General Conference Proceedings
A. G. DANIELLS in the chair. Prayer was offered by G. W. Caviness. The afternoon was devoted to reports from union conferences. [These reports will be printed later.] G. A. Irwin in the chair. Prayer was offered by C. Santee. J. B. Clymer, of the Northern Union, was seated as a delegate. The publishing work of the British Union was reported by W. C. Sisley, manager of the International Tract Society, the publishing house at Watford. [This report appears in another column.] Elder G. A. Irwin in the chair. After the opening song, Elder E. E. Andross offered prayer. Reports from South Africa were continued. J. V. Willson, secretary of the union, rendered his report. [Brother Willson's report will be found in another column.] The chair then called Elder Conradi to speak of his recent visit to South Africa, on his way to Europe from East Africa. Elder Conradi spoke enthusiastically of his visit. He could see the providence of God in placing over a million of Europeans in South Africa, in close touch with the vast region to be evangelized. He was glad to find strong English and Dutch believers taking hold of the truth, ready to help with men and means. Never had he found people more responsive to the truth than the brethren in the recent Cape Town conference meeting. Unity prevailed, and the people faced their great work with new courage. They appreciated the sending of such strong help as Elder Porter, as union president. Elder Hyatt, who has borne responsibilities for years, said he did not wish to leave Africa, but preferred to go right on helping forward the work. Elder Conradi believed that, with assistance for a little time further, we would find the South African colonies joining Europe and Australasia in sending men and means into other parts. All through the reports from South Africa hearts were stirred with the words of progress and the appeals for a forward movement. So it is as union by union the great fields are reviewed, and it is seen how the message is swelling into the loud cry of the third angel. O. A. Olsen in the chair. Prayer by E. W. Farnsworth. Three new delegates from the North Pacific Union—O. A. Johnson, Lewis Johnson, and H. J. Schnepper—were seated. [At this meeting reports were rendered by Elder O. A. Olsen of the Australasian Union Conference, by Elder J. E. Fulton of the East Indian field, and by Elder B. J. Cady of that part of the Polynesian field of which he has charge. These reports were full of interest, and showed in a marked manner the progress of the message in these fields. The reports will be given at some future time.] O. A. Olsen: Brethren, it is a wonderful thing to see how the message is going to all parts of the earth. We have heard from China and other places, but how different it is from only a few years back. How the message is penetrating to the islands of the sea, as well as to the great continents! This is one of the greatest and most important signs that we are right at the door of the Lord's coming. God help us to sense it, and to rise to the privileges and opportunities of the occasion before us. Elder O. A. Olsen in the chair. Prayer was offered by Elder H. Schultz. Reports of the Scandinavian Union Conference
[Reports were called for from the Scandinavian Union Conference, and were rendered by Elder J. C. Raft, the president of the union, and other workers from the Scandinavian field. These must be reserved for publication in the REVIEW until a later date.] Elder H. W. Cottrell in the chair. Prayer was offered by Elder A. J. Breed. The following delegates were seated: C. D. AcMoody, of Turkey, with the Levant delegation; Elder Meade McGuire, of the Central Union Conference; and Dr. H. F. Rand, of the Pacific Union Conference. Report from Committee on Plans and Finance
The chair called for a report from the Committee on Plans and Finance. The following partial report was submitted:— The Committee on Plans and Finance respectfully submit the following partial report:— 1. For the manifold mercies of God which have been over us as a people; for his special blessing, which has preserved this great, threefold message in its integrity, and maintained unity among its faithful believers; for the success which has crowned the work of this advent movement during the past four years, as seen in its rapid growth and in its extension into new fields, in the prosperity which has attended our educational interests, in the conversion and consecration of our young people through the Sabbath-school and Missionary Volunteer departments, in the marked increase in the circulation of our literature in many languages, and in the preservation and progress of our medical missionary work; for the God-given liberties of conscience still vouchsafed to us; for these and all other divine blessings and favors which have been bestowed upon us by a compassionate and merciful Heavenly Father, we render our sincere praise and heartfelt thanksgiving. Whereas, In the growth and progress of our denominational work many institutions involving large investments have been, and must be, established for carrying forward the various branches of our work; and,— Whereas, It seems self-evident that such institutions as are built up and maintained by the donations, services, and patronage of our people, should belong to the people, as a whole, and not to a few, as is the case in many stock companies; therefore,— 2. We recommend, That great care be exercised in the organization of corporations to hold property; that the constituency be such as shall preserve all investments to the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, and as far as possible, place the elective franchise and controlling power with the denomination, and not with individuals. Whereas, The liquor traffic is a gigantic evil, condemned by the Word of God, by medical and scientific investigation, and by the experience of all time; and,— Whereas, It is destructive of law, order, and the civil rights of humanity; and therefore,— 3. We recommend, That our ministers, teachers, physicians, nurses, and people generally, engage in a vigorous campaign in behalf of total abstinence, by means of lectures, demonstrations, and the distribution11of health and temperance literature, and that whenever consistent our people by voice, pen, and vote, place themselves on record as favorable to the entire prohibition of the liquor traffic. 