The Atlantic Union Conference by Arthur Grosvenor Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Dec 5, 1907

The Atlantic Union Conference

By Arthur Grosvenor Daniells

The fourth session of the Atlantic Union Conference has just closed its meeting, which was held at Philadelphia. The attendance was the largest since the union was organized, in 1901. An excellent spirit prevailed, so that all pertaining to the conference passed off pleasantly and harmoniously.

At the General Conference Council held in Switzerland last spring the following recommendation was passed:—

That the Atlantic Union Conference be requested to so reorganize as to form two union conferences, as follows: (a) the Atlantic Union Conference, to be composed of the conferences in the States of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine; (b) the Columbia Union Conference, to be composed of the conferences in the States of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

That the Lake Union Conference be requested to release the Ohio Conference, to become a part of the Columbia Union.

In view of this recommendation, arrangements were made during the summer for this reorganization to take place at the Atlantic Union Conference, which

has just been held. The Lake Union Conference released Ohio, and the Ohio brethren and sisters voted to unite with the new union conference to be formed. In harmony with this action, the Ohio Conference sent a full delegation to the Philadelphia meeting.

When the recommendation of the General Conference Committee and the various details pertaining to the standing of the two conferences were placed before the delegation, the vote to reorganize in harmony with the suggestion of the General Conference Committee, was unanimous. The statistical records of the two conferences showed that their standing would be about as follows:—

After the division, the Atlantic Union Conference would have seven States with seven conferences, and a population of fourteen million. In this conference there are 176 churches, 5,255 Sabbath-keepers, 150 laborers, and an annual tithe of $63,000. The new union conference would be composed of seven States, having seven organized conferences and a population of seventeen million. In this conference there are 204 churches, 6,104 Sabbath-keepers, and 220 laborers, with a tithe of $71,000. Thus the population, constituency, and financial standing of the two conferences are nearly the same. Each union has good educational and sanitarium enterprises.

As soon as the vote was taken to reorganize, all delegates of the conferences composing each union met in separate companies to appoint their standing committees, and to deal with other important matters pertaining to the interests of their own union conferences. During the session these conferences held joint meetings from day to day, receiving reports from the committees which affected both unions alike. All the proceedings of these meetings were carried on in the most brotherly and harmonious spirit. Those conducting the business sessions were blessed with wisdom and judgment in disposing of the various questions that came before the delegates, without unnecessary delay, so that a large amount of important business was transacted to allow an hour to be taken each day for Bible study, but it was decided that the Bible study was needed, and would be held even if some of the business had to be left unattended to. Our experience showed that really no time was lost in conference session by taking time to study the Word of God. A number of the evening services were devoted to reports from the mission fields, given by our General Conference men who have recently visited those fields. These were intensely interesting to our people.

All things considered, this was one of the most interesting and cheerful union conference sessions it has been my privilege to attend for a long time. We believe that the dividing of the territory as outlined above will result in greatly advancing the interests of the cause in this part of the field. The new union will be able to give more attention and more effective help to weak States south of Pennsylvania than they have ever received in the past. Since locating the headquarters of the General Conference in the District of Columbia, we have felt the need of strengthening the work in the Chesapeake and Virginia Conferences. The territory of the Atlantic Union Conference was so large, and the interests of some of the large conferences were so great, that particular attention could not be given to the weaker parts of the field. The main object of the reorganization is to bestow special help on these weaker conferences. This was the representation made to the Ohio brethren, and they cheerfully united with the Columbia Union, with the view of rendering help to these more needy parts of the field.

A full report of the organization will be published as soon as the conference officers have had time to prepare the minutes of the meetings. I am sure our people will be glad to learn of this advanced step, and that all will remember the officers of this new conference at the throne of grace. A. G. DANIELLS.