The General Conference

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 21, 1903

The General Conference

Twelfth Meeting

MONDAY, APRIL 6, 9:30 A. M.

The first part of the session was occupied with a discussion of the report of the Committee on Institutions, which was printed on the last page of the REVIEW of April 14. Following this a further partial report of the Committee on Plans was presented for consideration, as follows:—

FURTHER REPORT ON PLANS

G. E. Langdon (reading): “Your Committee on Plans and Constitution would respectfully submit the following further partial report:—

“We recommend,—

“9. That the General Conference Committee hereafter be the Mission Board of the denomination. “10. That the General Conference Association reduce its number of trustees from twenty-one to seven.”

The Chair: Now we will call up the motion found on page 67.

The Secretary (reading): “8. We recommend, That the General Conference offices be moved from Battle Creek, Mich., to some place favorable for its work in the Atlantic States.”

It was moved and seconded to adopt the partial report, including resolution 8, motion to adopt which did not appear in preceding minutes.

W. C. White: Can not we have an outline from some one who has been studying this question?

The Chair: As this is requested, we will ask Elder Daniells to explain.

A. G. Daniells: This proposition has been under consideration by different members of the General Conference Committee for many months. It has been quite thoroughly canvassed from time to time in our councils. It has seemed for some time that God was calling us to get out of Battle Creek, as far as possible, and decentralize.

Now, with reference to making the General Conference Committee the Mission Board: As the work is now shaping, the province of the General Conference Committee is of an advisory character to a large extent—not altogether, by any means—and it is of a missionary character or phase. The organization of the union conferences has taken the administrative work from any central place, and located it in the union conferences, and placed the responsibilities upon the shoulders of those different unions.

One who has not been in our office can scarcely realize what a complete change has been wrought at the headquarters of the General Conference. The details of the work of every character have been swept away, and the secretary has had very little to do along those lines. Of course, there has been some statistical work and some detail work with reference to transportation and collection of reports and work of that character, that must always be done. But the administration in the United States has all been taken away, and is now placed in the hands of scores of men who have been appointed to that work in the East, and the North, and the South, and in the Central and Western States. But while that has been going on, our missionary problems have been greatly increasing. More workers than ever before are being sent out, and contributions for missions have doubled in the last few years. This has increased the work of the Mission Board. And as I have studied it, I have become convinced that one of the great purposes of the General Conference Committee would be to deal with these world-wide problems everywhere.

I believe that the committee ought to be composed something like this: That the president of every union conference and the chairman of every union mission field in the world ought to be a member of that committee. This will give us a larger and more representative committee, even, than we have to-day. We get the whole world directly represented on the General Conference Committee. Then add to that the heads, the leading men in special departments, such as education, publishing, and medical, and put on a few men of special experience, and special ability from their experience, and you have a thoroughly representative committee, representing all interests of this great work in all parts of our little world. And that will give us a truly representative and General Conference Committee, a World’s Conference Committee.

Now, that, to my mind, brethren, is what should be the Mission Board of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

Further, it appears to me that that committee can only meet about once a year; and that as soon as you have appointed it, and this Conference closes, that large committee should take time, a week, or two weeks, if necessary, to thoroughly study, as well as it can, with the data it may have, all the field that it represents. And let it then, as a result of that study, come to an agreement regarding fundamental and general principles by which it will be governed in its administration during the year. Then the members of the committees can go to different parts of the field, working harmoniously, every one, though separated, to carry out this policy. Now, there must be some executive body appointed to carry out the policy. Now, that, I have thought, ought to be appointed like this: There should be two sections, we will call them, one in the United States and one in Europe. Here is the recruiting-ground for mission fields. The work of the section in this country will, as I view it, be to work among our people to raise funds and secure laborers of every kind for the needy and destitute fields in all parts of the world. I would blot out the word “foreign” from our board, and have it understood that a destitute and needy field in the United States, whether it be Mississippi, or Virginia, or Greater New York, or Canada,—I would have it understood that that field is a mission field, the same as Africa or other fields with the same needs.

Then I would have this section in the United States work in behalf of these needy parts here, and visit them, and unite with the conferences in charge of those fields in getting hold of the needs, and unite on a general policy, and then have them work through this country to get hold of the kind of men that these fields need and the money they require to prosecute their work. In addition, this committee will have a great problem on its hands to furnish supplies for the front.

