To the Minnesota Churches.
By D. F. Curtis
I wish to call your attention to the following resolution, adopted at the last session of our Conference, and ask that the matter be attended to promptly:— “Resolved, That the several churches of this Conference be requested to present to the next session a full written report of their condition, stating when and by whom they were organized; what was their number at their organization; what is their present number; the names of their officers,—elder or leader, deacon, clerk, and S. B. treasurer (with the post-office address of the two latter); the amount paid during the year for the support of the cause, and any other items of interest that may show the progress the church is making; and that these letters be read before the Conference, as a part of the business thereof.” The object of this resolution is to bring before the body the condition of all the churches, and the workings and progress of the cause, and show what advancement has been made. These letters should be prepared by the clerk, and read before the church at a Sabbath meeting, and approved by the church, and then sent by the delegates, if there are any coming to the Conference. If there are no delegates coming, then send it to me by mail. Let every church report just what its condition is, especially the smaller churches, that the Conference may know their wants, and be able to lay plans for helping them. Let us have the name and address of every church clerk and S. B. treasurer in the Conference. If any church has become so small and weak, through removals or desertions, or both, as to be unable to maintain an organization and keep up meetings, let those who remain report themselves, so that the Conference may know their situation, and be able to devise means to assist them, if practicable. Let the scattered brethren who cannot come to the camp-meeting report to me by letter, and their letters shall be read. We want either to hear from or see every lover of present truth within the bounds of our Conference, at the coming camp-meeting. We hope that our Scandinavian brethren will make a special effort to come to the camp-meeting. The Lord gave us a great blessing at our camp-meeting last year. Shall we not labor and pray for a greater one this year? Several of the churches have made no quarterly reports this year. Some that reported the first quarter have not reported since. This ought not so to be. “Not slothful in business,” as well as “fervent in spirit,” is the direction to the servants of the Lord. Rom. 12:11. Will we not heed it? It is time for us all to take an advance step. The Lord is moving out before us. Will we follow his leading, and, when the Lifegiver comes, hear the “well done”? D. F. CURTIS, Conf. Sec.
Hutchinson, Minn., May 3.