THE CAUSE IN CALIFORNIA by Joseph Harvey Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 25, 1880

THE CAUSE IN CALIFORNIA.

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

THE friends of the cause of "present truth" in California have much reason to be hopeful at the present time. The prospect before us is highly encouraging.

During the Conference year of 1878-9 there was no President of this Conference. Last fall Elder Haskell was elected to the office, but was obliged to go East to remain some time. The laborers have been few, and they have felt the need of a presiding officer to unite their efforts, and with whom to counsel in their labors.

Recently Bro. Haskell has returned and is laboring among the churches, and meetings now appointed will give an excellent opportunity to assist the ministers who may come together, and to instruct the officers of the Tract Societies in their duty.

The meeting at Oakland, the first Sabbath in April and through much of the week following, will be of great importance to the cause in this State, as well as the camp-meeting in Tulare county in April. The spring is the best time for a camp-meeting in that county. The weather will be more pleasant than at any other time, and nothing will hinder a full attendance.

Sister White has also come to remain for a season, and is now visiting the churches. The meetings of special interest which she will attend will be those at Oakland and in Tulare county. We wish to make special mention of the meeting at Oakland. It will be the only general meeting in this part of the State which Mrs. White will be able to attend before going to Oregon. The business of the State Quarterly Meeting will be done at that time. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Association will be held that week. Everything indicates the necessity of a good attendance from all the churches.

Bro. Willie C. White and wife have also come to this State, to give their labors more especially to the publishing interest. His experience in connection with the several enterprises at Battle Creek, where the business interests are larger and more varied than those at Oakland, and his natural cautiousness in business matters, give assurance that whatever comes under his supervision will be faithfully and wisely attended to, and carried forward to success.

Since Mrs. M. K. White left this State she has had considerable experience in connection with our papers at Battle Creek. She is now taking hold to assist on the Signs, and making good use of the experience acquired in years past.

Beside this, we are informed that two ministers from the East will soon arrive here to carry on tent labor. A new tent, in addition to those used last year, will soon be in the field. The friends are now subscribing liberally toward a fund for tract and missionary purposes. As Bro. Haskell cannot permanently remain on this coast, the coming of two ministers from the East gives great encouragement to those who have so long deplored the scarcity of laborers here.

Last year we made special efforts to place the Review in every family of Seventh-day Adventists on the Pacific coast. Our success in this was all we could expect. A special and united effort will be made this season to extend the circulation of the Signs of the Times as a missionary paper. No pains will be spared to make it just such a paper as will meet the approval of the Tract Societies, and we shall confidently look for their co-operation in this work.

Altogether we have much reason to be encouraged with the prospect. The work here has been subjected to some discouragements, as already noticed, but with present arrangements there is no reason why we should not be hopeful.

The cause is onward—it must be onward. It cannot be stayed. What is now needed is unity of action. To insure this there must be unity of spirit, and the basis of this is found in unity of the faith. If any are doubting, or partly in the truth and the light, let them put away their doubts,—accept fully and heartily the whole truth of the third angel's message, take a part in the work, so shall they have a part in the reward which is soon to be given. J. H. Waggoner.