KANSAS T. & M. SOCIETY.
By J. N. Ayers
The general quarterly meeting of the Kansas Tract and Missionary Society was to have been held at Rock Creek, Osage Co., Kan., Dec. 4 and 5. There was a notice of this meeting in the REVIEW for two or three weeks, requesting all the directors to be present, as there were important business matters to be considered. Now imagine my surprise on arriving at the place to find that not one of the directors was there, and no members of the Society except those who went with me, that none came during the meeting, and that only two districts reported (Nos. 2 and 3) although the appointment had been published over a month. We have six districts, and had but two reports. The following is a summary of these:— No. of letters written, 10; No. of new subscribers for REVIEW, 3; Instructor, 1. Distribution of reading matter: No. of REVIEWS given away or loaned, 10; Signs, 5; Instructors, 1; Reformers, 9; pages of tracts, 8,595. Money Rec’d by donation, $7.00
“ “ from book sales, 4.70
Total, $11.70 Now, brethren and sisters of the Kansas Tract Society, what are we going to do? Are we determined to sleep on till Jesus comes and then be found with our “lamps gone out,” and no oil in our vessels, and to hear him say, “I know you not”? Or are we going to arouse, and go forward with the message? It is for us to decide. The message will go, and if we will not move on in the light God has given us, we shall be left out, and others will take our places and wear the crowns we might have worn, if we had proved faithful. Why is it that, while some societies are so active and zealous, we appear almost lifeless? Why is it that while others are doing so much for us, we are doing little or nothing for ourselves? How dare we be connected with the people of God, and yet not work when we have children, friends, and neighbors, who are in danger of losing eternal life? Why are we sleeping? Why not be up and doing while the day lasts? for we know that “the night cometh when no man can work.” Oh, be entreated to arouse, shake off the stupor that holds you down, and go to work. Break away from the spell that has been brought upon you by your inactivity. Listen to the siren voice no longer. “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently [margin].” Jer. 48:10. Do we want to receive the curses of the Lord? or would we rather receive his blessing? If we would have his blessing, let us take hold with a will, and show by our works that we are on the Lord’s side; then at our next quarterly meeting let us see that we have something to report, and that we report it. And if the directors will not do their duty, others must take their places; for the Lord’s work must be done, and well done. Fairville, Linn Co., Kan., Dec. 9, 1875.