New Jersey Conference Proceedings
The third annual session of the New Jersey Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was held at Trenton, N. J., Nov. 16-20, 1904. The first business meeting convened Nov. 17, 1904, at nine A. M., Elder J. E. Jayne presiding. Every church was represented by delegates. Out of forty-seven elected, thirty-eight attended. Among the visiting brethren were Elder Cottrell, Professor Griggs, and Drs. J. P. Bradford and Henry Knapp. The president made the following appointments: On nominations, F. F. Stoll, J. W. Rambo, Enoch Titus, J. C. VanDyke; on credentials, C. H. Keslake, H. W. Cottrell, J. C. Stevens, B. J. Blinn, W. H. Long; on resolutions, A. R. Bell, Professor Griggs, H. J. Adams, John Dickson, F. D. Allen. The president mentioned the fact that this is the second annual session held within the present fiscal and statistical year, that the reports cover a period of ten months, and will be included in the complete conference year ending Dec. 31, 1904, which will be presented at the next annual session of the conference. The secretary's report showed a membership at the beginning of 1904 of four hundred and two, and a present membership of four hundred and thirty-two, or a gain of thirty. This does not include ten who accepted the Sabbath as a result of Elder Keslake's labors in Bordentown during the past summer, nor ten who are keeping the Sabbath in Paterson through Brother Bell's meetings, also five who have not yet united with the church in Newark, and one each in Bridgeton, Salem, and Washington, making, in all, a gain of seventy-five Sabbath-keepers in the past ten months. These would bring our membership to four hundred and sixty. The year has been a prosperous one for the cause. A persevering effort has been made to keep in touch with the scattered Sabbath-keepers in our conference who are not as yet numbered with us, with good results. We are made sad by the death of four of our members since our last conference,—Sister Josephine Soper, of Jersey City; Sister Esther Fulton, of Burlington; Sister Hattie Keslake, of Trenton; and Brother William Weldon, of Vineland,—but we can not sorrow for these as those who have no hope, knowing that those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. The tithe for the period from January 1 to November 14 amounted to $4,621.75. This is $702.32 less than was received last year, but we have nearly two months to take into account. The offerings for the same period have been good. For all the various interests these have amounted to $1,217.13. This is about equal to the amount last year. The following report of the receipts and disbursements from Jan. 1 to Nov. 14, 1904, was presented by the conference treasurer:— RECEIPTS |
|
|---|
| Cash on hand, Jan. 1, 1904 |
$1,606 59 |
| Tithe |
4,621 75 |
| General Trust Funds |
902 26 |
| Local Trust Funds |
315 13 |
| A. U. C. appropriation |
600 00 |
| Bills payable |
300 00 |
| Old tract society debt |
20 00 |
| Merchandise |
1 50 |
| Total |
$8,367 23 |
DISBURSEMENTS |
|
|---|
| Tithe |
$87 21 |
| General Trust Funds |
1,601 36 |
| Office expense |
138 10 |
| Bills receivable |
55 00 |
| Local Trust Funds |
165 38 |
| Miscellaneous |
469 61 |
| Salary and expense |
5,305 97 |
| Cash on hand, Nov. 14, 1904 |
544 60 |
| Total |
$8,367 23 |
ANNA E. RAMBO, Treasurer. The treasurer of the tract society presented the following report of the receipts and disbursements from Jan. 1, 1904, to Nov. 14, 1904:— RECEIPTS |
|
|---|
| Individuals on account |
$266 64 |
| Societies on account |
223 96 |
| Merchandise profits |
61 36 |
| Cash sales of periodicals and Merchandise |
151 22 |
| Total |
$703 21 |
DISBURSEMENTS |
|
|---|
| Review and Herald Pub. Assn. |
$439 87 |
| Pacific Press |
24 77 |
| Good Health Pub. Assn. |
1 05 |
| Cash Purchases, merchandise |
31 43 |
| Cash Purchases, periodicals |
81 98 |
| Cash on hand |
104 18 |
| Total |
$703 21 |
ANNA E. RAMBO, Treasurer. The number of Sabbath-schools in our conference is fourteen. The membership reported for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 1904, is 396. There are thirty-one in the State Home Department, making a total of 427 members. Of this number 164 are youth and children. The senior classes number 226. Adding to this the thirty-one Home Department members, we have 257 adult members connected with the Sabbath-school. As the membership of our conference is 432, we see there are quite a number of our church-membership who do not attend the Sabbath-school. Steady, persevering effort has been made to reach these members and place them in touch with the Sabbath-school work and lesson study, either directly or through the Home Department. But there will ever be opportunity for such labor. To relax our efforts would mean to lose ground. We trust that every Sabbath-school superintendent and secretary will bear this part of his work in mind, and never cease his efforts to enlist the hearty co-operation of every church-member in the Sabbath-school work and lesson study. Each quarter the State Department has sent lesson pamphlets and Home Department envelopes to about fifty isolated Sabbath-keepers. Of these twenty-five have manifested their interest and