The General Conference Council by W. A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 23, 1908

The General Conference Council

By W. A. Spicer

The General Conference Council called for April 14-25, at Washington, opened at the appointed date. The council is held in the chapel of the new College Hall of the Foreign Mission Seminary, which is just receiving the finishing touches of the builders. Most of the delegates are being accommodated at the Sanitarium and the Seminary, with a few in private houses.

The following brethren are present at this writing: A. G. Daniells, G. A. Irwin, L. R. Conradi, H. W. Cottrell, I. H. Evans, R. A. Underwood, Allen Moon, E. W. Farnsworth, W. B. White, E. E. Andross, E. L. Stewart, W. J. Fitzgerald, F. M. Burg, Geo. B. Thompson, K. C. Russell, F. Griggs, H. R. Salisbury, A. G. Haughey, W. H. Thurston, R. C. Porter, G. F. Haffner, H. H. Burkholder, C. F. McVagh, Geo. W. Wells, Dr. M. A. Ruble, Dr. D. H. Kress, O. E. Reinke, A. Boettcher, F. H. DeVinney, L. H. Christian, H. W. Carr, C. H. Jones, E. R. Palmer, B. G. Wilkinson, T. E. Bowen, Geo. Teasdale, W. A. Westworth, Morris Lukens, H. F. Ketring, C. B. Haynes, M. C. Strachan, W. A. Colcord, E. C. Widgery.

It was decided that the afternoon and evening sessions, while continuing as committee meetings for the transaction of business, should be open sessions, to which students and nurses from the local Seminary and Sanitarium would be invited, as well as other visitors.

First Day, April 14

From the opening session the most encouraging and uplifting spirit has prevailed in the council. At this early stage in the meeting considerable time has been devoted to discussing various questions, which have been referred to subcommittees to formulate recommendations which will be brought in later. The agenda paper of the council, showing the list of questions that have come in for consideration and decision, is an unusually large one, and covers the work in all lands. Over one hundred and fifty topics were listed, aside from the questions brought in by visiting delegates.

The calls for appropriations for the mission fields for the year 1908 were referred to the committee on appropriations, and various calls for help and interchange of laborers in this country have been referred to a committee on distribution of labor.

In discussing some calls from the South, the chairman of the committee spoke of the encouraging progress and prosperity of the work in that great field, and of the need of helping some of the conferences to secure still further facilities. In our work there is to be no North, no South, no West, but one field. The Northern conferences have responded generously to the call to send tent companies to the South. About eight tents and companies will go this season from Northern conferences into the Southern field.

When the call for a large meeting tent for use of the Southern Union Conference was presented, Elder H. W. Cottrell, of the Pacific Union, stated that he would undertake to see that the tent was secured.

Representatives of other portions of the Southern field suggested like needs in some of the local conferences, the requests being referred to the committee on appropriations.

The evening session of this first day of the council was devoted to a discussion of the preparation for the Sunday-law hearing before a congressional committee to be granted next day.

One incident, simple in itself, reminded the council of the intense interest with which the workers in the mission fields will follow this annual spring council to which they have sent calls for help. The chairman read the following telegram from Elder G. M. Brown, of California, who has been forced by illness to retire from the superintendency of the Mexican mission: “Greetings to the council. Remember Mexico and its needs.” The hearts of all responded to the appeals from the needy fields, and the union and local conference men present have spoken of the earnest desire in their fields to supply both men and means to extend the work.

Second Day, April 15

The business program was a short one for this day, inasmuch as the council adjourned at 10:30 in the morning in order to allow the delegates to go to the city to attend the Sunday-law hearing. One item on which decision was reached, however, was that of the midsummer offering service. Inasmuch as the fourth of July this year falls on the Sabbath it was—

Voted, That a special program, combining the ideas of religious liberty and missions, be prepared for Sabbath, the fourth of July, the regular midsummer offering to be taken on that day.

Action was taken recommending the ordination of Brother M. E. Kern, the chairman of the Missionary Volunteer Department, and granting him credentials from the General Conference.

At the evening session, after a report to a large congregation of the experiences in the Sunday-law hearing, Elder L. R. Conradi gave a review of the work in the Russian and German union conferences. The first conference organized in Europe was Denmark, in 1880. Up to 1898, there were four conferences; now there are in all fifty field organizations in Europe, union conferences, local conferences, and mission fields. In 1898 Europe had 6,002 Sabbath-keepers, who paid a tithe of $38,500, and offerings of $5,500. In 1907 there were 15,400 Sabbath-keepers, a tithe of $142,000, with offerings of $25,000.

