Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-06-28
THE RDvENTIsTs.
= Concise Recount of the
Seventh Day Adventist De-
U nomination.. p.

M About fifty years ago, the Seventh
Day Adventist denomination,
I(whose representatives began &C.
ries of public services Tuesday in the
large tent on the corner of Third
street and First avenue South) had
Its origin in New England. Start
ing, asst did in poverty and OH
scurity, it's achievements are truly
marvellous.
Their first church was erected in
1885, at Bucks Bridge. N. Y, and the
second the same year at Battle Creek
Mich. The Adventists Of Battle
Greek now worship in their large
beautiful tabernacle, which has a
seating capacity Of, 1900 and ia
already too small to accommodate
the congregation.
/ Their first church was organized
in 1861, and their first conference,
that of Michigan. in the same year.
They now have l 1926 churches. with
q membership Of about $4,000.
The number of ordained ministers
is now Sol; licentiates, GA. They
have no settled pastors as do other
denominations. The local officers OF
the church, elders and deacons, look
after the welfare Of the church as d.
rected by the Scripture and ministers
go into the regions beyond, accord
ing to the great commission. In the
support of the ministry, as in all
other matters Of faith and practice,
the Adventists follow the bible plan.
viz iree-will tithes and offerings.
Their tithes last year amounted to
$32l,5l7 and their other donations
for missionary work. to $40, 174.09.
The almost incredible amount
given yearly by this little sect, is bet
ter understood when it is known
that the Adventists live and dress
very plainly, all useless and snowy
articles of dress and adornment are
generally discarded, and they do not
use strong drinks of any kind, to-
bacco, pork, coffee or tea, although
the last three named articles are not
made test of church fello wship.
They are from choice practically a
vegetarian people.
They have large publishing houses
In Battle Creek, Mich, Oakland, CAL,
New York city, London, Eng,
hristiania, Norway; Basic, Switzer-
land, and Melbourne Australia, from
which hundreds Of tons OF books,
tracts and papers. are annually sent
out, much Of it being gratnitously
distributed. The denomination now
issues nineteen periodicals., with a
circulation of more than 100000.
There are issued more than $50 tracts
Each conference has it's own local
paper, devoted to the interests OF the
local work. The denomination now
issues publications in more than rs
different languages, and it is expect
ed that the present year will wit
ness translations into at least %
more.
Education" always has been a
watch word among the Adventists.
They now have large and flourish
ing colleges in Battle Creek, Mich,
Lincoln, Neb., Walla Walla, WASH,
Healdsburg, CAL, Mt. Vernon, o.,
South Lancaster, Mass, Graysville,
TEMP, Keene, Tex, ClaremOnt, South
Africa, and Frederickshaven, Den.
Schools are also In operation on
three of the South Sea Islands. one
on the Bay Islands Of the Caribbean
Sea, and one in Guadalajara. Mex.
The headquarters of the S. d. A.
Medical Missionary and Benevolent
association is in Battle. Greek, Mich,
where ia located the Medical and
Surgical Sanitarium, the largest and
most complete and successful insti-
tuition of the kind in the world.
Willie many of the most prominent
and wealthy people of this and other
countries pa tronize this institution,
about half the cases treated is
charity work, and all the proceeds
are devoted to this kind OF work.
Each mission has it's corps oftrained
nurses, who work in the slums OF the
cities, seeking out the suffering and
ministering to their needs.
The tent meetings being held in
this city, offer to the people of Little
Falls and vicinity an opportunity
to hear representatives Of this pc
cuIiar, energetic, tand Outlines, per-
secuted, little sect. Just now, these
people are coming before the public
in a very prominent and. to them at
least, significant way. In dozen
states OF the Union, as well as In
Canada, Eng, Nor way, Switzerland,
Germany, Australia and other
places. they are being spied upon,
arrested, imprisoned, and worked in
the chain-gang, for daring to obey
God when He says, "Six days shalt
thou labor, but in the Seventh day
a..