General Conference Bulletin, vol. 1

REVIEW OF OUR WORK, AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

L. T. NICOLA

THE year just passed has been exceptionally eventful. Questions both national and international, both expected and unexpected, have agitated the world from one end to the other. At times it has appeared as if the winds would be loosed, and war would open in many quarters. Then, again, a restraining power is felt, and the storm held back, while the gospel work goes forward. Truly these are ominous times! One thing becomes daily more evident, and that is, that we are walking on the very threshold of the day of the Lord. GCB January 1, 1896, page 645.1

The past year has recorded great advancement in our work. There has been a healthy growth in the home field, and the work in foreign lands has taken on large proportions. More laborers have been sent abroad than in the two preceding years, and the record of those years was extraordinary as compared with previous ones. In 1893, sixty-two persons were sent to fields outside of the United States, and in 1894, sixty seven; but since the close of the General Conference last March, one hundred and forty persons have gone out. This number includes the few who returned to their fields after attending the General Conference, and also the members of families who have accompanied the workers. These laborers have gone to different parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, India, Australia, Mexico, the West Indies, and the South Sea Islands, and they are sending back encouraging reports. GCB January 1, 1896, page 645.2

During the year, Elder A. T. Jones has attended, with Elder Holser, the general meetings in Europe, and has conducted an institute in Constantinople, and Professor Prescott has labored in Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. GCB January 1, 1896, page 645.3

From a financial standpoint, the year just passed has been a very unfavorable one. Crops in general were fair, and in some places the yield was abundant; but prices have been low, and ready money quite scarce. This state of things has seriously affected our home and foreign mission funds. But the money that has come in has been made to go as far as possible, and with the blessing of the Lord, has been the means of accomplishing much good. While the times have been adverse, I am thankful to be able to say that we have not refused to answer the urgent calls that have come for laborers so far as we have been able to find the proper persons; neither have we abandoned any important enterprise already begun. But we have now reached a point, where if the true situation is not fully understood, and our people do not come up to the help of the Lord in this time of need, the work must suffer. GCB January 1, 1896, page 645.4