Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

A VERY THRIFTY FOLK

Mrs. Ellen G. White, the Prophetess and
Founder of the Sect, Lectures Her People
This Morning—Conference Notes
(From Yesterday’s Later Editions.)

The Seventh Day Adventists are a thrifty and sober people, and they have a thrifty and sober religion. Thrift, sobriety and industry are the cardinal virtues of their creed, and under the laws of their religion these virtues have become embedded in the character of the people. They are taught to take religion into their every-day life, and to consult the bible in all the emergencies of life. MMM 527.1

But if they have made a religion of business they have also made a business of religion, and they tackle difficult problems in theology with about the same industry that an earnest man would assail a cord of wood. MMM 527.2

At 5:30 this morning the various committees that were appointed yesterday afternoon, were hard at work discussing the various problems, both of business and theology, that they were appointed to attend to. At precisely 9:45 what is known as the “prayer and social meeting” was called to order. Mrs. E. G. White, who is both priestess and prophet of this strange denomination, addressed the conference. Forty years of experience in the denomination, of which she is one of the founders, has given a sort of sacred character to the utterances of Mrs. White, and everything that she says is listened to with the greatest reverence by pastors and people. She spoke this morning on the necessity of a consecrated ministry. She urges that responsibility be not placed on young and untried men, until they have proved themselves competent in introducing Bible truth. Incidentally she touched upon the question of the study of the Bible, urging that everybody study the Bible for himself and not accept its truths at second hand. MMM 527.3

Elder Waggoner continued his instructions on the subject of “law and the gospel” when members of the conference were called together at 9 o’clock for bible study. MMM 528.1

At 10:30 the conference was called together for the second time. The session was opened by Elder S. H. Lane. The conference was occupied nearly all the morning with listening to the “reports from the southern field.” Elder Reese said that slavery seemed to have cast a blight on everything and the curse of God seemed to have rested there in consequence but it was a good field for canvasser, and the work was progressing. At 2:30 this afternoon the International Sabbath School Association met to discuss plans for further work. MMM 528.2

Tonight at 7 o’clock, the regular hour for discussing missionary subjects, it is expected that Elder Haskell, who was to have addressed the conference last night, will speak. MMM 528.3

There is a vast amount of work of all kinds done by the denomination. The church owns large presses and publishing houses in Christiana, Norway; in Basle, Switzerland, in Melbourne, Australia, in London, England, in Battle Creek. Mich, and in Oakland, Cal. They keep hundreds of canvassers in the field all the time. Their presses flood the country with tracts. They are now pushing their work in the South Sea Islands. Every inhabitant of the Island of Pitcairn. in the South Sea, is an Adventist. This morning the conference discussed a proposition to buy a ship for the purpose of “spreading the truth” in the South Sea Islands. A ship owned by a private party is now doing duty as the official vessel of the church; and the question was whether the church should purchase this ship or another one. So the church is making itself felt in the ends of the earth. Everywhere it brings with it thrift, sobriety, and industry, and everywhere it prospers. MMM 528.4