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South Dakota Conference Proceedings

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 12, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 28.

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South Dakota Conference Proceedings

By C. A. Burman; N. M. Jorgensen

THE twenty-seventh annual session of the South Dakota Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was held in connection with the camp-meeting at Woonsocket, S. D., June 7-17, 1906. The first meeting was called by the president, Elder C. A. Burman. After the delegates were seated, three new churches, Viborg with eighteen members, Artesian with twenty-two, and Woonsocket with eleven members, were admitted into the conference.
Elder Burman read a report of the past year's work. Success has attended the work over the whole State. Our people are awakening on all lines of missionary work. A healthy growth has been manifested in donations to the different phases of the Lord's work, as well as in the tithe. Due mention was made of the different branches of work, such as tent work during the past season, the canvassing, educational, and Sabbath-school work, as well as the work at our industrial academy. In all these lines God's prospering hand has been seen, and his name shall have all the glory. Next we listened to the educational secretary, Elder J. W. Christian. This branch of the Lord's work has made wonderful progress in our State the past nine years—the time since the first church-school was established in South Dakota. These schools have not only been the means of strengthening those who already had given themselves to the Lord, but they have also added new members to our ranks.
The report of the Sabbath-school work showed the addition of four new schools with eighty-one members, and sixty-three isolated ones. There are now forty Sabbath-schools and eleven home schools, with a membership of 1,050.
From the canvassing agents' report we learned that this branch is being revived; last month orders to the amount of $1,280 were taken.
The following resolutions were presented and discussed with lively interest:—
“Whereas, God has greatly blessed our conference during the past year in adding to our members, and in increasing the tithe fund, and also in giving health to all our workers, and people generally, therefore, in view of the need of destitute fields, be it,—
“1. Resolved, That we continue the support of Elder W. R. Smith, our missionary to Korea, to the extent of twelve dollars a week for one year, and further,—
“2. Resolved, That we also continue the support of Elder F. L. Perry for another year, in Peru, as at present.
“3. Resolved, That we approve the action of the conference committee to support a German worker in Pittsburg, Pa., for one year.
“4. Resolved, That, in view of the need of trained canvassers, one or more institutes be held, at such time and place as may be decided by the conference committee.
“5. Resolved, That our local church elders be requested to seek out such in their company as are especially adapted for this branch of the Lord's work, and in counsel with the State agent, plan with them to enter the active service, and further that we encourage the brethren to assist such workers in every way possible.
“6. Resolved, (1) That we earnestly recommend all our people to be examples of Bible temperance in all things, using their influence in every proper way to educate the people upon true temperance principles; (2) that we accept with gratitude the gift of Ministry of Healing by Mrs. White, and recommend all our people to purchase and carefully study the contents of this excellent book; and, further, we urge all to do their utmost in giving this book a large sale among the people according to the plan recommended by the General and Northern Union Conferences.
“7. Resolved, That we recommend church librarians to procure a copy of ‘The Missionary Idea,’ and with the church study it carefully and seek to arouse a special interest in home missionary work.
“8. Resolved, That we recommend the officers of the Sabbath-school to encourage the use of the Sabbath School Worker in all our schools.
“9. Resolved, That we recommend that Sabbath-school conventions be encouraged.
“10. Resolved, That all our workers and Sabbath-school officers be recommended to give special attention to the isolated Sabbath-keepers.
“11. Resolved, That a collection be taken in all our churches for the benefit of the work among the blind at such time as the conference committee, in connection with the Northern Union Conference, shall agree upon.
“12. Resolved, That the business manager and matron of the Elk Point Academy be elected at the joint session of the conference committee and school board held not later than May 1 of each year.
“Whereas, Our beloved Elder C. A. Burman and his wife have been invited to labor in the Canadian mission field, therefore,—
