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Twenty-Fourth Meeting

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 12, 1913

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 24.

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Twenty-Fourth Meeting

May 30, 10 A. M.

L. R. Conradi in the chair.
Prayer by O. E. Reinke.
At this meeting Elder F. H. Westphal, president of the Chile Conference, presented a report of the progress which the work has made during the last quadrennial period on the west coast of South America.

A Statement

L. R. Conradi: Elder Daniells has now a statement to make to the congregation.
A. G. Daniells: I have asked the chairman for the privilege of making a brief statement which I believe will be cheering to our brethren and sisters. Many of you are aware that during the past eight or ten years we have been tried by the enemy many times. As a denomination we have had perplexities and difficulties to meet. A few years ago a special crisis arose involving the matter of organization. In all these experiences the enemy is alert to create misunderstandings. We have experienced these things—every people that God has ever led has had to battle with these things. Now, in the midst of this difficulty some years ago, some of our brethren, and some churches, were in perplexity. Among them was a church in the city of Washington, of which Elder L. C. Sheafe was leader. Brother Sheafe came to this city by request of the General Conference Committee about 1902, and the Lord blessed his labors in raising up a substantial church. I united with him in its organization. I visited the church many times, and spoke to them. We worked together very nicely, and a good congregation was built up; but in the midst of the crisis referred to, there came a time when Brother Sheafe and his congregation felt that they could not go on with this body. A letter signed by the church clerk notified us that they had decided to withdraw from the conference and be independent of our organization. I need not recite the interviews that were held, and what we tried to do on both sides, nor the interviews that have been held from time to time since then. But I am very happy to tell you this morning that our brethren, after these years of observation and experience, have concluded that they do not want to stand apart any longer.
[Elder Daniells spoke of conferences that had been held with the church recently, and of the assurance felt by those who had taken part in these interviews.] A few days ago we received a letter from the church, which I should like to ask Elder Sheafe to present.
L. C. Sheafe: I want to say this morning that I feel I am in the house of my friends. It has been eighteen years since this blessed message came to me. I believed it then to be the message of God, and I have believed it ever since to be the message of God. I saw in it wonderful possibilities for my people. I had no special personal aims or ambitions, but I felt that this message could do so much for my people; and in the various conferences that I have been privileged to attend that has been the one fact and thought before me. I feel that possibly this has been true—that, like Moses of old, when he came out and saw the Egyptian ill-treating the Hebrew, you remember he took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves and pitched in to deliver Israel himself. He was forty years ahead of God, and therefore God had to put him in the mountains tending sheep to teach him his lesson. God had a thought for Israel and for the Hebrews deeper, grander than Moses had, and afterward God called him out and used him wonderfully in leading his people forward. [Elder Sheafe spoke of his personal belief in the doctrines of our faith, and continued concerning the action of the church.] The church for more than six years has stood aloof from conference connection. I have weighed the situation, and looked the matter over, and I have said to myself, This message of truth has made us what we are. It will not pay for us to depart from its principles. Therefore, during these years I have sought to proclaim this message. But our church has been considering this matter, as a body, in a special way for about a month. We were looking into the matter seriously, and considering it, and holding meetings, and on the twenty-first of this month, in a meeting assembled, this was the action of the church (reading):—
THE PEOPLE'S SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH,
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 21, 1913.
To the General Conference Committee of Seventh-day Adventists.
DEAR BRETHREN: After more than six years of separation from conference connection, having prayerfully reconsidered our action, we are convinced that the separation was a sad mistake, for which we are heartily sorry. We have earnestly sought and obtained forgiveness from our Heavenly Father, and do here and now acknowledge our fault to you.
We are in full accord with the teachings, doctrines, and polity of the Seventh-day Adventists of the United States of America. Therefore we desire to unite with you to help close up this glorious message of love and mercy. Our earnest prayer is that Heaven may continually smile on this union.
Done by order of the church on the above date.
LEWIS C. SHEAFE, Pastor; ELMIRA B. GREENE, Clerk.
[Attached to the letter were the names of the eighty-two members voting it, and also a record of the fact that elevenvoted against joining the organization.]
In response, it was moved that the following reply be entered upon the minutes:—
“The committee suggests this word of reply: The Conference receives this letter with joy, glad that the members of this congregation addressing us find themselves fully in harmony with the Seventh-day Adventist body, and desirous of being identified with us. We assure our brethren that our hearts respond to these declarations of unity in the blessed hope. We welcome these brethren and sisters to the joys and trials and triumphs of the advent people, in the work of this last message; and we refer this letter for definite, formal action to the District of Columbia Conference, in whose territory this church is located.”
W. A. Spicer: I move this reply, Brother Chairman, to the letter from the church.
L. R. Conradi: Are there any remarks upon this now?
L. C. Sheafe: I wish to express my hearty appreciation and thanks to the brethren for this cordial acceptance of our word, and we hope to be able in the future to demonstrate by our lives and actions the sincerity of the step that we have taken in asking for a place with you in this great work. And our earnest and sincere prayer shall be that God may further his cause and may hasten the glad day when all these differences and misunderstandings shall have passed away, and God himself will wipe the tears from the faces of his people and gather them into one family, where there will be no more separation, no more severed ties, no more misunderstandings arising to wound our hearts or his people. May God ever guide and keep us.
Elder Daniells spoke again at some length, saying that in the interviews held it was the mind of the church to come into conference relationship just as all other churches, and Elder Sheafe had desired to come as all other ministers, willing to labor anywhere as the providence of God might indicate.
The congregation sang, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.”
A number of the representatives of the Negro Department expressed their high appreciation of the position taken by Elder Sheafe, and of his return to the organization.
Question was called, and the entire congregation, by a rising vote, adopted the motion making response to the letter presented.
Following this interesting and inspiring incident reports were rendered of the Brazilian Union Conference by F. W. Spies, by W. Ehlers of the Rio Grande do Sul Conference, and by J. Lipke of the East Brazil Mission.
C. H. Edwards: Before we adjourn I would like to make a statement. In harmony with what has been done before in regard to a delegation visiting the President of the United States, I move that a committee of five, W. A. Colcord, C. S. Longacre, S. B. Horton, K. C. Russell, and J. E. Jayne, be authorized to prepare a suitable memorial, and that the Conference appoint a number of brethren to present this memorial to the President.
This motion prevailed, and the Conference adjourned.