Your ShelfYour Projects

ANNUAL SESSION OF THE CALIFORNIA TRACT SOCIETY

6%

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 28, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 41.

Read the full edition

ANNUAL SESSION OF THE CALIFORNIA TRACT SOCIETY.

THE nineteenth annual session of this society, consisting of five meetings, was held in connection with the Oakland camp-meeting, September 25 to October 7, 1889. After the opening exercises of the first meeting a brief summary of the proceedings of the society during the year was given by the secretary. This was followed by an address from the president, W. C. White, in which he spoke of the general workings of the society. He said that the experience of the past year had been an instructive lesson as regards the possible results of united and harmonious action, in the circulation of literature, and by the various means adopted to defeat the efforts being made to secure religious legislation. The Tract Society should be ready to act quickly in any emergency where truth, principles of justice, and the honor of God, are at stake. The society was organized for this purpose, and its members should ever be ready to enter heartily into the work wherever and whenever duty calls.
At this annual session we are called upon to decide how the work shall be carried forward. Among the questions that should receive consideration are:—
  1. Will the California Tract Society annex the Territories of Arizona and Utah? If so, can it send an active and efficient corps of workers into those Territories?
  2. Will the society adopt the plans proposed in the August Extra of the Home Missionary, for the thorough canvass of every place where it has a branch?
  3. Shall the society offer to take charge of the canvassing work in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada?
  4. Shall we employ a canvassing agent to give his entire time to the health and temperance publications, selecting and training agents for this work, and employing, as far as possible, a good local agent in every city and town in the State?
  5. Shall arrangements be made to put four or five men in the field to give their time to the work, each one to be a vice-president of the society?
  6. What shall be done in the ship and city mission work the coming year? and what provision shall be made to meet this expense and the present debt?
  7. What shall be done at the expense of the State society in sending the Sentinel, and other literature upon the relation of civil governments to the church, and the evils of religious legislation, to the State and territorial legislators, lawyers, judges, editors, and other prominent citizens?
These questions, in connection with other important matters, were carefully considered in counsels composed of the board of directors and ministers, and the results of the deliberations presented in subsequent meetings of the society.In accordance with the resolution passed at the last annual session, the financial and statistical portion of the report of the society had been printed. Copies of this were placed in the hands of those present at the meeting. It is as follows:—
REPORT OF LABOR.
TREASURER'S REPORT.
FINANCIAL STANDING.
The society has 45 local branches, 5 of which were added during the year. The approximate membership of the society is 1,600.
The use of the Sentinel in the Tract Society work has surpassed that of the SIGNS, as the copies taken in clubs of the latter is 4,588, while the SIGNS is but 2,860. (At two different times during the year, a special edition of the Sentinel was issued to meet the demands of our work. Of these, about 61,500 copies were circulated. The local branches responded nobly to the call for means to defray the expense of printing these papers; the sum of $875.45 was realized.
The society has furnished the Sentinel to the newspapers of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah; as the result editorials favoring our position, as well as selections from the Sentinel, have appeared in many of these journals. The Sentinel has also been sent to members of Congress and to California State officials. Copies of the "Civil Government and Religion" have been donated to the senators of this State. The number of public libraries, reading-rooms, etc., furnished with our various periodicals, is as follows: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, 27; American Sentinel, 27; Pacific Health Journal, 23; Good Health, 36. The book sales for the year, not including the work of field canvassers, have amounted to $2,253.14.
A new feature introduced into our work during the year is the circulation of petitions to Congress opposing Sunday legislation. The number of signatures obtained in this Conference is now about 45,000. The truth has in this way been brought before thousands. Men of influence not only gave their own names but united with us in securing the signatures of others. Our own people entered into the work heartily, and many have gained a valuable experience. Our field of usefulness has been broadening from year to year, and especially during the one just closed has the Lord opened the way for a more varied and aggressive work. A more hearty co-operation of the members has been secured, and God has added his blessing to the efforts made. The prominence with which our position and work as a people has been brought before the public, has been largely due to the activity of the society.