“13. Resolved, That we as a conference follow the sacrificing policy of the past to divide with needy fields our best laborers and means, and further pledge (provided Elder Burman and his wife see their way clear to accept this call) that we continue their support in that needy field for one year, and we further recommend that five hundred dollars of the tithe fund be appropriated to the Mission Board.
“14. Resolved, That, being a part of the Northern Union Conference, we declare our appreciation of the privilege of bearing our part of the expense incurred in perfecting the organization, in establishing the printing-press, the union office, and the raising of the funds for tents for Saskatchewan, amounting to one thousand dollars, of which our share is two hundred and eighty dollars.
“15. Resolved, That we favor the discontinuance of the South Dakota Worker, and pledge our hearty support to the Northern Union Reaper.
“Recognizing the agitation in the public educational institutions on the subject of teaching morality and Christian ethics in the public schools of the State, as an opportunity for disseminating the principles of religious liberty, therefore,—
“16. Resolved, That we recommend that our people improve this opportunity of circulating our new journal Liberty, and the new religious liberty tracts; also that a fourth-of-July religious liberty collection be taken in all our churches.
“Whereas, The Lord, through the spirit of prophecy, has directed that plans be laid whereby our young people can successfully engage in missionary effort, therefore,—
“17. Resolved, That the educational secretary be asked to organize and develop this work; and further that he be permitted to spend as much time as needed in the church-school and young people's work.
“18. Resolved, That we urge our brethren to send their children to our academy at Elk Point, and when they have completed their studies there, we urge that they continue their studies at Union College.
“19. Resolved, That a teachers' institute be held at such time and place as may be decided by the conference committee, and that the railroad fare to and from the institute be paid from the Educational Fund.
“20. Resolved, That we select nurses who come recommended by our accredited sanitariums.
“21. Resolved, That we raise three hundred dollars to build a corn-crib and other needed improvements at our industrial academy.” This was afterward enlarged to five hundred dollars, but five hundred and seventy-seven dollars in cash and pledges was raised in a few minutes.
Total amount in cash and pledges raised during the meeting is as follows: South America, Korea, Alberta, and Pittsburg, together, $2,780; India, $517.17; work for the blind, $114.31; the General Conference, $500; the South, $230; Elk Point Academy, $577; Peru, $650; the German work, $75; Swedish work, $120; Sister Richard, $20. Brother Beddoe, $8.87; camp-meeting expense, $16.84; health and temperance, $6.66; total, $5,615.85.
Sunday, June 17, we all gathered on the lakeshore to witness the grand scene of forty-three willing souls following the Lord in baptism.
The officers for the ensuing year are as follows: President, E. G. Hayes; Vice-President, N. P. Neilson; Secretary, N. M. Jorgensen; Treasurer, G. W. Miller; Business Agent, C. M. Clark; Transportation Agent, F. R. Isaac; Field Secretary, W. L. Manful; Superintendent of Schools, J. W. Christian; Sabbath-school Secretary, W. A. Baker; Corresponding Secretary and Recording Secretary, Geo. W. Miller; Assistant Secretary and German Secretary, F. R. Isaac; Religious Liberty Secretary, J. W. Christian; Health and Temperance Secretary, Nathan Aalborg; Conference Committee, E. G. Hayes, N. P. Neilson, Valentine Leer, C. M. Clark, W. H. Twining, J. W. Christian, and Alfred Jensen.
Manager Elk Point Academy, W. H. Twining; Matron Elk Point Academy, Mrs. Twining; School Board, E. G. Hayes, W. H. Twining, Albert Tucker, M. K. Thrall, N. C. Kier, J. W. Christian, C. Riemke; Executive Committee, E. G. Hayes, W. H. Twining, Albert Tucker.
Trustees South Dakota Conference Association, C. M. Clark, A. Jensen, C. Reiswig, G. W. Miller, E. G. Hayes; Camp-meeting Committee, J. L. Weller, O. I. Roderick, H. Peterson, W. A. Baker.
Ministerial credentials were granted to C. A. Burman, E. G. Hayes, R. E. Harter, Conrad Reiswig, Valentine Leer, N. P. Neilson, N. M. Jorgensen; ordination and credentials to C. M. Clark and J. W. Christian; ministerial licenses to W. L. Manful, W. A. Baker, and N. J. Ronlund; missionary licenses to Bertha E. Jorgensen, Milla M. Johnson, G. W. Miller, F. R. Isaac, Adolph Christensen, J. H. Schmidt.
The visiting brethren were as follows: Elders K. C. Russell, R. A. Underwood, C. L. Emmerson, S. Mortensen, L. H. Christian, and H. S. Shaw, Profs. P. T. Magan, C. C. Lewis, J. J. Graf, and Brother T. Valentiner.
C. A. BURMAN, President, N. M. JORGENSEN, Secretary.