A facet of the church, the beginning of which can be traced to a women’s group in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, called the Vigilant Missionary Society (established 1869). The work of the society gave S. N. Haskell the idea that led to his establishing in New England in 1870 the first of the Tract and Missionary Societies of the various conferences. These conference “T. and M. Societies,” either directly or through district or local societies, enlisted lay members in circulating Seventh-day Adventist tracts, pamphlets, books, and periodicals through sale or free distribution, in conducting personal evangelism through visits or correspondence, and in aiding the needy. Then in 1874 the General Conference set up its General (renamed International) Tract and Missionary Society. When the General Conference Publishing Department was set up about 1901, it absorbed the International Tract and Missionary Society, but the fostering of lay evangelism was assigned in 1913 to a separate subdivision-the “Home Missionary Branch of the Publishing Department,” with Edith M. Graham as secretary. After functioning thus for five years, the Home Missionary Branch was made a department in 1918 ( General Conference Bulletin [1918], pp. 104, 118, 149).
In 1915, soon after the General Conference had recommended the appointment of home missionary secretaries to promote church missionary work in both the General Conference and the North American Division, the home missionary secretaries were appointed also in union and local conferences.
At the General Conference session in 1922 A. G. Daniells, the General Conference president, explained what the Home Missionary Department meant: “It is not a campaign, it is a religious movement. It is a revival of pure religion in the church, and the going forth to bear it to others. . . . This department is to train men and women all over the world to go out about their homes to win souls to Christ” ( General Conference Bulletin [1922], p. 77).
In time, five areas of departmental evangelistic activities developed:
1. Bible correspondence course enrollments.
2. Community services, involving the work done by Dorcas-Welfare Societies in local churches and Community Services centers and units. Specific programs included emergency provision of food and clothing, interviewing and referral, adult-education classes in first aid, home management, sponsoring summer camps for disadvantaged children, and disaster relief.
3. Ingathering. This annual appeal has made millions of personal contacts, enrolled thousands in Bible correspondence courses, and raised funds for medical, educational, community service, and evangelistic work around the world.
4. Lay Bible evangelism, including personal Bible studies or public meetings. Many churches have organized groups specializing in lay preaching, prison evangelism, and certain specific Community Services projects.
5. Literature distribution, including systematic house-to-house distribution, mailing programs, tract racks, and individual or church lending libraries.
At the 1966 General Conference session the GC Home Missionary Department became the Lay Activities Department. In 1985 the General Conference Lay Activities Department became part of the newly formed Church Ministries Department. Lay activities and personal ministries departments and divisions continue at various levels of church organization. See Church Ministries Department ; Lay Activities Department .
Secretaries (until 1974) and Directors: Edith M. Graham, 1918; F. W. Paap, 1918–1919; C. S. Longacre, 1919; C. V. Leach, 1919–1921; J. A. Stevens, 1921–1936; Steen Rasmussen, 1936–1941; R. G. Strickland, 1941–1945; W. A. Butler (acting), 1945–1946; T. L. Oswald, 1946–1958; J. E. Edwards, 1958–1970; V. W. Schoen, 1970–1976; George E. Knowles, 1976–1985.