Committees were appointed by the chair as follows:— On Nominations—W. M. Healey, F. V. Harmon, B. R. Nordyke. On Resolutions—H. A. St. John, W. N. Glenn, C. P. Bollman.
The Committee on Resolutions submitted the following:— Resolved, That the constitution of this society be amended by substituting the following:— CALIFORNIA TRACT SOCIETY—CONSTITUTION. # ARTICLE I.—NAME. This society shall be called the Tract and Missionary Society of the California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. # ARTICLE II.—OBJECTS. The objects of this society shall be: (1) The publication and circulation of religious, temperance, and educational literature; (2) the dissemination of information in regard to home and foreign missions, and the raising of funds for their support. # ARTICLE III.—MEMBERSHIP. Any person of good standing in a Seventh-day Adventist Church, or who is recommended by such a church, may become a member by the payment of one dollar. # ARTICLE IV.—OFFICERS. The officers of this society shall be: (1) A president; (2) a first vice-president, and as many additional vice-presidents as the society shall deem necessary; (3) a treasurer; (4) a secretary; (5) a board of directors, of which the president, vice-presidents, treasurer, and secretary shall be members ex officio. These officers shall be elected at each annual meeting of the society. # ARTICLE V.—MANAGEMENT. The board of directors shall have the general management and oversight of the work of this society. # ARTICLE VI.—DUTIES OF OFFICERS. SECTION 1.—President. The duty of the president shall be to preside at all meetings of the society, and of the board of directors, and to have general oversight of the work of the society. SEC. 2.—First Vice-President. It shall be the duty of the first vice-president to act in place of the president in his absence, and to work in connection with the president at his request. SEC. 3.—Additional Vice-Presidents. It shall be the duty of the additional vice-presidents to personally superintend the field work of the society, under the direction of the board of directors. SEC. 4.—Treasurer. The treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the society, and shall render account thereof to the society annually, or when requested so to do by the board of directors. SEC. 5.—Secretary. The secretary shall keep the records of the society, conduct the correspondence, and perform such other duties as usually devolve upon such officers. SEC. 6.—Directors. It shall be the duty of each director to labor for the promotion of the objects of the society in his entire district; and to visit the several branch societies at least once a quarter, to encourage, assist, and instruct them in their work. It shall also be his duty to appoint in each branch society in his district, a chairman, who shall preside at all meetings of the society; a librarian, who may also act as secretary; and an agent for foreign missions; the three to constitute the Executive Committee of the branch society, to plan for, and to direct its work, and appoint such assistants as may be necessary. # ARTICLE VII.—FUNDS. The funds of this society shall consist of money received on membership fees and sales of publications, and also free-will offerings. # ARTICLE VIII.—AMENDMENTS. This constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.
Resolved, That we give expression of our gratitude to God for his blessings during the past year, and for the success with which he has crowned our feeble and imperfect labors in his holy cause. WHEREAS, Our annual reports show a marked increase over the previous year in almost every line of work in the society; therefore, Resolved, That from the encouragement of this showing, as also from the momentous character of the times, we redouble our diligence, and, the Lord helping, prosecute the good work with renewed vigor during the coming year. Resolved, That we will encourage by our prayers and moral support, those who qualify themselves for, and engage in, the canvassing work. Resolved, That contributions be solicited every missionary Sabbath by each society, as formerly. Resolved, That, as workers' meetings, where faithfully and fully tested, give satisfactory proof of practical utility, we recommend our directors to inform themselves at once, as to the best method of conducting them, in order that they may be efficient and instructive, and establish the same in each branch society where practicable. WHEREAS, There has been a lack of uniformity in securing funds to sustain the work in the different districts, and debts have accumulated, to the discouragement of the members; therefore, Resolved, That we recommend that weekly pledges be made by all the members, according to their ability, and paid as often as once a quarter. WHEREAS, It is demonstrated beyond question, that the American Sentinel is a powerful agent for good in connection with the Lord's work for this generation; therefore, Resolved, That