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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 2, 1872

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 39, No. 3.

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Business Proceedings

By James White; Uriah Smith

OF THE TENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.
CONFERENCE convened, at Battle Creek, Mich., according to appointment, Dec. 29, 1871, at 9 A. M., and was opened with the usual exercises. The following delegates were present:
Jacob Hare and L. McCoy, of Iowa. E. H. Root, J. F. Carman, and S. A. McPherson, of Michigan. Stephen Pierce, of Minnesota. Oliver Mears, of Ohio. S. N. Haskell, of Massachusetts. A. C. Bourdeau, of Vermont. J. N. Andrews, of New York. P. S. Thurston and D. Downer, of Wisconsin. J. H. Bennet, of Illinois. J. H. Rogers, of Missouri.
Reports from the different State Conferences show the present standing of the General Conference to be as follows:—
General Conf. Summary for May, 1872 Ministers Churches Members S. B. Fund pledged S. B. Fund on hand S. B. Fund pledged to Gen'l Conf. S. B. Fund on hand
Maine 2 2 9 203 $1,046.84 $593 $1,040.91
N. E. Conf. 2 1 16 300 354.60 — 354.60
Vermont 5 4 12 234 1658.00 — 1400.00
New York 7 3 31 539 2861.00 — 2592.63
Ohio 0 4 9 204 1115.50 150.00 965.50
Mich. and Ind. 11 14 53 573 5779.81 1851.93 3927.88
Wisconsin 3 8 24 640 3200.00 — —
Indiana 2 4 12 246 1580.17 — 1560.17
Minnesota 2 2 9 250 990.50 — 990.50
Iowa 2 4 18 400 2400.00 — —
Kansas & Mo. 1 — 5 — 800.00 — 800.00
California 2 4 130 — 1000.00 — 800.00
Swiss Mission 1 — 2 62 1000.00 — —
Totals 40 46 204 4801 $25,956.42 $2,007.86 $16,822.19
On motion all visiting brethren were invited to participate in the deliberations of the Conference.
Bro. Waggoner announced the presence of Eld. N. Wardner, delegate from the S. D. Baptists; whereupon he was invited to take his seat with the delegates. On taking his seat, Eld. Wardner remarked:—
“It is with much pleasure that I have the privilege of meeting with you. I have watched the history of your denomination with a great deal of interest; and I admire the perseverance, consecration, and earnestness, which seem to characterize all your movements. While there are some things that I, of course, do not exactly see as you do, there are many points that I do; and on these I most heartily strike hands with you. I believe that in all matters of practice, so far as practical duties are concerned, we are a unit. There are some differences of doctrine; but I cannot help indulging the fond hope that we may come nearer together than we are, by a mutual interchange of thoughts and feelings. We all profess to take the Scriptures as our only guide in faith and practice; and if we are all honest, we may come to see eye to eye, or as nearly so, as we may expect persons to do who are differently organized. I am very much interested in that despised sentiment which we all hold; that is, the Sabbath. And I attribute the interest now manifested on the subject of the Sabbath in the world, largely to your efforts. And I am happy to say that your course has served to stimulate us. I bid you God-speed in the work.” To the foregoing remarks from Bro. Wardner, Bro. J. N. Andrews responded as follows:—
“It gives me great pleasure this morning to greet Bro. Wardner, as a delegate from the Seventh-day Baptist people; and the remarks he has made have touched my heart, as they have, no doubt yours. It was my pleasure in the month of September last, to meet with the Seventh-day Baptist brethren in their General Conference; and I am happy to be able to say to you, that I there received a brotherly and cordial greeting—a greeting such as I hope will be extended here to Bro. Wardner. I there met with a large body of Sabbath-keepers, who, unlike us, have kept the Sabbath from their childhood; and there is nothing that gives me greater pleasure than to know that the two bodies of Sabbath-keepers are drawing together. I expressed there the hope that we might be like the two wings of the same army; that instead of acting in a manner to thwart each other, we may turn our weapons against the common enemies of the truth, and co-operate together in forwarding the great cause of Sabbath reform. I am very happy to hear the remarks of Bro. Wardner; and I would say to him, We reciprocate your feelings, and we wish to co-operate with you in leading men and women to the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord.” Remarks by the Chairman: “Bro. Andrews has expressed my feelings and the feelings of this body of Seventh-day Adventists. I wish to make a few further remarks in this direction. When we commenced the work in Maine, about a quarter of a century ago, it was from a very small beginning. Our venerable Bro. Bates began to write upon the subject of the Sabbath. Bro. Andrews and myself also began, as we had opportunity, to teach it. There were but a score of us. But the Seventh-day Baptists heard of us, and sent Eld. S. S. Griswold away down into Oxford County in Maine to see us. We had no knowledge, really, of the S. D. Baptists, and we hardly knew what to say, or how to meet that effort on the part of that body to seek a mutual interest with us. We were exceedingly busy with our work; and I look back with regret upon the fact that we did not reciprocate their efforts as we should have done.”
