General Conference Committee Council by William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 10, 1912

General Conference Committee Council

By William Ambrose Spicer

Second Report

The council had before it the report of the recent death of two workers who have been associated with the General Conference and Mission Board work, and the following actions were taken:—

Vote of Sympathy With Elder J. O. Corliss

The members of the General Conference Committee in autumn council, 1912, send to their fellow laborer, one of the pioneer workers in this cause, Elder J. O. Corliss, assurances of deepest sympathy and brotherly affection in this time when he is called upon to mourn the loss of his beloved companion and associate in service. We have known Sister Corliss as a noble Christian, a faithful missionary in home and foreign fields, a mother in Israel, and one whose constancy and earnestness in the service of God have made her quiet life a blessing not only to her own family, but to the cause of the message through these many years. We pray that God may strengthen and sustain our brother to press forward in the finishing of the work to which his life has been devoted.

On the Death of Miss Gertrude Thompson

The General Conference Committee in autumn council has heard with sad hearts the particulars of the death of Sister Gertrude Thompson, of fever, in southern China.

We place on record the esteem in which our sister has been held in our hearts as a devoted worker, and our sense of loss personally and to the cause as she has fallen at the post of duty.

We extend our deepest sympathy to the aged father in Wisconsin, to the sister, Miss Ida Thompson, in China, and to the brothers and sisters in the home land, who have been called upon to make so great a gift to the cause of Christ and the advent message in China.

As in her last days she found comfort in the fact that she had been used to help some souls to find the way out of darkness into light, so we are assured that in the great day of God Sister Gertrude will find joy and rejoicing over souls saved in the eternal kingdom as the fruitage of this life laid down in service for the lost.

Most earnest and serious attention was given by the committee to the study of institutional finance. The following report of a subcommittee was adopted:—

Denominational Finance

Your committee appointed to prepare recommendations for the improvement of the financial condition of our conferences and institutions, beg to submit the following report:—

From the annual financial reports prepared by our statistical secretary we find that year by year the indebtedness of our institutions is increasing. There are two causes for this increase of these financial obligations. One is because some enterprises are launched with borrowed money; the other is because a number of our institutions are not meeting their running expenses. While the assets have been increased equally with the liabilities, and while a most encouraging work is being done by our institutions, yet the burden of debt resting upon them appears very serious.

We therefore recommend that this council should most earnestly reaffirm the following preambles and resolutions adopted and published by the General Conference Committee in 1902:—

“Whereas, The work of carrying on the third angel’s message is rapidly enlarging and extending into new fields; and—

“Whereas, Unless careful management be given to the operations in extending the message, large debts will be contracted; therefore—

“We recommend, That all evangelical and missionary enterprises carried on in the name of the denomination, or under the denomination’s support, be conducted on a strictly cash basis.

“Whereas, Most of our corporations and institutions are carrying large liabilities; therefore—

“We recommend, That said corporations and institutions be requested to give special attention to the rapid liquidation of their obligations.

“We further recommend,—

“1. That the General Conference or Mission Board from this day shall not be held financially responsible for any obligations which they have not assumed by their own action.

“2. That the foregoing be the general policy of the union and State conferences and other organizations and institutions of the denomination.

“3. That all parties undertaking local enterprises, such as institutions, church

buildings, and other undertakings in this country, secure their means in their respective local territories, and not by general call for means, unless previously arranged.”

To this action we recommend that the following counsel be added:—

Whereas, Investigation shows that our present indebtedness has, to a large extent, been created by the starting of enterprises and the erection of buildings by individuals, boards, and committees, without due counsel with the people upon whom such obligations fall; and—

Whereas, This indebtedness is steadily growing larger because of the failure of various enterprises and institutions to meet operating expenses; therefore—

We urge: 1. That when any local conference committee proposes to start an important financial enterprise, erect or purchase an institutional building, or make any large addition to either the buildings or equipment already provided, it shall first secure the authority of the people who are to furnish the funds; and further, that it shall obtain the approval of the union conference committee having general supervision of said local conference.

2. That when such authority and approval have been obtained, the local conference shall raise the funds required to meet the proposed expense, so that no additional debt shall be created.

3. That any union conference committee desiring to launch any large financial enterprise, erect a building, or take over an institution, shall, before doing so, secure the vote of the union conference in session, or of its several local conferences in session; and also obtain the counsel of the General Conference Committee.

4. That having been duly authorized to make such expenditure, the committee shall proceed to raise the amount necessary to finance the enterprise so that no debt shall be incurred.

5. That we earnestly counsel all committees and boards in charge of enterprises and institutions already established and carrying heavy financial obligations to maintain the most rigid economy consistent with the purpose and welfare of said enterprise.

6. That our people be requested to loan to the institution without interest as far as they can do so, and that those who need interest make it as low as consistent with their needs.

7. That continuous and earnest efforts be made to secure donations to pay off liabilities.

8. That well-planned efforts be carried forward with relief books to raise funds.

9. That the financial condition of each institution be kept before its staff of workers, that they may be stimulated to aid in every possible way to remove the financial burden.

10. That an appeal be made to our people everywhere to stand by conference committees and institutional boards in their efforts to carry out these recommendations.

Educational Department

Changes in the departmental committee were made as follows: C. A. Russell made the Lake Union representative; E. E. Farnsworth dropped from the committee as the Southwestern Union representative, owing to his transfer to the presidency of the North Missouri Conference; H. U. Stevens made a member of the committee for the South American Union.

The council approved of the revision of the conditions under which life certificates are granted to our teachers.

As a result of the study of school finances, it was,—

Voted, That a committee of seven be appointed by the chair to give consideration to the educational situation, and to suggest such changes as seem necessary to meet the actual necessities of the denomination, and to give counsel as to how present facilities may be more economically utilized, this committee to continue its work until the next General Conference.

Named as this committee: H. R. Salisbury, W. W. Prescott, B. G. Wilkinson, E. R. Palmer, E. E. Andross, M. E. Kern, C. S. Longacre.

Religious Liberty and Protestant Campaign

The council considered the remarkable situation developing into a crisis in this country between the forces of Roman aggression and the awakening forces of Protestantism. The third angel’s message is God’s answer to the designs of Rome in the last days, and it was agreed that an earnest campaign be taken up the coming winter. The following recommendations were made:—

That the committee on distribution of labor be requested to recommend to the council the names of several men fitted to conduct a platform campaign on the Protestant issue in the cities, the General Conference to arrange for a week or two of special institute work for such men, these workers to go into the union conferences this winter, each union bearing the expense of the campaign in its territory.

That the Religious Liberty Department is hereby authorized to use one thousand dollars [from its religious liberty funds] in advertising the Protestant Magazine and Liberty, and in sending sample copies to special lists of clergymen and other professional men.

That each local conference be urged to appoint a suitable person to canvass for a period for subscriptions to the Protestant Magazine among the clergymen and other leading professional men in the cities of the conference.

Further report of actions will appear next week.

W. A. SPICER, Secretary.