p. 12 | Eighth Meeting by H. W. Cottrell; W. A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · May 25, 1905

Eighth Meeting

By H. W. Cottrell; W. A. Spicer

THE eighth meeting was called to order at 2:30 P. M., May 15. H. W. Cottrell was in the chair. Prayer was offered by W. D. Curtis.

On call for delegates newly arrived, J. L. Kay responded. Minutes of previous meeting were read.

The executive committee presented a further report on standing committees, as follows:—

On finance: I. H. Evans, W. C. Sisley, W. J. Stone, J. O. Corliss, E. T. Russell, R. A. Underwood, C. P. Bollman, W. A. Wilcox.

The report was adopted.

The committee on plans and resolutions presented a partial report. On motion to adopt, by voting upon each recommendation separately, the report was considered, as follows:—

Words of Thanksgiving

1. Resolved, That we express the sentiments of this conference in the language of the psalmist in Ps. 107: 1-8: “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; and gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south,” etc., to verse 8.

With manifestly deep feeling, the conference voted this recommendation of thanks to the Lord for his prospering hand over the work.

Removal of Headquarters

2. Whereas, At the General Conference held in Oakland, Cal., in 1903, it was recommended that our denominational headquarters, which for many years had been located in Battle Creek, Mich., should be removed to some place in the East, and,—

Whereas, This task, though surrounded with many difficult and serious complications, and attended with far-reaching consequences, has, through the blessing of the Lord, been successfully accomplished; therefore,—

Resolved, That we must heartily approve of the steps taken thus far in establishing our work in the city of Washington, and that we recognize and acknowledge with heartfelt gratitude the guiding and prospering hand of the Lord through the many perplexities with which this work was attended; and, further,—

Resolved, That we pledge to those on whom the responsibility rests of completing this work, our loyal support until such headquarters and institutions are established in the capital of this nation as have been outlined in the spirit of prophecy, and which will properly represent our work before the world.

These resolutions were adopted by vote. A. T. Robinson said he had just received a further token of the interest the people who are not here feel in this subject, in the form of further checks for over fifteen hundred dollars from believers in Nebraska.

A. G. Daniells stated that this morning he had received a letter marked “urgent” from exactly the opposite side of the earth, containing one thousand dollars for the Washington work, sent to reach us before the conference should close.

Others would have followed with reports, and it was suggested that some of the special providences in this movement should be recounted, but on motion to reconsider, it was agreed to set apart a time for full discussion of these resolutions, when more time might be given, and Sister White might be present.

Fallen Workers

3. Whereas, Since the last General Conference divine Providence has seen fit to permit twenty-nine of our workers to fall under the hand of death; and,—

Whereas, Some of these were in distant lands, leaving their families in very trying circumstances; therefore,—

Resolved, (a) That we extend to the families of the deceased the sincere sympathy and deepest sorrow of the delegates assembled in General Conference; (b) that we appreciate the loyalty and faithfulness of those who have fallen at their post, and have done what they could for the cause of their Master; (c) that we request the secretary of the General Conference to write a letter of condolence and sympathy in behalf of the General Conference assembled, to each family of the deceased, enclosing a copy of these resolutions, expressing to them our sympathy and sorrow in the afflictions through which they have been called to pass, by the loss of their loved ones.

It was stated that since the conference had assembled, word had come of the death of a pioneer worker, Elder W. B. Hill, of Nebraska. The resolution was adopted.

Four-Year General Conference

4. Whereas, The organization of union conferences has taken burdens of local administrative work in nearly all the field, both in America and abroad; and,—

Whereas, The wide-spreading growth of the work in all the world renders it essential that a conference really general shall be attended by representatives of the organized union conferences and leading fields abroad; and,—

Whereas, The calling of a General Conference every two years means a large expense for transportation, the expenditure of much time on the part of representative laborers, and a really frequent partial interruption of the work in the fields in these times when means and time and continuous effort are so important to the closing work; therefore,—

Resolved, That the regular sessions of the General Conference be held once in four years, and that the constitution be changed to accord with this action; and further,—

Resolved, That these quadrennial sessions shall be truly representative world's missionary conferences, which experience has shown are of the greatest value and importance in shaping the work, and in giving fresh impetus to the hastening forward of the message committed to us.

