First Annual Session of the Southern California Conference
By C. A. Pedicord
THIS conference was held in connection with the camp meeting at Los Angeles, Cal., Sept. 12-22, 1902. There were in attendance fifty delegates from eighteen churches, including the five new churches which were admitted to the conference. The president’s address showed that the work is onward. The membership of the conference has increased from nine hundred and ninety-six to eleven hundred and forty-six. The tithe has almost doubled. The past year $12,996.47 has been received by the treasurer. From the Southern California Tract Society the following amounts have been received, and sent to the various fields:— Annual offerings, $992.26; First-day offerings, $592.52; India, $105.02; Material Fund for “Christ’s Object Lessons,” Sabbath-school donation to missions, $381.17; Christiania Publishing House, $392.22; Southern Field, $79.57; Skodsborg Sanatorium, $43.56. The committees chosen to suggest names and plans were as follows:— On Nomination: A. M. Way, T. M. Prime, L. O. Johnson, P. B. Passons, D. H. Warren, Frank Bell, and O. J. Fisher. On Credentials and Licenses: J. N. Loughborough and the conference committee. On Plans: C. Santee, C. A. Pedicord, A. T. Jones, T. S. Whitelock, and R. S. Owen. The recommendations that were passed, were as follows:— In view of the prosperity that has attended the work during the past year, in the giving of means to carry forward the work, in the preservation of the health of the laborers, in bringing precious souls to the knowledge of the truth, and in many other ways,— 1. Resolved, That we express our heartfelt thanks to God, and pledge ourselves by his help to put forth more earnest efforts to extend the knowledge of the truth during the year to come. 2. We recommend, That the church-school teachers who pass a satisfactory examination be granted a conference teacher’s certificate. 3. We recommend, That all our people pay a second tithe. 4. We recommend, That a conference fund be maintained, created by the second tithe and donations, for the support of church-school teachers and other missionary enterprises. Recognizing that our conference school at Fernando will be an important factor in preparing workers for the proclamation of the third angel’s message,— 5. We recommend all our people to send their children of suitable age to this institution. A special committee was appointed to bring in a report as to the uses to which the second tithe could be put. This committee consisted of Elders Santee, Owen, Healey, A. T. Jones, and E. S. Ballenger. Their report was adopted by the conference. It was as follows:— That one third of the second tithe be retained at the home church to be used in any way that the church may vote, but we recommend that it be used in church expenses, etc.; that the remaining two thirds, and the surplus of the one third, be forwarded to the conference treasurer, to be used as the conference may vote from year to year. That we favor the idea of sustaining our church-school teachers from the fund created by the two thirds of the second tithe forwarded to the conference. The Committee on Credentials and Licenses made the following report, which was accepted:— For teachers’ certificates: A. J. Howard, P. P. Adams, E. M. Adams, A. W. H. Millard, Abbie Dail, Minnie Embree, Mrs. S. M. Strong, Mrs. C. E. Bunch, Mrs. F. E. Adams, H. E. Giddings, Mrs. M. E. Giddings, Myrtle Harris, and W. W. Wheeler. For missionary licenses: Mrs. L. A. Parsons, Mrs. M. E. Hoyt, Mrs. D. Knight, and Laura Morrison. For ministerial licenses: J. L. McElhaney, C. A. Pedicord, O. J. Fisher, T. S. Whitelock, E. S. Ballenger, P. P. Adams, W. W. Wheeler, and E. H. Adams. For ordination and credentials: C. E. Knight, S. T. Hare.18 For credentials: Clarence Santee, W. M. Healey, R. S. Owen, S. Thurston, J. W. Adams, J. F. Ballenger, H. E. Giddings, and A. J. Howard. The following report of the Committee on Nomination was accepted: Conference President, Clarence Santee; Conference Committee, C. Santee, W. M. Healey, R. S. Owen, H. E. Giddings, T. J. Evans, A. M. Way, S. Thurston; Secretary, C. A. Pedicord; Treasurer, Southern California Association of Seventh-day Adventists. The officers for the Southern California Association of Seventh-day Adventists were elected. They are identical with the conference officers. W. W. Wheeler, of Fernando, Cal., was chosen Church-school Superintendent and Sabbath-school Secretary. J. H. Parrett, 143 Carr St., Los Angeles, Cal., was appointed Conference Canvassing Agent. It was the sense of the conference that the conference offices be removed to Fernando, where our new school is located. This move is now completed, which accounts for the delay of this report.