4. We recommend, That a press bureau be established in connection with the Religious Liberty Department, having a central organization at Takoma Park, and local bureaus wherever practicable. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY LITERATURE
5. We recommend, That in the preparation of religious liberty literature, regard be had to the provision of an attractive and popular treatment of the subject, suited for general distribution. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY INSTITUTES
Whereas, All our people should be well informed in the principles of religious liberty, that they may be enabled to meet the rapidly approaching crisis; therefore,— 6. We recommend, That our religious liberty secretaries everywhere, in conjunction with their respective conference officers, arrange to hold religious liberty institutes at such times and places as the cause of truth may demand, and that at these institutes regular time be set apart for all in attendance to do practical work in introducing the journal Liberty, and other similar literature, to the reading public. READING COURSE FOR SABBATH-SCHOOL TEACHERS
Whereas, One of the greatest factors in the promotion of a successful Sabbath-school is the teacher, and since many who are called to teach have had very meager advantages for training in their work; therefore,— 7. We recommend, That the Sabbath-school Department of the General Conference prepare in permanent form a reading course for the benefit of our Sabbath-school teachers. Moved by E. T. Russell, seconded by E. W. Farnsworth, that the report be adopted. Resolution 1 (expressing gratitude to God), being voted on separately, was passed unanimously, the entire congregation being asked to give expression of thanks to God. Resolution 2 (on corporate organizations) was read, and carried by vote. Resolution 3 (on the liquor traffic) was read. R. C. Russell: Representing a people that stand uncompromisingly against the liquor traffic, and in the interests of temperance reform, it seems to me that we ought to speak very strongly upon a resolution of this character. You will observe two prominent features in the resolution. One is the educational feature, the disseminating of the principles of true temperance. We all ought to do more than we have with Life and Health, and other publications. Again, the resolution teaches legislative action, that we should oppose the liquor traffic by pen, by voice, and by vote. Those of you who have read the papers here, may have seen that within the last few days it has been stated that we are against prohibition. This is a libel upon us as a people, because we stand unalterably opposed to the liquor traffic. By the principles we hold, and the instruction of the spirit of prophecy, we should place our influence on the side of temperance by vote when opportunity offers, when the issue is not mixed with Sunday legislation. Here in Washington, about a year ago, when the question of prohibition was up in the District, we presented an address before a committee, and this address was published in a congressional document. I am sure this resolution will be accepted unanimously. G. B. Starr, Australia: I believe that this denomination owes a debt to the world and to the temperance movement, to throw all the strength that we can into the cause of temperance. I was very much impressed with this at the time of the late campaign in New South Wales. A few weeks before the question was to come to vote, we decided to get out a special number of the (Australasian) Signs of the Times, to agitate the matter among the people. When that Signs was published, and placed in the hands of the temperance people who were working with all their might to carry the temperance question at the polls, they welcomed this assistance by very hearty expressions of thanks. They said, “This is the best contribution we have had on the subject.” We know that in some of the best homes of the city of Sydney, when the paper was placed in the home, it decided the people, men and women (for the women were allowed to vote on this question), with one single reading, to vote for prohibition instead of a reduction of the number of saloons. One very wealthy family in particular I know of. At the breakfast table they were discussing the matter, and asking each other how they should vote. There came a ring at the door, and the servant entered bringing the “Blue Ribbon” number of the Signs. The lady said to her husband, “Perhaps this is an answer to our question how we shall vote.” They read it, and both went to the polls, and voted straight for prohibition. We circulated the largest number of this paper that we have ever circulated of any number of the Signs. In one large temperance meeting held in the city hall, we obtained permission from the president of the Temperance Alliance to place copies of this paper on the seats. Much other literature was also placed in the seats, but when we came to gather up the papers that were left, out of about 1,400 copies, we found only 100 copies, while a large amount of other matter was left. We should heartily pass