Now, the section on the other side of the Atlantic will be not so much a recruiting section to get men and means (that will be some of its work), but it will be, rather, a distributing section. As the laborers pass through Great Britain, on their way to Africa, South America, India, and the Orient, and to the Mediterranean fields, let there be a committee over there who will look after this, who will be strong to direct, to administer, and to assist those people in reaching their fields, and prosecuting their work when they have reached them.

Now, where are the two points that these sections can be located to work advantageously?—As far as I can see, those points are New York City and London. New York City is the point from which our missionaries go to all parts of the world, to the East, at least. London or Great Britain is the point at which they land. It is a great highway. It is the highway to all the countries of the world; and Great Britain is a natural halfway house to India, Africa, Australasia, South America.

Now, brethren, the temper of the British people is such that any man going to those fields from this country can well spend a few months in Great Britain. God has blessed the British people for a period of three hundred years in their stalwart effort to place his word in the hands of all men, and to go as missionaries to all the benighted lands of the world. God has blessed that people because of the stand they have taken in this thing. And there is no place in the world where the missionary spirit burns so mightily in the hearts of men as in Great Britain. The European section, with headquarters in London, can operate in various parts of the European field, as the committee may direct.

And when you get your offices located in the East, among those large cities, you will find great opportunities for missionary enterprise by the people that are connected with the office. When Sabbath comes, the workers can scatter out and go and work for somebody else. I should be in favor of their giving up Sunday to missionary labor, too, and have two days to labor for others, and throw out the fire, and gather in life—come in contact with people who need salvation—and then spend the other days in the week doing warm-hearted Christian office work.

Meeting adjourned. H. W. COTTRELL, Chairman. H. E. OSBORNE, Secretary.

Thirteenth Meeting

MONDAY, APRIL 6, 3 P. M.

After a further report of the Committee on Plans and Constitution, the conference proceeded to the consideration

of the question of removing the headquarters of the General Conference. The recommendation favoring the removal of the denominational headquarters from Battle Creek was read by the secretary.

C. W. Flaiz: I am in harmony with the first part of this recommendation. I do not see how, understanding the situation as we do, we can do anything else than act in harmony with the proposition to remove the General Conference offices from Battle Creek. However, I am not so clear with reference to the latter part of the recommendation, that the General Conference offices shall be located on the Atlantic Coast.

The Chair: Are there any further remarks?

S. H. Lane: Oftentimes when a change is made, some will say, “If I had understood fully the significance of the change, I would not have voted as I did.” And I think that, before such a move as this is made, we should understand very thoroughly every bearing of the move.

E. T. Russell: I am in favor of this recommendation to move the offices from Battle Creek. I am not sure as to whether I am in favor of their going to the Atlantic Coast or not.

Another thought that suggests itself to my mind is this: Naturally the REVIEW AND HERALD, our denominational paper, ought to be where the headquarters go. This seems self-evident to me. I do not know who could better inspire the right kind of life in our good REVIEW AND HERALD, a true missionary spirit, than those who are in touch with missionary problems; and therefore it seems natural to me that our denominational paper should be located where the headquarters are located; and, as has been stated, if the REVIEW AND HERALD is taken to the Atlantic Coast, the extreme eastern portion of this continent, it would not reach the readers in the West until the news had become, to a great extent, stale, that is, a portion of it.

W. C. White: I hope I may express the few thoughts I have, without consuming too much of your time. For some years I was foreign mission secretary of the General Conference, and for some years secretary of the Foreign Mission Board, therefore have had some opportunities to study these questions; and what I say will be based upon the supposition that we all are agreed in the fact that we have a General Conference which is a world’s conference. It was always intended to be such, yet for a time our foreign work was so little that we talked about “home work” and “foreign work;” but you remember that about six years ago we decided to drop that term “foreign,” and have been working upon the basis, for about six years, that our General Conference is a world’s conference. Therefore I think we may safely base our propositions and our plans upon that basis.

Now, if we have a center, a headquarters, where the officers, where the secretaries and the treasurers, shall be, where correspondence shall come for the world’s work, where should it be? Should it be in the interior of one of the sections? or should it be in one of the world’s great centers of travel?

