The Next General Conference
By Arthur G. Daniells
As the time for holding the next session of the General Conference approaches, inquiries are being made concerning various matters relating to it. That all our people may be informed regarding the general arrangements for this meeting, we shall give as full statements as consistent through the columns of the REVIEW. About a year ago we began to solicit suggestions as to the place in which the next session of our General Conference should be held. Only one place has been named, and that has been Washington, D. C. Conference officers, department committees, ministers, and our people everywhere are united in this selection. No argument has been made in behalf of Washington as the place; none has been needed, for no other place has been mentioned. It is the spontaneous choice of all who have taken interest enough in the matter to offer a suggestion. This question was considered at the College View council last fall, and it was voted “that the next session of the General Conference be appointed to be held at Washington, D. C., May 11-30, 1905.” The time appointed for the conference to convene is near. Foreign delegates are beginning to leave their fields. Committees, to whom have been referred the various features of preparation, are at work. From now, until the conference closes, the interests of this important meeting will receive a great deal of attention. According to the provisions of the General Conference constitution for representation, our entire field will be entitled to about two hundred delegates. It is hardly probable that all the fields will be fully represented, although it is understood that there will be a more general attendance than we had at the Oakland (Cal.) conference two years ago. All the North American union conferences have elected full delegations. All the foreign union conferences have elected delegates, but not a full number. The General Conference Committee has called to the conference the superintendents of the leading mission fields in all parts of the world. Among those who are coming from abroad, are Elder G. A. Irwin, from Australasia; Elder L. R. Conradi, from the General European field; Elders O. A. Olsen and E. E. Andross, Brother W. C. Sisley, and Elder and Mrs. E. W. Farnsworth, from Great Britain; Elder P. A. Hansen and Dr. J. C. Ottosen, from Scandinavia; Prof. and Mrs. Wilkinson, from the Latin Union Mission field; Elder W. S. Hyatt, from South Africa; Elder W. H. Wakeham, from Egypt, representing the Oriental Mission field; Elder J. L. Shaw, from India; Elder J. N. Anderson, from China; Elder F. W. Field, from Japan; Elder E. H. Gates, from Polynesia; Elder J. W. Westphal and others, from South America; Elder A. J. Haysmer, from the West Indies; Elder George M. Brown, from Mexico. A number of these brethren will be accompanied by co-workers in the fields from which they come. Thus it will be seen that we shall have representatives from all parts of the world. In selecting the delegations, efforts have been made to have the various departments of our work fairly represented. This will bring together ministers from both the home and foreign fields, and a number of the leading men connected with our Publishing, Educational, and Medical Departments. Of course the Sabbath-school work, Religious Liberty work, and Young People’s work will be represented by the officers in charge of these departments. In addition to the regular delegates, we have reason to believe that there will be quite an attendance of our brethren and sisters from different parts of the country. While we have not been active in soliciting such attendance, we have received many inquiries from our brethren and sisters who earnestly desire to attend this conference. One reason given is that they are expecting that this will be one of the best meetings ever held by our people. Our brethren and sisters all over the world believe with all their hearts that the Lord has placed the headquarters of his work at Washington, and many have a conviction that he will greatly bless his people in the coming conference. Thousands have cheerfully contributed of their means for the establishment of the work in Washington. Many of these have a desire to visit the place, and prefer to do so during the conference. We do not wish to urge any one to7attend the conference, nor do we feel free to discourage our brethren from doing so who feel impressed to come, and are able to meet the expense. We who are located at the headquarters believe, with our brethren, that God has placed us here. We also believe that the coming conference will be a good one; we look for large blessings from the Lord. We do not wish to prevent any one from sharing in these blessings who ought to be here. We are expecting, therefore, that quite a number who have not been selected as delegates will attend a portion, if not the whole, of the conference. The question of entertainment is a rather perplexing one to the committee. The conditions in Washington are quite different from those where the General Conference sessions have been held for many years. We have been here but a short time. Instead of grouping together in one large church, we have established four churches in different parts of the city. Our Sabbath-keepers are scattered over a large area. As it is thought best to have the conference located at Takoma Park, the meetings will be held from five to eight miles from the majority of our Sabbath-keeping families. This will make it necessary for us to make special arrangements to care for those who come to the conference. We shall use our school buildings, fit up family tents, and rent a limited number of rooms. All this will mean an expense that has not attended our conference sessions heretofore. We wish that we might entertain all who come at little or no expense to them; but our conditions make it absolutely impossible to do this. We must, therefore, ask all our delegates and visitors to carefully study existing conditions, and make the very best they can of the situation. We can all see that under the present circumstances the expense to every one attending this conference will be greater than on former occasions. We must make up our minds to this, and prepare for it. The committee to which has been assigned the various features of preparation, has given the question of expense in entertainment most careful, exhaustive study. They are doing all they can to make the expense light, and yet not cheapen our plans too much, nor create a heavy loss in operating expenses. The plan of holding our conference in camp will be a new feature in Washington. Many organizations hold their annual meetings at the nation’s capital. Some of these meetings are attended by a very large number of delegates from different parts of the country. These organizations hire some large hall for their meetings, and the delegates take care of themselves at hotels and boarding-houses. Thus the meetings are held in the heart of the city, and the delegates spend their time in the noise and bustle of congested centers, and devote a great deal of time to pleasure-seeking. All this involves very heavy expense, but it is the popular way of doing. We shall have our conference held in a quiet suburb with rural surroundings. Our delegates and visitors will be grouped together near our place of meeting. While, of course, it will be proper for all who come to visit the most important places of interest in the city, our first and greatest concern will be to make the conference a great blessing to the cause for which it is held. From the standpoint of expense, our plans will be in striking contrast with the plans of other organizations and societies. But while we must study economy, we must be careful not to go to extremes in this direction. We must not give the impression that we are a poverty-stricken people who can scarcely get enough to eat. We must have our camp neat, orderly, and attractive; we must plan our boarding arrangements so that we shall have good food at regular periods. We shall be together three weeks, and shall be required to apply ourselves very earnestly from early morning until late at night. We can not afford to eat cold lunches in our rooms at irregular periods. The saving in expense will be small compared with the loss we shall sustain in intellectual clearness and physical vigor. If we make the conference what it should be in this city, we must take hold of every detail with determination and enthusiasm. We must count on sacrifice: it is either this, or to fall back on our old plans of holding our conferences in some center where we can have a large building in which to meet, and secure partial entertainment from our brethren and sisters. We are now committed to a new departure. The weather is likely to be very pleasant during the latter part of May. Our camp will be located in the midst of a forest. The trees will be in good foliage; the atmosphere will be fresh and invigorating. We shall have good opportunities for retirement to the groves for seasons of communion with God. With these and other favorable conditions, the coming conference should be one of the best we have ever held.