all our branch societies be solicited to make special efforts to place this important journal in the hands of the people. WHEREAS, The SIGNS OF THE TIMES has been established in the providence of God as a medium for the dissemination of his truth for the last days; and, WHEREAS, It is proposed to make it more and more not only a teacher of righteousness, but a teacher of true religious liberty, and to show the connection of this liberty with Bible Christianity—thus well-fitting it to follow the work of the American Sentinel; and, WHEREAS, This paper is furnished to the societies at a loss to the publishers; therefore, Resolved, That we as a society will heartily support the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and give it as wide a circulation as possible, and pay the regular single subscription price per copy for our own. WHEREAS, The California Conference has annexed the Territories of Arizona and Utah; therefore, Resolved, That these Territories be accepted as a part of the California Tract and Missionary Society. Resolved, That we approve of the plans proposed in the August Extra of the Home Missionary, for the thorough canvass of every place where we have a branch society, and will endeavor with divine aid to carry them out. WHEREAS, The ship and city missions have already accomplished great good in bringing the truth before thousands of the traveling public who could not have been reached in any other way; and, WHEREAS, Greater demands are now being made on the society for extending its work into new fields; therefore, Resolved, That a fund of five thousand dollars be raised to sustain the work for the coming year. Resolved, That we instruct the secretary to have two thousand copies of the new constitution, together with the list of officers, and the resolutions passed at this session of the society, printed immediately, for gratuitous distribution to the members of the society. Resolved, That we request the board of directors to arrange to take charge of the canvassing work in the California Conference, as soon as practicable. Resolved, That we request the California Conference to employ the five men chosen by this society as vice-presidents to devote their entire time to the work of this society.This constitution was carefully considered and adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members present. The remaining resolutions were discussed and adopted. The Nominating Committee, before submitting their report, recommended that San Diego County be taken from district number 6 and constitute district 7. The territory formerly known as district 7 be divided, and the counties of Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, and Sierra in California, and the portion of Western Nevada lying north of the Central Pacific Railway, with the exception of Reno, be known as district 9, while Reno and all Western Nevada south of the railway, with the counties of Mono and Inyo in California, comprise district number 10. These proposed changes were made by vote of the society, after which the following report was submitted:— For President, W. C. White; First Vice-President, and to have special oversight of districts 3, 4, and 5, H. A. St. John; additional Vice-Presidents—Wm. Ings, Northern California, composed of districts 1, 2, and 8; J. H. Cook, districts 9 and 10; D. C. Hunter, districts 6, 7, and Arizona; G. H. Derrick, Utah and Eastern Nevada; Secretary, Anna L. Ingels; Treasurer, B. R. Nordyke; Directors—District 1, Wm. Ings; 2, Erastus Banta; 3, W. N. Glenn; 4, F. Brown; 5, J. W. Beall; 6, Frank Stubbs; 7, W. S. Swayze; 8, G. H. Gibson; 9, W. K. Ball; 10, L. A. Scott. These persons were elected to office for the ensuing year. It has been decided that Sister Marian Klaiber, who has acted as assistant secretary of this society for four years, connect with the work in Colorado for the coming year, as one of the secretaries of the Tract Society there. Her labor is needed in that field, and a change of climate was thought advisable for her health. At a subsequent meeting the following resolution was presented by the Committee on Nominations, and carried:—
WHEREAS, J. W. Beall was elected director of district 5 without being consulted, and the delegates of Fresno and Lemoore represent to us that, in their opinion, he is so situated that he cannot be expected to devote sufficient time to the work; and, WHEREAS, These delegates suggest the name of J. S. Howard; therefore, Resolved, That we substitute the name of J. S. Howard for J. W. Beall as director of district 5.
In carrying out the resolution relative to raising funds for the furtherance of the work, the brethren and sisters freely gave for the support of the society to the amount of $2,807.80; of this $621.05 was cash, and the balance in pledges, the greater share of which are to be paid on or before January 1, 1890. Among those who gave interesting experiences of their connection with the work during the past year were D. C. Hunter, E. A. Briggs, J. F. Bahler, C. B. Secord, M. J. Church, and H. P. Gray. Sister White, A. T. Jones, and Wm. Ings also favored us with fitting remarks. The society was adjourned. W. C. WHITE, Pres. ANNA L. INGELS, Sec.