Go Forward by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 2, 1879

Go Forward.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

OUR good camp-meeting is in the past, and our brethren and sisters have returned to their homes. The important question with us should be, Will our lives now show that the influence of the meeting is yielding fruit unto eternal life?

We are anxious to see the cause move forward upon this coast. To accomplish this we should put forth immediate effort to carry out certain enterprises which were commenced at the camp-meeting.

1. All should adopt the tithing system. Not only our brethren and sisters but all those who are benefited by the truth; (See Rom. 15 : 27, Gal. 6:6;) this will include the children. A goodly number signed the tithing pledge at the camp-meeting. But some did not have an opportunity and some of the pledge papers containing names of those who had signed were lost. The treasurer in each church will therefore have a pledge paper which he will present to the brethren and give all an opportunity to sign. These names should be transferred to his S. B. book. Then every quarter the treasurer should collect from each person the sums thus laid one side. The money should be forwarded to the Office of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES as Mrs. Emma L. White is treasurer. But a report of it should be forwarded to Eld. J. D. Rice, Williams, Cal., as he is Secretary.

2. Each Church Clerk should also forward him a complete list of the members of those whose names are attached to the covenant, or in any way upon the church book unless they have been disfellowshiped.

3. Promptly return all reports the Secretary of the Conference may send to each company, properly filled out, every quarter.

4. Do all your Temperance and Tract Society business through the Secretary of the Health and Temperance Society, Miss Barbara Stickney, Oakland, Cal., care of SIGNS Office.

5. A Health and Temperance Club should be organized in each company of Seventh-day Adventists in Cal., and a club of the Temperance quarterly Journal be taken for distribution. The church at St. Helena has made a good start in this direction. All that were present signed the teetotal pledge and became full members. They also took a club of 30 copies of the Health and Temperance Quarterly.

This will be increased when others not present have an opportunity to take hold with them who are equally interested in the temperance movement.

Shall we not as a people on this coast present one solid front and move forward in the name of the Lord, and thus be able to say, Here we are, and the children that thou hast given us.

S. N. HASKELL.