Organization by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 30, 1862

Organization.

By Editor

ABOUT all that has been done among the Seventh-day Adventists in relation to organization, is to silence the batteries of those who opposed it, and by dint of battle to succeed in forming the Publishing Association. And there the matter hangs, and we are not in as good condition to make a general strike for organization as we were two and half years since, when the subject was first introduced. 1. Because those who were then ready to take hold of the work of organizing Churches and Conferences with courage and hope, have had their courage worn out, and their hopes dimmed, by the opposition of some, and, what has been worse, the wavering, hesitating, non-committal position of others. 2. Some of our brethren who were in favor of organization, who were the supporters and best friends of the cause, have become much discouraged as they have seen that the course of several of our preachers has strengthened the hands of rebellion against order, the gifts, and systematic benevolence. Had our preachers all struck unitedly for organization at the first, this rebellion could then have been put down at once; but in Ohio it increased so rapidly as to soon wreck the cause in that State, and leave only the hope that some will make a timely escape. In Pennsylvania and Southern New York, it grew with fearful results. The brethren voted down organization, and sent us a report of their doings for publication. A leading brother from that field recently wrote to us stating his regret that he acted a part in that rebellion, and his thanks to us for not publishing the report; that their confidence in Brn. Cottrell, Ingraham, Andrews, Wheeler, and others, was very great, and that the opposition of some, and the hesitancy of others, had great influence with them.

In Iowa the spirit of rebellion and its confusing, unsettling results threatens to destroy almost everything. If it were only the loss of two years' time on the cause, the results would not be so painful. But these things have confused the young friends of the cause, encouraged rebellion among them, and brought them into a condition where it would be no use to attempt organization among them, until as much labor was expended upon them as it required to bring them to a profession of the present truth. To organize them as they are, would only be making a bad matter worse.

Those brethren who opposed organization, and those who were in favor of it, but, when the battle was going hard, drew back, and kept silent, have never realized the dreadful results of their course. And it seems not enough for them merely to acknowledge their mistake. Should they not try to redeem the time lost to the cause? Should they not feel the burden of the work, and be willing to commit themselves fully, and lead off in this work? They no doubt dread to meet the very opposition which their course has increased to stubbornness. But should they not put the armor on, and rush to the field of action, and save the sinking cause as far as possible? We cannot fill any of the numerous calls from other States to meet with the brethren in conferences until we are assured that these preachers will take hold of the organization question in earnest, and that they will stand by us when the battle goes hard.

We made a visit through New York, New England, and Canada, more than a year since, and met at every point the depressing influence of anti-organization, and shall not hastily venture another route. We held a Conference at Roosevelt, N. Y., where a year before two or three of our preachers sat still and saw organization voted down, and the very place seemed to us more like the house of death than the place where God was worshiped in Spirit and in truth. One of these preachers has had more influence with our people than any other man, because of his talent and mildness. His silence alone, under such circumstances, was an insupportable blow on the heads of those who stood with a minority in favor of organization.

We are ready to go far and near as the calls may be and duty indicate, as far as health and strength will admit, when our preachers and the brethren generally take a position where we can help them. But be it understood that we are done going the rounds in the present state of things. As for Michigan we would say that we have not suffered from these difficulties only as they have been imported from other States, and brought into our General Conferences. The brethren in Michigan have felt the depression, having an undying interest for the cause everywhere; but beyond this they are free. We have a State Conference from which our preachers receive credentials, to be renewed annually, and to which they are responsible. This saves our brethren from impostors, and from being divided by self-called, tobacco-eating, gift-hating, preachers. Every little body of Sabbath-keepers in the State will probably be organized soon, with the necessary officer or officers, and be united to the State Conference, to which they can report, and make their wants known through their delegates.

Systematic benevolence is generally carried out in this State, which brings a sufficient amount of means to sustain our preachers. But with this we must have systematic labor. Should our preachers visit the churches they would receive more than a sufficient sum for a support. Should they labor wholly in new fields, they would fail of a support. Most of our preachers can be spared to new fields, if those whose work is evidently with the churches are encouraged to their proper sphere of action. But how shall those who labor in new fields be supported? We design to lay before our Conference the following plan:

Raise a Conference fund, as we have raised our tent funds, and let this meet all the expense of labor in the State, whether by tent or otherwise. Let every preacher have a certain sum per week for his labor, and be required to report to the Conference each week's labor during the year, and present his account of all he has received during the year, and if his receipts fall short of the sum necessary to his support, let the amount be made up from the State treasury. “The laborer is worthy of his hire.” If this good rule be suffered to work both ways, then the hire is worthy of the labor. And, further, let all our preachers by mutual consent, and the counsel of the brotherhood, find their fields of labor for the Conference year as far as possible.