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Items from the General Conference

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 9, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 47.

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Items from the General Conference.

By Editor

SINCE my last report, there have been meetings of the Conference, the International Tract and Missionary Society, Publishing Association, Health Institute, and Sanitarium Improvement Company. The three associations last named have completed their business. Of the other associations, much of the work is done in committees, some of which have not yet reported. We shall give only a few items of general interest, that were brought to light during the meetings of the various associations.
Perhaps the committee whose recommendations arouse the most lively interest, is the Committee on Destitute Fields. This committee has not yet completed its work, but has made the following recommendations, which have been approved by the Conference:—
  1. That Elder S. N. Haskell go to England.
  2. That Elder E. W. Whitney, of New York, go to Central Europe.
  3. That W. L. H. Baker and wife, of Pacific Press, Oakland, go to Melbourne, Australia, to labor in the office of the Bible Echo.
  4. That M. G. Huffman, of Indiana, labor in Virginia.
  5. That B. F. Purdham, of Virginia, labor in Indiana.
  6. That Elder E. W. Farnsworth go with Elder Haskell to England.
  7. That Elder S. Fulton, of Tennessee, labor in Florida.
  8. That E. E. Marvin, of Indiana, go to Tennessee to assist Elder Rees.
  9. That Elder G. G. Rupert, of Kentucky, go to British Guiana, S. A., and visit other parts of the Southern field as he may think best.
  10. That Elder W. D. Curtis, of Kansas, go to Australia.
  11. That Elder H. Shultz, of Nebraska, devote his time to the German work in America, under direction of the General Conference.
  12. That Elder J. F. Hanson, of Chicago, labor among the Scandinavians of New York City and Brooklyn.
  13. That Elder Louis Johnson, of Minnesota, devote a portion of his time to the Scandinavian work in Chicago.
  14. That Elder J. H. Cook, of Kansas, go to Kentucky at his earliest convenience, to take the place of Elder G. G. Rupert, who goes to South America.
  15. That Elders C. L. Boyd, of Oregon, and D. A. Robinson, of Massachusetts, go to South Africa as soon as they can leave their present fields of labor.
  16. That Elder John Fulton, now of California, go to the North Pacific Conference to labor with Elder Boyd, and to take the place of the latter when he shall go to South Africa.
In connection with the meetings of the Conference, and of the International Tract and Missionary Society, the following interesting facts were made known:—
The number of pages of tracts distributed by this society during the year, is 1,250,000. Besides this, the society uses over 600 copies of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, 350 of Gospel Sickle, 250 Sentinels, 100 Good Health, and over 400 foreign copies of periodicals. This is, of course, entirely outside of what is done by the various State Tract and Missionary Societies.
There are over thirty city missions, employing about one hundred workers. During the year, 19,243 Bible-readings have been held by these city mission workers, with families and individuals. It must be remembered that the city mission work is but little over a year old, and that most of the missions have been established but a few months. These workers have sold reading matter to the amount of $6,266.90, and have given away a very large amount besides. They have also taken 1,287 yearly subscriptions to various denominational periodicals, besides many for less than a year.
In connection with the city missions in a few of the sea-ports there are ship missionaries. In this work 6,225 ships have been visited, and supplied with 1,100,353 pages of reading matter, and 97,411 papers. Two hundred and twenty-nine ships are regularly supplied with the SIGNS OF THE TIMES or some other denominational journal.
To show how God can make even the wrath of man to praise him, we give an incident related by Bro. A. T. Robinson, of the Brooklyn (N. Y.) Mission. A clergyman who saw the interest that was being awakened for the truth, as the result of the faithful labors of the city missionaries, made an appointment to preach against the Sabbath, announcing as his subject, "Who changed the Sabbath?" A young man, a printer, saw the announcement, and as he had had some curiosity on that subject, he and his wife went. Instead of gaining information upon the Sabbath question, he heard a tirade against Seventh-day Adventists. This did not satisfy the young man, but it served as an advertisement of the mission, where he went and heard the truth. As the result of this one sermon against the Sabbath, six persons have begun to keep it "according to the commandment." Since the mission started in Brooklyn, only a short time ago, seventeen have begun to keep the Sabbath.
