p. 70 | Missionary Department by John Norton Loughborough

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 12, 1874

Missionary Department.

By John Norton Loughborough

“Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” John 1:46.

Our Missionary Work.

This department is designed for the instruction, encouragement, and reports of our home missionaries, who, Philip like, are trying to say to all within their reach, “Come and see Jesus,” and learn of his truth.

In No. 8 of the Signs, we published the new constitution of our State Missionary Society. I trust all our Directors, and Missionary members have carefully studied that. Now, as we are to move out to comply with the requirements of that constitution, may God give us wisdom. Our success now depends on consecration of heart in all our members, and efficient organization. We want the “right men in the right place.”

As President of the State Missionary Society, I would make a few suggestions. First, let the Directors in each district as soon as convenient, select a proper person, male, or female, for a District Secretary. Second select in each church some person or persons, male or female, for business agent and librarian. Seek God’s guidance, and take good counsel in selecting all these officers. You need those who have a business tact, but at the same time you need those whose hearts are consecrated to the work of God, imbued with a spirit of sacrifice, and filled with a love to do what they can to save men. Persons filling these offices should be free from lightness and trifling.

Of course persons filling any such responsible places should be members of our churches, in good standing, in full sympathy with all the truth, and work of God for these times, and themselves exemplifying those truths they are to bear to others. They should be persons who themselves discard the filthy habit of tobacco using, or, when they come to hand out health works on these points, they will be met with, “Physician heal thyself.”

As soon as these officers are appointed let the librarians proceed at once to get every brother and sister in the District, who has not done so, to pay their $1.00 each, and thus become a permanent member of the State Missionary Society. The money thus received should be paid over to the Director, to be carried by him with an account of it to the State Missionary Treasurer at the time of the State Quarterly meeting.

The names, when the $1.00 is paid, should be sent to the District Secretary stating to what church these are to report. The District Secretary is to forward a copy of the list, with the number of the District to the State Secretary, that she may arrange them on her list of the entire State membership.

Let each Librarian, as soon as appointed, make out a list of books, tracts and pamphlets on hand, the number of each, and the number of pass-books, with the probable amount needed to supply each member. Also the number of blanks on hand for Quarterly reports. State also how many copies of the Review, Instructor, Reformer and Signs of THE TIMES, you have on hand for distribution. Send these lists to J. N. Loughborough, Oakland, Cal.

I presume the above suggestions will furnish each District with labor enough to last till No. 10 of the Signs shall be issued, in which we shall talk still further of labor, if the Lord wills. We shall get at our legitimate work as fast as possible, but in this, as in some other things, it may be best to “make haste slowly.”

J. N. Loughborough.

Pres. Cal. State Miss. Society.