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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 29, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 20

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SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE N. Y. AND PA. CONFERENCE.

By C. O. TAYLOR; S. B. WHITNEY

CONFERENCE assembled pursuant to appointment, at Adam’s Center, Sept. 27, 1867.
In the absence of Eld. N. Fuller, President, the meeting was called to order by Bro. Andrews. Prayer by Bro. Loughborough.
After the calling of delegates, Bro. Taylor was chosen President, pro tem. Upon examination of credentials and letters from delegates, it was ascertained that twenty-one churches were represented by twenty delegates and two letters. One delegate duly chosen, failed to appear, and a letter from another church did not arrive till the second day of Conference. It was then
Voted, That Brn. Loughborough and A. C. Bourdeau be invited to participate in the business of the Conference.
Voted, That Bro. J. B. Lamson be admitted as a delegate from Rochester.
Voted, That the constitution of this Conference be amended by the adoption of the following as Art. vii of Sec. 3, viz.: “This Conference may, at its discretion, invite all persons present who are members of our churches in good standing to take part in the discussion of business, but not to participate in voting.” The brethren were accordingly invited.
The minutes of the last meeting were then read and accepted.
The reports of churches were called for and read.
By vote of Conference the following committees were appointed by the chair.
1. On resolutions, Ira Abbey, Josiah Witter and David Arnold.
2. On nominations, S. B. Whitney, J. N. Andrews and J. W. Raymond.
The following committees were appointed by the Conference:
1. Auditing committee, A. H. Hall, E. O. Fish, Ira Abbey, J. M. Lindsay, Josiah Witter and Homer Howe.
2. On preaching, C. O. Taylor, Samuel Walsworth and Henry Brown.
Bro. Loughborough was invited to act with the auditing committee.
Ministers’ reports being called for, the following brethren responded: C. O. Taylor, J. W. Raymond, John Barrows and S. B. Whitney. Brn. Saunders and Arnold made reports subsequently to the committee. Brn. Fuller and Cottrell were unable to report on account of severe illness.
The Conference then proceeded to adopt the following amendments to the constitution, viz.: Add to Art. iii, Sec. 2, the words, “When a member takes a letter of commendation from a church he still remains a member of that church; and he should pay his s. B. accordingly, giving due notice when he joins the church in another place.”
Annex the following to Art. iv, as sections 3 and 4.
Sec. 3. 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 giving due notice of his 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.
Sec. 4. In the case of church trials involving the expulsion of members, our brethren, if possible, should secure the aid of some experienced preacher; if this is not consistent, they should make application to the 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 section.
Adjourned to P. M.
Afternoon session. Prayer by Bro. Andrews. Treasurer’s report made and accepted.
The committee on nominations reported as follows, viz., 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 nominations elected as a whole. The following resolutions were then adopted:
Resolved, That in the judgment of this Conference no church clerk should ever give letters of commendation, except when instructed to do so by vote of the church.
Resolved, That we express our continued faith in the perpetuity of Spiritual Gifts during the gospel dispensation, and our gratitude to God that he has intimately connected the spirit of prophecy with the proclamation of the third angel’s message.
Resolved, That we acknowledge the Health Reform as a proper exemplification of the subject of Christian temperance, and an important part of the great work of preparation for the judgment.
Resolved, That we recognize the hand of God in the successful establishment of the Health Institute, and that we invite the continued action of our people in order that this may be enlarged to meet the wants of its patients.
Resolved, That we earnestly entreat all our friends to regard the subject of plainness of dress as set forth in the pamphlet recently issued from the Review Office, containing the Gen. Conference resolutions on dress and Judson’s letter on the same subject.
Resolved, That we recommend to our sisters the Reformed Dress as set forth in Testimony No. 12, and now in use at the Health Institute.
Resolved, That it is the judgment of this Conference, that the bearing of arms, or engaging in war, is a direct violation of the spirit of the gospel and teachings of our Saviour. Yet we deem it our duty to yield respect to civil rulers, and obedience to all such laws as do not conflict with the word of God. In the carrying out of this principle we render tribute, customs, reverence, &c.
Whereas, The season of fasting and prayer that the war might be brought to a close was followed by a signal answer to that prayer; and
Whereas, Such answer to prayer called for the deepest humiliation before God, that we might discharge the great responsibilities that devolved upon us by this opening to give the warning voice of the third angel; and
