Twentieth Meeting by H. W. Cottrell; William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jun 1, 1905

Twentieth Meeting

By H. W. Cottrell; William Ambrose Spicer

THE twentieth meeting was called at 3:30 P. M., the first hour being taken by Sister White, who read from manuscript messages that had come when she was in Australia, bearing specially on the medical missionary work.

In closing, she urged house-to-house work by all the people. The Lord desires us to do a hundredfold more than is being done. Satan is much busier than the children of light. The Lord promises to lift up a standard against the enemy, and he calls on us now to come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

The minutes were called for and read. The unfinished partial report of the committee on plans was taken up and adopted as follows:—

27. Resolved, That the course of study, requirements for entering the schools and for graduation, be referred to a standing committee on training-schools for nurses, and we recommend that this committee consist of the General Conference medical missionary secretary and the superintendents of organized nurses' training-schools.

28. Whereas, The work of nursing is an important part of the great work of introducing and carrying forward the gospel of Christ, therefore,—

We recommend, That our nurses' training-schools seek a closer co-operation with their respective conferences with a view of enlisting as fully as possible the services of nurses in missionary work; and further,—

29. We recommend, To our union or local conferences the establishment of nurses' agencies for the purpose of securing suitable employment for all our graduate nurses.

On the latter recommendation it was explained that these agencies might be a bureau of information, a means of keeping in touch with trained nurses.

On Finances

Further reports being called for, the committee on finance made a partial report, which was read by its secretary, C. P. Bollman.

The first recommendation, with a series of sections on tithes and offerings, was considered, but not adopted, as the time for adjournment came while it was under consideration, the last section having been read, but not discussed. The entire recommendation will be incorporated in the minutes when disposed of.

There was earnest discussion of the tithe question in the consideration of this report. It was felt that there was need for crying aloud among all believers in view of the evident fact that we are far from reaching a full tithe. A. G. Daniells presented carefully prepared estimates showing that a full tithe would add a vast sum to the treasury of this cause. Some of the foreign field averages were cited as showing that with the same faithfulness among the believers in this country, hundreds of thousands of dollars more would be received, available for advanced missionary effort. It was evident that, for the sake of those who are shutting away God's blessing by neglect in this matter, and for the sake of the work of God, a great effort must be made throughout the conferences to arouse all to the solemn importance of this sacred obligation. This is a duty the ministry, as the Lord's watchmen, owe to the people. Many feel diffident about taking up the financial side of gospel truth. It was not so in former days. We need a revival on this matter; conference officers and ministers must labor earnestly to bring the ranks into line with gospel finance in this time when the work is closing, and when men's souls are being weighed in the balance of the judgment.

The meeting adjourned, it being stated that E. H. Gates would report for Polynesia at the evening service. (The report appeared in the last issue.)

H. W. COTTRELL, Chairman,

W. A. SPICER, Secretary.