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funds. In such a case, a conference
committee would have no right to re-
call credentials or licenses.
23. Is it best for all our Eastern
conferences, that have a limited
amount of means, and a large popu-
lation, to cooperate in the plans of the
General Conference, and share a por-
tion of their tithe with our foreign
missions? Should not all this be
used within their own borders ?
I believe it is well for our weaker
conferences to share in this, for the
reason that it will be a help to the
stronger conferences to see that all
our conferences are bearing a reason-
able share of this burden; and ulti-
mately we will be able to secure more
money for those weaker conferences.
24, Are there any good reasons
why we, as ministers and Bible work-
ers, should keep a daily record of our
labor and expenses, upon the la-
borer’s monthly report blank? Is it
not just as well to give totals for the
month, instead of itemizing ?
I think that every laborer should
be perfectly willing to keep a daily
record of his doings. He is called to
go out, away from the conference of-
ficers, and away from their observa-
tion ; he is entrusted by them to go;
and they cheerfully send on remit
tances to him wherever he may be.
Personally, I would rather make a re--
cord of my doings each day, send it in,
and let the men in charge of the work
know what I am doing.
25. Is there not coming into our
conferences an over-cautious spirit,
which is rendering it very difficult to
effect needed changes among our
workers? How may this condition
be remedied ?
I understand this question to mean
that conferences are becoming over-
cautious in the matter of exchanging
laborers. There is danger of be-
coming over-cautious, and wanting
such perfection that we will not give
people an opportunity. Young men
must have time to grow into efficient
workers ; but a man of fifty ought to
ATLANTIC UNION GLEANER
have plenty of commendations, and,
like Paul, these should be the work
that he has done and the churches
he has raised up. That will recom-
mend a man anywhere; and, while
there is quite a spirit of caution, yet
when it is learned that a man has ac-
complished something in the field
where he is working, there is a de-
sire all around to get hold of that
man, and requests come from all di-
rections to secure him. It is also
well for a minister to exchange fields
of labor now and then. It is especi-
ally good for a young preacher not to
be kept under the same environment
too long. They should welcome in-
vitations that come to them from one
conference to another.
26. Should a young minister be con-
sidered to be guilty of self-esteem
just because he feels that he should
be ordained ?
Our young men should strive with
all their might to do efficient work,
but they should be very modest in
the matter of suggesting their own
ordination. I believe that a young
man who has a strong feeling that
he should be ordained, is possessed
of too much self-esteem for ordination.
27. Should the matter of whether
or not he will be ordained, be made
a sign or a test by a young minister
as to whether or not he should ac-
cept a call to another field?
I do not think that it should. It
should not enter into the question at
all. A man ought to go with no
thought of honor. If he goes on that
ground, he surely will not be a suc
cess. He must go because the cause
of God needs him there, and because
it is his duty to respond. He should
labor to the best of his ability whether
he is ever ordained or not.
28, Do you think a minister living
in a respectable neighborhood, should
chop wood on Sunday?
He may do great harm in doing
that. . He should exercise great care
so as not to hurt the conscience of
people around him. If he lives in a
neighborhood with a number of peo-
ple around him, he should not make
it a point to chop wood on Sunday.
Not because it is wrong to work on
Sunday; not because he has not the
personal right to do it; but because
of the influence it might have upon
others, and because of the fact that it
might create such prejudice as to cut
him off from working with and for
those people. Paul said: “Where-
fore, if meat make my brother to
offend, I will eat no flesh while the
world standeth, lest I make my broth-
er to offend.” 1 Cor. 8: 13.
29. Ought we not have a series
of tracts or leaflets for free distribu-
tion, furnished by the publishers at
‘actual cost of printing ?
I think we should prepare that kind
of literature, and have it furnished to
our workers, so that they can circu
late large quantities of it. I do not
know how we can give this message
to the teeming millions without it.
30. What is the best way to work
among the Free Thinkers ?
The best way is to preach the gos-
pel of Jesus Christ. I do not be-
lieve we will gain much by arguing
and philosophizing about the exis-
tence of God, and the ‘ mistakes of
Moses ” and the Bible. If anything
will reach them, it is the gospel of
Christ,
31. A minister coming into a church
on the Sabbath, only once in a long
time, should he take up the reading
that is prepared, or give them a ser-
mon for which they seem so hungry?
The attitude of the General Con-
ference has been this: Our second
Sabbath readings are prepared for the
purpose of communicating to our
brethren and sisters the encouraging
word we get from missionaries in the
foreign fields. We have never, in
any way, taken action to the effect
that these readings must be given in
every case, and under all circum-
stances, on a certain day. We be-
lieve the church officers should con-
scientiously see that these readings