“At a later period the Corresponding Secretary of their Conference was instructed to write to me at Rochester, N. Y. I now see that I met that in a manner rather calculated to repulse than to encourage more fraternal feelings. And still later, men who sailed under our colors, men we could not control, and who have since apostatized, did a bad work in Pennsylvania. And as we have been pushing out, and breaking our way along, we have hardly been able to hold our own members in discipline. And while we have been urging the work forward, much of it has been a matter of experiment with us, and there have been more or less extremes on this hand and on that, as in every such case, and our people in some parts of the country have appeared to very poor advantage, sometimes, before the Seventh-day Baptists. We felt convicted some four years since that we did not sustain the proper relation to this people; and a committee was appointed to address them. Eld. Andrews was upon that committee, and wrote that address. The Seventh-day Baptists responded to it. And I have always regarded our movement toward them as a duty we owed to them, not only because in reference to practical truth we stand on the same platform, but because we, in our zeal in times past, have said and done some things that were calculated to alienate their feelings from us. I was very grateful that in response to that action, the S. D. Baptists sent Prof. Jonathan Allen as a delegate to our body. His gentlemanly and Christian deportment among us won our hearts. We were also happy to learn of the cordial reception Bro. Andrews met at their late Conference. This is a matter that takes hold of my feelings, and I shall be obliged to cease speaking.”
“I must, however, here mention some courtesies that have been extended by them to me personally. At Milton, Wis., when we were there last summer, on the occasion of our camp-meeting, a large number of S. D. Baptists attended the meeting. I spoke as I usually do, touching upon the law and the Sabbath in my remarks. After the meeting, they crowded around me to extend to me the hand of friendship, one and another introducing themselves to me as Seventh-day Baptists. We were cordially received by Bro. Carpenter, also, of that place. We have just returned from a visit to Westerly, R. I. There we met a good reception. In the largest hall of the place, they gave us a good hearing, and manifested much interest. I had a very pleasant interview with Eld. Tomlinson, who extended to me all the courtesies that could be asked of one of that denomination. The remark has been made by Bro. Wardner that ‘in all practical truth we are a unit.’ Thank God for that. There are the main pillars. In some points of theory we may see an importance that our S. D. Baptist brethren do not see. We are not inclined to urge these. And we will try to remember that, on these points, they do not differ with us any further than we differ with them. The spirit of brotherly kindness, of Christian courtesy, of charity and liberality of feeling is a great deal more in harmony with the Spirit of God, than is the reverse, as manifested in contention and debate; and we shall be much more likely to be led together by the Spirit of God while cherishing happy relations than while cherishing a spirit of contention that might gender strife and division. I am very happy to know that such relations do exist; and in this I speak the sentiments of my brethren. God grant that they may continue and increase.”
Minutes of the last meeting were then read and accepted.