A full and free discussion was had of these resolutions. Those who spoke in favor of the change in the General Conference term were Brethren J. N. Loughborough, A. G. Daniells, F. W. Field, G. A. Irwin, L. R. Conradi, H. W. Cottrell, R. A. Underwood, I. H. Evans, O. A. Olsen, E. W. Farnsworth, Smith Sharp, W. C. White, M. C. Wilcox, W. J. Stone, A. T. Robinson.

Brethren who questioned the advisability of the change and spoke on the negative were G. I. Butler, S. H. Lane, H. M. J. Richards, R. C. Porter, C. McReynolds, R. F. Andrews.

It was urged against the change proposed that four years was too long a time between General Conferences in times of intensity such as these, when questions are liable to come up requiring attention; that four years was too long a tenure for officers of the conference; that if things went well, it might be all right, but if changes were needed and wrong policies adopted, it would be better to have the term two years only, and that it would strengthen the hands of the officers to have a General Conference indorsement of the policy at least once in two years. It was suggested that the change might favor a tendency to centralize. It was urged that more and more frequent times of counsel are needed as the end draws near, and that it is an inspiration to laborers to meet and have the benefit of the counsels of more experienced workers; that while the expense was great, as the recommendation stated, the information and help received from hearing reports from the fields would enable the home laborers to raise more money. It was argued that sometimes new and untried men might be placed in office, and there would be a feeling of uncertainty when the term was four years which would not be for the shorter period. The speakers felt that it would be best to leave it as it is.

In favor of the resolution it was urged that while a similar proposition was before the General Conference six years

ago, it was now evident that the work was not at that time properly organized for such a step. But since that time the union conference organizations have been perfected, taking away from the General Conference great burdens of detail work. Now some of the unions have as large affairs as the whole General Conference had some years ago. Interests, institutional and otherwise, formerly coming to the General Conference officers are now looked after within union conference lines by those locally informed and qualified. The whole tendency is to decentralize, to place authority upon local organizations, and to make the General Conference a great world's missionary body. It was urged that now the general gatherings involved great expense; that coming so frequently as every two years, now that the work is so wide-spread, it takes leading laborers too much out of their fields, and interferes with a strong continuous effort; that, with the rapidity with which events come and go, and the enlarged sphere of interests to look after, four years now seems scarcely more than two did some time ago; that when the General Conference term was changed from one to two years, the same objections were urged, but that it has been found to work all right; that now, with the union conferences coming every two years throughout the world, it is but a logical step to make the General Conference term four years. The local church has its meeting weekly, from Sabbath to Sabbath; the local conference has its conference meeting yearly; the larger union conference has its meeting every two years, and now the resolution provides four years for the still larger world's General Conference, the whole plan making a natural series of steps from the local to the largest body. It was stated that the constitution provides for the calling of a special session at any time if emergencies arise, and with the large and representative General Conference Committee, in touch with all the field interests, there is provided a body of counselors to guide the officers of the conference and safeguard the work. The College View council last September was cited as an example of the means of now and then getting special counsel. As many of the General Conference Committee as were available were brought in, joined by conference presidents and laborers within easy reach. It was urged that while it was an inspiration to hear reports, there was a still greater inspiration in the calls for help from opening fields, and with the work before us frequent really general gatherings took laborers from the fields who longed to be at work for souls. Foreign delegates urged that the change proposed would give them more time for work, and afford opportunity for general men to spend some time with them in the field, dealing with missionary problems.

The recommendation was adopted, one hundred and six voting in the affirmative, and nineteen in the negative.

A. T. Jones introduced a resolution providing for delegates from foreign fields to bring native representatives of the work with them to the next General Conference. The resolution was referred to the committee on plans.

The conference session closed with the announcement that as a part of the reports to the conference, J. L. Shaw, of India, would present his field at the 7:45 evening service. (His report appears in this issue.)

The meeting adjourned, leaving a fifth recommendation of the report of the committee on plans still to be considered.

H. W. COTTRELL, Chairman, W. A. SPICER, Secretary.