Change of Laborers by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 15, 1878

Change of Laborers.

By James White

OUR field of labor is widening and growing more extensive every year. And as new and important missions are opening continually, calling for the labors and executive ability of our strongest and most experienced laborers, it becomes a matter of great importance that the right men should superintend the great work in the right fields, and that there should be those changes of laborers which will be beneficial to both preachers and people.

We will not at this time undertake to state the beneficial results of proper changes or the disadvantages of having the same gifts occupy the same fields year after year. These are too apparent to observing minds to need lengthy explanations.

The Methodists, seeing the importance of change of gifts, have incorporated a system of changes from the Bishop down to the Itinerants. Whether the vitality and mammoth growth of this great body in past years has resulted very much from their system of changing laborers constantly to new fields, we leave the reader to judge. But the General Conference Committee do not think it the duty of their office to direct ministers to their fields of labor, or to decide the time they should remain in any one place. They regard themselves as a committee to form plans and take the supervision of their execution, and to counsel with and advise laborers as to their fields of labor.

It is the general opinion that the time has come to open a mission in England, and that Elder J. N. Loughborough is the man to take charge of it. He has labored successfully the past ten years on the Pacific coast, and under God has accomplished a great and good work. And now there are three organized Conferences on that coast, one in California, one in Oregon and Washington, and one in Nevada.

There are in California from ten to twenty laborers, besides Elder L. Five are ordained, and others should be ordained at their Conference in September. In the Oregon and Washington Conference there are six preachers, three of whom are ordained. The Nevada Conference is young and small. One of the young men in California will probably be ordained and sent to Nevada. In order to give some idea of the growth of the cause on the Pacific coast, we give an extract from an excellent letter from Mrs. W., dated Oakland, Cal., July 21, 1878:—

"Yesterday was the Sabbath and was a precious day to the brethren in Oakland and San Francisco. The two churches met under the tent, about two hundred believers. In our first camp-meeting there were no more than this. Now these two cities alone number as many as attended our first two camp-meetings.

"I spoke from 1 John 3:1–3, and had great freedom in speaking. Heaven seemed very near, and Jesus so exceedingly precious to me. I urged upon the congregation, whom God had made the depositaries of his law, a living faith exemplified by their works. If the hope was within, they must purify themselves as He is pure. This alone would give them a moral fitness to see the Saviour as he is, and to be glorified at his appearing. There was deep feeling in the congregation. The praise of God was in my heart and upon my lips, and I could not refrain from praising God with heart and voice.

"After I ceased speaking, a conference meeting was held, and many precious testimonies were borne. I again spoke to the people, urging upon them the necessity of their works corresponding with their faith. Self-denial is required. Means are wanted to replenish the treasury of God. If young and old would deny themselves of the littles which are continually going out from them like a tiny stream in unnecessary indulgences to gratify the eye or the taste, or to indulge the appetite, there would be a large amount to place in God's treasury to be used to advance his cause. If those who are converted from darkness to light would take these useless and extravagant articles, such as jewelry and place them at the foot of the cross, their hearts would be freed from these idols, and God would look with approval upon the sacrifice."

When we take into the account the Pacific Press located in Oakland, and the growing interest at both Oakland and San Francisco, we agree with Mrs. W. that strong men of God are wanted in these two great cities where so very much is pending, especially in the absence of Elder L. And after prayerful deliberation we decide to recommend that Elder Geo. I. Butler be chosen president of the California Conference at its session in September. Missouri will greatly miss him; and, in fact, there is not a Conference of Seventh-day Adventists who would not be glad of his labors; but as we have but few such men, while positions of very great importance are increasing, these men must be spared from posts of less importance to fill their proper places in the great work. The man who has the genius and judgment to invent, build, and use a reaper with horse power, would make a great mistake to take an old-fashioned hand sickle and go into the harvest-field to reap. And an able and judicious overseer of forty-nine common laborers would make an equally great mistake to leave his men to direct themselves while he should cease to direct others and make only a common hand himself. It is important that every man should find his proper position in the work. God has made some men to direct and other equally good men to be directed; but those that direct must be men of God, sound in head and in heart, men of piety, prayer, and good example, that they may properly impress those under their watchcare.

New England is becoming a most interesting and important field. The labors bestowed in that field by Elder Canright and others the past year fully establish the fact that the time has fully come for continued efficient labors at that old head-quarters of the proclamation of the first angel's message. That discouragement which has been felt as to laboring in the territory of the first-day and no-day Adventists is passing away. We believe that there are among the Adventists, especially among the children of the old Adventists, thousands who will yet give good heed to the gospel of the third angel's message.

And after prayerful consideration of this important matter we recommend that the New England Conference at its next session elect Elder E. W. Farnsworth president of their Conference, to remain several years in the New England States, and have the general supervision of the work in all New England. This dear brother had the good fortune to be born at Washington, New Hampshire, where the Sabbath was first introduced among the Adventists. And we further suggest that Elder L. McCoy be chosen president of the Iowa Conference at its next session, to take the place of Elder Farnsworth. Elder McCoy has long been known at Sigourney, Iowa, as a thorough business man, and his experience as secretary of the Iowa Conference for several years, and his success as a minister of the gospel, all of which is well known to the brethren in Iowa, are sufficient to warrant our suggestion.

May the Lord guide our brethren in their deliberations in all these important matters pertaining to the welfare of the cause of God, of truth and righteousness.

GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. JAMES WHITE, Chairman.