Whereas, Instead of this, a spirit of self-laudation and vanity came over us that justly displeased the Lord, therefore,
Resolved, That we publicly acknowledge the hand of God in the great humiliations that have come upon us, and that we beseech the great God of Heaven to grant us such a spirit of repentance and humiliation that he can properly remove this just displeasure from us.
Resolved, That we express our gratitude to God for the faithful labors of Bro. and Sr. White with us in former years; and also for the recovery of Bro. White’s health; and that we extend to them an earnest invitation to visit us again at their earliest convenience.
Adjourned to the call of the committee.
Called at 9 o’clock first-day morning. Prayer by Bro. Loughborough, after which the report of the auditing committee was listened to. Report adopted. Among other items of appropriation were the following, viz.: Missionary Fund $150.00, S. D. A. Pub. Association, $100.00, Institute Charitable Fund, $50.00.
The Conference proceeded to adopt the following resolutions, viz.,
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Conference be hereby instructed to report through the Review, within ten days after the expiration of each quarter of the Conference year, the names of such ministers and licentiates as have neglected to make their quarterly reports to him; also the names of such churches as have been guilty of the same neglect.
Resolved, That gift enterprises, lotteries, and all chance games are contrary to the spirit of the gospel, and engender a spirit of covetousness in those who engage in them, and should not be engaged in by any of our members.
Whereas, Some of our brethren have not properly regarded the Testimonies in reference to patent rights, therefore
Resolved, That we recommend to our members to be exceedingly cautious how they engage in such traffic.
Resolved, That we express our gratitude to God for the enlargement of the Review, and for the great variety of excellent matter with which its columns are filled; and that we pledge ourselves to promptly pay the increased price of the same, and even to donate for its support, should such act be necessary.
The renewal of minister’s credentials being considered, the following ministers received them for the ensuing year, viz.: J. N. Andrews, N. Fuller, R. F. Cottrell, C. O. Taylor and S. B. Whitney. Licenses were granted to the following persons: J. W. Raymond, E. B. Saunders, John Barrows, David Arnold and Hiram Edson.
Adjourned to call of committee.
Convened at 9 A. M., second day. Prayer by Bro. Bourdeau.
Report of the standing of the Conference made by the Secretary, after which the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That we deem it worthy of severe censure that our brethren frequently move from churches to which they belong where there is no sufficient reason for so doing, and when the churches of which they were members are thereby so weakened as to have their very existence endangered; and that in our judgment such churches may, at their discretion, withhold letters of commendation from members moving under such circumstances. It was also
Voted, That the churches be requested to pledge nine-tenths of their s. B. funds to the Conference fund, and the whole, when convenient.
Voted, That Bro. H. W. Lawrence receive a license from the Conference.
The remainder of the session was occupied with earnest and stirring appeals relative to the wants of the cause.
Adjourned to afternoon.
Afternoon session. Prayer by Bro. Andrews. The discussion of the wants of the cause was resumed and the following resolutions passed:
Resolved, That the Conference Committee is hereby instructed to call a meeting of all the ministers within the bounds of the Conference at such times as they shall consider necessary.
Resolved, That the different churches throughout the Conference are hereby instructed to report, through their elders or leaders, their spiritual condition to the Executive Committee once each quarter.
Resolved, That in the judgment of this Conference, our ministers should enter new fields of labor and devote their energies to the raising up of new churches, except when the urgent wants of our churches demand labor with them.
Resolved, That our ministers and licentiates are hereby instructed to make a quarterly report of their labors to the Executive Committee.
An arrangement was then made for Monthly Meetings as follows:
1. Buck’s Bridge, Norfolk and Bangor.
2. Adams’ Center and Mannsville.
3. Oswego, Roosevelt and West Monroe.
4. Kirkville and Verona.
5. Brookfield.
6. Rochester, Clarkson, Ridgway, Lockport, Olcott and Lancaster.
7. Alleghany Co., McKean Co., Pa. and Roulette, Pa.
8. Wheeler.
9. Catlin and Genoa.
10. Farmington.
11. Middle Grove.
12. Champlain.
A rising vote was then taken of the entire congregation upon the following:
Moved, That a vote of thanks be given to the church at Adams’ Center for the very kind manner in which they have entertained the Conference.
Moved, That we express ourselves in favor of the reformed dress mentioned in a previous resolution.
Both carried.
It was then voted that the minutes of this meeting be published in the Review. Adjourned sine die.
C. O. TAYLOR, President pro tem,
S. B. WHITNEY, Sec’y.