New Jersey and New York Annual Conference Sessions
By H. W. Cottrell
The New Jersey Conference held its first annual session at Camden, Jan. 14-18, 1903, forty-one delegates being in attendance, together with quite a goodly number of other persons. The Spirit of the Lord was present, and directed in all the affairs of the session. The usual routine business of the session was done with dispatch, thus much time was devoted to the consideration of aggressive work. The laborers, together with the people of the conference, are of good cheer, and are ready to enter upon advanced movements. The State, with its 1,900,000 inhabitants, affords an excellent opportunity for extending the definite message into unoccupied sections. This State has two cities with a population of over 200,000, seven cities with a population of over 50,000, and one hundred and forty-five towns with a population of over 1,000. This conference has thousands of people of various nationalities, with a large German population in the northern part of the State. Our church membership is three hundred and eighty-six, with fourteen churches, three ordained ministers, and two licentiates. There has been an increase of fifty-eight in church membership during the conference year. In this field, as well as throughout all the densely populated eastern country, we need men, and means for their support, in order that the work may be accomplished which the Lord has seen fit should rest upon us. Elder J. E. Jayne was again elected president of the conference, and Mrs. J. W. Rambo was chosen secretary and treasurer. The forty-first annual session of the New York Conference was held at Rome, Jan. 19-26, 1903. The churches throughout the conference were well represented by delegates, considering the season of the year the meetings were held. All the ministers and other conference employees were in attendance, except two or three of the more aged ministers whose health is impaired with the infirmities of age, and for these tried soldiers of the cross, prayers were offered daily. Elder Haskell was present, and gave a Bible study each day, which was highly appreciated. E. E. Miles, S. N. Curtiss, and F. C. Gilbert were in attendance a portion of the time. The Spirit of the Lord was present from the first, and took the lead. The business meetings were harmonious. The various departments of the work were carefully considered. The conference is working on the last half of its quota of "Christ’s Object Lessons," and a decision was reached by it to close off the entire sale if possible by April 1, 1903. There was an encouraging report presented of the sanitarium work in Buffalo, one interesting feature of which was that they are endeavoring to carry on this department on a cash basis. They are doing good work in the way of church schools. Efforts were made to revive the general canvassing work. The value of the leading periodicals of the denomination, such as THE REVIEW AND HERALD, The Signs of the Times, and The Sentinel of Christian Liberty, was considered, and measures were taken to increase their circulation. The conference voted to support one or more of its workers in foreign fields, and two of its best workers offered themselves for service in other countries. It was decided to furnish a tent to Elder W. A. Westworth, of Scotland. Although the New York Conference has passed its forty-first mile-stone, there are many large cities in the State whose people have not yet been warned of the soon-coming King. This is a noble people, and a fruitful field, if only proper efforts could be put forth to shed abroad the rays of divine truth. The third angel’s message was presented at the conference in clear and distinct terms. The Lord blessed those with freedom whom he called to act a public part in the presentation of his word. Elder G. B. Thompson was re-elected president of the conference.