Fifth Annual Session of the N. Y. and Pa. Conference by N. FULLER; R. F. COTTRELL

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 16, 1866

Fifth Annual Session of the N. Y. and Pa. Conference.

By N. FULLER; R. F. COTTRELL

Conference met Sept. 28, 1866, at Roosevelt, N. Y. The President, A. Lanphear, not being present, Bro. N. Fuller was called to the chair. Prayer by Bro. Andrews.

Delegates being called, it was found that twenty-three churches were represented by twenty-three delegates and two letters. A newly-organized church at Genoa, Cayuga Co., N. Y., applied for admission to the Conference, and was received. Also an unorganized church at Ridgeway, Orleans Co., N. Y., was, after the adoption of the amendment of the constitution relating to such, admitted to a voice in the Conference. Bro. J. N. Loughborough was invited by vote to act with the Conference.

By a vote of Conference, the following committees were appointed by the chair:

On resolutions, J. N. Loughborough, J. N. Andrews and S. B. Whitney.
On nominations, J. N. Andrews, Ira Abbey and J. N. Loughborough.
Auditing committee, Wm. Treadwell, Edward Witter, J. M. Lindsay, I. Abbey, Samuel Walworth and Elias Goodwin. By vote Bro. Loughborough was invited to act with this committee.

Reports from ministers being called for, written reports of labors, receipts and expenditures were presented by N. Fuller, C. O. Taylor, R. F. Cottrell and S. B. Whitney. Also a report of labor by J. W. Raymond, Licentiate.

The question of the ordination of Bro. Whitney was referred to the Executive Committee.

Adjourned to afternoon.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

After prayer, the committee on nominations reported the following for officers of the Conference the ensuing year; for President, N. Fuller; Secretary, S. B. Whitney; Treasurer, C. O. Taylor; Executive committee, N. Fuller, J. N. Andrews and R. F. Cottrell.

The report was accepted, and the persons named unanimously elected.

The committee on resolutions reported the following, which were unanimously adopted.

Resolved, That the resolutions passed by the General Conference to allow unorganized churches to be represented by delegates, be adopted as Sec. 2 of Art. I of the State Conference Constitution, viz.:

Sec. 2. When Sabbath-keepers in any place have enrolled their names under the church covenant of S. D. Adventists, appointed a leader and organized Systematic Benevolence, they shall be entitled to delegates to the sessions of the State Conference to the same extent as though fully organized.

Resolved, That the following words be added to Sec. 2 of Art. II of the Constitution of the N. Y. and Pa. State Conference: And it shall further be the duty of the Secretary to furnish the delegates to the General Conference, statistics specifying the number of ministers and licentiates belonging to the Conference, the number of churches and membership, the total amount of s. b. fund, &c.

Resolved, That Art. VI of the Constitution be changed so as to read, “each day’s occupation,” instead of “their labors each week.”

Resolved, That in the matter of expulsion of members from churches, we endorse and adopt the resolutions of the General Conference passed upon this subject as follows:

Resolved, That in our judgment the expulsion of members from church fellowship should never be effected by less than a two-thirds vote of the entire membership of the church in question; and such action should not take place without previous faithful labor with the erring member, and also due notice of the trial. The only circumstances under which these regulations should be departed from at all are in the case of outrageous crime in which the guilt is manifest; in which case, at the discretion of the church this previous labor may be dispensed with.

Resolved, That in case of church trials involving the expulsion of members, we deem it advisable that our brethren, if possible, secure the aid of some experienced preacher; if this is not consistent that they make application to their own State Conference Committee for the aid of some experienced and judicious lay-brethren to aid by their counsel and advice, excepting such cases only as are excepted in the preceding resolution.

Resolved, That the State Conference adopt the resolutions on dress, as passed by the General Conference.

Resolved, That we acknowledge the health reform as set forth in the testimony of Sr. White, as part of the work of God incumbent on us at this time; and that we pledge ourselves to live in accordance with these principles, and that we will use our best endeavors to impress their importance upon others.

Resolved, That we fully approve of the establishing of a Health Institution in Battle Creek, Mich., by our people, and that we will aid in this enterprise by our means and influence.

Resolved, That we re-arrange our Systematic Benevolence pledges at the time of electing our delegates to State Conference, so that our s. b. year may correspond with the Conference year.

Resolved, That we pay to the Conference 90 per cent of all moneys received into s. b. fund.

