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Twenty-Sixth Annual Session of the Nebraska Conference

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Oct 1, 1903

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 80, No. 39.

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Twenty-Sixth Annual Session of the Nebraska Conference

By A. T. Robinson; C. H. Miller

The twenty-sixth annual session of the Nebraska Conference was held at Grand Island, in connection with the camp-meeting, September 3-13, with Elder A. T. Robinson in the chair.
About one hundred and forty delegates were present. Two churches were admitted to the conference, one at McCook, consisting of sixteen members, and one at Tekamah, of eight members.
A committee of twenty persons selected the following committees for the session: Committee on Licenses and Credentials, N. P. Nelson, R. F. Anderson, J. J. Graf, A. T. Robinson, W. B. Hill; Committee on Plans and Recommendations, C. H. Miller, J. H. Wheeler, C. R. Kite, W. F. Surber, Ida Nelson; Committee on Distribution of Labor, members of conference committee.
The following resolutions were adopted, showing the plans for work:—
1. We recommend, That the ten-cent-a-week plan be urged very strongly upon our churches, and that each church use the envelopes prepared by the General Conference.
2. Resolved, That we approve of the plan of district work adopted in our conference, and we recommend the superintendent of each district to prepare an annual report embodying the number of churches, the membership of each church, and the territory included in the district. Furthermore, we recommend that each superintendent, as far as practicable, locate in his own district.
3. Resolved, That our librarians in dealing with individual members of their churches conduct their business, as far as practicable, on a strictly cash basis, thirty days being considered the limit; and, furthermore, that the librarians, as far as possible, remit to the State tract society the first of each month. No account will be carried by the tract society longer than three months, unless by special arrangement.
Whereas, The Spirit of God has said that the canvassing work, properly conducted, is missionary work of the highest order; that it is as successful a method as can be employed for placing before the people the important truths for this time; therefore,—
4. We recommend, That all our ministers be urged to show both by precept and by example that they believe these words to be true, and that they urge the members of our churches to devote as much as possible of their time to the canvassing work.
5. We recommend, (a) That the needs of the mission fields be kept before our Sabbath-schools as an incentive to liberal contributions; (b) 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, the contributions of the remaining Sabbaths to be given to missions (it is understood that this does not affect the established plan to give to the Orphan's Home two yearly donations); (c) that Sabbath-school contributions be not used for local church or church-school expenses.
Whereas, The spirit of prophecy has said that the Sabbath-school is the nursery of the church; and,—
Whereas, There are many isolated ones who can not attend, therefore,—
6. Resolved, (a) That we as a conference approve of the plan of the Home Department, and that we encourage our local Sabbath-schools to adopt this plan; (b) that the Sabbath-school secretary encourage the isolated ones to adopt this plan also.
Whereas, There should be more home news in the Central Advance; and,—
Whereas, The Central Advance can not furnish this news unless our laborers and brethren report; therefore,—
7. Resolved, That we as a conference request our laborers and individual members to furnish good, live reports frequently.
8. Resolved, (a) That the conference establish a fund which shall be disbursed by the conference treasurer in aiding such churches as are unable to support their schools; (b) that this fund be created by requesting each member of the conference to pay at least twenty-five cents each quarter (this fund shall be used to supplement the amount raised by the church in payment on the teacher's salary, and is not intended to relieve the members of the church from individual responsibility in the matter of educating their children); (c) that this fund shall be disbursed at the discretion of the president of the conference, the church-school superintendent, and the conference committee; (d) that our schools be supported by contributions, tuition, or second tithe; and that our brethren everywhere be requested to study the subject of the second tithe.
9. Resolved, That the Nebraska Conference assembled, recommend the most hearty co-operation on the part of the churches and of our people in the great work for suffering humanity being carried forward by the Nebraska Sanitarium.
10. Resolved, That persons in all our churches be encouraged to take up the work of resident canvassers, encouraging especially the sale of our smaller books, and giving them as wide a circulation as possible in their respective localities.
11. Resolved, That all our people be advised to purchase the book “Education,” and that resident canvassers be encouraged to take up the sale of this book and the recent volumes of the Testimonies among our people.
