Autumn Council of the North American Division Conference
By G. B. Thompson
THE autumn council of the General and Division Conference committees closed October 20, a few days earlier than was originally planned. A number of very important matters were considered. The following actions taken are of general interest:— It was arranged to use the Watchman for the year 1917 in the Harvest Ingathering campaign. The Southern Publishing Association has recently enlarged its plant, and is well equipped to do this work, maintaining the same high standard of workmanship seen in the periodicals used in the past. We ought to plan to place a million copies of this magazine in the homes of the people in the next campaign. It was also voted that the Harvest Ingathering paper be issued in the Italian, Hungarian, Roumanian, and Bohemian languages. Atlantic Union ................ $18,200
Columbia Union ............... 13,300
Eastern Canadian ............. 8,646
North Pacific Union .......... 1,000
Southeastern Union ........... 17,950
Southern Union ............... 17,201
Southwestern Union ........... 8,028
North American Foreign Department ........ 13,616
North American Negro Department .......... $42,468
College of Medical Evangelists ............ 10,000
Christian Record ........................ 4,000
Clinton German Seminary ................... 1,000
Swedish Seminary .......................... 1,000
Danish-Norwegian Seminary ................. 1,000 The following actions concerning the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund were passed: “1. That we appropriate sixteen cents of our returns on the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund to the General Conference for foreign missions during 1917. “2. That one fourth of all returns above sixteen cents, up to and including twenty cents, be appropriated to Loma Linda; and that the remaining three fourths and all above twenty cents revert to the Union.” A financial statement of conferences and institutions for the year 1915 was presented by the statistical secretary, H. E. Rogers. The report showed that for the North American Division, the total assets are over $7,323,346.72; liabilities, $3,459,647.54; net worth, $3,863,699.18. The net operating gain during 1915 in the Division was $580,709.63, the donations being $644,615.39, or $63,905.76 more than the net operating gain. The report as a whole contained some very encouraging features. Some study both before and during the council was given to the work of bringing the message before the people of our large cities. The following preamble and recommendations were adopted:— “Owing to the rapid fulfilment of prophecy pointing unmistakably to the nearness of the end, it behooves this people, and especially the workers representing this movement, to use all diligence in winning souls to Christ, and to proclaim the third angel’s message in all its fulness, that many may be prepared against that day of wrath. To accomplish this end, we suggest the following as our working policy for 1916-17:— “1. That every church member be drafted into active service in giving the message to the world, and be encouraged to undertake to win at least one soul to Christ this coming year. “2. That every laborer under conference pay be earnestly urged to undertake a stronger and more active soul-winning campaign than ever before; and that those who are unable to succeed be advised to take up self-supporting work. “3. That all departments and administrative boards be encouraged to prosecute more vigorously the work in their lines of endeavor, and whenever possible, to assist in the above-mentioned efforts. “4. That all possible encouragement and support be given strong public efforts to reach the unwarned communities in our cities. “5. That greater use be made of the public press; and as far as possible, that its power in proclaiming the truth for this time be utilized.6“6. That every possible encouragement be given to local conferences to continue this work, and that it be strengthened, as far as workers and finances will permit. “7. That we encourage the formation of strong evangelical teams, either by local or union conferences, or both, as conditions will permit, the same to undertake stronger evangelical efforts in the larger centers of population than we have hitherto been able to conduct. “8. That it be clearly understood before an effort is undertaken in this larger way, that adequate financial support shall be provided. “9. That each company of workers include one or more good speakers, a good musical leader, a press agent, an advertiser, a business manager, Bible workers, a leader to look after the distribution of literature, and other helpers as may be thought advisable. These workers may be supplied or their work combined according to the ability of the conference to finance the effort. “10. That the medical work be more fully connected with our city work, and that nurses be trained to become efficient Bible workers to engage in city efforts. “11. That these efforts be so conducted that they shall be educational, training younger workers, and encouraging and helping less successful workers, to the end that they may be able to obtain larger results in their work. “12. That the Division Conference fully coöperate with these efforts in Union and local conferences, by helping to secure strong workers, and by assisting financially as far as possible. “13. That whenever a committee has taken action to hold one of these larger evangelistic efforts, care be used not to begin unless all arrangements are fully made beforehand, such as completing the contract for renting the main auditorium and the auxiliary buildings, selecting the literature, making the press contracts, arranging for the stereopticons, etc., so as not to be hampered in the effort after opening. “14. That such workers be selected to constitute the company as will be congenial and adapted to work in full coöperation and harmony; and that much prayer and seeking of the Holy Spirit be engaged in, that the enemy may not injure the effort in any way by bringing in disunion. “15. That plans be laid early in the effort to retain a sufficient force of competent Bible workers to follow up all the interests that may be awakened.” Sustentation Fund Credentials
For several years there has been some perplexity as to who should grant credentials to those who are on the Sustentation Fund. In order that there may be uniformity in this matter, and that faithful laborers may not be embarrassed in receiving their credentials, the following plan was recommended:— “Since no uniform plan seems to be followed in granting recognition to laborers receiving support from the Sustentation Fund,— “We recommend, That in December of each year, the secretary of the North American Division Conference furnish the president of each Union conference with a list of all such laborers, and that the Union conference in which they are located issue credentials or licenses to all who are entitled to recognition; and further,— “That in the Year Book all such laborers be listed as not active, or as superannuated.” Home Missionary Statistics