Resolved, That the Conference year commence the first of October, and that our quarterly reports to the Secretary commence from that date.

Resolved, That this Conference donate the sum of $150 to aid in the erection of a meeting-house at Battle Creek.

Resolved, That this Conference donate $155 to the General Conference Missionary Fund.

Resolved, That this Conference donate $100 to the S. D. A. P. Association.

Resolved, That the Conference committee be empowered to publish a suitable number of minutes in pamphlet form, for the use of the Conference; said minutes to contain the State Conference Constitution, and some of the doings of the Conferences of 1862-3-4-5 and 6.

Resolved, That this Conference furnish suitable Blanks to the different churches and ministers within its limits.

Resolved, That the Executive Committee be requested to district the Conference field, and arrange Quarterly Meetings.

Resolved, That we invite one or more of the General Conference Committee to meet with us in our future sessions.

Adjourned to the call of the committee.

Sept. 30, P. M. Conference convened again. The auditing committee reported. Report accepted and approved. It appeared that the s. b. fund for the year was $2,676.87.

Appropriated to preachers, missionary fund, S. D. A. P. Association, Battle Creek meeting-house, &c., (see resolutions,) $2,615.54. Balance in treasury, $61.83.

As the Roosevelt church had added fourteen feet to the length of their house of worship, at an expense of upwards of $200, expressly to convene the present and future sessions of Conference, it was therefore

Resolved, That the delegates of the several churches of this Conference be a committee to solicit and receive means in their respective churches to aid in defraying this expense, and send it to L. R. Chapel, Gilbert’s Mills, Oswego Co., N. Y.

Resolved, That we express our gratitude to the church at Roosevelt for the diligent care and unwearied pains which they extended toward us during the sessions of this Conference.

Resolved, That the proposed enlargement of the Review meets the hearty approval of this Conference, and that we will cheerfully pay the increased price for the paper thus enlarged.

Resolved, That the report of this Conference be published in the Review.

Adjourned to the call of the committee.

Oct. 1, 7½ A. M., Conference met again.

During this session, Bro. S. B. Whitney was set apart for the gospel ministry by fasting and prayer, and the laying on of hands.

Licenses were granted to E. B. Saunders, J. W. Raymond and H. Edson.

The following resolutions were passed.

Resolved, That we approve the principle of the following resolution of the General Conference, viz.:

Resolved, That in the judgment of this Conference it is a great error in the course of some of our brethren that they leave their fields of labor, to go elsewhere, when the work is not completed where they are; so that they not only leave the interest to die out among the people, and thus fail to reach a large number that might have been converted to the truth, but they also leave many of those already identified with the work too feeble to stand securely against their enemies.

Resolved, That in our judgment, the ordinances of the Christian church belong only to those who accept the duties and responsibilities of church membership.

Resolved, That we deem it duty to caution our brethren against purchasing patent rights; and that we express our surprise and regret that our friends should so often forget the warnings given on this subject through the Testimonies.

Resolved, That in the judgment of this Conference, it is to be regretted that some persons travel about without a license from the Conference, introducing a few points of present truth, and those points in an objectionable manner; and we hereby enter our protest against such a course.

Resolved, That in our judgment it is more for the advancement of the truth to live it out before our neighbors, than to be constantly contending with them.

The Executive Committee, aided by Bro. Loughborough, proceeded to district the Conference field and appoint Quarterly Meetings. By this arrangement, it is intended that the several churches throughout the entire field, shall have the benefit of evangelical ministerial labor once in each three months; so that none shall be neglected, as has been the case, while others enjoy these privileges frequently. Systematic labor should be had, as well as systematic contributions to sustain it.

The Conference field was divided into three districts and fourteen Quarterly Meetings.

The western district has seven Quarterly Meetings, as follows:

Rochester and Clarkson.
Ridgeway, Olcott and Lockport.
Lancaster.
Wheeler and Allegany Co.
McKean Co., Pa.
Farmington and Alba, Pa.
Catlin and Genoa.

The central district, four Quarterly Meetings.

Adams’ Center and Mannsville.
Oswego, Roosevelt and West Monroe.
Kirkville and Verona.
Brookfield.

The northern district, three Quarterly Meetings.

Buck’s Bridge, Norfolk and Bangor.
Champlain.
Middle Grove.

Adjourned sine die.

N. FULLER, President,

R. F. COTTRELL, Secretary.