Bro. W. H. Saxby, of the Washington (D. C.) Mission, gave an interesting account of his work. He found great difficulty in starting the work, but has sold in that city over $700 worth of books, and has held nearly 1,000 Bible-readings. Thus the truth is spreading.
The meetings of the Health Institute Association brought out many interesting facts, of which we can give only a few. This work was established in 1867 under the name of Health Institute, but was reorganized in 1876 under the name of Medical and Surgical Sanitarium. The Sanitarium is located at Battle Creek, having a large corps of competent physicians, with J. H. Kellogg, M. D., as superintendent. The business has outgrown the frame building that was first occupied, and now occupies a building with the following dimensions:—
Entire length, 475 feet; height, 84 feet; width of main part, 40, 46, and 54 feet; length of promenade in verandas and halls, more than half a mile; floor space, more than two acres. This building is probably the most perfectly ventilated structure in the United States, is heated by steam, and lighted by the Edison incandescent electric light. Each room has an independent supply of fresh, pure air at all times, without the necessity of opening windows, and the ventilation and heating are so arranged that one room may have a warm, moist atmosphere, while that of the adjoining one may be cool and dry, if so desired. The sewerage is perfect, and such is the care taken that nowhere about the building, from basement to attic, is there the slightest unpleasant odor.
The main building will accommodate nearly 250 patients, and about 150 more can be accommodated in the cottages near by, and belonging to the institution. During the past year the patronage has been larger than ever before. The average number of patients has been about 225, and the entire number treated within the year is not less than 1,200. Of course a small army of helpers is needed to properly care for so many, and of these there are about 150. The receipts from patients for the year have been over $122,000, against $86,000 last year.
To feed the large family requires over 1,200 barrels of flour a year; 1,000 bushels of potatoes, and 700 barrels of apples. Four barrels of milk per day is consumed. The table is bountifully supplied with healthful food tastefully served. One rarely sees so large an institution as this carried on with so little apparent friction.
While this institution is not sectarian, and patients of all classes are received, all having perfect freedom in matters pertaining to the conscience, it is the aim of the managers to have a religious influence pervading the house. Family worship is regularly sustained morning and evening, and on Sunday evenings there is usually a sermon in the parlor. Religious services for the helpers are also frequently held. There is a Sabbath-school of 160 members in connection with the institution, and also a missionary society conducted by the workers, which uses 300 copies of Good Health, 200 copies of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and 50 of the American Sentinel.
During the session of the Conference, the early morning is devoted to religious services, a social meeting being usually held, the days are devoted to business, and the evening to preaching or some other interesting exercise. Monday evening was left for the teachers' meeting of the Battle Creek Sabbath-school, which those from abroad were invited to attend. On Tuesday evening (Nov. 23) there was a Bible-reading by Elder A. T. Robinson; on Wednesday evening a sermon by Elder I. D. Van Horn, and on Thursday evening one by Elder M. C. Wilcox, of England. Friday evening was devoted to a consideration of some features of the city missions, the time being occupied by Elder N. C. McClure, of San Francisco, Elder A. T. Robinson, of Brooklyn, Elder H. W. Miller, of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Elder George Starr, of Chicago. On Sabbath there was a sermon by Elder S. N. Haskell, on the subject of Education.
Every day at eight o'clock A. M. a large class of ministers and other laborers has met in the tabernacle to receive instructions from Dr. Kellogg, on the subject of health and temperance. These meetings are very interesting and profitable, and those who have attended are becoming fitted to preach the gospel of health, while they are teaching people the way of life eternal. W. Battle Creek, Nov. 28.