The following action was taken in reference to the gathering of conference missionary statistics:— “Voted, That where conferences have not made other arrangements, the reports of the church missionary work be collected and recorded by the tract society secretaries.” Relation of Foreign and English Churches
The following recommendations defining the relation between our foreign and English churches were passed:— “1. That all our laborers, English and foreign, encourage the young people among the Swedish, Danish-Norwegian, and German nationalities to attend the seminary conducted especially for their own people, with a view to becoming laborers in their native languages. “2. That we spare no means possible to strengthen the work among the various foreign nationalities in this country, both by the ministry and by our efforts to circulate reading matter prepared in their own tongues. “3. That we organize companies and churches in these various languages as rapidly as believers are able to maintain a congregation, in order that they may extend the message especially among their own nationalities. “4. That we encourage the building and maintaining of suitable church buildings as rapidly as possible, with the provision that no debt be created in so doing.” The following suggestive plans concerning church order for the North American Division were recommended: “WHEREAS, There are some questions of church order, in regard to which there has grown up a difference of opinion, because of the passing out of memory of actions taken long ago by the General Conference, we offer the following as a suggestive plan to be followed in church order:— “1. That the church officers be elders, deacons, deaconesses, clerk, treasurer, missionary secretary, Sabbath school superintendent and secretary, Missionary Volunteer leader and secretary, with such additional officers as may be called for on account of the size of the church. “2. That the elders, deacons, and such other persons as may be chosen by the church constitute the church board. “3. That these officers be elected by the church on the following plan:— “That the church appoint a committee on nominations, or authorize the church board to make such appointment, to suggest to the church names for these offices; that the vote of the church elect the officers, and that they serve for one year in all cases except the Missionary Volunteer officers, who shall hold their offices for six months. “4. That officers requiring ordination be ordained as soon after the election as possible; that they do not administer the ordinances until they are ordained. “5. That the jurisdiction of a local elder, or his authority to administer the ordinances, be confined to that church which elected him as elder, except where the conference committee under special circumstances deems it advisable to instruct him to go to another church. “6. That if he be reelected, or properly elected elder of another church, his ordination shall stand good. He need not be reordained. “7. That in case of his removal to another conference, the fact that he has acted as elder over one church should not be considered a ground for calling him to act as elder again. The church should consider his qualifications just as they would if he had never been an elder; and if there be any doubt, inquiry should be made of the officers of the conference from which he came, to ascertain whether he filled the office acceptably, and if he has been faithful to his church covenant, he need not be reordained. “8. That all offerings taken in the church be handed each week to the treasurer, who shall keep an account of them; that the treasurer remit all foreign and general offerings to the conference treasurer at the close of each month; that he pay over to the missionary secretary the offerings for the local missionary work; that he disburse the church expense fund as he may be directed by the church board. “9. That all expenditures from the expense fund and the poor fund may be considered by the church board and authorized before being made. “10. That members be transferred on the following plan:— “a. That letters of transfer received from other churches, and requests to join on profession of faith, as a general rule, be presented to the church one week before being acted upon. “b. That members transferring be received only by letters of transfer sent direct from the church clerk issuing them to the clerk of the church to which they wish to be transferred; that personal applications from members for letters be made to the clerk of the church which they wish to join. “11. WHEREAS, For some years there has been a tendency on the part of many of the members of our churches to remove from the church to which they belong without transferring their membership, thus causing confusion in the matter of keeping accurate records of membership; therefore,— “We urge all the members of our churches everywhere to be more careful in respect to the transfer of their membership to the church where they reside; and, further,— “We believe it would be advisable, in cases where members do not report to their church for a period of two years, that after due efforts have been put forth by the home church, their names be dropped from the church record. “12. That we discourage the disbanding of churches in order to discipline unfaithful and troublesome members; but urge that the Bible plan of dealing with unworthy members be followed; that by patience and love, many prayers and earnest entreaties, we put forth untiring and persevering efforts to reclaim those who may have lost their spiritual perception; and that in cases where, after following the plain instruction laid down by the Master, members refuse to respond7to the efforts put forth, they be disfellowshipped by vote of the church. “13. That before a church is organized, those expecting to join be carefully and thoroughly instructed in all matters of doctrine, and in the relation which should exist between members; that the organization of churches be effected in counsel with the executive committee of the conference; and that, if possible, the president of the conference be present and assist in the organization.” Women’s Auxiliary Committee
“Voted, That we express to the Women’s Auxiliary Committee our sincere thanks and deep appreciation for the earnest and efficient work that it has done in securing funds for the hospital at Loma Linda; and that, as we hope to realize from the offering taken October 14 sufficient funds for the erection of the hospital, making the work of the auxiliary committee no longer necessary, it be understood that the Women’s Auxiliary Committee is therefore discontinued.” There were many evidences of the guiding hand of God in the council. Elder A. G. Daniells left before it closed to enter upon his journey to the Asiatic Division field, and Elder W. T. Knox left immediately after the close of the council. We should not fail to remember these faithful laborers in our prayers. And let fervent prayers ascend to God for his blessing on the work here in the homeland, from which large sums of money must be continually gathered, and many workers selected, for the needy fields abroad. G. B. THOMPSON,
Secretary.