Pacific Union Conference Meeting by I. H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 17, 1910

Pacific Union Conference Meeting

By I. H. Evans

THIS meeting was held at Mountain View, Cal., Jan. 25-30, 1910. A large delegation was in attendance, and the workers assembled took a lively interest in all the deliberations of the conference. Elder H. W. Cottrell presided, and the business meetings passed off with a large degree of unanimity and promptness.

It was a source of great satisfaction to see the willingness with which the conference gave ten thousand dollars from the union conference treasury to the Mission Board for its work in foreign fields.

Plans were laid to push the campaign for the relief of the sanitariums by the sale of the book, “Ministry of Healing.” It is hoped that all will unite in this effort to afford financial relief to these needy, struggling institutions. Reports from representatives of the sanitariums in this union conference indicated a good patronage, and the brethren face the future with courage and confidence. If the field will push the sale of “Ministry of Healing,” it will afford financial aid that will be greatly appreciated, to several institutions.

The delegates seemed more than willing to accept their allotment of the $300,000 Fund, and voted to try to raise the first half of their portion during 1910. The amount this union conference will raise on the suggested basis is $36,480.80. It will surely be a source of great encouragement to our missionaries in foreign fields to see our home brethren so cheerfully raise means to establish needed institutions and to provide homes for the missionaries, when necessary.

Plans were laid to make the new Angwin school a union conference college. Later the purpose was accomplished by an action of the California Conference turning over to the Pacific Union Conference the Angwin school. Thus the Pacific Union Conference has a college in its midst, situated in the hills of California, with a large, beautiful tract of land consisting of about seventeen hundred acres with about ninety acres of good, tillable soil, and the remainder timber. Those managing the school believe the timber will afford a constant resource to the school, while at the same time the school will be able to supply work for many students who wish to pay their way through college by manual labor.

During this conference the advisability of establishing a medical school at Loma Linda was given much consideration. As the delegates were perplexed regarding the advisability of our denomination operating a medical school, the question was referred to Sister E. G. White for any counsel she might have to give concerning the matter. The question was asked Sister White, “Are we to understand from what you have written concerning the establishment of a medical school at Loma Linda that, according to the light you have received from the Lord, we are to establish a thoroughly equipped medical school, the graduates from which will be able to take

State board examinations and become registered, qualified physicians?”

“The light given me is, We must provide that which is essential to qualify our youth who desire to be physicians, so that they may intelligently fit themselves to be able to stand the examinations required to prove their efficiency as physicians. They should be taught to treat understandingly the cases of those who are diseased, so that the door will be closed for any sensible physician to imagine that we are not giving in our school the instruction necessary for properly qualifying young men and young women to do the work of a physician. Continually the students who are graduated are to advance in knowledge, for practise makes perfect.”

“The medical school at Loma Linda is to be of the highest order, because those who are in that school have the privilege of maintaining a living connection with the wisest of all physicians, from whom there is communicated knowledge of a superior order. And for the special preparation of those of our youth who have clear convictions of their duty to obtain a medical education that will enable them to pass the examinations required by law of all who practise as regularly qualified physicians, we are to supply whatever may be required, so that these youth need not be compelled to go to medical schools conducted by men not of our faith. Thus we shall close a door that the enemy would be pleased to have left open; and our young men and young women, whose spiritual interests the Lord desires us to safeguard, will not feel compelled to connect with unbelievers in order to obtain a thorough training along medical lines.”

In harmony with this advice, the conference took action favoring the establishment of a medical school at Loma Linda. To accomplish this end the Pacific Union Conference invited the Southern California Conference, the North Pacific Union Conference, the Central Union Conference, the Northern Union Conference, the Lake Union Conference, the Southwestern Union Conference, and the General Conference to join it in carrying into effect the counsel concerning the establishment and conducting of a medical school at Loma Linda. Provision was made for a board of control, or regents, who were to have the general supervision of the school, and who were to determine the conditions on which it should operate, as well as to provide for a local board, which should be responsible for the management of the school.

The delegates greatly appreciated the presence of Sister White, during the entire meeting. She generally spoke to the conference once a day, and her words of entreaty and counsel were received with gratitude.

The president said the union conference had supplied, during its biennial term, some thirty-six workers for other fields, besides several nurses sent out from Loma Linda Sanitarium.

According to the president's report nine hundred had been added to the church-membership during the two years just passed. Twenty-two new churches had been organized and received into the conferences of the union conference. The tithes had increased over $11,948.21, and the offerings about $10,869.72, above those for the preceding biennial period.

Elder G. A. Irwin was elected president of the conference for the ensuing term. This meeting will long be remembered as one where great responsibilities had to be met, and should be a reminder to the workers that the Lord has not forgotten his people.

I. H. EVANS.