Again, in sending forth missionaries to foreign fields, nineteen-twentieths sail from New York City; and in the return of missionaries and of representatives from foreign fields to the United States, nineteen-twentieths come through New York City. As regards the proposition that the work of our people in America is largely that of recruiting missionaries, and the advantage of a recruiting center being in the center of the territory: It is plainly evident to my mind that economy demands that the headquarters of the General Conference, operating in all the world, should be either near London or near New York. “Why would you choose New York above London?” may be asked. Because a larger number of our people are at the present time located in the United States. As to the exact location, I do not think we need to deal with this question.

The Chair: Any further remarks?

R. C. Porter: I would like to ask if we are to understand by this discussion that, if we pass this recommendation, we virtually in our minds assent that the REVIEW AND HERALD is to go to the same place.

The Chair: I do not think we are dealing at all with the REVIEW AND HERALD. It might go there; I wish it might; but it is not in this.

R. C. Porter: Then I would like to say a word about the proposition before us. If it is divorced from the other, I have quite different ideas toward it than if the two were to be considered together. I have been in the East, and have seen the needs of the Eastern work. We have many large cities all through the East that I feel ought to be considered in connection with our general work. And locating our office in that part of the field would place the general officers in touch with this needy part of the work,—the large cities. They abound in that section of the country. It was one of the greatest problems we had to face when I was there,—how to reach them. We have had our attention called again at this time in the testimony borne to us that these general men should come in touch with these cities. Being right in their midst would throw them in touch with them. They would see their needs more, and that would make it easier for them to become interested in laying plans to help develop the work in these cities. And that makes it, to me, more clear that it would be well for the General Conference offices to be located in that part of the territory, and I would therefore be in favor of that; and then sending out workers in different parts of these cities, near where the offices are located, from time to time, would certainly be a very helpful missionary work. And I say that part of it I am very clear upon, that that would be an excellent thing, but when it comes to the REVIEW AND HERALD part, perhaps I would not be so clear upon that.

H. Shultz: I have listened to everything that has been said. There is one point that I think we ought to consider in this matter, that one speaker merely touched, and no other one touched it, and that is the expense of this thing. How much is there to be removed from Battle Creek? How much does the General Conference own there? What will they have to do with it?

R. A. Underwood: I want to suggest a few thoughts on that, one or two of which have already been mentioned. The advantage to our foreign work, to have the Mission Board in the East, is not only that they will be in touch with all the foreign mails and the point where all our missionaries, or most of them, will pass through to other countries, but there is a vast population on the Atlantic Coast of almost all these foreign fields; and it seems to me, if the Mission Board is located adjacent to New York, Philadelphia, or other large cities on the coast, they will be able to bring from the recruiting territory in the United States men of all nationalities, and they will also be able to send out, perhaps, a better class of workers, and fewer who will return after going abroad.

A. G. Daniells: Some minds seem to be running on the question of our debt and credit features, the question of a cash policy or debt. I would like to read these recommendations for adoption right here before we launch this other question.

[These resolutions relating to the financial policy of the denomination were printed in the summary of proceedings given in last week’s issue.]

Now it seems to me that these recommendations give us a guiding policy, something to help us, and to lead us, and I move their adoption.

A. G. Haughey: I second the motion.

The Chair: We will waive the further consideration of the former question, and consider this question of privilege. It has been moved and seconded that these resolutions be adopted. They are open for remarks.

The question was called.

The Chair: All in favor of this question, this cash policy, please rise to your feet. [Nearly all the delegates arose.] Any opposed may manifest it by the same sign. It is carried unanimously. The other question is now called up, and open for further remarks.

Watson Ziegler: I believe, when we do anything like this we have under contemplation at this time, that we ought to have a reason for doing it. I believe that there has been a good and sufficient reason brought before us for moving the General Conference offices somewhere near the Atlantic Coast. It seems to me that the greatest reason advanced is with regard to the missionary work that we are doing, and we are going over the territory where the work has not been done.

The question was called for.

E. W. Webster: I would like to ask a question, something about the expense of this matter.

The Chair: I think we decided the financial question just a moment ago by the vote of the people. No debt will be incurred by this move.

The question was called.

The Chair: The question is called. All in favor of the motion make it manifest by the uplifted hand. Any opposed by the same sign. It is practically unanimous. I saw but one opposing vote.