this resolution, and then work right along the lines outlined in it. Geo. I. Butler: I had not thought of speaking upon this subject; but the remarks of one of the brethren in regard to what they are saying about us as a people, that we are with the saloons, etc., I consider one of the most terrible libels of which I ever heard. There is no church or body of people that has stood so unanimously and uncompromisingly against the liquor traffic as has this. Now that we are classed by some with the saloon element, I think we should speak in thunder tones, that the people may know that it is not so. We have not been noted for our political activity. I well remember when this question of prohibition began to be agitated among the people, starting in Maine, and spreading to other States. In Iowa about thirty years ago there was an election, and this question was agitated, and our people not being given to voting, there was hardly any agitation among us on the subject. But some of us thought we ought to take our stand, and the question was brought up at the time of the State conference meeting. Sister White spoke upon the subject, and we brought all the pressure we could bear upon the people, to be sure that they voted on the prohibition side of the question. Now we are seeing a great movement for temperance in all the States; and when the General Conference in session here speaks on the subject, I think there will be no question as to where we as a people belong and stand.12 S. B. Horton: I am glad the General Conference is giving this resolution some thought at this time. Our position is not well understood by the local press, and for that reason I trust we will have sufficient to say here to make it apparent to all who read the papers that this denomination stands for prohibition. In the South we have had what is called a temperance wave. I think nearly every Southern State has had before its legislature some measure looking toward State-wide prohibition, and I believe that success has attended this agitation. Our people have contributed, to some extent at least, in the development of this agitation, and in final success. The Watchman issued a special temperance number, and distributed nearly 200,000 copies; other literature was also printed. We are glad to say that our people in the South stand for temperance. We ought to be very careful, however, how we deal with this question, so that we shall not be arrayed with it from a political standpoint, but rather from the standpoint of principle alone. I trust this resolution will be not only adopted, but earnestly carried out. R. A. Underwood: We ought to be very thankful that this temperance wave, which is moving all over the land, is not allied directly with politics. I came through Ohio, my old home State, to this meeting. I was glad to know that recently, out of from eighty to ninety counties that have had the privilege of voting on this question, only five or six have not voted the liquor traffic out. When such opportunities come to us, we ought not in anywise to be timid in declaring, positively, that we are against this gigantic evil. We ought to vote, and, further, as ministers we ought to speak and write, as well as use our influence against this evil that brings a trail of woe with it, greater than any other that touches our everyday life. I am heartily in favor of this recommendation. J. O. Corliss: I sincerely hope that this resolution will have a unanimous vote by this body. My reason for this is very quickly told. In our religious liberty campaigns in California those who stand on the other side of the question from us insist that we are working with the saloon element. No matter what we say to them in public, no matter what position we take and emphasize, they will turn about and insist that we are allied with the saloon element. If I can have in the future an official expression, if I can have a unanimous vote, of the General Conference to read before such audiences when we are thus maligned, it will turn the tide against those who report such stories against us. I sincerely hope that this resolution will carry by a unanimous vote. L. R. Conradi: Naturally, you speak of the issue in the United States; over in Europe, we are grateful to say, the cause of temperance is making great progress. There is another side of this resolution, and that is the educational part. We are grateful to God that this message has produced at least 18,000 total abstainers throughout Europe to-day. When I met the governor of German East Africa, I talked to him about our principles of total abstinence. He said, “You are the people fitted as missionaries to go to the tropics.” That is true, and I believe to-day that God in his mercy has given us the light on total abstinence, to fit us as missionary people to carry this truth to the world, and to be able to endure conditions in the tropics. During my visit to German East Africa, I was invited to a court dinner, held at the governor's office, in Dar-Es-Salaam. All the court officials of that province—about 25 in all—were in attendance. I noticed the champagne glasses about, and wondered what I would have to say. By and by, as the champagne was poured out, the governor called one of the waiters, and said something to him. Then the waiter came to me, and poured out good lemonade. When we came to raise the glasses, to my great surprise, he said, “Mr. Conradi, to your health.” And I said, “To your health,” with my lemonade. May God help us to be true witnesses for temperance by every means. M. C. Wilcox: I agree with the resolution. I believe that we ought to stand for uncompromising prohibition, but I do not believe that we ought to compromise ourselves in politics, and I think great danger lies right there. I