Twenty-Eighth Meeting

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-Eighth Meeting

June 3, 10 A. M.

A. G. DANIELLS in the chair.

G. B. Starr offered prayer.

Resolutions

Resolution 20, of report of the committee on plans (page 12), was read and question called without discussion.

Resolution 21 (page 14) was read and the question called.

Resolution 22 (page 14) was read.

L. W. Graham: I would like to ask a question on this recommendation, section (a). In case a church was disbanded, how would a member get a letter? He might have been disfellowshipped, and later repented, and in the mean time the church disbanded.

A. G. Daniells: I suppose he would come in then on profession of faith, if he had been disfellowshipped and the church disbanded. There is just one question on both of these items. I think, brethren, that we ought to exercise more care in the matter of our church-membership, that the privileges and blessings of church-membership may be held higher. Then, with reference to the matter of the laborer: I think that this recommendation should apply to an administration that may succeed another, as much as to an entirely new field of labor; for oftentimes a conference administration, after most careful, thorough investigation and consideration of the case, deems it proper to dispense with a laborer, or retire him. Perhaps later the individual comes forward for employment, after a change in administration, and without much investigation, sometimes this laborer is brought back; but after a few months it is found that a serious mistake has been made. When individuals apply for service, we should give the matter prompt, hearty, thorough attention, and encourage every one we possibly can; but where we feel perfectly sure that there are things in the way, we ought to be frank and honest and fair, and deal with the case at the very start.

G. M. Brown: Under this section (b), it occurs to me that this is not quite explicit enough. It says “without a thorough examination of the case on the part of the conference officers proposing his employment.” There might be a question as to what constitutes a thorough examination. It seems to me that a thorough examination would include securing counsel from those in the field

in which this man had previously been employed. Sometimes people think they are making a thorough examination when they examine the applicant thoroughly; but his view of the case may not be the correct one. I therefore move to add the words “and counsel with the local or union conference in which the worker was formerly employed.”

W. C. White: Would it not serve the same purpose if we all consent that that is what the thorough examination includes? It seems to me it means that, and in some cases it may mean more.

E. L. Maxwell: While it may not be altogether in line with this resolution, there is one matter that I would like light on. Some of those who are on the Sustentation Fund feel that they are at liberty to go anywhere they please in this country, and do about as they please. I would like to know how we are going to deal with such cases when they come into our territory and do things that are contrary to our arrangements.

A. G. Daniells: How would it do to have that a subject for a special talk? As this is the first Conference we have had since this plan was adopted, and we have never discussed that, let it, with other items, be brought up for special consideration.

A. B. Olsen: Does this word “laborer,” in recommendation 22, include all laborers? Would it include all missionaries, like doctors and nurses? If it does, then I would like to second Brother Brown’s motion.

The motion was carried.

The report as a whole was then adopted.

A. G. Daniells: Now I would like to call for the report of the committee on constitution.

W. T. Bartlett: The committee on constitution presents a further report.

A. G. Daniells: You will understand that we are not adopting a new constitution, but are making verbal changes in the one we have already acted upon. These changes are mostly for the purpose of harmonizing with the new organizations we have been forming.

The report of the committee, after amendment, was adopted.

(As this report was published in the Bulletin we will not reproduce it in this connection.)

A. G. Daniells: We will now call for other business. Are any of the standing committees prepared to report?

O. A. Olsen: Our committee on nominations has a further partial report. Elder Fitzgerald will read the report.

Report on Nominations

W. J. Fitzgerald: I will say that our report is not complete as to department secretaries as you will observe. (Reading): For secretaries of departments: Educational, H. R. Salisbury; Publishing, N. Z. Town; Medical, W. A. Ruble; Young People’s Missionary Volunteer, M. E. Kern.

For members of executive committee, in addition to ex-officio members: S. N. Haskell, W. C. White, W. C. Sisley, C. H. Jones, G. B. Thompson, E. R. Palmer, H. W. Miller, M. D., C. S. Longacre.

For members of General Conference Corporation: W. T. Knox, I. H. Evans, F. M. Wilcox, B. G. Wilkinson, W. W. Prescott, E. R. Palmer, H. E. Rogers.

For members of the General Conference Association: W. T. Knox, W. A. Spicer, I. H. Evans, W. W. Prescott, W. B. White, F. M. Wilcox, H. R. Salisbury, C. F. McVagh, B. G. Wilkinson, E. R. Palmer, G. B. Thompson, T. E. Bowen, I. A. Ford, H. E. Rogers, K. C. Russell, O. A. Olsen, S. E. McNeill, Allen Moon, H. W. Cottrell, D. W. Reavis, C. S. Longacre.

For trustees of Foreign Mission Board: A. G. Daniells, W. A. Spicer, W. T. Knox, I. H. Evans, H. R. Salisbury, O. A. Olsen, W. B. White, G. B. Thompson, W. W. Prescott.

The report was adopted.

A. G. Daniells: Are there any other committees to report?

Partial Report, Committee on Plans

Guy Dail: The committee on plans beg leave to submit the following partial report:—

Whereas, The millions in our cities are to be warned in a short period of time; and,—

Whereas, It has been demonstrated that the circulation of our message-filled tracts is one of the most practical methods of winning souls; therefore,—

23. Resolved, That we request our publishing houses to furnish a series of tracts with attractive covers, covering the principal features of our message, at prices which will enable them to give the colporteurs sixty per cent discount, and that an effort be made to encourage the lay members in our churches to engage in the sale of our tracts.

24. We recommend, (a) That a joint educational and young people’s convention, to continue two weeks, be held in the summer of 1914 at such time and place as the departments may determine.

(b) That the delegates to this convention, and the manner of meeting their expenses, be determined by the union conference committees, in counsel with the departments.

25. We recommend, (a) That a normal institute, under the direction of the Department of Education, be arranged to follow the joint convention of educators and Missionary Volunteers to be held in 1914.

(b) That this institute be composed of the normal directors in our union conference training-schools, and of educators who have shown special ability in developing certain subjects of Christian education along normal lines, the latter to be appointed by the Department of Education.

26. We recommend, That the word “division” be stricken out of the technical name for the North American and the European Division Conferences, and the Asiatic Division Mission.

27. We recommend, The approval of the action of the General Conference at the autumn council requesting the Educational Department to prepare a reading course for licentiates and ministers; and, further, that this course be outlined in detail, and the books be selected at the Bible teachers’ summer institute to be held at the close of the present Conference, their work to be reported to the General Conference Committee for final action; and that the subjects included in this course shall be Biblical, historical, and pastoral.

In view of the request that has come from the West Indian Union that their Spanish territory be turned over to the General Conference,—

28. We recommend, That the whole of the West Indian Union be placed under the direct care of the General Conference Executive Committee.

On motion to adopt, the consideration of the report was deferred.

A. G. Daniells: There is another item to be considered. A few days ago you appointed a committee of five to draft a memorial to be addressed to the President of the United States. This memorial is ready to be presented to the Conference, and we will call on the chairman or secretary of this committee to present it.

This memorial was presented by W. A. Colcord for the committee, and was adopted. (It will be printed after presentation.)

The officers of the Conference were asked to name the deputation to present the memorial to the President.

Conference adjourned.