The next resolution may be reread.

The Secretary (reading): “We recommend that the General Conference Committee hereafter be the Mission Board of this denomination.”

The Chair: It is open for remarks.

W. C. White: For myself, and in behalf of the other members of the committee that passed in this recommendation, I wish to request that its consideration be deferred until other matters connected with it can be further considered.

J. E. Jayne: I second the motion.

The Chair: If there is no objection, the question will be deferred. The secretary may read the next recommendation.

The Secretary (reading): “We recommend that the General Conference Association reduce its board of trustees from twenty-one to seven.”

The Chair: It is open for remarks. The question was called for.

The Chair: The question is called. All in favor of the motion manifest it by the uplifted hand. Any opposed, manifest it by the same sign. The motion is carried unanimously.

The following recommendation was then taken up:— “That the Treasury and Finance Department of the General Conference be broadened and strengthened by the selection of a treasurer of wide experience in the field, and the appointment of a sufficient staff of clerical help to do the office work.”

The Chair: It is moved and seconded that this report be adopted. The question is open for remarks. The question is called.

H. Shultz: I should like to ask for information if it is proposed that this treasurer shall travel all over during the immediate time between meetings, and thus spend more money than he will collect.

A. G. Daniells: No, sir. It does not mean that he shall spend more money for himself on his traveling expenses than he will collect for the field. I think you will all see, after a moment’s reflection, the value of such an officer in the General Conference. I do not believe that the treasurer of this denomination ought to be simply a bookkeeper in the office. I believe that he ought to be one of the clearest-headed, natural-born business men that we have in our denomination. He should be a Christian, a man who loves God, and is full of the Holy Ghost, a man like Stephen, and he should give his time up entirely to these great interests that we have.

The question was called for, and the motion, being put, was carried unanimously.

G. G. Rupert: Mr. Chairman, I move that we adjourn. W. C. White: I second the motion.

W. T. Knox: I should like to crave the indulgence of the Conference, and call attention to a matter. Two important committees are each short one member, the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Institutions. The personnel of both of these committees is almost identical. Brother Parsons was chairman of one, but he has left Oakland. I should like to move, if you will allow me, that the name of C. W. Flaiz be added to both these committees.

Lewis Johnson: I second the motion. The Chair: Are there any remarks? The question being called, the motion was put, and prevailed.

Benediction by E. J. Waggoner. H. W. COTTRELL, Chairman. H. E. OSBORNE, Secretary.

Fourteenth Meeting

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 10 A. M.

This session was occupied with discussions and reports relating to the educational work, a statement of which was given in our summary of proceedings last week.

Fifteenth Meeting

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 3:15 P. M.

Mrs. L. Flora Plummer, corresponding secretary of the Sabbath-school Department of the General Conference, submitted her biennial report, as follows:—

Sabbath-School and Young People’s Work

REPORT OF THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY, MRS. L. FLORA PLUMMER

At the last session of the General Conference, the Sabbath-school work was made a department of the General Conference. In July, 1901, the Sabbath-school office was removed from Oakland, and established in Minneapolis. The office has consisted of one pleasant room, and the office force has been the corresponding secretary and one stenographer.

REORGANIZATION

We are glad to report that during the reorganization period, which involved the relationship of each school to the church, and changed long-established customs in the handling of Sabbath-school finances, yet there was no serious confusion. Some of the conferences made modifications in the plans suggested, so there is not yet as complete uniformity as might be desirable.

The organization of a number of new conferences in the Southern field has been of great benefit to the Sabbath-school work there. Formerly one secretary had the oversight of all the schools in the mission-field portion of the South, but since the creation of conference Sabbath-school departments in Alabama, Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi, much more direct work with each school has been possible, and Sabbath-school interests have prospered. The force of active Sabbath-school workers has also been increased materially by the divisions made in the California, North Pacific, Dakota, Illinois, and Michigan Conferences.

IN OTHER LANDS

A persistent effort has been made to get in touch with the Sabbath-school work in other lands. In the Australasian Union Conference the work is well organized. In each of the seven conferences there are efficient Sabbath-school secretaries. Many of the plans that have been followed in this country have been successfully carried out in that field. Reports have also been received from the Raratonga, Fiji, and Tonga mission fields,—island territory belonging to the Australasian Union Conference. In each of these places one of the workers has consented to fill the office of a mission field Sabbath-school secretary, and is laboring directly in behalf of this work.

