Twelfth Meeting by Arthur Grosvenor Daniells; William Ambrose Spicer

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

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 82, No. 21.

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Twelfth Meeting

By Arthur Grosvenor Daniells; William Ambrose Spicer

The twelfth meeting was called at 4 P. M., May 17, the 2:30 hour having been occupied by Sister E. G. White.

After prayer by C. P. Bollman, minutes of two previous meetings were read.

Recommendation 5, pending at a former adjournment, was called up, and read, as follows:—

Sharing Laborers With Mission Fields

5. Whereas, The movement among the conferences to share laborers and tithes with mission fields has brought new strength into the work, and great blessings at points where otherwise help could not have been placed; therefore,—

Resolved, That we express appreciation and approval of this policy, and urge our churches to stand loyally by the local conference officers in this effort, inasmuch as the conferences can do this work only as tithes are faithfully brought into the local treasury; and further,—

Resolved, That we urge the continuance and extension of this plan of sharing paid laborers with needy fields by arrangement through the General Conference Committee; and further,—

Resolved, That a determined effort be made to place experienced laborers supported by their home conferences in the needy field of the South, also remembering the Canadian north, as well as the fields abroad, so that this message may quickly be carried throughout all the earth, and the time hastened when believers in the home land of this movement and in the regions beyond may rejoice together in the triumph of the one great work of the third angel's message.

Earnest words were spoken to this resolution, of which the following suggests the keynote:—

W. S. Hyatt, South Africa: My heart is rejoiced at the growth of the missionary spirit. May God bless the conferences and churches. The believers in other lands will be inspired by this spirit.

O. A. Olsen, of Great Britain: The British brethren appreciate the help this plan has brought that field.

W. H. Thurston, of Canadian Union: The help already supplied and the suggestion of more has brought good cheer to Canadian hearts.

A. T. Robinson: I wish to speak of the other side—of the blessing this plan brings to the conferences giving help. Nebraska has made a beginning, and nothing has brought greater courage. It has increased the tithe. They plan to develop workers to send to fields beyond.

S. H. Lane: In New York, as they shared with mission fields, additional funds came in. Nothing was lost by dividing.

R. A. Underwood: Fresh courage has come into the great Canadian Northwest as this plan has helped them.

J. W. Westphal: My heart sank as I came to this conference, and found how little means there was for additional laborers, but I have been cheered by assurances of a laborer from two conferences, the salary to be continued. It will inspire believers in South America to work harder.

R. R. Kennedy: Blessings have come to Ohio as the result of its action to share workers and tithe with fields. Laborers have gone forth, ready to lay down their lives if need be. After the memorial service in Mt. Vernon for the late Dr. Maude Miller, who fell in China, young people pressed forward to offer themselves for that field.

A. G. Haughey: West Michigan has had some part in this, and means to have more. They now have a man ready to go to a foreign field, and the money to send him.

H. M. J. Richards: We are glad not only for the spirit of the resolution, but that it directs the flow of help through the regular channels, so strengthening the whole work.

L. F. Starr: Iowa has sent a number of its best workers to mission fields, but during the last years as many people embraced the truth in our conference as in the previous year. The tithe last quarter increased two thousand dollars. The move to give half our laborers and funds was in harmony with the spirit of the message.

H. E. Rickard, of Quebec: It is more blessed to give, we are told, but after all, it is also a blessing to receive, when a field is so needy as Quebec. I thank God for the help supplied, and for the hope for more. Quebec is a cold country, but the believers there have warm hearts.

S. N. Haskell read 2 Cor. 9:8-14, especially emphasizing the last three verses.

C. H. Edwards urged that Greater New York be not left out—with its miles and miles of crowded streets, its four millions, its one and a quarter million of Germans, and its foreign-speaking multitudes of many other tongues.

G. F. Haffner said Oklahoma was ready to place a German laborer in New York City.

G. F. Watson: Colorado has seven workers in New Mexico, which is practically mission territory, two in foreign fields, and offers two more.

A. J. Breed: Upper Columbia offers a laborer and his wife, with salary, for South America. The missionary spirit runs strong in their school.

The recommendation was adopted.

The Chair called for further reports, and the committee on plans submitted recommendations on Sabbath-school and Religious Liberty work. The following resolutions were considered:—

The Sabbath-School

7. Whereas, The Sabbath School Worker has been re-established, and is the organ of the Sabbath-school Department; therefore,—

Resolved, That we give this journal our hearty support, and that we endeavor to increase its circulation by placing it not only in the hands of all Sabbath-school officers and teachers, but in the homes of our people generally.

Whereas, We believe that the primary object of making contributions in our Sabbath-schools should be to carry the message to the regions beyond, and save souls in the kingdom of God; therefore,—

Resolved, That all our Sabbath-schools be urged to plan to increase their donations, both by exercising proper economy in their local expenditures and by more liberal giving.

Brethren Loughborough and Haskell recalled the beginnings of Sabbath-school offerings among us, to get funds for supplies, and later the first giving for missions in the schools of California, which brought in seven hundred dollars one year for Australia. Some predicted a reaction from the effort to get the schools to give for missions, but from time to time the gifts have gone on and on—action instead of reaction.

S. H. Lane suggested that it was not wise to retrench too greatly in equipment, as a school well equipped would be likely to give more.

A. G. Daniells referred to the statistical report in the REVIEW of May 11, page 27, showing that most of the schools in Europe give the entire donations to missions. He referred to it, not to urge this plan, but to show that these efforts to send the truth abroad have brought into the light believers who are ready to give for it in turn. The gifts of our schools have not been made in vain.

A. E. Doering stated that the German schools in the United States follow the same plan.

G. B. Thompson stated that the plan recommended, where supplies were not otherwise provided for, was to set apart the offerings for one or more Sabbaths each quarter for supplies, all the others being for missions. Last year the schools gave a total of $61,000 of which $21,000 was retained in the schools, and $40,000 went to missions.

E. E. Andross of North England, told the experience in his field in adopting the plan of turning all donations to missions. At first it seemed essential to have help from these donations for supplies and hall rents; but they changed, and their contributions more than doubled. They pay their hall rents and expenses also just as well as formerly. It has been a blessing, and the schools are better equipped than before.

The resolutions were adopted by vote, and the meeting adjourned, with the announcement that J. N. Anderson would report for China at the 7:30 service.

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