Autumn Council of the General Conference Committee
By W. A. Spicer
REPRESENTATIVES in attendance at the council, in addition to those listed in the opening report, were: S. N. Haskell, J. W. Lair, H. W. Carr, G. B. Starr, T. M. French, W. A. Colcord, J. N. Anderson, Mrs. L. F. Plummer, C. Sorenson, L. H. Wood, Dr. H. N. Sisco. The time of the next union conference sessions, which come once in two years, was agreed upon as follows:—
Southeastern Union . . . . . . Jan. 8 to 18
Atlantic Union . . . . . . . . . Jan. 8 to 21
Central Union . . . . . . . . . Jan. 16 to Feb. 4
Northern Union . . . . . . . . Jan. 16 to Feb. 4
Southern Union . . . . . . . . Jan. 18 to 28
Southwestern Union . . . . . . Feb. 1 to 11
West Canadian Union . . . . . March 6 to 19
Columbia Union . . . . . . . . April 4 to 14
Lake Union . . . . . . . . . . April 16 to 28
Canadian Union . . . . . . . June 27 to July 8
Pacific Union (date not fixed) Recommendations as to general help to attend these meetings were also adopted. Estimates and Appropriations
Heretofore the appropriations have been voted in the spring councils, after the reports for the previous year were received. The work is so rapidly spreading out, however, that it seems essential for the General Conference and the mission fields to know in advance what the demands may be; hence in accordance with the decision of the biennial council held in Europe last summer, the fields sent in their estimates this autumn, and much time was spent by the council in going over the calls, country by country and item by item. First, the work in the mission fields was considered as it stands to-day; next, it was reviewed to see how much additional work could be authorized in view of the probable income for missions. The council made total appropriations of $450,000, for general denominational work and mission work in all the world, report of which will be made by the treasurer. In considering the need of a constant flow of means into the mission treasury, the following recommendation was made relating to the transmission of funds:— That all union conferences be urged to continue to extend to the General Conference hearty cooperation in their efforts to secure donations for the proper prosecution of its work. That the local conference be requested to remit the tithe regularly each month to the union, and that each union conference be requested to remit regularly to the General Conference treasury a tithe of its receipts, and at suitable times to donate such portions of its funds as can be spared after provision has been made for the necessities of its own field. Local church, conference, and union treasurers were urged to make sure of regular and prompt remittance of mission funds at the end of each month, so that no tardiness in this respect may bring hardship to the workers in the fields. Some of the actions relating to appointments and transfer of laborers can not be reported until those concerned have been consulted. The following may be announced:— Elder N. Z. Town to spend some time in the interests of the book work in Cuba and Jamaica, on his return journey from Mexico. Brother C. N. Woodward, auditor of the North Pacific Union Conference, to Shanghai, China, as treasurer of the China Union Mission. Elder M. H. Brown, of North Carolina, to Alabama, as treasurer of the Oakwood school. Miss Ida Thomason, of New Jersey (on furlough), to return to South Africa. Dr. W. Ingle, of the Chicago Northwestern University (formerly of Cape Town), to qualify for medical practise in Great Britain, and to return to South Africa. Miss M. M. Osborn, Bible worker, of Nashville, to the West Virginia Conference. Elder W. A. Spicer, of the General Conference Office, to attend the union conferences and general meetings to be held the coming winter and spring in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil, South America. Elder J. H. N. Tindall and Brother C. E. Garnsey, of Indiana, to Virginia. Brother E. M. Oberg, general field agent of Nebraska, to China, to take charge of the distribution of literature. Brother Floyd Ashbaugh, of Southern California, to the Philippine Islands, to engage in the book work. Brother Lynn Bowen, of the Foreign Mission Seminary, to Rhodesia, South Africa, to join the Tsungwesi Mission (Elder Sturdevant in charge). Miss Cassie Wilson, of the Foreign Mission Seminary, to Buenos Aires, South America, to engage in Bible work. Elder G. W. Pettit, of Western Oregon, to India, for English evangelistic work. Elder Mark Comer, of Southern Oregon, to India, for English evangelistic work. Miss Belva Vance, of the Foreign Mission Seminary, to India, to engage in Bible work. Brother B. B. Aldrich, of the Foreign Mission Seminary, to the Canary Islands, to labor in general work and to establish a health base, to which missionaries on the unhealthful West African coast may go when requiring a change. Other appointments must be deferred to the next report, or later. The following actions were taken relating to West Africa:— That we request the West African Mission to arrange furloughs for its workers every other year, by turns, of such length as may be necessary to maintain health and efficiency in service, the selection of the Canary Islands as a healthful and economical furlough base for West Africa being made with this need in view. That we approve of the plan outlined by T. M. French, of a proposed station in the Gold Coast, which he would be glad to establish, but that in view of the need of further help at present in Sierra Leone, and the lack of means, we recommend Elder French to join the workers for a time in Sierra Leone, when his furlough from Africa is concluded. Sanitarium Relief Campaign
The following actions were taken with reference to the sale of “Ministry of Healing,” for the blessing the work will be to the people, and as an agency to bring help to the sanitariums:— 1. We would recommend that this campaign be prosecuted by our people with renewed vigor and earnestness until complete success shall crown our efforts. 2. That success may be attained, we11would strongly urge that the officers of the General, union, and local conferences take an active part in the campaign, giving it their attention and effort as other General Conference plans. 3. We would recommend that the Medical Department of the General Conference take an active part in the campaign, urging our sanitariums to join in this earnest endeavor to achieve success, and to impress our people generally with its importance. 4. We would further urge that the General Conference Publishing Department, through our offices of publication, union and State missionary agents, cooperate heartily with the campaign, and assist our union and local conferences in making it a success. 5. We would recommend that the week following the week of prayer, December 18-25, be set apart by all our people for placing “Ministry of Healing” before the people, and we would recommend that during this time other matters, as far as possible, be laid aside, and our efforts given to this work. 6. We also recommend that the General Conference appoint a season of time for next year as a special rally effort in behalf of the campaign, at which time this work shall be made the special object of effort by workers and people, and that in the meantime our publishers be asked to provide a suitable and ample supply of books to meet the special needs of such an effort. 7. We would further urge that our leading denominational papers and our union and State papers be freely used to assist in making this campaign a success. 8. We would urge that our people earnestly pray that God may add his blessing in this united effort to place “Ministry of Healing” in thousands of homes that greatly need the light this book contains. The following recommendation was adopted:— That J. H. Schilling take the superintendency of the German work in the East, and G. F. Haffner the superintendency of the German work in the West, the Mississippi River forming the boundary line; these brethren to plan and counsel together for the mutual upbuilding and development of the work among the Germans, East and West, uniting at times in general and important meetings, as may be arranged. Further report of actions must be deferred until next week.