Appeal to the California Conference by Stephen Nelson Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 9, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 38.

Appeal to the California Conference.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I have thought much of your camp-meeting since its appointment at Oakland, and did not know that I did have so much interest in your work on the Pacific Coast. I have ever believed that God has great blessings for his people who take great responsibility. The institutions located in your midst lay greater responsibilities on you than on any other Conference in the country, and when God places upon any people greater responsibilities, it is because he designs to bestow a large amount of grace; and if they walk in the light and discharge these responsibilities, in that proportion will be their reward in the Kingdom of God. "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister." Heb. 6:10.

The responsibility of giving the truth to the islands of the Pacific Ocean as well as to Australia, New Zealand, and those countries west, will rest largely on those who reside on the Pacific Coast. The islands west of California are as much to that Conference as the islands of the Atlantic are to the country east of the Rocky Mountains. As I think of the institutions in your midst and the facilities you have to connect with those countries, I feel thankful for the disposition of the friends on the Pacific Coast to so cheerfully take the responsibilities, and put forth such efforts to bear them. There are great blessings in store for God's people a little way in the future. He wants to work for his people in mighty power, and he will do so as soon as they occupy a position where he can; but where there are great blessings in store, there must be mighty efforts put forth in order to receive said blessings. Satan will bring every effort in his power to hinder the people from acting the part which will receive these blessings.

When Christ made his first advent to our world, great light dawned upon the people. Had the Jews received the Saviour, they would have secured to themselves the greatest blessings ever obtained by mortals; but in order to receive him it would have cost them a mighty struggle. Those who did receive him and obtained his blessing, put forth such an effort to resist the influence around them as was in proportion to the blessings they received. The Saviour describes their experience thus: "The kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent taketh it by force." They were obliged to surmount obstacles and gain victories such as they had not experienced before.

Many of our friends in California have manifested a liberality by pledges to sustain the cause in that State and to carry the truth into foreign countries. This was especially manifested at your last camp-meeting. God accepted those pledges and blessed those who made them; but pledging was only the commencement of a battle. Satan will contend for every inch of ground. He knows should the pledges be promptly paid, and the work still be sustained with a liberal hand, that souls would be delivered from the power of darkness, and great victories would come to the people of God. It will require greater vigilance and earnestness to pay the pledges than to earn the means out of which the pledges are to be paid. Our brethren oftentimes forget this and conclude that making the pledges was the hardest part of the battle. It will require faith, sacrifice, and a venturing out on the promise of God to gain victory and obtain the blessing which will come as the result of the effort; but if we make circumstances conform to what we know to be right, it will make us strong, and perfect us in our judgment so that we will be useful in the cause of God. I hope our brethren will appreciate this and not suffer an unpaid pledge to rest on the California Conference. Each church and all connected with it should feel a responsibility in this matter, for it is the pathway to great blessings, and this matter should not rest until all pledges in California are canceled by the payment of the same. If some persons are unfortunate and cannot pay them and have not the means to do so, others should aid them. I do not write this because of any personal interest; but am anxious to see God walk through California in mighty power. I trust not one will take back his pledges and say it was a mistake that they made them, for then God would be displeased, and would bring a curse instead of a blessing. "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands." Eccl. 5:6.

May God bless you in all your deliberations, give you largely of his Holy Spirit, and the work of God prosper on the Pacific Coast. Although it is not probable that I can be on the Pacific Coast for the year to come, if ever, yet I shall ever be interested in your prosperity. Our associations in the past, ever since I have been officially connected with the work on the coast, have been as pleasant as with any Conference or institution with which I have ever been connected; and on this point I have nothing to regret, only my incompetency to serve you better. While I deem it for your interest and for mine no longer to hold an official connection with you, yet the union which exists in the bonds of truth, I trust, will be perpetuated in the kingdom of God.

We are living in solemn times. It is in the closing work of the Judgment. It will be but a short time and the work will be over. Our only safety will be in living near to God. Remember the cause is more precious than our lives, and it should ever be our privilege to sacrifice for its interests, for we cannot afford to fail of eternal life. S. N. HASKELL.