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1897: THE BEST YEAR FOR MISSIONARY WORK AND OFFERINGS. .I:Vri5e, _Shine.; fcr VoL IX. BATTLE CREEK, U. S. A., MAY, 1897. No. 4. THE HOME MISSIONARY. College, go to South Africa to connect with the Clare- mont school. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY 2. That Professor and Mrs. W. E. Howell, of The International Tract Society. Healdsburg College, go to Honolulu to answer the call for teachers from that field. PRICE 25 CENTS PER YEAR. 3. That Professor and Mrs. G. W. Caviness go to EDITOR, . FRANCIS M. WILCOX. Mexico to connect with the Spanish work, it being ASSISTANT EDITOR, • L. T. NICOLA. understood that Professor Caviness will represent the Board on the Bible Revision Committee. Entered at the Post-office in Battle Creels, Mich. 4, That Miss Carrie Sadler go to Mexico to take the place made vacant by the ill health of Miss Ora MOVEMENTS OF MISSIONARIES. A. Osborn. These laborers, together with Elder Frank Armi- WE know that our people have been quite anx- tage and wife, recommended by the General Con- iously looking to the meetings held in Battle Creek ference Committee to go to Matabeleland, and since the close of the General Conference. Professor C.. B. Hughes and wife, of Keene, Tex., Immediately after the Conference, the Mission who were asked to connect with the school work in Board held a number of meetings. Many calls from Australia, are all the workers which the Board ex- our missionaries already in the field for extra help pects to send out at present. Other calls in the near by way of means and workers Were considered. The future may necessitate recommendations. Mission Board earnestly desired to make a liberal We trust that our brethren and sisters will remem- response to these calls ; but when the situation came ber these workers as they go to the places to which to be carefully studied, it was thought unwise and they have been appointed. They all go willingly, inconsistent still to increase the pay-roll and expense believing that they have the personal leading of the of the Mission Board with the present prospect of Lord in the matter ; and it is in this way that the missionary offerings. Much, therefore, against its Mission Board will endeavor to transact its work. desire, the Board felt compelled to pursue a some- We have reached a time when more regard should be what conservative course in the matter of sending had to individual leadings of duty. If the Lord out additional workers, making recommendations only desires a laborer in this country to go to some foreign where the exigencies of the cause seemed greatly land, he certainly can impress his mind as well as to demand. It is hoped that in response to the ap- the mind of the Mission Board ; and in joint im- peal sent out by the Board, we shall see such an in- pression and concert of action, we believe that mis- crease in our funds that a more aggressive and lib- takes will be avoided. eral plan can be followed in the future. To every land and clime the Lord is now sending The following recommendations were made by the forth his representatives. Soon, let us hope, they will Mission Board: — come with rejoicing, bringing with them many sheaves 1. That Professor and Mrs. J. L. Shaw, of Union which they have garnered for the heavenly kingdom. 74 THE HOME MISSIONARY. SHALL OUR MISSIONARIES BE RECALLED ? missionary questions considered. The following of- ficers were elected for the next two years : — THIS is a question which has been often raised in President, G. A. Irwin ; Vice-President, Allen Moon ; Sec- Mission Board circles during the last two or three retary and Treasurer, L. T. Nicola ; Board of Directors, G. A. years. There is hardly a church missionary society Irwin, Allen Moon, L. T. Nicola, W. W. Prescott, H. P. Holser, in the world but has been crippled for lack of funds C. H. Jones, Wm. Covert, S. H. Lane, A. 0. Tait, I. D. Van Horn, to carry forward its operations in other lands. As F. L. Mead. our own people well know, the Mission Board of The Committee on Plans and Resolutions pre- our own church has been no exception to this rule. sented the following report which was unanimously Again and again during the last two or three years adopted :— have there come peculiar crises in our operations. Whereas, The Lord has, through the Spirit of prophecy, pointed Those who have stood at the head of the work have out the importance of the tract and missionary work, and has walked by faith, not by sight. But the Lord has urged his people to greater activity in this line ; and,— been better than all the fears felt or expressed. None Whereas, The way is now in a special manner open for our of our missionaries have had to be recalled, and while publications to be scattered in all parts of the world, earnest calls for light and truth coming in from every direction, and the spirit it has been only by the closest economy that they of impartial investigation being very active ; therefore,— have been able to meet their pecuniary wants, none Resolved, That we recognize the Lord's hand in this favorable have suffered for the actual necessities of life. This condition of things, and put forth increased efforts to follow up truly is reason for great gratitude. We wish that the openings which present themselves, laying broader plans, and the outlook for the present were more favorable than preparing for a more vigorous campaign with our literature the coming year• than ever before. the picture the past presents. The same conditions Whereas, Our attention has repeatedly been called to the im- largely remain. Facts as presented in the last HOME portance of giving our periodicals a wide circulation ; and,-- MISSIONARY EXTRA were in no sense overstated ; and Whereas, It has been demonstrated that the work can be made we believe that our people everywhere will arise to nearly or quite self-sustaining when taken hold of in the right meet the situation, and that the year will witness way, therefore we recommend : 1. That in every church, persons be selected to make a house-to- many generous gifts to the cause of Christian mis- house canvass for long- or• short-term subscriptions, and that we sions. We are confident that this will be the case. encourage the delivery, in person, of all short-term subscriptions. None will permit their own interest to suffer, and the 2. That in our large cities the papers be sold on the street and interests of our missions are not the interests of the from house to house, working up regular routes as far as possible. Mission Board but of the denomination. The Board 3. That churches be recommended to take clubs for general missionary work. is only the agent chosen to direct the work. There- 4. That Bible workers be encouraged to use the Signs of the fore as the EXTRA pictures the interests of our foreign Times in securing readers and in carrying forward their work. fields, it only presents to the minds of our brethren 5, That each Conference employ competent persons to visit the and sisters the needs of their own sacred interests. churches, giving instruction in this line of work and taking right As mentioned in the EXTRA, it is not by a spas- hold to show the people how to make it a success. modic effort that the demands can be satisfactorily 6. That we appeal to our ministers, canvassers, and officers of churches generally, to interest themselves in this line of work, and met ; but it must be by a daily and weekly system of give it their hearty support. donating to the treasury of the Lord. May we not 7. That we recommend for favorable consideration the plan of reasonably hope that, the year 1897 will be the best issuing editions of the Signs of the Times to be used in advertising year in the interest manifested by the dear brethren our camp-meetings and other important gatherings. and sisters in the work which has been committed to Whereas, Experience has demonstrated that our tracts and pamphlets can also be sold by a house-to-house canvass ; there- their watchcare ? fore,— Resolved, That we encourage members of our local societies PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRACT and scattered members who are not otherwise engaged in the cause, to devote a portion or all of their time to this line of work, SOCIETY. using the envelope package plan as far as consistent. Whereas, There are so many of our American churches in the THE eighteenth session of the International Tract neighborhood of large German and Scandinavian settlements ; Society was held in connection with the late General therefore,— Conference at College View, Neb. Two regular and Resolved, That we invite these churches, and our American brethren and sisters generally, to assist in the work of introducing several informal meetings were held, at which im- our• German and Scandinavian periodicals, and securing subscribers portant papers were presented and many practical for them. THE HOME MIISSIONARY. 75 Whereas, The plan of appointing men to devote their whale Garments given away, 256 ; baskets of food, 100 ; time to canvassing for these papers has met with general success ; canned fruit, 12 quarts ; several barrels of clothing therefore,— sent away ; clothing to the amount of $21.71 was• Resolved, That we request those of our conferences which have a considerable German or Scandinavian population to consider distributed ; and $35 collected for the mission in.

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