Twenty-Sixth Meeting by George A. Irwin; William A. Spicer

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

Twenty-Sixth Meeting

By George A. Irwin; William A. Spicer

THE twenty-sixth meeting was called to order at 9:30 A. M., May 26; G. A. Irwin in the chair.

Prayer was offered by F. W. Field. Minutes of the two previous meetings were read.

By vote, three resolutions on the educational work were specially presented and adopted, and ordered printed with other resolutions on education, as a part of the proceedings of the twenty-third meeting [numbers 47, 48, and 49 in the educational resolutions].

A short time was devoted to further reports of gifts on the Washington “surprise party” movement. The total cash brought in was $2,542.68. One specially interesting feature was the gift from the Pacific Union of funds derived from their sanitariums that have paid an institutional tithe to the union treasury. They gave $200 for Japan, $200 for China, and $200 for India, for special medical missionary development.

S. B. Horton, in behalf of the committee appointed to wait on the Turkish minister in behalf of our Armenian brethren in prison, made a report. They had a very satisfactory interview, and the Turkish minister is to supply L. R. Conradi with a document showing that we are Protestants, for submission to

the authorities in Turkey. The preliminary correspondence in the matter was submitted as follows:—

[The letter addressed to the Turkish ambassador, found on page 12, was first read. It is not necessary to reprint the letter here.—ED.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, May 23, 1905.

DEAR MR. MINISTER: It gives me pleasure to introduce to you the Rev. J. O. Corliss, the Rev. S. B. Horton, and the Rev. W. A. Colcord.

These gentlemen are ministers of the gospel, and are representatives of the Protestant faith, their particular denomination being that of the Seventh-day Adventists.

They are deeply and earnestly interested in the fate of some of their brethren in Turkey, and wish to talk with you about the matter at your very earliest convenience. I shall regard it as a personal favor if you can see them.

Mr. Corliss is a personal friend of the Honorable Victor H. Metcalf, the Secretary of Commerce and Labor.

Very sincerely yours, (Signed) FRANCIS B. LOOMIS, (Acting Secretary of State).

Chebib Bey, etc., etc., etc., The Turkish Legation, 1629 Howard Ave., Washington.

GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, WASHINGTON, D. C., U. S. A., May 23, 1905.

To Whom It May Concern, Greeting:—

This is to certify that Z. G. Baharian, Enoch Avasian, and Alexan Bugherzarian, now in the Turkish empire, are missionaries of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

(Signed) A. G. DANIELLS, President, L. R. CONRADI, Vice-President, W. A. SPICER, Secretary.

The Chair called up the report of the committee on finance, left pending at a former meeting. This was considered and discussed to the third general recommendation, inclusive, the subjects of the tithe, the missionary offerings, and other annual offerings being under review. As the time for adjournment had arrived before the report could be completed and acted upon, the finance committee requested the privilege of introducing a further special recommendation for immediate action. It was voted that the report under consideration be laid on the table, and that the request to present the special report be granted. The following recommendation was thereupon presented:—

Whereas, The Word of God makes great promises of both spiritual and temporal blessings to those who “bring all the tithes and offerings” into the Lord’s storehouse; and,—

Whereas, The servant of the Lord says that if all would pay a faithful tithe, there would be no lack of means with which to carry forward the Lord’s work in the earth; and,—

Whereas, There is at the present time a great dearth of means, which is crippling the advancement of the Lord’s work; therefore,—

We recommend,—

(1) That this General Conference make an earnest appeal to all our people everywhere to “bring all the tithes into the storehouse,” that the promised blessing may be possessed;—

(2) That this appeal be carefully prepared and read before this body for its approval; and—

(3) That if this appeal be accepted, it be printed, (a) as a part of the conference proceedings; (b) in tract form to be placed by each conference executive committee or mission board in the hands of every Sabbath-keeper in the world; (c) that E. R. Palmer, M. C. Wilcox, A. T. Robinson, and J. O. Corliss are hereby nominated as a committee to prepare the said appeal.

The recommendation was unanimously adopted.

The meeting adjourned.

G. A. IRWIN, Chairman, W. A. SPICER, Secretary.