p. 17 | East Michigan Conference by E. I. Beebe

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Oct 25, 1906

East Michigan Conference

By E. I. Beebe

This meeting was held at Holly, September 27 to October 1. Out of one hundred and forty-three delegates representing fifty-five churches one hundred were present. The following resolutions were adopted:—

“Whereas, The rich blessings of God have attended the work of the conference during the past year, (1) temporally, by graciously preserving the lives and general health of the workers, (2) financially, by placing our work upon a solid basis, free from debt, (3) eternally, by fruits of our labor in souls for the kingdom, therefore,—

“1. Resolved, That we express our gratitude to God for these blessings and pledge ourselves to faithfulness in his cause during the year to come.

“2. Resolved, That we recognize the Lord’s answer to the prayers of his people in raising our Brother Beebe to health and strength so that his talents can be used in forwarding the cause of God, as a special blessing to this conference.

“Whereas, The instruction of the Lord to us is: ‘There is need of camp-meetings like those held in the early stages of the work,—camp-meetings separate from the business work of the conference. At a camp-meeting the workers should be free to give the knowledge of the truth to those who attend from outside’ (‘Testimonies for the Church,’ Vol. VII, page 41), and, ‘As far as possible, our camp-meetings should be wholly devoted to spiritual interests. They should not be made occasions for the transaction of business’ (Ibid., Vol. VI, page 44), therefore,—

“3. We recommend, That the conference business be divorced from the camp-meeting, and that the regular conference session be held early in the year.

“4. Resolved, That the faithful work of Miss Tillie Barr during the past four years is appreciated by us, and that our full sympathy is with her in her present illness, and that it is our sincere prayer that she may soon be restored to health and ability to continue in the work.

“Whereas, The academy which we have raised remains in an unfinished condition, its work being crippled by the lack of means, therefore,—

“5. Resolved, That we take immediate steps to raise the remainder of the five thousand dollars voted at the Flint conference, and an additional five thousand dollars to complete the work as started.

“6. We recommend, That the constitution of the East Michigan Conference be amended by striking out the word ‘vice-president’ in article 5 and article 7, sections 1 and 2.

“7. We recommend, The indorsement of the plan of the General Conference for a special campaign with our literature this fall and winter, and that we also indorse the recommendation of the Lake Union Conference to hold a canvassers’ institute March 8-18, 1907.

“Whereas, THE REVIEW AND HERALD

is one of God’s ordained means of keeping the progress of the third angel’s message before this people,—

“8. Resolved, That we urge upon all the members of this conference to do all in their power to place the REVIEW in every Seventh-day Adventist family in this conference.

“Whereas, The third angel’s message is to go to every kindred, tongue, and people, and,—

“Whereas, So many Germans live in the territory of this conference, which makes the urgent need of a laborer apparent,—

“9. We recommend, That this conference take steps to employ a German laborer to work for that people.

“Whereas, The East Michigan Banner has proved a valuable means of keeping our people in touch with the progress of the work in the field; and,—

“Whereas, The Banner is to this conference what the REVIEW is to the field at large, we urge that our laborers faithfully report their work through its columns, and endeavor to extend its circulation as far as possible among our people.

“Whereas, The Lord has spoken definitely and repeatedly relative to the need of doing more aggressive work for the cities, and,—

“Whereas, The judgments of God are now visiting the cities, and thousands are being swept to destruction, therefore,—

“10. We recommend, That immediate plans be made and acted upon to organize and follow up specific lines of work in our great centers of population, such as house-to-house work with our literature.

“Whereas, The Lord through the spirit of prophecy has spoken in regard to our duty to ministers and worn-out laborers, therefore,—

“11. We recommend, That Sister W. H. Faulkner be placed upon the conference pay-roll for one year at two dollars a week.

“12. We recommend, That the Adelphian Academy Association take immediate steps to purchase all the financial interests of Prof. J. G. Lamson in the Academy, and that for that purpose a board of appraisers be formed, the Academy board to choose one, Professor Lamson to choose one, these two to choose a third. That this board of appraisers recommend to the Academy Association board what, in their judgment, is the best method of making such transfer as shall be proper by authority of this resolution.

“Whereas, Sister Carrie Irwin devoted her life to the spread of this message until her health failed under the strain, and,—

“Whereas, She is still deserving of our sympathy and consideration, therefore,—

“13. Resolved, That we place Sister Irwin on the pay-roll of this conference for one year at two dollars a week.

“Whereas, The salvation and education of the youth should be kept ever before our people,—

“14. We recommend, That frequent educational conventions be held to advance this work.

