ENCOURAGING   ESTIMATES   OF    THE   CONVENTION

A.  M.  B.  Graham  of  Arkansas,  reporting  the  Foreston
meeting  in  the  Bible  Banner,  said:  "Considering  the
diversities  of  character,  opinion,  and  education,  the  con-
vention was  characterized  by  a  very  good  degree  of  har-
mony, thought  and  feeling."  He  judged  that  the  plan  of
union  in  labor  and  mission  work  gave  promise  of  more
vigorous  action  through  the  Association  than  had  been
witnessed  in  time  past,  and  that  a  substantial   gain   had


THE  GENERAL  SOCIETIES  309

been  made  in  the  direction  of  church  order.  Some  months
later  after  the  annual  meeting  of  the  S.  A.  C.  Association
in  the  East,  Eld.  Mansfield  wrote  of  the  deep  convictions
which  moved  him  to  advocate  and  promote  the  calling  of
the  Western  Convention,  of  the  spirit'  of  the  assembly,
which  in  its  attendance  and  harmony  of  action  exceeded
what  he  dared  to  hope  for.  That  he  might  gain  the  opinion
of  others  he  corresponded  with  a  number  of  the  brethren
in  the  West  and  their  sentiment  is  well  represented  in  the
words  of  the  secretary  of  the  convention,  now  for  many
years  well  and  widely  known.  Eld.  H.  Pollard,  who  wrote
in  a  careful  and  conservative  spirit :

"Doubtless  the  Foreston  Convention  was  far. from  being
perfect,  yet  it  was  certainly,  in  my  opinion,  a  move  toward
better  harmony,  more  thorough  unity,  and  a  more  con-
certed and  systematic  plan  of  Christian  work  among  Ad-
ventists,  both  East  and  West.  I  am  not  aware  that  .  ..