believe we ought in every way we can to let the people know we stand for the prohibition of the liquor traffic. On the other hand, we ought not to begin any kind of campaign, or make any kind of speeches, in vituperation of the saloon-keeper. He is a man. He is one with the government in the legalizing of the traffic, and we ought to treat him as a man. Some of these men have been in that business for years and years. They do not see the wrong in it, nor know the wrong of it. I was in a temperance meeting not long ago, where there were three pastors on the platform. One began a tirade against men who sell liquor. I do not believe that we can stoop to any such thing as that. They are men, and their souls are just as precious as those of other men. I believe that we ought to stand uncompromisingly against the liquor traffic, but for the souls of men. L. W. Graham: I am glad to see this resolution put so generally before us. Last summer it was my privilege to attend a number of camp-meetings where we had temperance rallies, and there was no meeting during the whole session so favorably received. In some parts of the State in which I live the people have the opportunity, every two years, of voting as to whether or not saloons shall continue. G. W. Reaser: I want to speak briefly of one of the temperance rallies held in Los Angeles, Cal., last summer. About a dozen of the leading temperance workers in the city were present by invitation. The notice of our meeting was circulated in most of the pulpits of the city. I think the audience present on that occasion was larger than the audience in this tent. We stated that when they would introduce a platform in the State of California, divorcing the temperance question from the evil principle of religious legislation, and providing for the closing of every saloon in California every day and every week, we would assure them of the vote of every Seventh-day Adventist in the State. One of the most active workers in the W. C. T. U., attending this rally, is now a faithful Seventh-day Adventist, working in harmony with us, and is still an active temperance worker. W. A. Colcord: There is one point that I would like to emphasize. In our opposition to religious legislation we naturally take the negative. We say what civil government has no right to do. In taking the stand for prohibition we take the positive. The question was called on Resolution 3. Resolution 4 (on press bureau) was then read, and the question called. Resolution 5 (on religious liberty literature) was read, briefly discussed, and accepted. Resolution 6 (on religious liberty institutes) was read. S. N. Haskell: I am in favor of that. How much the distribution of the magazine Liberty had to do with giving us success at our last legislature in California I can not say; but I can say that in all our meetings we took that question up, and tried to educate the people by the sale of Liberty; and we are still doing it. California is the only State that does not have a Sunday law, and our effort now is to educate the people so that when they come to the next legislature, the Sunday law will meet the same fate that it did before. It will be a tremendous issue. The advocates of religious legislation are educating the people the best they can for a Sunday law, and we ought to educate them against it. There are thousands of people to-day who would not vote for a Sunday law if they understood the principles. And nothing can educate them in these principles better than Liberty. K. C. Russell: One feature I would like to emphasize, and that is the importance of holding these institutes to educate our religious liberty workers and secretaries. Many who have been elected to positions in connection with this phase of the work have had no experience. It seems very important, therefore, that institutes be held, not only to educate the outside public, but to educate our own people; and in this way we believe the work of educating the people at large may be more effectively promoted. E. W. Thomann (of Bolivia): In my experience in South America I have felt the influence and value of religious liberty literature. An article from Liberty, sent out by Brother Forga, was put in one of the newspapers. It was read by a teacher of law in the university. He clipped it out, and told me he was intending to use it when the time came. The Liberty is not only valuable in English, but when we can use articles from it in our land, by translating into Spanish, we are using them. We can educate the people along this line not only in the United States but in other places. W. H. Thurston (of Canada): I agree with this resolution in principle, but when it comes to the distribution of reading-matter, there is a question involved. The magazine Liberty does very well with us among legislators in Canada, but when it comes to the laity, they do not read it so readily. I believe the time has come when we should have a paper or reading-matter adapted to the Canadian issues. E. T. Russell (asking the privilege of speaking to Resolution 4): I wish to say I am heartily in favor of the recommendation regarding the press bureau. We have been working with legislators, with Congress, and with lawyers and judges, but we have scarcely touched the general public. There are great possibilities in the public press. We have noticed some of the results in the Central Union Conference. I believe we have reached several hundred thousand readers as a result of the press bureau work there. I see great possibilities in store for this denomination, if we can provide a good press bureau in the different union conferences. These press bureau agents can come in touch with our training-schools, and be instrumental in training an army of young people as press