NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA T. AND M. SOCIETY by B. L. Whitney; E. H. Whitney

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 16, 1878

NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA T. AND M. SOCIETY.

By B. L. Whitney; E. H. Whitney

This society held its State quarterly meeting with the church at Pulaski, N. Y., April 27 and 28.

Business meeting called at half past nine, Sunday morning.

Four of the directors, those of Dists. 1, 2, 3, and 8, were present, and the other officers of the society.

The meeting was opened with prayer by Eld. R. F. Cottrell, followed by remarks by the president, in which the growth of the cause and its rapidly increasing wants were presented. The increased facilities and encouragements for labor, on every hand, were compared with the toilsome, agonizing effort which started the work on its mission, and nursed it, amid its deprivations, trials, and discouragements, to its present proportions. Had we all, as tract workers, the energy, zeal, and faith of the few devoted friends of its infancy, we should not wait long for its consummation. The increasing work of the society, its growing demands, and its present financial embarrassment, were alluded to; other points were touched upon, and the work for the meeting was thus laid before it.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

The report of labor for the quarter ending April 1, was then presented, as follows:— No. of districts, 11; No. of members, 280; reports returned, 188; families visited, 584; letters written, 481; reading matter distributed, pp., 371,872; No. of new subscribers, 468; No. of periodicals distributed, 4,345.

Rec’d on membership, $34.00 “ by donations, 296.27 “ from the one-third, 166.54 “ from book sales, 73.71 “ on periodicals, 450.43 “ for European Mission, 62.50 “ for school fund, 225.00 Total, $1308.45 General book sales for quarter, $132.84 “ periodicals “ “ 25.00

The work of the Tract Distributors at Buffalo (Dist. No. 1), Wellsville (No. 10), Rome (No. 8), and Richfield Springs (No. 7), was reported in connection with their respective districts, and it is included in the summary.

The Buffalo Distributor has used 3,427 pages of reading matter and 30 periodicals; that at Wellsville, 6,666 pp. and 95 periodicals; at Rome, 7,133 pp., and 153 periodicals; and the one at Richfield Springs, 5,446 pp., 53 periodicals. Total, 22,672 pp., 331 periodicals.

The report of labor for this quarter shows an increase in the reading matter distributed of more than 200,000 pages beyond that of the preceding quarter, and a corresponding gain in other respects.

There was a very decided improvement over the preceding quarter in the promptness with which the reports were furnished, every report but one being received in good season.

The question of the financial condition of the society was then taken up, and the directors present were appointed a committee to take the matter under consideration and recommend some definite plan for relieving the society of its present embarrassment, and report at a subsequent meeting.

The question of a Sabbath-school Association in this Conference was also introduced, and a committee appointed to consider the subject.

Meeting then adjourned to call of chair.

SECOND SESSION.

The meeting was called at 4:30 P. M.

Prayer by M. H. Brown.

The report of the Committee on Finances was called for. This committee reported, recommending that the president be instructed to visit the different districts of the society to labor for its interests, and with the view to raise means for the payment of the present indebtedness, if possible, before the next annual meeting.

The recommendation of the committee was adopted by unanimous vote, and the full co-operation of those present was pledged to assist in the accomplishment of this object. The report of the committee on the organization of a S. S. Association recommended that such an association be formed, and steps were taken to effect its organization. B. L. WHITNEY, Pres. E. H. WHITNEY, Sec.