In the Society Islands, the secretary, Mrs. B. J. Cady, has done much to build up an interest in the Sabbath-school lessons by translating our senior and primary lessons into the native tongue, duplicating them, and sending them to each of the five schools in that group of islands.

We have received no word in the last two years from the school on Pitcairn Island, although several efforts have been made to get a letter through to the friends there.

For a time it seemed impossible to establish any degree of co-operation between our office and the larger part of the European General Conference. This was due to the different languages of that large field, and to our entire inability to understand any but the English. However, that difficulty has been nicely adjusted by the appointment of union conference Sabbath-school secretaries in the Central European and German Union Conferences. These two secretaries understand the English language sufficiently well to enable us to correspond satisfactorily, and the result has been full and regular reports from that field, and an interchange of plans and methods that has been mutually helpful.

We are able to correspond directly with the secretaries in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. With the regular report of the British secretary, that of Sister Minnie Hoffman, for Finland, and an occasional report from Brother Guy Dail for the Oriental field, we have felt that the entire European field has been quite well represented in our general summaries.

In the South African Conference, the secretary reports regularly. Efforts are being made there to bring the schools into greater conformity with the general plan of our work. Basutoland and Matabeleland are the only African mission stations that have yet reported.

In South America the advancement in this work has been quite marked. Sabbath-school secretaries have been appointed in several of the conferences and mission fields that heretofore had no such worker. Judging from the letters and reports, the work of these secretaries is greatly appreciated by the schools. The mission fields located along the northern coast report through the secretary of the West Indies. The secretaries in Brazil, Argentine Republic, and the West Coast mission field report direct to our office.

Japan reports five schools, India two, China one. It is with a thankful heart that these vast empires have been added to our Sabbath-school general summary, thus indicating the establishment of centers of light in these heathen lands. The figures, representing the progress of the Sabbath-school work in other countries, contrasted with those which represent the work here, preach a very effective missionary sermon.

PLANS OF WORK

Turning from this general survey of the Sabbath-school field, we shall next present the plans of work which have been made prominent. The first is that of the study of the little volume, Testimonies on Sabbath-school Work. This study began before the last General Conference, and has continued with increasing interest during the last two years. Believing that our schools could not, without peril, pass by unheeded, unstudied, perhaps unread, such instruction as has been given them through the Spirit of God, our efforts in this line have been unceasing.

As an aid in this study, suggestive outlines have been sent out each month to the State secretaries, to be passed on to the local schools. When the April study is completed, we shall have gone through the book page by page, and also have spent four months in a topical review of the same. These outlines of study have also been used in Australia and in other countries where there are English schools. It has cost considerable in time and money to prepare these and send them to all the schools, yet we feel that the real benefit gained can not be estimated at a money value.

CONVENTIONS

1902 was the banner convention year. The schools were urged to depart from the popular custom of waiting for a minister or Sabbath-school worker to visit them and hold a convention for them, and to undertake a convention themselves. Appropriate subjects were suggested, and instruction given to enable inexperienced workers to plan a successful convention. Two efforts of this kind were made, one in the spring and one in the autumn of 1902. The secretaries of a long list of States report that the majority of their schools held the conventions as planned.

The reports from some portions of the Southern field, from mission fields, and from the schools that have had but few advantages, were particularly gratifying. Reports from some of the schools stated that not one of their members had ever attended a convention, but that they followed the instructions given, and enjoyed a most profitable and blessed time. Usually the letters closed with an inquiry as to when they could have another convention. Certainly so universal a consideration of practical Sabbath-school topics can not but be fruitful of results.

THE HOME DEPARTMENT

A study of the statistics of the denomination led to the creation of the Home Department of the Sabbath-school. The membership of our schools has been about one-fourth less than the church membership. It should be considerably larger, as such a large proportion of the Sabbath-school membership is made up of pupils too young to hold church membership.

By the formation of the Home Department division, the isolated, the feeble, the aged, and all who are really unable to attend the Sabbath-school may be provided with the lessons, study them at their homes, keep their individual record, and report once a quarter to the nearest school or to the State Sabbath-school secretary. This work has naturally divided itself into two divisions,—the State Home Department, which is made up of isolated persons encouraged to join by the correspondence of the State Sabbath-school secretary, and the Home Department of local schools, composed of persons who can not attend the school, but who become members at the solicitation of workers in the school.