“15. We recommend, That the educational program to be prepared by the Educational Department of the Lake Union Conference be heartily entered into by all our churches.

“Whereas, God has called for the organization of a school in every church in which there are six or more children of proper school age, and,—

“Whereas, Church-schools are no longer an experiment, but a permanent feature of our denominational work, therefore,—

“16. We recommend, The annual election of a school board of three in every church where a school is to be conducted, said election to take place at the time of the regular election of church officers, and that said board be considered a part of the church official list.

“17. We recommend, That our young people in their society meetings follow the mission studies outlined in the Instructor, and studies on the doctrinal points of our faith be given with the same.

“18. Resolved, That we favor the plan of the young people of the Lake Union accepting the financial responsibility of the Barotseland or other mission field, and urge the young people of this conference to enter into the work under the direction of the executive committee and the Educational Department of this conference.

“Whereas, The Lord by his Spirit has moved upon his servant, Sister E. G. White, to prepare the book ‘Ministry of Healing’ for this time, and to meet the crises that the events of the past few years have precipitated, and,—

“Whereas, This book gives in a clear and interesting manner the fundamental truths in regard to health reform, Christian Help work, and gospel medical missionary work, instruction in which is so much needed at this time; therefore,—

“19. We recommend, That we express our gratitude to God for his precious gift, and urge that the book be placed in every Seventh-day Adventist home in the conference; and that a careful, prayerful study be made of the book, and that it be used in connection with the missionary campaign this fall and winter.

“Whereas, Much has been lost by not following up the work of our canvassers, and,—

“Whereas, Our brethren and sisters in all our churches would be greatly benefited spiritually by co-operating in the follow-up work, and,—

“Whereas, the great object in our work is to bring souls to an acceptance of present truth, therefore,—

“20. We recommend, A thorough follow-up work, by securing at our conference office a list of the names and addresses of those to whom our large subscription books have been sold, and then enlisting the co-operation of our brethren and sisters in taking up correspondence with these persons, and where an interest has been awakened, following it up with other literature; and that all our churches be urged to take clubs of the Signs, the Watchman, and Life and Health, to be used with the correspondence follow-up work.

“Whereas, the vote of this conference has been that we share our men and means with needy fields, therefore,—

“21. We recommend, That we comply with the request of the Canadian Union Conference by releasing Elder O. F. Butcher to labor in the city of Ottawa, and that this conference pay his salary in that field for one year.

“22. Resolved, That, the conference committee having already granted Sister D. H. Lamson two dollars a week, we sanction the action of the committee, and continue the same during the conference year.

“23. Resolved, That we as a conference donate from the surplus funds for the East Caribbean Union Conference two hundred dollars.

“24. Resolved, That we look with favor upon the plan to raise the $150,000 fund, and that the conference executive committee formulate plans to carry this out.”

Conference officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: President, Elder E. K. Slade; Executive Committee, E. K. Slade, E. I. Beebe, J. G. Lamson, A. R. Sandborn, Frank Hiner; East Michigan Conference Association Board, E. K. Slade, E. I. Beebe, J. G. Lamson, A. R. Sandborn, Frank Hiner; Conference Secretary and Treasurer, E. I. Beebe; Assistant Secretary and Treasurer, Mina Pierce; Missionary Department Secretary and Treasurer, Frank Hiner; Educational Superintendent, R. B. Thurber; Sabbath-school Secretary, Mabel Parker.

Ministerial credentials were granted to E. I. Beebe, O. F. Butcher, J. L. Edgar, J. G. Lamson, L. G. Moore, Wm. Ostrander, C. N. Sanders, A. R. Sandborn, E. K. Slade, B. F. Stureman, M. Shepard; ministerial licenses to E. R. Lauda, F. G. Lane, R. B. Thurber, Delmer P. Wood, Tilden Black; missionary licenses to Tillie E. Barr, Anna L. Boehm, Ethel Burnett, H. L. Cohoon, Ida Dunlap, Katherine Dunham, Marie Harriman, Frank Hiner, Clara Kiep, Mina Pierce, Nina Nelson, Lucy Tyte, Mabel Reavis, Daniel Wood, Nora B. Ammon.

About two thousand four hundred dollars was raised in cash and pledges for the Adelphian Academy, and immediate steps are to be taken to finish and equip the school buildings.

A spirit of union and harmony prevailed throughout the conference, and we trust the work will steadily advance during the coming year.

E. I. BEEBE, Secretary.