being made which should be, all felt the necessity of our having more of the Spirit of God to accompany us in our labors. No work has ever been of greater importance than the work of the Third Angel's Message, in which we are engaged. The greatest evidence of the near coming of the Lord is the fact that God is preparing people in all parts of the world to receive the truth. Nations may rise and fall; war, famine, and pestilence may be in the land—and all these things will be before the Lord comes—but the angels of God have a controlling influence over these things, that the closing work of the gospel may be carried forward. This is the most important work in the world. Everything else is of a secondary character. All Heaven is interested in this work. The great day of atonement in the former dispensation was the important day of the year. The religious ceremonies of all the other days during the year had reference to this day; so the day of Judgment in Heaven, when Christ enters the holy of holies to present the cases of the people of God before the Father, will be the most important time in the history of this world for the people of God; and when the evidences are seen that this work is closing up, it increases in importance.

As these indications were brought before our brethren, they were appreciated to some extent. The ship missionary work presented some very encouraging features. It was evident that if it was carried forward with success in San Francisco, there should be a room provided near the wharf, where sailors and others who became interested could be invited to go and attend meetings, and secure to themselves reading matter. Already

some captains have embraced the truth, and one whole ship's crew have regarded the Sabbath of the Lord. Many have a desire to attend the meetings of our people, but as the church in San Francisco is over two miles from the wharf, it is impracticable to invite people there. It was voted by the brethren to immediately secure such a room. A pledge paper for $2,000 was passed around for this and other purposes. Over $1,100 was immediately pledged. This paper will be sent to all parts of the State for friends who feel it a privilege to do so, to take stock in this enterprise.

Quite an interest was taken in the plan of securing monthly subscribers for the SIGNS and doing colporteur work by repeatedly visiting these families and furnishing them their reading matter as they may desire. Already we have a list of twelve who have offered themselves to engage in this branch of the work that have hitherto taken no especial part in this kind of labor. It is expected that our ministers will encourage the proper persons wherever they labor to do something in this direction. Much can be accomplished if all take hold together, and seek God, and strive to advance the cause by judiciously distributing our reading matter. This will create a demand for our publications. There should be thousands added to the subscription list of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES upon this coast this present season. Nebraska and New England are waking up to this subject. One club of 500 copies of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES which is being used to send out to those who subscribe for a short period has proved inadequate to meet the demand in New England, and they have added 100 to their club. Nebraska has fallen a little behind in the number taken by their State Secretary for this purpose. In both of these Conferences the interested readers and yearly subscribers are increasing every week. When persons have become interested to read our periodicals and books and tracts, the battle is half fought. The Spirit of God does the converting. We are only instruments in the hands of God to lead the people where they can become interested in the solemn truths that pertain to this time.

The Publishing Association has been struggling under many difficulties in the past, and even now there are many obstacles to overcome, but we hope with the blessing of God that the darkest days are in the past. Those who have had the special supervision of it during the past few years have shown much wisdom, and had much of the blessing of God in arranging and planning for its success. God's providence is over his work in all its branches. We go forward trusting in God, believing that he will bless his own work and give it success. Those taking monthly subscriptions for the SIGNS in California will charge twenty cents. It is thought that twenty cents would be no more on the Coast than fifteen would in many of our Eastern States. Our brethren returned from this meeting with good courage, trusting in God.