Proceedings of the Iowa Seventh-day Adventist Conference of 1902
By Flora V. Dorcas
The thirty-ninth annual session of the Iowa Seventh-day Adventist Conference convened on the camp ground at Ames, Aug. 29 to Sept. 7, 1902. At the first meeting a motion was made and carried that every member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in good standing present at conference sessions, be invited to participate in the deliberations. Four churches were admitted to the conference. The following recommendations were adopted:— “Whereas, There are many of our young people who never have the opportunity of attending one of our colleges, and,— “Whereas, The instruction given this people is that those having completed the church school should have the advantage of an industrial school where the larger part of the instruction will be manual training, and,— “Whereas, There is much difficulty experienced in bringing together pupils of different ages in our larger schools, therefore,— “We recommend, That at least one intermediate school be established at the earliest possible date. “Whereas, Our Bible workers are laboring under great disadvantages by not having an opportunity to be thoroughly trained for their work,— “We recommend, That a training school for Bible workers be established as soon as possible in Iowa. “We recommend, That a capable person or persons be selected by this conference to enter at once upon a course of training in Elder S. N. Haskell’s school in New York City, with the understanding that they shall take charge of the Iowa training school for Bible workers. “Whereas, There exists an urgent need for workers in the various branches of the cause, and,— “Whereas, The importance of the work demands a proper preparation for it,— “We recommend, That those desiring to engage in active work, who have as yet insufficient preparation, attend Union College a sufficient length of time to qualify them for active and efficient service. “Recognizing the need of a more thorough knowledge of healthful living throughout the conference, we would hereby instruct our conference to encourage this work in every way possible—by holding schools of health in connection with general meetings, by conducting cooking schools, and by such other means as may be thought practicable by the committee. “We authorize our conference committee to make ample provision for our aged and tried laborers to have some part in the giving of the last message of mercy, and to remunerate them in keeping with the faithful services they have rendered the cause of Christ; and further,— “We recommend, That our faithful laborers who have lost their health while laboring be tenderly provided for until they have regained their strength. “Whereas, In years gone by it has been demonstrated that better missionary work has been done by our churches under the direction of men appointed as district directors, therefore,— “We recommend, That our State again be divided into districts, and competent men chosen, who shall visit the churches, companies, and isolated members from time to time, for the purpose of helping and encouraging them to do good, practical missionary work for their friends and neighbors. “Good canvassers have been spoiled by entering other lines of work where they were of less service to the cause of God. We recognize, in the meeting of the forenoon, omens of a rising tide in the canvassing work. As this is one of the fruits of canvassing for ‘Christ’s Object Lessons,’ we urge the committee to press the work to completion, and, with the State agent and district directors, to utilize talent being so developed, by turning as much of it as possible into the regular canvassing work. “Whereas, Much of the work formerly done by the corresponding secretary will now be accomplished by the district directors,— “We recommend, That the office of the corresponding secretary be discontinued, and all necessary circular matter be prepared and sent out by the Sabbath-school secretaries. “We recommend, That the selection of the committee of three to act with the president and school superintendent in the organization of an intermediate school, be intrusted to the conference committee. We further recommend that the conference committee be advisory to the above committee in arranging the details of the school, such as securing site, equipment, and teachers, and raising funds for the same. “Whereas, The editors of the Scandinavian papers are going to issue an extra double number of said papers, about the first of October, and this important issue is going to take up all points of the third angel’s message, therefore,— “Resolved, That we as a conference take hold in earnest, and as far as possible bring these papers to every Scandinavian home in Iowa. “Whereas, It has been demonstrated that the branch Sabbath school is not only a benefit to those who are brought into the schools, but that it also arouses the missionary spirit in the young people, and gives them an experience which increases their efficiency and desire to work for the Master, therefore,— “We recommend, That this line of work be taken up by our schools throughout the State, and that officers and members do all in their power to encourage the work. “Resolved, That we recommend every Seventh-day Adventist family to take up the sale of Good Health in their vicinity. “As the work of teaching healthful living to the people of this conference has been neglected, therefore,— “Resolved, That neighboring churches18choose some one from their number, with proper qualifications, to go to one of our institutions to receive a short course of practical training in healthful living, so as to be able to teach the same to the community in which he lives, the necessary expenses of said person to be paid by the churches sending him. And further— “Resolved, That the Iowa Conference maintain one or more medical missionary laborers in the State for the purpose of teaching these principles to the churches. “Whereas, Our conference committee has, in counsel with the Mission Board, sent several of our workers to foreign fields, and supported them in those fields,— “Resolved, That we express our approval of these acts, and that,— “We recommend, That the committee shall, during the coming year, continue to send out laborers and support them as the Spirit of God may direct.” Officers elected: President, L. F. Starr; Vice-President, L. F. Trubey; Treasurer, J. W. Dorcas; Secretary, Mrs. Flora V. Dorcas; Sabbath-school Secretary, Mrs. Flora V. Dorcas; Assistant Sabbath-school Secretary, Miss Nellie McWilliams; State Agent, J. W. Crouse; Field Secretary and Director of Young People’s Work, Miss Della Wallace; Secretary and Treasurer of the Missionary Department of the Iowa Conference, J. O. Beard; Assistant Secretary, Mrs. Nettie Shaw; General Office Worker, Bert Rhoads; Stenographer, Miss Tillie Earle; Conference Committee, N. C. Bergersen, B. E. Fullmer, J. H. Kraft, E. G. Olsen, C. A. Washburn; Trustees of the Seventh-day Adventist Association, L. F. Starr, C. A. Washburn, J. W. Dorcas, C. W. Smouse, J. W. Crouse, C. G. Johnson, C. W. Larson. Credentials were granted to L. F. Starr, C. A. Washburn, L. F. Trubey, E. G. Olsen, E. E. Gardner, B. E. Fullmer, B. L. Dieffenbacher, N. C. Bergersen, J. H. Kraft, W. E. Frederick, W. B. Everhart, C. T. Adams, Henry Johnson, T. H. Jays, C. A. Hansen, U. P. Long, J. O. Beard, F. A. Washburn; ministerial license to N. L. McClintock, J. W. Dorcas, Carl Jensen, William Johnson, Charles Heald, G. R. Hawkins, Mrs. G. R. Hawkins, Arthur McClintock, G. A. Larson, F. M. Corbaley, Henry Rorholm, Andrew Johnson, H. L. Stenberg, J. W. Crouse, Calvin Starr; for missionary license, Mrs. Carl Jensen, Flora V. Dorcas, J. C. Clemens, Margaret Young, Lizzie Neal, Clarence Rentro, Arthur Rhoads, W. H. Cox, Paul Curtis, Earl Hahn, Tillie Earle, Katie Earle, Jessie Welsh, Della Wallace, Emma Poch, J. M. Moore, Nellie McWilliams, Anna Burke, Arthur French, Lloyd Manfull, Frank Ferguson; church-school teachers’ credentials, Minnie Wolford, Zella Means, Winnie Wasson, Essie Ferguson, Mable Ferguson, Mrs. Ida Kearns, Nellie Countryman, Ruby McSparran, Amy Bascom, Mrs. E. E. Gardner, Mae George, Grace O’Neil. As there were more than three thousand dollars in the treasury, it was voted to donate two thousand dollars to help forward the work in Scotland. Reports of the different lines of work were encouraging, and union and harmony prevailed in all the meetings. MRS. FLORA V. DORCAS,
Secretary.