correspondents. This can be done just as readily as you can instruct students in one of our business departments, that is, just as practically. I think it is all right to have the headquarters of the bureau at Washington, but I am impressed that we should have agents in Philadelphia and New York, and other leading centers; because here is the capital of the nation, and when the literature is sent out from here, it will be spotted as Republican, Democratic, or Prohibition, so I think it would be better to have it sent out from other parts of the United States. J. O. Corliss: There is more involved in this last resolution [Resolution 6] than appears on the surface. My observation has been that many of our people have the wrong idea concerning the religious liberty work. Many of them think when a bill has once been killed in the legislature, that is all there is to it, only to get ready to kill another when it comes up. I do not understand that this is the object of the religious liberty bureau. The object is to educate the people to know what the third angel's message is, and in that case, we should not be idle when we are not actively engaged in some special campaign. There should be in our religious liberty work no interim in which our people will be able to fold their arms, and think there is nothing to do until the legislature meets again. We should be at work by institutes continually, educating our own people in the principles of religious liberty, so that they will be able to write about the principles, and be prepared to take part in the work whenever a local issue arises. One article that is misleading is likely to destroy the influence of the association in that locality for some time. There is a necessity for our people to constantly study the principles underlying the message we hold so dear. I am so simple-minded as to believe that the time is not far distant when these religious liberty principles will be the principal part of the message that we are to carry to the world. I feel this resolution is one that ought to meet the approval of our people everywhere. H. J. Edmed (South Africa): I wish to agree with what the previous speakers have said in regard to the establishment of the religious liberty press bureau. The statement was made that there should be agencies established in the different union conferences in this country, and it seems as if some of our good brethren had their minds entirely upon the work as it should be done in this country. But I wish to remind the delegation that in the distant lands we are confronting the same issues that you are meeting in America. If this press bureau is established, I hope it will be in constant touch with other countries.13 Only a few months ago we had word from England that the different Non-conformist denominations, with the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, had united for the purpose of securing a stricter observance of Sunday. Soon after the news of this reached us, legislation was taken up in Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and in Natal, and we had to meet these issues there, and they are the same as you have here in America. Therefore, it seems to me that all our departments in the General Conference offices should consider these questions as world-wide in their influence, so that we in distant lands, who may require at various times literature on these subjects, and who are not strong enough to publish separate literature, can look to these central bureaus for the literature that we need in the education of the people where we are. O. A. Olsen (of Australia): I am especially interested in this resolution. You have just heard about the needs in Africa. The fact is, brethren, these questions are just as much alive in Australia as they are over here. The same principles are involved, the same issues are at stake, the same responsibilities rest upon our people, and there is the same need of education in all these departments. Now, the fact is, as was stated by one of the delegates, the real principles of the third angel's message are involved in this move. That being the case, we can not take too great an interest in instructing all our people in these principles. As far as we have been able, we have taken up the matter in our institutes, and in our conferences and camp-meetings throughout the Australasian field, and yet we are not satisfied with what has been done. We have also set apart a Sabbath in every quarter for the purpose of keeping this matter alive by having special readings and discussions. Question was called on Resolution 6. Recommendation 7 (on reading-course for Sabbath-school teachers) was read. The secretary of the Sabbath-school Department was requested to explain the resolution. Mrs. L. Flora Plummer: This matter of the reading-course for Sabbath-school officers and teachers has been very fully discussed in our Sabbath-school Department meetings. The idea is this: so few of our force of officers and teachers have had any special training to fit them for their work, that it is deemed advisable that we try to encourage them to read and study those things that will help them to become more efficient in their work in connection with the Sabbath-school. We have passed a resolution in our department meetings, going further into the details of this plan; but we thought that if the General Conference would vote that a reading-course would be in place for Sabbath-school officers and teachers, we would then feel free to go ahead and work out the details to the very best possible advantage. I would state that, so far as the discussion has gone, it indicates that it would be well to have our department prepare the matter for study in this reading-course; that Testimonies on Sabbath-school