This plan has been in operation for two quarters, and the last report gives an actual Home Department membership of 1,196 persons. No more cheering letters have come to our office than those that relate to the Home Department work. The State secretaries are getting in touch with our isolated members. Many of them had not been studying the lessons at all, had not been making missionary offerings, some not even paying tithe, nor taking our papers. Through the Home Department plan they have been led to do all these things.

Their hearts have been encouraged by the connection thus made between them and the general work. The local Home Department work affords an excellent opportunity for real missionary work. I recently learned of one of our young people’s societies connected with one of our city churches that has made that their special work. They are meeting with good success, and expect at the close of the quarter to have a large Home Department membership to report. There is no question but what there are great possibilities for good in the Home Department work. There is no reason why it should not be as permanent as any other division in our schools, as the conditions which created it will always exist. The development of this work will be a source of strength to every conference. A State Home Department that takes in every isolated member in the conference, and a well-looked-after Home Department in every school, will cause the uplifting of thousands of hearts now heavy, and the changing of what is now an element of weakness to the denomination to an element of strength.

BRANCH SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK

A most interesting feature of the work of the Sabbath-school Department is now known as the branch Sabbath-school work. These branch schools are held for the children of those not of our faith, and are truly missionary schools. This work has not been taken up generally throughout the States, but in a number of the cities branch schools have been established. The success of the endeavor demonstrates the value of the plan as a means of developing workers and as an effective missionary method.

Last winter about one hundred and forty children attended the different branch schools held in Des Moines, Iowa. The schools were conducted almost entirely by the young people of that church, Miss A. Helen Wilcox, who was then the Iowa Sabbath-school secretary, thus summarized the direct results of that work: “Regular Sunday evening meetings in one locality; one church-school attended by the branch school children; hundreds of articles of clothing distributed; one Sabbath-keeping Adventist reclaimed; increasing cleanliness in the homes of the people in the poorer districts where the work has been done; an excellent missionary garden planted to defray the expenses of one school; seventeen other branch schools started in the State; new spiritual life developed in those who have engaged in the work; increasing confidence gained by timid workers; greatly increased interest in the young people’s meetings.”

The reports of the four branch schools which have been held in St. Paul, Minn., are equally encouraging. One sister there gathers into her home every Sabbath afternoon from forty to seventy children of the neighborhood. About six weeks ago there was a most urgent call by the parents of these children for a series of meetings. A successful Sabbath-school is also held in that city by a colored sister for colored children. She has by this means gained an entrance into the homes of many of her people, and is carrying the truth wherever she goes.

Three branch schools have been started in Lincoln. These are all successful, and, like those already mentioned, open up the way for definite work in making known the advent message.

The same experiences are reported from a number of other places. All these seem to be a most complete fulfillment of the words of the Testimony: “Parents who can be approached in no other way are frequently reached through their children. Sabbath-school teachers can instruct the children in the truth, and they will in turn take it into the home circle.”

MISSIONARY EXERCISES

Great as are the possibilities of the Sabbath-school work in the home field, our schools need the blessed inspiration of a real burden for the souls in mission fields. If our Sabbath-schools are not mightily moved by a revival of the missionary spirit that takes in the whole world, they will lose much. What is the Bible study worth to our schools, if they do not learn the lesson that what they receive they must pass on to others who have it not?

In nearly all the regular missionary meetings that are held, the services are not such as would appeal especially to the children. There is no service that is better adapted for the instruction of all ages than the Sabbath-school. It seems very fitting that at least an occasional exercise be conducted in the Sabbath-school which will emphasize our duty to give this world-wide message to the wide world.

Five missionary exercises have been sent out to the schools in the last year. These have met with almost universal favor, and many letters have been received asking that this plan be continued. The secretaries write that the Sabbath-school offerings have been materially increased thereby.

The North Dakota secretary wrote this concerning an exercise furnished by Sister Anderson, in China: “The letter, ‘Children of China,’ was much appreciated by the different schools. In one school the little ones were so interested, and the parents so pleased to see their interest, that a donation of $6.82 was taken up for the work in China.”

