p. 79 | Report of the Annual Meeting of the Mich. T. & M. Society

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 9, 1875

Report of the Annual Meeting of the Mich. T. & M. Society.

By E. H. Root; Mary Gaskill

THE fourth annual meeting of the Michigan Tract and Missionary Society was held at Battle Creek in connection with the camp-meeting, Aug. 16, 1875.

After the usual opening exercises the secretary’s report was read, which showed the following:—

Increase of membership, 54; total membership, 1149; number of families visited, 2608; number of letters written, 501; number of periodicals distributed, 2674; number of pages of tracts and pamphlets loaned and given away, 661,683; number of pages of bound books placed in public libraries, 9696; total number of pages distributed 671,329; number of new subscribers obtained for the REVIEW, 129; for the Instructor, 134; for the Reformer, 1316; for the Voice of Truth, 3231; total number of subscribers obtained for periodicals, 4810.

In connection with this report, the treasurer’s report was also read, showing that there was in the treasury at the commencement of the year $1974.51. Received during the year, $2514.67; paid out $5191.59; leaving a deficit of $702.41.

Following the reading of reports, it was moved and supported, that the President appoint a Nominating Committee for the election of officers for the ensuing year. E. R. Jones, J. H. Kellogg, J. M. Baker, were appointed such committee. The committee reported the following persons as officers: President, E. H. Root; Vice-President, I. A. Olmstead; Secretary, Mrs. S. H. Lane; Treasurer, Miss Freddie House. Directors, District No. 1, S. D. Salisbury; No. 2, Robert Sawyer; No. 3, I. A. Olmstead; No. 4, A. H. Hilliard (deceased); No. 5, J. C. Wicks; No. 6, J. Fargo; No. 7, Franklin Squire; No. 8, H. S. Guilford; No. 9, E. G. Doud; No. 10, Wm. Potter; No. 11, Alex Carpenter; No. 12, John Trotman.

By vote, the above persons were unanimously elected.

Bro. Haskell then made remarks in regard to the small increase of members during the year, and urged the people to make an effort to get others to join the Society, by first awakening an interest in their own hearts, and by feeling the importance and burden of the work. With this spirit they could induce others to join in it.

Bro. White followed with a short explanation of the manner in which the Tract Society first arose among our people, showing that before its organization his mind had been burdened with it; also, that the Spirit of the Lord had shown when the cause was in its infancy that measures in this direction for the spread of the truth should be taken. He appealed to the people to become familiar with their neighbors, sowing the seeds of truth carefully and judiciously, handing out our periodicals and tracts in a manner to reach the heart, canvassing the ground gone over, finding where there is, and where there is not, an interest and cautiously acting in reference to it.

At the close of these remarks, on motion the following resolution was adopted:— Resolved, That we recommend that those who have canvassed for the Voice and Health Reformer canvass, to learn the interest of those receiving these papers, and to see that none are sent to persons not interested in reading them.

It was then voted to adjourn.

E. H. ROOT, Pres.

MARY GASKILL, Sec.