REPORT OF LABOR IN MICH.
By S. N. Haskell
In company with Eld. Smith, I left Battle Creek, Nov. 16, and attended the meeting at Rochester the 18th and 19th. This meeting has been reported in the REVIEW. There was not that interest taken in the missionary work that we would have been glad to have seen. The brethren had been moving and rebuilding their house of worship, and they felt that they could not do much else. There were some, however, who seemed to feel the burden of the work; and if they follow out their convictions and good resolutions, they will become strong in the truth and useful in the cause. Since the Rochester meeting, we have held meetings in Armada, Memphis, Dryden, Almont, Flint, Lapeer, and Fairview. A degree of interest has been manifested in the missionary work in the churches we have been able to visit. From some cause there seems to have been a very indefinite idea of the nature of the missionary work. I find some companies who have not ever seen a blank report to fill out, neither do they know what has become of the money they have paid in; and yet they have been members of the Tract Society for years. There was no necessity for this. In the True Missionary published in 1874, the duties of each officer and each member were discussed over and over again; questions were answered, etc., etc. They are now bound in paper covers, and can be had at a reduced price by the Tract Societies. It will be sent for 50cts, post-paid, to any part of the country. Some seem to think that scattering a few tracts is about all there is to the missionary work. The distribution of reading matter is only one means to accomplish an object. The object is to save souls. Many have not seen any importance to the health publications; hence, many have no especial interest in the Family Health Almanac. The health question is a self-demonstrative truth. In scores of instances it has proved to be an avenue by which the truth has reached the hearts of individuals, who, before reading upon this theme and practicing its principles, were so prejudiced against this truth and this people that they would not have an Adventist tract in their house. Our people need to be thoroughly converted upon this question. Our brethren do not realize the importance of the mission of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. It is our pioneer paper, and should find its way into the household of every S. D. A., not only to read themselves, but to lend to their neighbors and send to their friends. Not in a single instance should it exclude the REVIEW. There are the young of both sexes, of good address, in nearly every church, who are living an aimless and almost useless life. Could such individuals take from two to five copies of the SIGNS to send to their friends far and near, even going outside of the circle of their acquaintance and obtaining the address of others and sending a copy to them with a few tracts, notifying them by letter, it would give themselves an experience which would be invaluable, besides it would be the means of extending their influence in favor of the truth, far and near. These various matters have been presented before the friends wherever we have been; also the action of the General Conference and the resolutions of the Michigan Tract Society, recommending certain steps to all their brethren. With one or two exceptions, they met with a hearty adoption by all the churches we have visited. In Dist. No. 10, there have been added to the Tract Society about seventy-five new members. It has taken about four thousand almanacs; three hundred and fifty dollars' worth of tracts; fifty copies of the SIGNS, mostly by our brethren at $2.00 each. Two or three old canvassers will enter the field as soon as they can receive the “Way of Life,” besides a number of others who are waiting to make an effort in that direction. In fact, I think this district can be depended upon judiciously to distribute its proportion of fifty thousand almanacs, and that it will obtain its respective proportion of the three thousand three hundred and thirty-four subscribers each for the SIGNS and REFORMER, all paying subscribers, with the premiums. I am thoroughly convinced that there is no State which can fill its proportion of labor and means better than this State can. Many will probably never see the importance of these things until it is too late; and a double burden will thus fall upon others. The cloud has arisen, and the word has gone forth all along the line, “Strike your tents and move forward;” and happy are the Conferences, the churches, the individuals, who hear the joyful sound, and cheerfully take these advance steps. S. N. HASKELL.