work be arranged in one book for study; that perhaps some Sunday-school book of plans or methods might properly be used. Other suggestions have been made, but of course all these plans are indefinite, and will have to be worked out by the future officers of the department. I want to say, brethren and sisters, that this is not a matter that has just come up, to which little consideration has been given. It has been in the minds of some, at least, of the Sabbath-school committee for more than a year. In fact, ever since the meeting at Mount Vernon we have been considering the importance of this question. We have, however, not been able to adjust it satisfactorily alone, and have waited for a recommendation from the General Conference to encourage us, so that we could feel free to go ahead with the plans. Action was now taken on the report as a whole, aside from the items acted upon separately, and the report was unanimously adopted. Elder L. R. Conradi in the chair. Prayer was offered by Elder E. T. Russell. New delegates were seated as follows: Dr. J. D. Shively, Central Union; Dr. W. A. George, Southern Union. A legal meeting of the Review and Herald Publishing Association being appointed for this hour, the time of the morning session was devoted to that meeting, a report of which appears elsewhere. At the close of the morning hour, the meeting adjourned. L. R. Conradi, chairman. Prayer by Elder H. W. Decker. The chairman stated that the time was allotted to representatives of the Japan Mission. [Prof. F. W. Field and his associate delegates spoke of the work in the Sunrise Kingdom. Their reports will be printed in the future.] At the close of the meeting the Japanese delegation displayed some articles from these fields. A. G. Daniells occupied the chair. After No. 221 in the new edition of “Christ in Song” had been sung, C. F. McVagh asked God's blessing upon the work in all the earth. The following new delegates were seated: O. Madsen, German Union; S. E. Wight, Lake Union. E. R. Palmer, secretary of the Publishing Department, presented his report, as given on another page. The chairman next called for any further reports from committees. Further partial report from the committee on plans and finance was presented by C. Dail, as follows:— Report from Committee on Plans and Finance
GENERAL AND FIELD MISSIONARY AGENTS
Whereas, In the beginning of our subscription-book work, one of the principal factors in establishing it was the organization of the field under the leadership of general and local agents; and,— Whereas, That line of work suffered years of decline through disorganization, but is now being strongly revived wherever the field is being properly manned; therefore,— 8. Resolved, That we move forward with all possible haste in the work that has been begun of selecting and training general and field missionary agents, and of placing them where they are most needed, until all the great fields of the world are manned for handling the circulation of literature thoroughly. ELIMINATING COMMERCIAL WORK
Whereas, The blessing of the Lord has rested upon the efforts of our publishing houses to eliminate commercial work; and,— Whereas, Their progress in this direction has met with the approval of our people, and has brought improved conditions both in the publishing houses and in the field; therefore,— 9. Resolved, That we approve of these steps, and that we support our publishing houses loyally in carrying them out. IMPROVEMENT OF LITERATURE
Whereas, Thorough attention should be given to the revision and improvement of our standard literature; and,— Whereas, This will be an undertaking which will involve much labor; therefore,— 10. We recommend, That this work be provided for as follows:—
(a) That a book editor be appointed by the General Conference Committee, who shall be an officer of the Publishing Department, and devote as much time to this work as its needs require.
(b) That the publishing houses in the United States each be advised to appoint a book editor, who shall be a member of the respective literature committees of these houses.
(c) That the book editor of the General Department secure co-operation between the literature committees of the several publishing houses in accomplishing this work. IMPORTANCE OF LITERATURE COMMITTEES
11. Resolved, That we give information to all our people concerning the careful, painstaking work of the literature committees in our publishing houses in preparing new literature, and that we discourage the practise of private individuals bringing out literature on their personal judgment and responsibility. SABBATH-SCHOOL HOME DEPARTMENT
Whereas, The Home Department of the Sabbath-school has been established to meet the needs of our people who are isolated from those of like precious faith, as well as those whom circumstances prevent from attending the local school; therefore,— 12. We recommend,—
(a) That the conference workers be urged to co-operate with our secretaries in strengthening this work by securing the names and addresses of all isolated Sabbath-keepers within their territory, that they may be brought in touch with the progress of the message.14 (b) That we urge the carrying forward of this work more fully in our local schools, thus bringing the vitalizing power of the Sabbath-school lessons to the whole denomination. Whereas, The Sabbath School Worker is a molding factor in our Sabbath-schools, and it is the medium whereby Sabbath-school laborers are kept in touch with progressive methods; therefore,— 13. We recommend, That earnest efforts be made to place this journal in the hands of every officer and teacher in our Sabbath-schools, by—
(a) A liberal use of sample copies, calling attention to special articles and practical illustrations.