The following committees were appointed by the Chair:—
On Auditing: L. McCoy, of Iowa, and J. F. Carman, of Michigan. On Nominations: S. N. Haskell, of Massachusetts, Jacob Hare, of Iowa, and Oliver Mears, of Ohio. On Resolutions: Eld. J. N. Andrews, Eld. J. H. Waggoner, and U. Smith. On Preaching: Elds. D. T. Bourdeau, W. H. Littlejohn, and S. Pierce.
Reports from missionaries being now in order, Bro. A. C. Bourdeau spoke of his labor among the French in Canada, the prosperity of the work there, and his need of French tracts to aid in spreading the truth among that people. Bro. Waggoner spoke of his labors in Indiana, and the calls from Tennessee and Virginia. Bro. E. B. Lane spoke for Tennessee and Indiana. Bro. Matteson spoke of the cause of truth among the Danes and Norwegians, giving some very touching statements respecting the work and prospects among that people.
At the second session, 1:45, P. M., the Committee on Resolutions reported the following, which were adopted:
1. Resolved, That we gratefully acknowledge the providence of God in calling our attention, as a people, to truths of such priceless value as the doctrine of the advent of our Lord at the door; the closing work of our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary; the three messages of Rev. 14; the Sabbath and the law of God; the subject of Christian temperance; the nature and order of the work of the Judgment; the doctrine of spiritual gifts; the nature and destiny of man; the final restoration of our earth to its original excellence and glory; and the gathering together of the whole family of the redeemed at the return of our Lord in the clouds of heaven.
2. Resolved, That while our faith has ever led us to look with great interest upon the signs of the times, the events of the past year are peculiarly impressive; among which we enumerate the prostration of the papal civil power; the condition of the kingdoms of Europe, especially the humbling of those which have been supporters of the papacy; the present relation which Russia and Turkey sustain to each other; the work of spiritualism; the preparation for the formation of the image of Rev. 13:14, 15, in the Sunday movement; the terrible storms by sea and by land; the alarming increase of earthquakes; the fearful tidal waves; the wonderful “flame of devouring fire;” the likeness of our days, in points of crime, to those of Noah and of Lot; and finally the more extensive proclamation of the three predicted messages of warning of Rev. 14. And we express our deep conviction that all these things indicate the speedy approach of the final day, and by these things we are called upon to renew our consecration to the important and responsible work of warning our fellow-men of the judgments of God now impending.
3. Resolved, That it is high time that we consecrate ourselves to the work of God in a manner worthy of its exalted character. We cannot doubt the brevity of the period which remains for labor; we see our fellow-men asleep to their danger; to our hands God has entrusted the very truths which they need to understand in order to make preparation for the grand events before us; his providence has also given us great facilities for the promulgation of his truth; and we cannot doubt that he will call us to a strict account for the manner in which, as a people, we labor to save our fellow-men.
4. Resolved, That we recognize the wisdom of God in connecting with the doctrine of the advent at hand the practical truths of the moral law as the great standard of right by which we shall be tested in the Judgment itself; and that we express our deep gratitude to God that he has placed the work of the third angel’s message under the special guidance of the spirit of prophecy.
5. Resolved, That we express our gratification with the prosperity and future prospects of the Health Institute, in respect to its financial management, its excellent order, its success in the treatment of disease, and its moral and religious influence. That we consider that this favorable state of the Institute is, under the blessing of God, owing to the interest taken in its behalf by Bro. White, to the care and labor of the Trustees, and to the faithfulness of the physicians and helpers. And from personal observation we heartily recommend the Institute to all as worthy of their confidence and their patronage.
6. Resolved, That we recognize the providence of God in Bro. White’s being so long placed at the head of the publishing interest; that it has been, through his efficient labor and management, raised from a very small beginning to a large and prosperous work; and the result of the labor of the past three years is evidence of the capacity of the Association to do a great work when faithfully and efficiently managed.
