Recommendations Adopted at the Fourth Annual Session of the Western Oregon Conference
By G. W. Pettit
_Held at Woodburn, Ore., May 31 to June 10_ Whereas, During the past year our conference has been blessed with a good degree of prosperity, and we are surrounded with many evidences of divine favor, therefore,— Resolved, That we render thanks and the gratitude of our hearts to God for his continual benefits, and we pledge ourselves to renewed earnestness and consecration in his service. Whereas, The North Pacific Union Conference at its last session held in Portland passed a resolution recommending the holding of ministerial institutes for conference workers and church elders in all the conferences of this union during the winter of 1906, therefore,— Resolved, That such an institute be held in this conference at some accessible place, and at such time as can be best arranged by the conference committee. Whereas, The servant of the Lord has spoken frequently about entering new fields, therefore,— Resolved, That the workers of this conference be encouraged to labor as much as possible in such places this year. Whereas, About one-half the population of our conference is in the city of Portland and its vicinity, and,— Whereas, The Testimonies instruct us to enter the large cities with the message, therefore,— Resolved, That this conference plan to enter the city of Portland with an adequate corps of good laborers as soon as possible. And we further recommend that the executive committee search out consecrated persons to be trained for Bible and missionary work in the cities. Whereas, God in his providence has established in our midst Portland Sanitarium, an institution where the sick and afflicted may receive rational treatment, and where our young men and women may receive a training in medical missionary work, and,— Whereas, In harmony with the resolution passed by the Pacific Union Conference held at Portland, Ore., Feb. 15–25, 1906, the control and ownership of the institution has now passed to the19North Pacific Union Conference, therefore,— Resolved, That we rally unitedly to its support both morally and financially, and encourage our young people who feel a burden for medical missionary work to enter the class of this training-school for a preparation for the work. Resolved, That we express our appreciation of the services of the founders of this institution, especially Dr. W. R. Simmons, who has labored faithfully in its upbuilding, and would also express our gratitude to the General Conference, which has released from its work Dr. J. E. Froom, to act as medical superintendent of this institution, and gladly welcome Dr. Froom to our midst. And we would also recommend that our people who have money to loan, lend the same at as low a rate of interest as possible. Whereas, There is all about us a great perishing world who have not as yet heard the truth for this time, and who possibly never may unless it is carried to them through the medium of the printed page in the form of books, tracts, or periodicals, therefore,— Resolved, That we endeavor to arise to the demands of the hour and encourage the sale of our subscription books as never before (1) by inquiring what God requires at our hands and what he would have us do, and (2) by looking out and encouraging bright, consecrated men and women who feel a burden for the work who may go forth into the already ripened harvest and gather fruit unto eternal life. Resolved, (1) That our tracts and leaflets shall, during the coming year, have a wider circulation at our hands than ever before, and that we shall endeavor to keep this literature near us, that opportunities for missionary work may be well improved; (2) that the work of circulating the special issues of our English and foreign missionary papers be extended by subscribing for the same in clubs, and also by their sale from house to house; (3) that the North Pacific Gleaner, which has been established as a means of communication between the several conferences, giving reports from the field, items of interest, and matters of general importance to every family in the union conference, be indorsed by our conference; (4) that we will do what we can in its circulation. Whereas, The Lord in his mercy has abundantly blessed the school work in our conference during the past year in the conversion of many youth, therefore,— Resolved, That we rally to the support of our schools, and encourage them by our influence and means, and,— Whereas, Our intermediate schools are in great need of facilities and improvements, therefore,— Resolved, That this conference shall come to their relief at this time by rendering all the assistance possible, both moral and financial. Whereas, The General Conference has established a Religious Liberty Bureau for the purpose of looking after the interests of the cause against religious legislation, and,— Whereas, The union conferences are working in harmony with the General Conference by placing individuals in the field who will devote some time to the study of the question of religious liberty, therefore,— Resolved, That this conference place in the field some suitable person who shall devote such portion of his time to this work as the interests of the cause demand. Resolved, That in each church some person be appointed who shall study the question, and be prepared by correspondence and otherwise to keep in touch with the union conference, thus forming a link between the General Conference, the union conference, and individuals in the churches. Whereas, God has prospered our conference financially to that degree that we have a surplus of funds in the treasury, be it therefore,— Resolved, That we show our appreciation of his blessings by giving one thousand dollars to the Mission Board to be used in foreign mission work.