FAST DAY FOR NEW YORK by B. L. Whitney; Asa M. Green; A. H. Hall

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 29, 1877

FAST DAY FOR NEW YORK.

By B. L. Whitney; Asa M. Green; A. H. Hall

After consulting quite generally with our leading brethren in this Conference, we think it best to appoint Sabbath, April 7, being the first Sabbath in the month, as a day of fasting and prayer in the N. Y. and Penn. Conference; and Sunday, April 8, for a business meeting in every church in the Conference. Our reasons for this are as follows:—

To say nothing of the great State of Pennsylvania, New York is the Empire State. It has a population of over four million souls, nearly all English speaking people. The Metropolis of the Western Continent is in this State, besides several other of the great cities of our nation. It is the great highway of travel from East to West. In educational advantages, it stands unsurpassed. School-houses are scattered thickly all over the country. Comparatively speaking, the people are not poor, but are in fair circumstances. The climate is favorable for running tents in the summer and lecturing in the winter. The laws are wholly in our favor as Sabbath-keepers. We enjoy the utmost liberty in preaching our message and in keeping the Sabbath. The school-houses are universally open for our use. The population is so dense that one can get an audience anywhere. In many places there are meeting-houses freely offered us for our use. Several of our wealthy brethren have either already fitted up places of worship, or offer to do it, where the truth can be presented.

We have many able, and even wealthy, brethren in this State; hence there is no reason why the cause should be crippled for lack of means. Indeed, it has not been so far. We believe that these brethren will open their hands to meet any reasonable expense which may be incurred in the work under consideration. There are now about eight hundred S. D. Adventists in this Conference. Once it was the strongest State in the cause, but for several years past, while it has been gaining some, it has been dropping far behind the increase in other States. Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, and even Minnesota, are now far ahead of us in strength; and other new States are rapidly catching up. We can see no good reason why this should be so. We cannot see why New York is not just as rich a field of labor as any State in the Union. With equal labor we believe it is.

With gratitude we have seen tokens of rising prosperity in this Conference within the last two or three years. A number of new churches have been raised up, some quite large ones. There are numerous calls for labor in every direction, and there seems to be more willingness to hear than formerly. So far as we can see, our great need is a sufficient number of proper laborers in presenting the truth. Upon this point we feel deeply. For various reasons, many of our ministers have been very inefficient for several years past. Some have become superannuated, beyond age of active labor; some have gone to other fields, and others have not labored with that earnestness which the cause demands, and some are young in the cause. We believe it is God’s will that the cause in this Conference shall rise up, and put on strength, and have success as well as in other States.

For many reasons we believe that the time has already come when a new impetus shall be given to the work in this Conference. The providence of God seems to indicate this, and we dare not delay to follow as the Lord shall open the way. We cannot consent to appeal to other States to send us help. It is a shame to do it. So; what we want is to develop the talent and strength which we already have among us, or which may be raised up in our own State. At present there are only six preachers actually doing anything in this great State, and some of these are accomplishing but little. We cannot think that out of eight hundred believers there are no more than a half dozen men who can work in this cause. There ought to be at least twenty-five preachers in active service in this Conference. There is room enough, and we believe they would be sustained. Furthermore, we feel confident that there are young men and middle-aged men in this Conference, who ought to give themselves to the work of God. Many of them are dying spiritually because they are bearing no burdens in the work. There are a good number of older brethren, men of means, of good judgment, and of fair ability, who ought to take many of the burdens in the different branches of the work in the State, both in the Tract Society and in other places, who ought to visit from church to church, hold monthly and quarterly meetings, look after the finances, our periodicals, &c., and thus leave our preachers to go into new fields entirely. At present these men are doing just nothing at all. They amount to little or nothing in the cause. We cannot consent to hold our peace longer, and see things continue so.

It seems to be very important that there should be two camp-meetings held in this State the coming year, one in western New York in the spring and one in northern New York in the fall. Shall this be done? Of course, it will involve both labor and expense. Are our brethren in favor of it? and will they take hold to carry it out?

Five tents should be run in this State this year, or four at the very least. Two new tents must be purchased immediately. Will our brethren furnish the means? We feel very anxious about this matter, for we must act immediately. Months and seasons go by quickly. Everything is favorable now. No doubt there are many men in this State, whom God could use in his work if they were brought into the truth.

Brethren, we need God to help us at this time. Our ministers need a new conversion. They need the special providence of God to guide them in their fields of labor. We want wisdom with regard to our camp-meeting. If there are men who ought to enter the field, the Spirit of God is needed to move them out and give them a burden in this direction. The Lord can raise up men to carry on this message, who are now entirely ignorant of it. A real work of revival should be wrought among all our old churches. Scores of our children are growing up unconverted, and rapidly going beyond the influence of the truth.

Many of our older brethren are laying down their watch, ceasing to sacrifice, and falling far behind the spirit of the message. In view of these things, we appoint the first Sabbath in April as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer before God, that his blessing may rest upon the cause in this Conference, and especially that able and devoted men may be raised up to preach the truth.

We recommend that every minister in the Conference preach a sermon that day from the following text: “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” Matt. 9: 36–38.

We recommend also that the leader in each church where there is no minister read this and kindred texts, and that the testimonies and prayers of the brethren be directed to this subject. Farther, ask the Lord to direct us with regard to our camp-meeting, the running of our tents this summer, and that he will give life and power to the ministers already laboring.

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We also recommend that every church meet together on the following first-day, to examine the list of names belonging to the church, and particularly inquire after each, and transact any other business that may be necessary in connection with them, pay the s. b. due at the time, celebrate the ordinances, etc. We shall endeavor to establish this as a settled rule in all our churches in this Conference, to have a meeting for such business as this, the first Sabbath and Sunday in January, April, July, and October. Let this be our quarterly meeting throughout the entire Conference, and let our quarter commence at this time instead of counting from the Conference as heretofore.

Let this article be preserved and read by the leader of each church on the fast day. Do this in order to have the facts fresh before you.

If any person in this Conference feels that he has any duty to do in the Lord’s vineyard let him write to B. L. Whitney, Rome, N. Y.

B. L. WHITNEY, ASA M. GREEN, } State Conf. Com. A. H. HALL, }

To the above we are glad to add our hearty approval. We believe it is just what should be done. We hope every brother and sister in this Conference will take hold immediately and in earnest. We promise to do all in our power to revive the work of God in this Conference.

D. M. CANRIGHT. JACOB WILBUR. S. B. WHITNEY. H. H. WILCOX. CHAS. B. REYNOLDS.