Twelfth Meeting

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 5, 1913

May 21, 2:30 P. M.

L. R. CONRADI in the chair.

A. T. Robinson offered prayer.

Elder W. J. Fitzgerald rendered a report of the British Union Conference, followed by a report of the Scandinavian Union Conference by Elder J. C. Raft. Reports were likewise presented of the Latin Union Conference by Elder L. T. Tieche; of the work in Spain and Portugal by W. T. Bond and C. E. Renfro. After the rendering of these reports showing the progress of the work in these fields, Elder J. N. Loughborough spoke of the organization of the General Conference fifty years ago and the fact of this being the fiftieth anniversary of the event. His remarks follow:—

J. N. Loughborough: It so happens that on this camp-ground there are two anniversaries. I have told you about one,—the dark day of May 19, 1780. Now I want to tell you about the birth of a little child. You know old folks are all interested in little children. This was one that was born fifty years ago this very day, May 21, 1863, and I think it was at about this hour that we got it where we could call it a living child. It was the General Conference. Do you think I am interested in hearing these reports? Well, I can hardly hold my breath sometimes when I hear them. How that little child has grown!

Well, at the time of that meeting, we had been talking for two years about having a General Conference. We had the State conference of Michigan, organized in 1861. Perhaps you have read in the old papers about the conferences they had in those days. I have a report of one that was held in 1859. Why talk about conferences in ’61 and ’63, when you had one in ’59? I can even tell you about a conference where there were only twelve present. Well, this leaflet [holding it up] is a report of it. What a little Bulletin! It contains a report of a sermon on Systematic Benevolence; that is, being so benevolent as to pay the Lord the tithe that really belongs to him. The report of business transacted in that three days’ conference covers four pages. There was a $160 debt for running a tent the year before, and they wanted to get pledges and cash to make up $500 to meet that debt, and to keep the missionary work going that year. They lacked about $110 of that, and they thought that by soliciting from the brethren they would be able to make it all up. And then, too, they wanted a committee of three men to take charge of the money when it should be collected. You see we went at it business style back there.

Now, in 1863 a call was made for a General Conference, signed by James White, J. N. Loughborough, and John Byington. We got together and had a delegate conference. There were twenty delegates, from seven States. Two of them had one delegate apiece. One was the State of Wisconsin, and one was the State of Minnesota; and, I declare, Michigan had most all the rest! Well, they wanted a committee on a constitution, and they appointed it fifty years ago this morning. The committee reported fifty years ago today. The constitution adopted was not nearly so long as the one you read here today, but it served the purpose.

Some of you have been in the army, and when the others were all shot down around you, and you were left alone, you began to feel lonesome, with the bullets flying around your head. Well, out of those eight men who in consultation and much prayer drew up that constitution, how many are alive?—Just one man besides your speaker, that other being past ninety years of age, Elder Isaac Sanborn. And where are my friends that were there?—Ah, they have fallen. Out of twelve men on two committees at that meeting, four apostatized, and the rest have died—died in the triumphs of faith.

How many persons do you suppose there are in this audience that were in the city of Battle Creek when the General Conference was organized? I know of only two, Sister Kilgore and myself—save one who was not old enough to take part in the proceedings, but who carried water for us, it being a hot day. He was W. C. White, then not quite nine years old. How the work has grown! I thank God that I am here, and that the message is going. I am glad that the little child that was organized fifty years ago has grown to be as strong a being as it is now. However, I expect to see it grow faster yet. Yes, this is the anniversary day of the birth of the General Conference.