FIELD NOTES by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 1, 1894

FIELD NOTES.

By Editor

IT is expected that a church will soon be organized at Hilgard, Oregon.

FROM Spartansburgh, S. C., Brethren E. W. and L. A. Webster report the conversion of eight adult souls.

BROTHER H. E. GIDDINGS reports four accepting Christ at Lucas, Mo., with a real interest to hear more in consequence of opposition.

A REPORT from Brother J. A. Sweney, of Albuquerque, N. M., says that five have embraced the Sabbath there as the result of Bible readings.

ELDER R. S. DONNEL reports a growing interest at Boise, Idaho, where he and Elder Bagby were holding meetings. Eleven had united with the church.

NINE converts have lately been added to the company at Helena, Mont., making now twenty-six. One of these is a French Catholic. So reports Brother W. J. Stone.

ELDER J. H. MORRISON, of the California Conference Committee, returned to the State on the 19th inst., after a brief sojourn in Nebraska. He came by way of Washington and Oregon.

THE Bible Echo, published at Melbourne, Australia, has been changed from a 16-page semimonthly to an 8-page weekly. May the Lord's blessing be with it and doubly increase its usefulness.

ELDER O. A. OLSEN, president of the General Conference, reports good progress in the work in South Africa. The first year of the school, which closed November 7, has been a success in every respect. While the building was thought to be so large by some of its friends, it was found insufficient, so that they have found it necessary to provide more room.

OUR well-known canvasser, Brother W. Harper, writes that in one week he took 130 orders, and in five weeks 650 orders. A later note states that he was succeeding well in delivering the orders.

WE note the report of Elder M. G. Huffman in the Union Record that he was granted the free use of the Baptist Church in Vienna, Me., and the choir of the church sang for him on Sundays and helped him in other ways during the week.

AT Bellefonte, Pa., Brother L. S. Wheeler and wife have been holding successful meetings. Among those who accepted the truths presented were the pastor of the United Brethren Church, his wife, and some other members of his church.

ELDER D. C. BABCOCK says of the work at Tanner's Hill, W. Va., that it is very encouraging, "several having accepted the way of the Lord, and manifested a desire to suffer with the people of God rather than receive the mark of the beast."

A CANVASSER in West Virginia says that hereafter he will sell "Steps to Christ" as a help. He says, "It is a good seller, for it sells itself." Such a "help" not only helps the canvasser, but it is a help to the purchaser—if he will read it and heed it.

A PROFITABLE meeting is reported from the institute at Ithaca, Mich., by Brethren Falconer and Williams. Seventeen, most of whom were new converts, responded to the call to give their hearts to God. The same brethren report twenty new converts at Alma, as the result of a twelve-days institute. Another institute, held with the Lakeview Church, by Brethren Horton and Evans, resulted in fourteen of the youth starting to serve the Lord.

THE Bible Echo notes the opening, with excellent interest, of tent meetings at Seven Hills, N. S. W., Australia. The meetings are conducted by Elders D. Street and A. S. Hickox, the latter recently from California. The Echo also says: "From distant parts of New South Wales we learn of persons who are observing the Sabbath through having read the literature placed in their hands by members of our missionary societies. The openings are numerous, the calls are earnest, and the work is pressing all along the line."

ELDER B. J. CADY writes from the island of Raiatea, under date of October 29, that he has moved into his new house, which is fitted not only for a dwelling house but a school. It is 20x60 feet in size. The roof is covered with thatch made of the leaves of the pandanus palm, the sides of bamboo poles, split and woven. The school began with an attendance of 50, which has now increased to 100. Reading in the Tahitian language is especially taught, as is also, to some extent, the English and French. An educated young German and an American have embraced the Sabbath and are advocating it. The efforts put forth for the children are heartily appreciated.

NEW ZEALAND papers at ports visited by the Pitcairn are quite liberal in their compliments of the ship and the work in which it is engaged. Of the vessel one paper says: "The Pitcairn has proved herself a splendid ship in all weathers, and, as an instance of her sailing capabilities, it may be mentioned that the trip from Norfolk Island to Auckland, a distance of 700 miles, was run in seventy hours, which is reckoned a very smart passage." Another paper refers to the numerical strength of the Seventh-day Adventists, and adds that "it is evident they must have the work of Christianizing the heathen thoroughly at heart when they find funds to equip a vessel, build colleges, schools, and sanitariums, and distribute their missionaries over the islands of the Pacific Ocean."

THE Melbourne, Australia, Spectator of September 22 contains the following pungent paragraph: "A 'Lover of Truth' tells us that we have 'added iniquity to iniquity' by an advertisement of Dr. Kellogg's book, 'Social Purity.' The book, he allows, is right enough in itself, but Dr. Kellogg is an Adventist, and, therefore, the advertisement 'desecrates the pages of the Spectator.' This 'Lover of Truth' is also good enough to inform us that we 'must be lamentably ignorant for our age and position.' So we are, and we are wise enough to know it. We have handed our courteous correspondent's letter to the manager, to whose department, not to ours, the advertisements belong."

ELDER RODNEY S. OWEN reports that the academy, where he had held one meeting, at Flowery Branch, Ga., was closed against him by the Baptist minister. When this became known in the county, about five schoolhouses were offered, where he was urged to hold meetings. Near Dixie a young colored minister and his wife embraced the truth, and his church are very much stirred. Of his visit to Brother Merchants, near Quitman, Elder Owen writes:—

Here I heard afresh the sad story of the imprisonment and death of Brother Samuel Mitchell, who lived here when he became a victim of religious persecution. He had been guilty of plowing in his own field on the first day of the week, after having kept the Sabbath according to the commandment. For this offense he was sentenced to be confined in a loathsome prison cell for thirty days. Being in very poor health, the confinement in the damp cell was too much for him to endure, and he died soon after his release. Even his persecutors admitted that he was "a good man," but they said, "This Saturday keeping must be stopped."

During the trial the judge seemed inclined to release him, but, like Pilate, he yielded to the persecutors, and this man of God was sent to prison and to the grave. O spirit of religious freedom, pride of America, how sweet has been thy stay! How sad thy departure! The mutterings of the dragon's voice may be heard on every side. The trials and persecutions so long foretold are now at hand, but the glorious triumph of the remnant church is just beyond. Courage, brethren, courage in the Lord.