Briefly the speaker presented a stirring picture of the tremendous needs of Russia, with its one hundred fifty millions of people and but thirty ministers and Bible workers. Yet it is demonstrated that wherever laborers go, honest souls are found. Years ago Russian brethren were exiled for a time to Gerusi, on the Persian border. They scattered some literature, and left an influence behind them after the days of exile were over. For years no one knew of any special interest there, but lately has come the word of converts to the truth, and now there are ninety Sabbath-keepers in that region. Dr. Vahon Pampaian has been laboring at the foot of Mount Ararat for a time, with apparently little results; but now a change has come, and five are reported as accepting the truth. While Hungary greatly needs all possible help, it has released one of its workers who understands Russian, to go into the region of Omsk, in central Siberia. Vast Siberia is being entered by hundreds of thousands of settlers every year. We ought to have one hundred laborers in Russia at an early date. The Friedens School in Germany has a Russian

Department, established for training Russian workers in the days when liberty was restricted in the Muscovite empire. Now, however, plans should be laid to secure Russia a school of its own. After twenty years in Russia we have there now a union conference, with three conferences, three mission fields, two thousand seven hundred Sabbath-keepers, and the membership is growing at the rate of about four hundred a year. This entire union, with its one hundred fifty million to be warned, will have but fifteen thousand dollars income for its work this year.

The German Union was next described, with its seven thousand five hundred Sabbath-keepers, and one hundred fifty million people. They have but one hundred eighty ministerial and Bible workers. This union has aimed to stretch its resources in order to help in other lands. This year it will operate its own work for all its millions with seventy-six thousand dollars, and send to help outside its boundaries the sum of fifteen thousand dollars. The brethren in Europe desire to send workers and means anywhere in the wide world according to the needs, and to stand shoulder to shoulder with the brethren in America and all the world in pushing the work forward. Yet the union itself has tremendous mission fields. Hungary, with its fifty millions, has just been organized as a conference. More workers are needed there. This winter a way has been found for holding public lectures in Vienna, the capital of Austria, where now is a church of twenty-five members. There are only about one hundred Sabbath-keepers in Austria, and all about in that country are vast provinces where not a worker is to be found. There is progress in the Balkan States, and in the Netherlands; but everywhere are calls for more help.

Elder Daniells, the chairman, stated that many present would remember when the work in Germany was begun, when all the funds for operating there were sent from this country. Now what a cheering report comes from Germany! The only explanation of such facts is that this is God's work, and his mighty power is in it.

Third Day, April 16

At the morning session the plans concerning the next General Conference led to an inspiring discussion of the purposes and aims of a General Conference, led by Brethren Daniells, Underwood, and Farnsworth. Among the points suggested were the following: These general gatherings help to preserve the unity of the work; this is one work; there are no divisions, no separations.

A General Conference is an occasion when the attention of the whole denomination should be focused anew upon the essentials,—the things primary and fundamental. It is to be a time of shaping the line of attack upon the work set before us, to agree upon the most effective plans, and then to scatter out to carry forward the work in all the world,—the energies of an entire people devoted to the one great purpose. It is an occasion also for the forming of personal acquaintance with one another in the service, which is the basis of confidence and of sympathy and co-operation with one another in the fields. It was suggested that now that the General Conference comes but once in four years, it should be truly a world's conference, with larger representation than heretofore from the fields abroad. The questions of Bible instruction and of reports were also discussed.

A memorial was presented, adopted by the German workers in session in Chicago in December. From this memorial we quote the following greeting to the American brethren:—

This message has gathered us from all nations and tongues, and has made us one people,—a people to whom God has entrusted the greatest work ever given to mankind.

We realize the necessity of concerted action between our American brethren and ourselves, and assure them of our entire harmony with them on all points of present truth; and, furthermore, that they can rely upon our faithful support until the time has come when this message shall have found its conclusion.

Recommendations and requests made by the German meeting were referred to various committees.

A request made to the Lake Union Conference for help in the Jewish mission work was brought to the council, and referred to the committee on appropriations for consideration, along with estimates of needs submitted by the mission fields.

As this report must be sent to the printers, only the first morning meeting of this date is reported. Regular business will be continued this afternoon; this evening Elder E. E. Andross is to present the needs and the work in the British Union, and Elder L. R. Conradi will present the Levant Union, the Levant including the countries around the eastern end of the Mediterranean.

W. A. Spicer, Secretary.