General Conference, by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 21, 1871

General Conference,

By Editor

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, DEDICATION OF NEW OFFICE BUILDING, HEALTH CONVENTION, &c., &c.

It is now thought best to hold our General Conference, and the annual meeting of the S. D. A. Publishing Association, about the time of the dedication of our new office building, Jan. 1st, 1872. The present state of the cause seems to demand this, and we give this early notice that the officers of our State Conferences, and our scattered brethren, may have time to represent the cause in all parts of the field.

We object to having the annual meetings of all our societies come off in one and the same week. It is too laborious for the working men, to hold them all in five or six successive days. We, therefore, propose that the annual meeting of the Health Reform Institute, and the Michigan State Conference, be deferred to come off at a general camp-meeting in June for Michigan, and for as many from other States as can be induced to meet with us. We think it would be much easier for those who have the burden of the work at such meetings, and result better for the advancement of the cause, to have this work divided, and attended to at two distinct gatherings, rather than to have it all crowded into a single week.

There are matters of general interest to the cause, of the greatest importance, which demand immediate attention, and action by the General Conference.

1. The proper distribution of labor throughout the entire field. Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota are important fields, and if possible, one experienced, strong man should be in each of these States. And the New England Conference, New York, and Maine, should each have one such experienced, leading lecturer as Cornell, Canright, Butler, and others.

2. Our want of devoted ministers should be considered, and means should be taken to encourage and properly instruct men and women for the work of teaching the word of God. The fields are all white. And the Macedonian cry comes up from all parts of the country, and we have not men to fill a tithe of the calls. And there are more than one hundred men among us who, if they would consecrate themselves fully to God, and be well instructed during a few weeks, might go right out and preach and study as they go, and soon become able men in the word of God.

We recommend in the several States, where there are any considerable numbers of our people, brief courses of instruction which would sustain about the same relation to the cause of present truth, as what are called “Teachers’ Institutes” sustain to the educational interests of the several States. These are designed to instruct teachers in the best methods of education in our common schools. The course of instruction to which we refer, which might be completed in a few weeks, would be designed to instruct our devoted young men and young women, all over the land, in the principles of present truth, and the best methods of teaching them to the people.

We have no better man for this work than Bro. Uriah Smith. He would need a good man with him to help move forward the enterprise, and give it success.

3. The subject of tract distribution, and general, organized missionary work among our people everywhere, now attracting the attention of our people, demands immediate action by the General Conference. Our periodicals must have a wider circulation. Our tracts and pamphlets, and our bound books, must go everywhere. We have the facilities for publishing for the million. We have the truth of God for this time to publish, and as a people, we have the money in our pockets to do the work. God is preparing the public mind, and now he calls upon all his people to enter the missionary field, to labor more or less, according to their ability and opportunity, and thus let the light shine.

God has blessed our publishing interests far beyond our expectations. The Association has at least twelve tons of publications on hand, all paid for, and fifteen tons of white paper on hand to print, and every sheet of it paid for. We are about to print ten thousand copies, in pamphlet form, of Eld. Andrews’ faithful exposure of T. M. Preble, and five hundred missionary agents are wanted to put this work into the hands of every first-day and no-day Adventist. It can be furnished at the rate of 1600 pages for $1.00 or without price when necessary. Our views have been basely misrepresented by many of these Adventists, and as we are not allowed to defend ourselves in their periodicals (with the single exception of the defense of Elders Waggoner and Andrews in Eld. Himes’ paper), we propose, as a duty we owe to ourselves, to an abused public, and to the God of truth, to review their positions, and expose their misrepresentations of ours, from time to time, and print large editions in pamphlet form for our people, scattered throughout the country, to put into the hands of those who should read our reviews and defense.

The present state of the cause demands immediate and decided action. We have but few efficient ministers, and some of these are fast wearing themselves out with double labor. Men are wanted who will give themselves to the work. Men are wanted who will consecrate their powers to God, and come so nigh to him that he will lay the burden of the work upon them. A thousand men and women are wanted as missionaries, who can, by faith, come so nigh Heaven as to feel the holiness and force of the divine law, and the love of Christ in dying for the transgression of it. The fields are all white. Who will enter the harvest with the solemn covenant to give themselves wholly to the Lord, and to the last gathering work? These are grave matters, and should be considered by General Conference at as early a date as is practicable to assemble.