Western Washington Conference Proceedings
By W. C. Raley
In the meetings of the fourth annual session of the Western Washington Conference held in connection with the camp-meeting at Green Lake, Seattle, Wash., Aug. 24 to Sept. 3, 1905, the following business was transacted:— Upon written request, it was voted that the two churches of Startup and Sedro Woolley be accepted and recognized by the conference as regular church organizations. The organization at Hoquiam was disbanded, inasmuch as the members of that church had all, or nearly all, withdrawn their membership, and placed it in the organization at Aberdeen. Ministerial credentials for the ensuing year were granted to E. L. Stewart, W. W. Sharp, W. F. Martin, W. C. F. Ward, A. J. Stover, H. C. J. Wollekar, T. Godfrey, and T. H. Watson; ministerial licenses to W. J. Boynton, O. E. Davis, Joel C. Rogers, and J. E. Van De Mark; and missionary licenses to David Dodge, W. H. Coffin, R. R. Reinhold, E. L. MacLafferty, Jack Johnson, J. A. Bartow, Mrs. W. W. Sharp, Mrs. M. E. Watson, and M. Belle Shryock. Among the recommendations adopted are the following:— “Whereas, A good degree of prosperity has attended the work during the past year; therefore,— “Resolved, That we thank God and take courage, endeavoring by increased faithfulness and greater diligence to testify the gratitude of heart that we feel for all the Lord’s benefits toward us. “Whereas, An immediate demand exists for an intermediate school in the southern part of this conference; therefore,— “Resolved, That we recommend the completion of such a school at Manor; and that we further recommend that the additional sum of two thousand dollars be raised as soon as possible for providing necessary facilities for the schools at Mount Vernon and Manor. “Resolved, That our intermediate schools be placed under the management of local boards of five persons each to be selected by the conference or by the conference committee, and be responsible to said committee. “Resolved, That we place the workers of the Western Washington Conference at the disposal of the General Conference to be used in foreign and other needy fields; and that such workers as are accepted by the General Conference be supported by our tithes until such time as by mutual understanding such support shall cease. “Whereas, We are told that the duty of maintaining the work for the colored people of the South devolves upon the people of the North equally with those of the South; therefore,— “Resolved, That we recommend the use of the self-denial boxes furnished by the Southern Missionary Society, and the sale of the ‘Story of Joseph’ on a missionary basis, as a suitable means of aiding the mission school work among the colored people. “Resolved, That we adopt the general plan for the missionary campaign for the coming fall and winter, formulated by a committee appointed for that purpose by the General Conference Committee. “Resolved, That as far as possible, our church-school teachers be employed by the conference during the vacation months as Bible workers and helpers in the tent-meeting work. “Whereas, The sale of our bound books is a very important part of the work of disseminating present truth,— “Resolved, That an earnest effort be put forth for a revival of the canvassing work in the Western Washington Conference. “Whereas, Our Sabbath-school work has met with good success during the year that is past; and, whereas, we desire to continue this good work in every way possible; therefore,— “Resolved, That we hold at least one Sabbath-school convention in each conference district during the coming year. “Whereas, Our young people’s work is growing in importance, and should have our hearty support and co-operation; therefore,— “Resolved, That a young people’s convention be held in connection with each Sabbath-school convention.” By vote the constitution of the conference was amended as recommended in the following report of a special committee appointed to make the necessary recommendations:— “Your committee appointed to present necessary amendments to the constitution presents the following recommendations:— “That Article IV, Section 1, be so amended that it shall read as follows: ‘The officers of this conference shall be a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Missionary Secretary, an Educational Secretary, and an Executive Committee of five, of which the President shall be a member, all of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting.’ “That the following shall be Article V, Educational: ‘At each annual session of the conference there shall be elected a board of five directors for each of the intermediate schools; namely, the Forest Home Industrial Academy and the Manor Industrial School.’ “That what is now article V be article VI, and the number of each of the following articles be increased by one.” In harmony with a report of the nominating committee, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, E. L. Stewart; Secretary and Treasurer, W. C. Raley; Missionary and Field Educational Secretary, E. L. MacLafferty; Executive Committee, E. L. Stewart, W. F. Martin, J. R. Clark, H. C. J. Wollekar, D. MacLafferty; Board of Directors of the Forest Home Industrial Academy, L. I. Stiles, O. C. Hollenbeck, E. D. Slosson, Eva M. Davis, W. W. Sharp; Board of Directors of the Manor Industrial School, J. R. Clark, A. J. Stover, F. N. Boardman, A. C. Hardy, Charles Lengel; Board of Trustees of the Western Washington Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists, E. L. Stewart, W. F. Martin, J. R. Clark, H. J. C. Wollekar, D. MacLafferty. The financial reports of the conference rendered by the treasurer, showed that during the year ending April 30, 1905, there had been received into the treasury $11,961.83 tithe, and offerings for the work outside of the conference as follows:—
Weekly offerings ................. $ 780 29
Annual offerings .................. 716 83 Sabbath-school offerings ......... 822 31
Haskell Home offerings ........... 149 23
Miscellaneous offerings .......... 436 88
Total ............................ $2,905 54 Besides these offerings, more than thirteen hundred dollars had been received as miscellaneous cash donations for the educational and other work in the conference. Full business statements and balance sheets of the conference, and the missionary society, a department of the conference, were given. These, with the auditor’s report, certifying their correctness, were accepted in due form. Western Washington Conference Balance Sheet for the Year Ending April 30, 1905
GAINS
Tithe from churches and Individuals ............ $11,961 83
Donations to laborers .......................... 190 14
Sabbath-school tithe ........................... 149 73
Special Signs Fund ............................ 1 50
Total .......................................... $12,303 20 LOSSES
Camp-meeting expense ................ $ 205 91
Institute, Tacoma, 1904 .............. 46 36
Canvassers’ school .................... 50 36
Labor ................................ 6,857 60
Expense .............................. 1,450 68
Furniture ............................ 12 26
First and second tithes to union conference .... 2,272 75
Personal accounts donated ............ 23 08
Total ................................ $10,919 00 Net gain for the year ................ $ 1,384 20 PRESENT WORTH
May 1, 1904, net worth ............... $ 712 91
April 30, 1905, net gain added ........ 1,384 20
Present worth ........................ $ 2,097 11 Departmental reports given orally by the heads of the departments, showed that the work in all its branches is advancing, and that we have no reason to be discouraged or to slacken the pace. On the other hand, they give every reason for encouragement, and show that during the coming year, we, as a conference and individually, must use every energy for the advancement of the message to every nation.