During the last four years every minister in the Ontario-Quebec Conference has held at least one evangelistic effort each year. During the six months from January to June, which we set apart as an evangelistic season, no other activity is allowed to crowd evangelism from its legitimate first place. Laymen also are encouraged to join in the campaign, and actually hold lay efforts in various parts of the conference. Each year from ten to fourteen efforts are held during these months. A few efforts are also held in the summer, but these are limited in number because of camp meeting, the Harvest Ingathering campaign, and a shortage of suitable meeting tents.
Throughout the six months' evangelistic period, close contact is kept between the office and each effort. Each Monday morning all evangelists, including the laymen, make out two reports. The first is a postcard, with blanks to be filled in stating: (1) Subject of the meeting; (2) the title; (3) seating capacity of hall used; (4) attendance at the meeting; (5) number of names of interested people received; (6) number of names dropped from list after visitation; (7) the resulting number of names showing an active interest; (8) the number keeping the Sabbath; (9) the number of adult strangers present at the Sabbath meeting.
These cards are then compiled into a weekly statement which gives all these details regarding each effort. This statement is sent to all the evangelists, so that each may know just how the others are getting along, and can compare his effort with the others. The statement is also sent to each local elder, and in nearly every case is read to the church each Sabbath, and then posted on the church bulletin board so that all may see it. Thus our lay members are kept in constant touch with the efforts, and their interest is held until the close of the season, when the baptisms are reported.
The second weekly report which each evangelist makes out is a financial one. Every expense of the week is set down under its proper heading, such as Rent, Advertising, Follow-up, or General Expense. Here are reported not only the items which have actually been paid, but each expense which has been incurred. This is entirely separate from, and in addition to, the monthly laborer's report. It states week by week just how each evangelist stands in relation to his effort budget.
In order to be certain that each new Sabbath keeper receives a uniform course of training, we have prepared, and for the past four years have been using and one page is devoted to each person who starts to keep the Sabbath. On the record page is a list of the studies which the candidate must receive and be clear on before baptism. When one is present at the time a sermon on one of these subjects is delivered, the Bible worker places a check mark opposite the subject on his individual page in the record book. Any who are absent at this sermon must be given a study on the subject by the Bible worker, who, after the study has been given, places her initials on the blank next to the subject. A record is also kept on this page of each Sabbath service which the candidate attends up to the time of baptism. By looking through this book, the evangelist, or the conference president, when he is inspecting the effort, can see at a glance the regularity of Sabbath attendance, also the preparation which each candidate has received, and whether the instruction has been largely through sermons by the evangelist or studies from the Bible worker. At the close of the effort, after the baptism, these record books are turned in to the conference; and later, if apostasies should occur, it will be found profitable to reexamine the preparation which the individual has received.
At the end of each year a statement is made up which thoroughly analyzes each worker's success in evangelism. Under the name of each evangelist there are from one to five columns, depending upon the number of years he has spent in evangelistic work in the conference, there being a column for each year and then a total column. In each column the following items are listed:
1. Net Effort Expenses, Less Salaries
2. Bible Worker's Salary and Expense
3. Total Net Expense
4. Converts Won
5. Cost per Soul
6. Number of Apostates
7. Number Dead or Moved From Conference
8. Tithe Contributed, 1931
9. Tithe Contributed, 1932
10. Tithe Contributed, 1933
11. Tithe Contributed, 1934
12. Total Tithe From Each Effort
To this tabulated report there are two graphs attached, one comparing each worker's effort expense with the tithe produced year by year; and the other comparing the number of converts with those who have apostatized.
In a meeting called for the purpose, these statements are studied carefully, not only by the executive committee, but by the entire body of workers. While a certain amount of labor is required to keep these records up-to-date and to compile the information, the results have been well worthwhile. The workers who have learned to produce converts at small expense are invited to state their methods. It has been interesting to note that the cost per convert throughout the conference has steadily decreased until it now stands at less than one third the figure for four years ago.
Other statements and graphs which are kept for the benefit of the evangelist are: One showing the relative drawing power on audiences of various subjects and titles; another showing the success of various modes of advertising; and a third showing relationship between money spent on advertising and audiences produced.
Union Springs. N. Y.
