AGAIN we go to press in the absence of the Editor. Owing to a press of matter coming in at a late date, which seemed necessary should appear in this number, several valuable articles we were obliged to lay over till next number. We have also been obliged to shorten up a number of the continued articles.
The plan of devoting the first one or two pages of the paper to the exposition of some fundamental point of our faith, which we wish to bring before a world who do not believe as we do, is one which all can appreciate. In the form of a tract many would doubtless read it; but appearing in the first pages of a periodical, the balance of which is filled with matter of the most lively interest to all Christians, but few will pass it by without a reading.
Hence we say, place a copy of the paper in the hands of every candid person that you think would read it. You cannot tell what the result may be. Only yesterday we heard of a brother in this State who understood the benefit to be derived from reading, and whenever he had an opportunity would place a tract in the hand of a friend with the request that he would read it. What was the result? When Eld. Loughborough came through that section there were five souls requested baptism who had embraced the truth without hearing a sermon. But that is not all. Bro. Young received some tracts at the hand of this brother and was convinced of the truth. Well, he has been at work scattering the tracts; and now he writes to Eld. Loughborough stating that five have embraced the truth through reading tracts that he has given them, and asks advice about starting a Bible class. And thus the work is going on, and these are the reports we are receiving from all over the land.
Cheering reports are coming in of the advancement of the cause from all quarters. The report of the Michigan camp meeting is truly encouraging; as also the reports from Elds. Loughborough, Canright and Van Horn. Since these reports have been received we have received later word by letter from quite a number. We have the report of good camp meetings in the Eastern States.
Eld. Cornell is now in Guenoc, Lake county Cal. It is a place of but nine houses. Taking a circle of four miles in each direction there are but forty families, yet from the first his audience has averaged seventy-five.
He went at the request of the only Sabbath keeper in the vicinity. Five more had been reading our publications, and as soon as they understood the nature of the lectures that were to be given and had conversed with Bro. Cornell, they took their stand and kept their first Sabbath.
Eld. Van Horn writes Sept. 3: Our tent has now been pitched two weeks in Weston, Umatilla Co., Oregon. The interest is good and the attendance good for so small a place. We hope for good results.
Bro. Loughborough reports: I have closed the tent meeting at Vallejo. Organized s. b. for the little company there amounting to $153.50 per year. A delegate was chosen to represent their company in our Conference, and a resolution passed by them requesting the watch-care of the Cal. Conference.
In the item "To our Patrons," the removal of the SIGNS to Michigan is hinted at. It rests wholly with the friends on this coast to say whether it shall remain here, or be taken east. Perhaps all do not realize just how the matter stands. The eastern friends offer to purchase a site, build an office building, and stock it complete, all ready for operations. What is expected of the friends on this coast is that they support the SIGNS, and meet the current expenses of its publication. Here is a golden opportunity. The east is looking on with intense interest to the work that is going on on the Pacific coast. Not only does their interest express itself in words, but it puts their hands into their pockets, and they do not come out empty. Now the only question is, will we support the paper if it is established on the Pacific? Here the matter stands. Eld. Loughborough's article in last paper was to ascertain what would be done on this coast. The matter will be left open until after camp meeting. If between this time and the close of the camp meeting the matter is taken up in such a manner as to show that the Pacific coast will support the SIGNS, it will become a fixture on this coast. Otherwise it will be removed east immediately after the camp meeting.