OUR WORK AND WORKERS by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 28, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 42.

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OUR WORK AND WORKERS.

By Editor

Two additions to our ranks are reported at Fremont, Mich.

At Knapp, Wis., October 2, three persons were baptized by Elder Swin Swinson.

On the 4th ult. eight persons were baptized at Alexander, Iowa, by Elder D. P. Gaede.

On the 4th ult. a new church building was dedicated free of encumbrance at Lansing, Mich.

A general meeting for General Conference District No. 2 will be held at Graysville, Tenn., November 9-16.

Elder P. L. Hoen was recently invited to speak three evenings in the Swedish M. E. Church in Escanaba, Mich.

Elder A. C. Bourdeau recently baptized fifteen persons at Wakopa, Manitoba, making the church membership thirty-five.

At Burt, Mich., where Elder W. D. Hebner has been laboring, the interest is said to be so great that plans for a new church building are being made, even in advance of any organization.

Elder T. H. Starbuck, of Portland, Oregon, has accepted the position of preceptor of Walla Walla College, and will also act as secretary of the correspondence school conducted by that institution.

Elder P. Giddings reports the baptism of four persons at New Amsterdam, and one at Georgetown, British Guiana. He also states that at Essequibo a minister and his family of seven have joined our people.

On the 2d inst. six candidates were baptized, and a church of twenty members organized, by Elder W. A. Sweany, at Albert Lea, Minn. Steps are being taken for the immediate erection of a house of worship.

At Morden, Manitoba, Elder H. J. Dirksen, who has been laboring among the German population, baptized fourteen converts a few weeks ago. A suitable building is being arranged for church services by the brethren at this place.

At London, Ont., on the 12th ult., Elder J. F. Ballinger baptized twelve candidates. A church is soon to be organized there, as the interest created by the tent and Bible work is reported to be quite good, one invalid lady having been healed in answer to prayer.

During a recent fair at Chatham, Ont., Elder P. M. Howe and others, set a tent on the fair grounds for the accommodation of mothers with children. Some of our lady Bible workers were in charge of the tent, and the enterprise was highly complimented as an act of missionary work.

At the late session of the New York Conference, officers were elected as follows: President, A. E. Place; vice-president, P. Z. Kinne; secretary, H. L. Bristol; treasurer, Fred E. Pierce. The conference now employs sixteen ordained ministers and three licentiates, besides other grades of laborers.

At Gutches schoolhouse, Minn., a church of seventeen members, all heads of families, was recently organized by Elder W. B. Hill and others. The Sabbath-school numbers over forty. Elder Hill, who has been laboring in the ministry for twenty-four years in Minnesota, has removed to College View, Neb.

In connection with tent meetings held at West Selkirk, Manitoba, by Brethren E. H. Huntley and Alex. Ritchie, twelve adults have accepted the Sabbath of the Lord. Elder Falconer, in his report to the Review, says: "One of these is a lady mission worker among the Icelandic people. Another is an Indian preacher, who belongs to the Cree tribe, and will fit himself for labor among his people."

Elder Grant Adkins, after holding a series of forty-one meetings in the Odd Fellows' Hall in Briceville, Tenn., was finally obliged to vacate through the influence of members of other churches who were also members of the order. It all turned out well, however, for he was enabled to purchase a building and convert it into a comfortable meeting place for a very small sum of money. So it was demonstrated that the enemy's effort to shut the truth out of the town only served more firmly to plant it.

On the reservation of the Indians, formerly known as the Six Nations, in Ontario, Brethren Simpson and Spear have been laboring among the Indians. These Indians are an intelligent class of farmers. Over twenty have accepted the Sabbath truth, and on a recent Sunday ten of them were baptized. Others are to follow soon. Elder J. H. Durland, president of Michigan Conference, was present, and reports to Field Echoes that more than three thousand people, some of them coming eight and ten miles, were out to see the Indians baptized. He adds: "The work among this people has created a spirit of inquiry all through this part of the country."

Missionaries to Japan.

On Sunday, October 17, a farewell missionary service was held in the S. D. A. Church in San Francisco. The occasion was the soon departure of Mrs. W. C. Grainger and daughter, on October 21, for Japan. Both go as missionaries, to join the husband and father, Professor Grainger, who is already there, and who, besides his other work, has a class of sixty he is instructing in English Bible. The exercises of the meeting, consisting of remarks on Japan and work among the Japanese, by Elder H. H. Dexter, Brethren Parlin and Burden, and Sister Grainger, and the singing of quartet and choir, led by Brother Winslow, made the evening one of interest, and we trust of profit. We would that many more were going to the country of the Orient. May God go with these dear souls, and give them safe passage, and wisdom and grace for their new work.

Our Medical Missionary Board is preparing for a vigorous campaign in the south during the coming winter. There is crying need for the kind of work done by this board, to which need the floods of the past season and the yellow fever epidemic have largely added in the south. The proceeds of the missionary gardening and farming plan, in vogue to some extent among our rural brethren, have been set apart for the use of the board, and their work is made partially self-supporting in various ways; yet it is a work which, like the ministry of the Word, is limited only by the wide expanse of suffering humanity. It is a question which arises in the contemplation of all missionary work, "Where is the means, and where are the laborers?" The Lord has indicated how it all may be accomplished. First, he says, "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." Prov. 23:26. Secondly, he enjoins his people to give as he hath prospered them. To this is added the assurance that "God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7); "As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth forever" (verse 9). The work of the Lord becomes simpler and far less perplexing as his people learn to take him at his word. His yoke is easy, and his burden is light, if men will consent to bear them in his way.