On one quarterly report which showed a special donation to missions, the statement was made by the secretary, “Had the letter, ‘Children of China,’ not been sent, this $12.82 would not have been donated.” Special donations were also reported after the exercise, “Children of Japan,” was sent out.

When such exercises are held, the impression naturally left upon the child’s mind is that his Sabbath offering will be sent across the water to carry the gospel to the children about whom he has heard. It would probably be something of a disappointment to him if he realized that at the close of the quarter his pennies would be used for the purchase of lesson quarterlies or song books, or other supplies for his own school. If some definite plan were adopted which would enable the members of a school to know when they were contributing for supplies, and when they were giving to missions, it would save us from inconsistency in an important matter.

THE ADVOCATE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

With the December issue of 1901, the Sabbath School Worker, which for sixteen years had been the organ of the Sabbath-school work, was discontinued as a separate publication, and was united with the educational journal, under the name Advocate of Christian Education. It was thought that the close relation necessarily existing between the church-school and the Sabbath-school made this combination a natural and helpful one. It seemed a needless expenditure of energy and money to endeavor to keep two general educational organs in the field when one might serve the purpose.

The first number of the Advocate, as the organ of the combined educational interests, was published in January, 1902. Since that time we have worked unceasingly to place this journal in clubs in the Sabbath-schools. We have found it a difficult matter to overcome the sentiment that the Advocate is pre-eminently a church-school paper. There is a very

large army of Sabbath-school workers whose educational advantages have been limited, and who have never had a day’s training such as is given to church-school teachers, and this army is helpless when asked to adapt broad, general principles to specific needs.

Yet these brethren and sisters must, of necessity, carry on the Sabbath-school work in the majority of our schools. The problem of giving these faithful, willing, yet untrained workers just the help that will make them efficient is not an easy one to solve. It ought to receive the most careful consideration of all who are interested in the Sabbath-school work.

At the beginning of this year there were 412 Sabbath-schools in this country taking clubs of the Advocate, and about 463 single subscribers on the Sabbath-school list. We have over 2,000 schools, and more than 6,000 teachers, in this country, so we have only been able to reach about one fifth of our schools through the medium of the Sabbath-school organ.

Possibly, if the Sabbath-school department in the Advocate were strengthened, the needs of our Sabbath-school workers more carefully studied and more fully supplied, and all would unite to increase its circulation, a more encouraging report might be made at the end of another two years. The strengthening of the Sabbath-school department in the Advocate, or the establishment of a separate organ to represent Sabbath-school interests, should be carefully considered.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S WORK

The last General Conference laid the foundation for an organized movement in behalf of our young people. The General Conference Committee later connected this work with the Sabbath-school Department. It seemed quite clear that the plans for our work should not follow the idea of an organization independent of the church, but rather that it should bear the relation of a department to the church work. A very simple plan of organization was outlined. This connects the entire movement with the church by placing it under the direction of the church and Sabbath-school officers.

The societies have almost universally adopted the plan suggested. There is not a wonderful growth to report, yet surely a substantial beginning has been made. The system of reporting recommended has not been well carried out, yet we have an actual record of 186 societies, with a membership of 3,478. In addition to these societies, the State workers report that about 1,000 additional young people have been brought into touch with the movement by personal correspondence. This number includes many who are isolated, and others who are so situated that they can not connect with a regular society.

The Youth’s Instructor has been the recognized organ of the young people’s work. A special department has contained Bible and missionary studies well adapted for use in young people’s meetings. Reports from societies, and much interesting general matter pertaining to this work, have been given. The help thus afforded has been invaluable, and the majority of the societies have made use of it.

The influence of this movement is being felt in some conferences. The conviction is deepening that our young people have been called to do a definite work. The avowed aim of the young people’s organization is declared to be, “The Advent Message to all the world in this generation.” Faithful endeavor has been made to bring the work up to a high standard.

We have constantly urged that every meeting that is held, and every plan that is laid, should be wholly in line with the object of the movement. Every discouragement has been given to that which is light and frivolous, merely entertaining, or only social in its nature. We have felt that the distinct call to our young people is made in the words of the Testimony: “Will the young men and women who really love Jesus organize themselves as workers, not only for those who profess to be Sabbath-keepers, but for those who are not of our faith?” The banding together of our young people for anything else than mutual help in Bible and missionary study, and for missionary service, seems a deviation from the pattern placed before us.