appreciation by reporting, and without doubt others are glad to receive the quarterly, and are helped by the lesson study. For the three quarters ending Sept. 30, 1904, our schools report total contributions of $384.91. Of this amount $229.91 was donated to missions. There was $20.59 sent in for the Haskell Home, but this is not all that was collected for this purpose, as some schools send the Haskell Home offering directly to Battle Creek. There was also $20.12 sent in for missions by the members of the State Home Department. This would make a total of $270.53 donated by our schools during the first three quarters of the present year to missionary purposes. The Sabbath School Worker has received a hearty welcome, nearly all our teachers having access to its helpful pages. From all directions there has come an expression of satisfaction with the Sabbath-school lessons this year. They have been interesting and timely, and their study has accomplished much good. May our Sabbath-schools ever aim to be indeed the church at study, the sheep and lambs of the fold led in green pastures by the divine Shepherd. During the conference the following resolutions were adopted:— “1. Resolved, That we express our gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the rich blessings of the present conference year by singing No. 256 in ‘Hymns and Tunes.’” “2. Resolved, That we express our gratitude to the Atlantic Union Conference for the financial aid rendered in granting us an appropriation of six hundred dollars for the present calendar year.” “3. Resolved, That we especially urge all our people to take an active part in the present missionary campaign, and that our efforts be made as systematic as possible.” “4. Resolved, That we believe all our people in this conference would derive material benefit from reading the REVIEW AND HERALD, Signs of the Times, Atlantic Union Gleaner, Sabbath School Worker, and Life and Health, and suggest that in order to lessen the expense in providing them, families who reside near one another unite in subscribing for one or more of them for mutual use.” “5. Resolved, That we approve of and continue the plan in operation during the past two years for the purpose of creating a conference benevolent fund, and that we urge our ministers and church elders to keep before the churches of our conference the first Wednesday of each month,—Conference day.” “6. Resolved, That we express our appreciation to the pastor and the congregation of the Swedish Lutheran church of their great courtesy in granting us the use of this hall for Sunday, November 20.” “Whereas, A very large portion of the population of our State consists of people of foreign birth, and,—” “Whereas, The time has come when we believe an effort should be made to reach this class with the third angel's message, and,—” “Whereas, It is impossible for our conference at present to bear the expense incident to this work, therefore,—18“7. Resolved, That we ask the Atlantic Union Conference for an appropriation of $750 for the year 1905, that we may engage in active work among our German-speaking people.” “Whereas, What has been known as the ten-cent-a-week plan for the support of missions has in some localities been greatly neglected, and,—” “Whereas, The need of the mission field is greater than ever before, therefore,—” “8. Resolved, That we request our church elders, librarians, and other officers to impress the importance of this work upon the people of their respective churches, thus assisting them in adopting a systematic plan for giving.” “9. We recommend, That our local and State Sabbath-school secretaries continue their earnest efforts to enroll every one in the local or State Home Departments who is unable to attend a local Sabbath-school regularly.” “Whereas, There are among us worthy youth who should receive aid to attend our educational institutions; therefore,—” “10. Resolved, That during the coming year the people of our conference be invited to contribute one hundred and fifty dollars to a fund, to be expended for that purpose under the direction of the conference committee.” “Whereas, Those attending this conference have been favored with exceptional advantages in the arrangements for, and the quality of, the meals prepared; therefore,—” “11. Resolved, (a) That we extend a hearty vote of thanks to the Trenton church for our entertainment; and, (b) that our gratitude be especially extended to ‘Sister Harrison for the use of her home, and to those who have so ably assisted in the dining arrangements.’” Officers for the coming year were elected as follows: President, Elder J. E. Jayne; Vice-President, Elder C. H. Keslake; Secretary and Treasurer, Anna E. Rambo; Secretary of Tract Society Department, Anna E. Rambo; Secretary of Sabbath-school Department, Anna E. Rambo; Conference Committee, J. E. Jayne, C. H. Keslake, F. F. Stoll, H. J. Adams, and J. W. Rambo. Laborers were accredited as follows: ministerial credentials, J. E. Jayne, C. H. Keslake, J. C. Stevens; ordination and credentials, A. R. Bell; honorary license, F. F. Stoll; missionary credentials, Anna E. Rambo; missionary canvassers' license, J. W. Rambo, W. H. Loose. J. E. JAYNE, President,
ANNA E. RAMBO, Secretary.