Second Meeting by Arthur G. Daniells; William A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · May 18, 1905

Second Meeting

By Arthur G. Daniells; William A. Spicer

The second meeting was called May 11, at 2:30 P. M., A. G. Daniells being in the chair. Prayer was offered by G. A. Irwin. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Additional delegates had come since the roll-call, as follows: M. C. Wilcox, W. L. McNeely, H. C. Wilcox, O. O. Bernstein, C. M. Everest.

The president, A. G. Daniells, presented his address (published in last week’s REVIEW), reviewing the progress and present outlook of the work. An intermission of fifteen minutes was taken. The hymn, “Watchman on the walls of Zion,” was then sung, and prayer was offered by W. H. Wakeham. I. H. Evans, treasurer of the General Conference, submitted the financial report which appeared in the last REVIEW, and which was unanimously adopted. W. A. Spicer, secretary, presented a report on the general outlook in the mission fields which appears in another part of the paper. Following the report, the meeting was opened for testimonies on the work before us. The keynote of the testimonies was as follows:— G. A. Irwin: “My heart is cheered by the evidences of the progress of this message. Some suggested that I was too old to take my recent trip among the populous portions of Malaysia and South-eastern Asia, but I am not too old to want to be out on the extreme firing line. I have no desire, as much as I love the country of my birth, to return to it. I want to see this work closed up.” J. O. Corliss stated that his love for the message glows brighter than ever in these days when we begin to see the finishing of the work. He moved that portions of the reports of the President and Secretary be reprinted in leaflet form for use by laborers as they go among the churches. O. A. Olsen seconded the motion to reprint the reports, and said that in the stirring situation before us he heard “the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.” D. T. Bourdeau: Entering upon his fiftieth year as a Sabbath-keeper, his word was, “Talk faith, let us venture as did ancient prophets and apostles, for God is the living God, and it is again the day of great things.” A. T. Robinson recounted the providential experience ten years ago in starting the Matabele Mission, and thanked God that now that mission is sending out trained workers. W. J. Stone spoke of the hearty interest in the missionary advance in the home churches, and read a cheering paragraph from a letter from a sister in Ohio, reporting the determination that took possession of her church to work for missions more earnestly than ever as they heard of the death of Dr. Maude Miller in China. S. N. Haskell: “From the beginning, the nature of this message has been to go into regions beyond. Whenever this forward policy has been halted, it has brought weakness. When Brethren White and Belden, in the early days, were mowing grass to get money for printing our first paper, the spirit of prophecy told them that they were to go ahead at once and prepare for publishing; for God would raise up friends, and this message would have its representatives in all the world. We see that fulfilled to-day.” When, in the early days, believers in the Eastern States began to move westward, many felt troubled over the weakening of the forces in the East. But the spirit of prophecy then declared that this was of God; that these believers

would build up a strong work in the West, and then, later, the truth would return eastward again. And when the work turned strongly eastward, then the message would be quickly finished in all the earth. We are seeing the beginning of this. Surely the call is to go forward into unworked fields, and the people will sustain such a missionary policy. Over and over again in this work it has been seen that in every crisis what has, apparently, been the darkest moment, has been always the brightest moment for God to work.” S. H. Lane rejoiced anew in the truth that was winning its way throughout the earth. The motion to reprint portions of the reports was then acted upon unanimously. It was voted that missionary reports be made the order for the evening session. The opening day of the conference made it manifest that it is indeed a missionary conference, and the presence of the Holy Spirit made all hearts glow with love for God and the message he has committed to us. Adjourned. A. G. DANIELLS, Chairman, W. A. SPICER, Secretary.