(b) Personal labor and continual correspondence by the State Sabbath-school secretary.
(c) Enlisting the co-operation of the missionary and tract society secretaries and conference laborers.
(d) Small leaflets containing selections from the Sabbath School Worker, testimonials, etc.
(e) Frequent testimonials in our periodicals of help received from the Sabbath School Worker.
(f) Arranging, if possible, for club rates to subscribers for single copies of the Sabbath School Worker and Youth's Instructor, or Sabbath School Worker and Little Friend, or for single copies of the three papers. CITY WORK WITH PUBLICATIONS
Whereas, We are debtors to the millions of all nationalities in the large cities, to give them the advent message as quickly as possible, and experience has shown that the sale of literature, house-to-house visiting, and Bible studies are effective methods of labor; therefore,— 14. Resolved, That we lay broad plans for the organization of city work, which will include the sale of periodicals and books, the distribution of tracts and leaflets, visiting and Bible studies in the homes, and the training of local church-members and students from our schools to become efficient helpers to those regularly appointed to this work. It was agreed that action on the report should wait over until the next day, in order to give delegates opportunity to have the printed resolutions before them. G. A. Irwin occupied the chair, calling upon W. A. Hennig to offer prayer. Reports from the Latin Field
The chair stated that, as no committees were prepared to report, the time would be devoted to a report from the Latin Union Conference, and thereupon called upon the president of the union, L. P. Tieche, to present his report, which he did. [This report, with others which followed, will be printed at an early date.] Elder Conradi read the following letter, which he had just received from Elder Z. G. Baharian, of Turkey:— “SCUTARI (Constantinople), May 9, 1909.
“DEAR BROTHER CONRADI:—
“Yesterday I received a letter from Konia. Brother G. Simionyan writes that he has received two letters from Mersin, giving some information about our people in the province of Adana. In Mersin, Brethren Topsarkisian, Arslanian, and Charles Simmons are all alive. Just before the massacre, the elder of the church, Hadji Kupelian, had from Adana gone to Mersin, and spending one day there, had gone to Kozolonk in company with Brother Garabed Keshishian, of Tarsus. While they were there in the house of our Brother Kaspar Nalbendian, the massacre was begun in the village, and all have been killed. This caused much sorrow to my heart. The wife of Brother Nalbendian also was killed. All were faithful brethren. Brother Nalbendian had four children. We do not know what happened to them. In Tarsus, Brethren Krikor and Kevork have only saved their lives, losing everything. In Adana Brother Dikran Ashodian has been killed. No news about others has been received. “I am glad to write you that Brother Enoch Ayvazian had left the villages of Antioch a few days before the massacre, and had come to Aleppo. He writes that in Antioch and vicinity the massacre has been awful. We don't know what became of our brother George Seyrekian, in Antioch. . . . My wife (in Aintab) is writing (April 23) that there has reigned a great terror over the people of Aintab, hearing of the massacre of Adana and Antioch. But, thank the Lord, nothing bad has happened there yet. In Adana two American missionaries have been shot. Elder AcMoody knows one of them, the son-in-law of De Christie, the tall young man that led us in showing us the buildings. “Greater calamity has fallen on the Congregational churches, because many of their ministers and delegates have been killed on their way to Adana. “At first Brother Alexan had received a telegram to inform that all our people in Adana were safe. But this letter of May 3, from Konia, is full of sorrow. I shall write to our people in other places in Turkey to run to the help of their brethren, though the help will not be much. I would have you also work for them, collecting some help. Nothing has been left to those who have remained. Help is being sent from every quarter, but the demand is great. “Brother Alexan Buzugherian has left Konia for Aksaray, rather a dangerous step in such times. May God keep him from evil. “My greetings to our people assembled in Conference. Our prayers will attend them. I hope Brother AcMoody is better. Please give this information to him, as I could not write him now. “With best wishes,
“Yours in the message,
“Z. G. BAHARIAN.” Elder Conradi then made the following brief remarks: I am sure at this Conference we appreciate this letter. It means very much to our people there, and I believe they are worthy of our sympathy as a Conference here at this time. Let us pray for those who remain. When I left Hamburg to come here, I told our assistant treasurer if any news came from Turkey, to attend to their immediate wants from the money we had in the treasury, because I did not believe we ought to leave our people helpless at this time. [Many amens were heard in response to this sentiment.]