Whereas, The sale of the book “Christ's Object Lessons” has been a blessing to those who have cheerfully engaged in it, and has already accomplished the lifting of nearly two thirds of the large indebtedness resting upon Union College; and,—
Whereas, in Nebraska we have a large number of these books unsold; therefore,—
12. Resolved, That we reconsecrate ourselves to the work, and sell this excellent book for the benefit of Union College.
Whereas, The special course for workers at Union College during the winter has been helpful in encouraging workers already enlisted, and also in enlisting workers; therefore,—
13. Resolved, That we request the managers to arrange a similar course for the coming winter.
Whereas, The need of more God-fearing and efficient school-teachers is great, we therefore,—
14. Recommend, That our churches encourage, in a substantial way, suitable young men and women in their respective communities to take a training that will fit them for family and church-school work.
Whereas, There is need of concerted action in the establishment of the church-school work in our churches, such as appointing school boards, providing schoolrooms and the necessary equipments; therefore,—
15. Resolved, That this question receive due attention at the spring quarterly meeting of the church.
Whereas, The plan of doing the conference auditing work in connection with the camp-meeting throws a large amount of work upon the officers of the conference at the time when their services should be devoted to the spiritual interests of the meeting; therefore,—
16. We recommend, That the conference committee arrange to have the auditing done early in July.
17. Resolved, That the conference books be held open until about July 10 to admit of all conference business belonging to the year ending June 30, to appear in the annual report of the treasurer.
The following is a petition from the Missouri Conference: “Resolved, That in view of the importance of the World's Fair at St. Louis next year, and the opportunities which will be offered to make the people acquainted with the truth, we authorize the conference committee to make such calls for contributions as may be deemed necessary to provide literature, and to arrange for the proper presentation of our denominational work. Also that we invite the General Conference, the union conferences of the United States, and especially the Central Union Conference, to unite with us in this work, and press upon these organizations the great importance of their co-operation.”
18. Resolved, That we approve of this petition, and that we authorize our conference committee to take the matter into favorable consideration, and make such arrangements as may seem best.
19. Resolved, That we recommend that the third Sabbath in November, and the Sunday following, be set apart as days for simultaneous missionary meetings in all our churches, and that our conference officers be requested to plan for an active missionary campaign to follow these meetings.
20. We recommend, That on the third Sabbath in October a collection be taken in each of our churches to provide a building, a new press, and other facilities for our publishing work to be established at College View.
Whereas, The Review and Herald and the Pacific Press have made large donations to our missionary and educational work; and,—
Whereas, The changes going forward in the organization and work of these publishing associations call for our hearty approval, sympathy, and support,—
21. Resolved, That we cheerfully return to the plan of paying the regular price for the trade and popular books issued by our publishing houses, thus making it less difficult for them and our State tract societies to make expenses and enlarge their work.
The following-named officers were elected for the coming year:— President, A. T. Robinson; Vice-President, J. J. Graf; Secretary and Treasurer, C. H. Miller; State Canvassing Agent, F. H. Hahn; Sabbath-school Secretary, Alice Teeple; Nebraska Conference Association, A. T. Robinson, J. Sutherland, G. Mathiesen, Thomas McAlpine, D. R. Callahan; Conference Committee, A. T. Robinson, J. J. Graf, A. C. Anderson, L. E. Johnson, J. H. Wheeler; Delegates to Central Union Conference, A. T. Robinson, J. J. Graf, A. C. Anderson, G. W. Berry, Educational Secretary, E. L. Cook, Sabbath-school Secretary, F. H. Hahn, Physician in charge of Nebraska Sanitarium.
Credentials were granted to A. T. Robinson, W. B. Hill, J. H. Wheeler, R. F. Andrews, P. P. Gaede, L. E. Johnson, C. R. Kite, A. C. Anderson, G. W. Berry, J. J. Graf, W. D. MacLay, and Daniel Nettleton; ministerial licenses to G. A. Kirkle, O. A. Hall, O. E. Jones, N. C. Nelson, W. H. Shroeder, B. M. Garton, Chas. Svenson, E. L. Cook, J. W. Beams, W. H. Campbell, F. H. Hahn; missionary licenses to C. H. Miller, Albert Anderson, Geo. Huenegardt, Wm. Batterson, Esther Smith, Maggie Warnock, Lena Frederickson, Pearl West, Sarah Grobe, Mrs. E. A. Cushman, Mrs. E. B. MacLay, Walter Rich; and colporteur licenses to W. J. Wilson, G. P. Loy, J. B. Mourer, Robert Ryan, W. F. Surber, C. S. Wilbur, L. B. Porter, P. O. Johnson, Jacob Kroeker, Ernest Mathwig, Peter Lindahl, Chas. W. Graves.
From the financial report it appeared that the total tithe received during the year was $22,379.86, and that the amount disbursed was $26,603.57. The deficit was met by the surplus of the previous year, and there was still a balance of $3,570.34 in the treasury.
A. T. ROBINSON, President, C. H. MILLER, Secretary.