We are glad to report that some magnificent work has been done by our young people’s societies. Their efforts have extended into almost every line of missionary work. Books, tracts, and papers have been sold; branch Sabbath-schools held; jail work done; Christian Help work of all kinds undertaken; Bible readings and cottage meetings conducted; money collected for church debts, church repairs, and local missionary enterprises; the young people of Iowa have collected $372.85 in support of the work in France; the Battle Creek society has raised a fund of over $400, for the purpose of supporting one of their number in the Syrian field; the Upper Columbia societies are supporting a native missionary in China, $183 having been contributed already for work at home and abroad.

In the aggregate, the societies have accomplished much that is worthy of commendation. We can all rejoice because of what has been done, and in our rejoicing we do not lose sight of the difficulties. We know that societies have been formed that were afterward discontinued from lack of interest. We know that some have been conducted in a way to bring reproach upon the work. Nevertheless, the movement is advancing, and is gaining in strength and power.

What it needs is more general personal labor and encouragement from workers in the field. Secretaries may correspond and advise and suggest, but the need of the societies is personal contact with wise helpers. If the ministers in every conference would make the young people’s work a prominent part of their work, many of the discouraging features would melt away. We sincerely hope that this conference may make such recommendations as will strengthen and establish this branch of the work.

CLOSING WORDS

In closing, I wish to call attention to this statement in “Testimonies on Sabbath-school work:” “The Sabbath-school, if rightly conducted, is one of God’s great instrumentalities to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth.”

The Sabbath-school work is so old and well established that some feel that it is in no special need, but if our Sabbath-schools ever fulfill their mission, there must be a great improvement in the quality of the work the schools are now doing. What course of training can be placed within reach of Sabbath-school officers and teachers that will help them to become more efficient workers? How shall we make real Bible students of Sabbath-school scholars? What missionary work can our schools do at home and abroad?

How can the work of the General Conference Sabbath-school Department be strengthened and conducted to better advantage? What are helping and what are hindering policies in the conducting of conference Sabbath-school departments? These are live Sabbath-school questions. Upon their solution depends, to a large extent, the advancement of this work throughout the field for the next two years. As it is a work that touches our nearest and dearest interests, reaching every home and every member of the home, its influence extending into all lands, we most earnestly ask that it receive your careful consideration.

Following this report, the Conference asked for recommendations prepared by the informal Sabbath-school Council, which has been meeting from day to day. The secretary of the council presented the following:—

RECOMMENDATIONS ON SABBATH-SCHOOL

WORK

FINANCE

We recommend,—

1. That the needs of the mission fields be kept before our Sabbath-schools, as an incentive to liberal contributions.

2. That our Sabbath-schools set apart the contributions of one or more Sabbaths in each quarter, as may be necessary, for the expenses of the school, all the contributions of the remaining Sabbaths to be given to missions. It is understood that this does not affect the established plan of giving to the Orphans’ Home two yearly donations.

3. That Sabbath-school contributions be not used for local church or church-school expenses.

4. That the office expenses of the State conference Sabbath-school departments, exclusive of salaries, when not entirely met by conference funds, be paid for from the Sabbath-school donations, such sum to be not more than a tithe of the donations.

LESSONS

5. That a series of Sabbath-school lessons be prepared for the senior and junior divisions, which will present the distinctive points of our faith in a simple, direct, and concise manner.

Whereas, The South is expressly a field peculiar to itself; and,—

Whereas, The spirit of prophecy has stated that it should have a literature prepared especially to meet its peculiar needs; therefore, We recommend,—

6. That our laborers in the South be permitted to adapt our future Sabbath-school lessons to the needs of their field, by simplifying the same, and by adding such helps and explanatory notes as in their judgment may seem advisable.

LOCATION

7. That the headquarters of the General Conference Sabbath-school Department be connected with the headquarters of the General Conference; also,—

ORGAN

8. That the Sabbath-school department in the Advocate of Christian Education be discontinued, and that the Sabbath-school Worker be re-established as the organ of the Sabbath-school work, and connected with the Sabbath-school Department of the General Conference.

It was moved to adopt the report.