REPORT OF THE N. Y. AND PA. CONFERENCE.
By E. B. Saunders
THE N. Y. and Pa. S. D. A. churches held their Annual Conference during the recent Camp-meeting at Kirkville, N. Y. The first session was held Sept. 16, with nearly all the churches represented by delegates. Eld. R. F. Cottrell in the chair. Prayer by Bro. Andrews. Voted, That Brn. White and Waggoner be invited to participate in the sessions of the Conference. The usual committees were then chosen, which occupied the time allotted for this session. Second Session. Prayer by Bro. Andrews. Reports of ministers handed in, also reports from the Conference Secretary and Treasurer were read. The following resolution was read and unanimously adopted: Whereas, We believe that it is in the providence of God that Bro. and Sr. White are called to occupy a leading position in this work, and that it is in the order of God that they should bear the plain, faithful, searching testimony that they bear; and Whereas, This work of reproving and correcting wrongs exposes them, in an especial manner, to the fierce assaults of Satan, and of his agents, therefore, Resolved, That we express our hearty sympathy with them in the work to which God has called them, and our thanks to God for placing the gift of prophecy in the church. The following resolution was then read, and after appropriate remarks by some of the ministers, was adopted. Resolved, That we deplore the apostasy and crime of Nathan Fuller; and that we express our abhorrence of the violation of the seventh commandment in whatever form, or under whatever pretenses or excuses; and we believe we have great reason to humble ourselves before God for our indifference to the testimony of his Spirit, wherein we have been warned against danger in this respect; and with deep contrition we must acknowledge that we as a people have not realized the existence of this danger, or sufficiently prized the admonitions given. Third Session. Prayer by Bro. Saunders. Case of N. Fuller considered; also Conference Secretary read his financial report. Fourth Session. Prayer by Bro. Waggoner. The committee on Resolutions report the following resolution: Resolved, That we heartily endorse the sermon of Bro. White, preached in this meeting, on the subject of consecrating our means to the cause of God; and that we confidently believe that our Saviour meant what he said on giving alms, and laying up a treasure in Heaven; and we lament the want of confidence in God's providence, that we have manifested in our use of the things of this world. The Committee on Nominations reported the following officers for the coming year, which were duly elected: President, J. N. Andrews; Conference Committee, J. N. Andrews, J. M. Lindsay, E. B. Gaskill; Secretary, R. F. Cottrell; Treasurer, Harmon Lindsay. The following resolutions were then adopted: 1. That all money belonging to this Conference, including that in the hands of the church treasurers pledged to the Conference, shall be drawn by orders signed by a majority of the Executive Committee. 2. It is with heartfelt gratitude to God that we have beheld the restoration of Bro. White to such a state of health, that he is again enabled to labor in this cause; and we hereby express our unfeigned pleasure with the action of the general meetings last spring which recognized the hand of the Lord in placing him where his interest and experience in this work may avail, not only to assist us in carrying on the work in the future, but in correcting the errors of the past. 3. That we express our deep sense of the importance of the reforms which have been introduced among us, on the subjects of Christian Temperance, and of plain, modest, and becoming dress; and we beseech all our people to regard the light which shines forth upon these subjects. 4. That we feel a deep responsibility upon ourselves to call the attention of our first-day Advent brethren to the subject of the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, as brought to view in the third angel's message, as the great truth to prepare a people for translation. 5. That we approve of the action of the General Conference in attempting to establish relations of Christian friendship with that people, who in common with ourselves, observe the Sabbath of the Lord. Last Session. Prayer by Bro. Andrews. Credentials were granted to the following ministers: J. N. Andrews, C. O. Taylor, S. B. Whitney, and R. F. Cottrell. Licenses were given to E. B. Saunders, J. W. Raymond, H. W. Lawrence, C. B. Reynolds, S. A. Lindsay, F. Wheeler, D. Arnold, Hiram Edson, H. H. Wilcox, and W. W. Stebbins. Voted, That N. Fuller be expelled from the Conference for immorality. E. B. SAUNDERS, Secretary.