Great Britain by N. Z. Town

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 21, 1914

Great Britain

By N. Z. Town

FROM March 20 to April 12 the annual meetings in the Irish Mission and in the Scottish, North England, and Midland Conferences were held. Each of these meetings, except the last, was followed by a canvassers' institute lasting about four days. The keynote in all these gatherings was the home missionary work. The questions of how each member could have a part in the work, and how each one might win one or more to the truth during the year, were carefully considered. The delegates and brethren and sisters present at these meetings took a deep interest in this matter, and entered heartily into the plans that have been suggested by the General Conference Home Missionary Department.

GROUP OF CANVASSERS AT THE STANBOROUGH PARK COLLEGE INSTITUTE

Not only did the brethren and sisters manifest a deep interest in the home missionary work, but also in the work in the regions beyond. The needs of the missions in charge of the European Division were presented by Elders W. J. Fitzgerald and Guy Dail, and the following resolution was enthusiastically discussed and unanimously voted in each conference:—

"Whereas, The needs of our missionary work are ever enlarging, requiring greater sacrifices on the part of each member in the homelands, therefore,—

"Resolved, That we definitely plan to adopt the recommendation made by the European Division General Conference to raise all our various offerings (Sabbath school, First day, annual, and miscellaneous offerings) to an average of ten cents a week per member to meet the urgent calls, and the heavy expenses in carrying forward this important branch of our work."

While recognizing the great need which still exists in the homeland, the brethren here in the British field feel that one of the best ways to help the home work is to be liberal toward the foreign mission work.

Recommendations were also passed favoring the support of the endowed bed, which is kept up at the Stanborough Park Sanitarium for the accommodation of our own brethren and sisters; and of getting all our people who are able to do so to subscribe for our church paper, the REVIEW AND HERALD.

In the discussion of these recommendations, the thought was emphasized that one of the best ways to raise ten cents a week is to keep the brethren informed regarding the progress that is being made in the mission fields throughout the world.

The Midland Conference meeting was one of special interest; first, because it was the first meeting of that conference since its organization, Jan. 1, 1914; and, second, because of the meetings being held at Kettering, in the Temperance Hall, where the truth was first presented to the people of Kettering thirty years ago by Elder J. H. Durland. Since then Sister E. G. White, Brother S. H. Lane, and several others have spoken to the people of Kettering in this same hall. Mr. T. Adams, the chairman of the Urban Council at Kettering, attended the first meeting of the conference, and made a fine speech welcoming us to Kettering.

In his reply to Mr. Adams, Elder Fitzgerald outlined the missionary work that is being carried on by Seventh-day Adventists throughout the world.

We were glad to meet at this meeting Elder T. M. French, who had just arrived from the Canary Islands to take up work in the Midland Conference.

Elder Guy Dail met us at the Scottish meeting, and was with us until the close of the Midland conference. The people very much enjoyed his talks regarding the experiences of our workers in the mission fields.

Following these annual conferences, Brother S. Joyce and the writer conducted a canvassers' institute with the students in Stanborough Park Missionary College. Nearly fifty young people in the college are planning to enter the canvassing work during the vacation. They manifested a lively interest in the studies given during the institute, and are very enthusiastic over the prospects for the summer. About twenty canvassers came in from the Midland and South England Conferences to get the benefit of the instruction.

The Lord has greatly blessed in these conferences and institutes in Great Britain. The workers are of good courage, and the outlook before them is good for a successful year.

N. Z. TOWN.