Proceedings of the British Columbia Conference
By P. P. Adams
The regular annual meeting of the British Columbia Conference was held in the Seventh-day Adventist church at Vancouver, Dec. 28, 1906, to Jan. 1, 1907. Twenty delegates represented this conference, and the North Pacific Union Conference was represented by Elders W. B. White and H. W. Decker, Prof. M. E. Cady, and Brother A. G. Adams. The following resolutions of general interest were adopted to outline the work for the coming year:— “Resolved, That Indian missions be established at Port Simpson and other points as the way may open; and that this conference adopt the following recommendations made by the sub-committee of the British Columbia and North Pacific Union Conferences:— “1. That we purchase two hundred acres of land located on Works Channel at Island Bay, Northwest British Columbia, for an Indian industrial mission. “2. That we each agree to surrender to the British Columbia Conference (if said conference desires to purchase) said land. “3. That we invite the North Pacific Union Conference to credit back to the British Columbia Conference its foreign missionary trust funds, including the second tithe, until said mission site is paid for. “4. We suggest that the name of this mission shall be Island Bay Industrial Indian Mission. “5. We suggest to the British Columbia Conference Committee that said mission be established, and that simple industries, such as tin and sheet-iron work, net making, boat building, tanning, glove making, hand canning, and a small trading post, be established as soon as advisable. “6. We recommend that as soon as advisable a teacher be employed and a school opened for the benefit of the children and young people. “7. We recommend further that Elder T. H. Watson be invited to connect with this work under pay of the British Columbia Conference. “8. We would suggest that the foregoing resolutions can not be successfully carried into effect without a boat.” E. L. STEWART,
W. B. WHITE,
G. E. TYSZKIEWITZ,
MRS. HANNAH TYSZKIEWITZ,
MRS. M. E. WATSON,
T. H. WATSON.” “Resolved, That a suitable school building be erected on the school farm at Port Hammond, and that this conference take steps to raise fifteen hundred dollars for this purpose; and we further recommend that this school be placed upon an academic basis. “Resolved, That we recommend the adoption of the General Conference recommendation in regard to our superannuated or disabled workers and their families. “Resolved, That we recommend (1) that all our people be encouraged to buy our books which are now on the shelves in our office; (2) that our secretary be instructed to advertise these books extensively among our people; (3) that the full price of these books be paid, for the purpose of liquidating the tract society debt and restocking for more efficient work. “Recognizing the fact that to Seventh-day Adventists the REVIEW AND HERALD is the best paper in the world, and that in order to keep abreast of the advancing work, it should be in the homes of all our people; therefore,— “Resolved, That we will make an earnest effort to see that each church-member has this good paper, and where there are families too needy to subscribe, we shall try to induce the church to send it to them free. “Whereas, The North Pacific Union Gleaner has been established in our union as a medium of exchange between the several conferences and the field workers, bringing to the homes of the people each week the progress of the work in the several parts of the union, therefore,— “Resolved, That the coming year we shall endeavor to extend its circulation among our people in this province, and that from time to time we will contribute to its columns reports of labor and items of interest.” Since the last conference some additions have been made to our force of workers; this has been warranted by the increase of the tithes. Four ministers and four Bible workers have been employed. There has been $3,232.60 received as tithes during the last seven months, or nearly three times as much as was received during the past seven months, making $19.35 per capita.18 Ministerial credentials were granted just to the following-named persons: E. L. Stewart, J. L. Wilson, W. C. Young, Prof. P. P. Adams, T. H. Watson, and missionary license to E. C. Widgery, Henry Pierce, David Dodge, Lim Ping, and Mrs. E. C. Widgery. The newly organized church at Vernon was admitted into the conference. Pledges amounting to about seven hundred and fifty dollars were received on the school fund, and the question of raising the remainder of the fifteen hundred dollars, as well as funds for camp-meetings and the furnishing of the Indian mission with a boat, was referred to the incoming conference committee. The officers for the following year were elected as follows: President, E. L. Stewart; Secretary and Treasurer, Bertha Lofstad; Educational Secretary, P. P. Adams; Executive Committee, E. L. Stewart, W. C. Young, J. L. Wilson, Wm. Manson, S. A. Wilband. The spirit of the meeting was good throughout, and the action of the conference generally harmonious.