General Conference Bulletin, vol. 2

REPORTING SYSTEM

L. A. HOOPES

THE system of reporting is an item of no little interest in the work of Seventh-day Adventists. The cause is constantly taking on new phases, so that the report blanks of a few years ago seem to be out of date to-day. Attempts have been made to get an accurate report of every transaction in every department. This has been demonstrated to be impracticable. Then efforts have been made to leave off the reporting entirely, but this has not proved to be satisfactory. What we need is some happy medium, something that would give in brief a true history of the denomination, giving only such items as are easily obtained. GCB July 1, 1897, page 88.4

The system of reporting has much to do with the matter. There should be, and there is, a statistician of the denomination, and reports from every department of the cause should have a natural channel through which they should reach him. How may this be brought about? First, let all reports come through the regular line of secretaries, beginning with the church clerk. The report would first go to the conference secretary; then the secretary would compile a report for the General Conference Secretary, who is the statistician of the denomination. GCB July 1, 1897, page 88.5

For the Sabbath-school work, the Sabbath-school secretary will report to the secretary of the State association; he in turn to the International Association secretary. Then the secretary of the International Association will compile a report for the Secretary of the General Conference, to be embodied in the official statistics of the denomination. The same line should be followed with every other department of the cause. The reports should be brief and simple, and should cover the important items which are easily obtained. GCB July 1, 1897, page 88.6

The reporting should be confined to the fewest persons possible. Then these should consider that it is a part of their business to see that correct reports are promptly rendered. In this way we do not see why a correct status of the entire field of our work may not be obtained, without discommoding anyone. It is an inconvenience, however, for a secretary to make up two or three sets of reports, and especially to parties outside of their regular routine work. For example, it would be quite difficult for the conference secretary to give a full account of the tract or Sabbath-school work, as he has no way of obtaining the report, only as he writes the secretary of the tract society or the Sabbath-school association. Let each one report through his regular line of secretaries. Those who have had most to do along this line can best appreciate what we say. GCB July 1, 1897, page 89.1

Take, for illustration, our system of Sabbath-school reporting. It is the best system now in vogue. Now imagine a conference of over one hundred schools. It is no small item to figure out all the details. Then imagine two or three other sets of officers who seem to be in authority over him, calling for a report from this same secretary, and each one wants a different report, each report involving a change throughout. The entire report has to be recast and refigured, until the secretary becomes worn out. We ask the question, Why is this necessary? Is that the most essential thing that the secretary can be engaged in?—We think not. The report is essential; but it should be so simple and easily obtained that the precious time of the secretary will not be all consumed in making out reports. There are precious souls who are starving for the words of life, who need the encouragement that the secretary could give through correspondence. GCB July 1, 1897, page 89.2