7. Resolved, That, in view of the long and untiring labor of Bro. White in the publishing department in connection with his other cares and responsibilities; and in view of our present facilities for publishing, we believe it to be just and right, and according to the mind of the Spirit of God, that Bro. White should no longer labor so hard and bear so many burdens of this work; that we consider it far more important that, as a counsellor and minister, his life and strength be preserved to the cause, than that the Association should continue to increase its means to any great extent; and if the interests of our work demand a further extension of means and facilities for publishing the truth, it is better that the numerous friends of the cause supply the want from their abundance than that our most faithful and efficient laborer be utterly prostrated by over-taxing his mental and physical powers.
8. Resolved, That we cordially welcome the delegate of the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference, Eld. Nathan Wardner; that we are happy to accept this evidence of a fraternal feeling on the part of that body which has so long stood before the world as vindicators of the integrity of God’s holy law. And we rejoice that there is even one religious body in our land that we are able to meet on common ground on the important subject of the Sabbath of the Lord our God.
Pending the adoption of this resolution, Eld. Wardner remarked:—
“I wish to express my gratitude, and appreciation of the sentiment of that resolution. And I wish to say that we were very glad indeed to welcome Bro. Andrews, as your delegate to our General Conference. He made a very favorable impression upon us; and I am glad to think that, as a denomination, we were enabled to look upon you in a different light from what many of us had ever been able to look upon you before. And we hope that this fraternal feeling will continue. The next General Conference of our body is to convene with the church of which I am pastor. In connection with the Conference will be held the bi-centennial celebration of the existence of our denomination in America. We expect the exercises will be of great interest. Important papers will be presented by those who have been appointed to prepare them. We hope to be able to welcome a delegate from your body at that time, and many others of your people who may find it convenient to attend. We have an influence over each other. You attribute to us, somewhat, the beginning of the Sabbath work among you, one of our sisters having introduced it to your people. We attribute to one of your sisters the commencement of a very important movement among us. This sister came to teach school in the southern part of Illinois, in the neighborhood of a brother Kelly. This brother had learned while in the army, from some papers we had sent there, that there was such a denomination as Seventh-day Baptists. When this sister went to board in his house, he wanted to know why her practice differed from that of others. She was free to tell him. He found that he could not answer the arguments. Some points not being altogether satisfactory to his mind, he turned toward the S. D. Baptists, with the thought that perhaps he would then find views which he could more readily entertain. After some efforts by way of correspondence, he finally obtained some of our publications, and learned more of us as a people. At length he wrote to me, and wished me to come down and help him in his work, as he was engaged in the work of the ministry. A violent persecution arose against him on account of his change of views with regard to the Sabbath. He was gagged, and not allowed to speak in defense of his course, and was separated from his church, and so disposed of. Soon there was a sufficient number of Sabbath-keepers to form a little church in his neighborhood, which Bro. L. Andrus helped him to organize. The next winter I assisted him to organize another church in another neighborhood. The work spread, and, in short, as the result of the movement, commenced by the faithfulness of that S. D. Adventist sister, nine Baptist ministers have embraced the Sabbath, four churches are organized, and one more is about ready for organization. So we cannot help but strike hands if we would; and let us not try to help it. The time is coming when we shall have to suffer together for our faith; and we might as well begin to sympathize with each other now. Let brotherly love continue.”
Resolutions were still further presented and adopted as follows:—
9. Resolved, That we deem it our duty to especially acknowledge the hand of God in planting the truth in Switzerland; and that we feel very deep interest in the promotion of the work in that country, and will, so far as the providence of God shall open our way, do what lies in our power to assist in the spread of the truth in that country and in other countries of Europe.
10. Resolved, That we cordially invite our young men who have the cause of God at heart, and who are constrained by the love of Christ so to do, to present themselves as candidates for the ministry.
11. Resolved, That we recognize the importance of Christian temperance as represented in the health reform as every way worthy of the attention and regard of Christian men and women; and we consider it an important part of our present work of preparation, whereby God’s people may be purified and strengthened to pass through the perils of the last days and fitted for translation at the appearing of our Lord.
12. Resolved, That in view of the great saving of money, and the increase of health and strength, and of the general blessing of God enjoyed by us as a people, because of adopting the health reform, we hereby recommend that ten thousand dollars be raised as a thank-offering, to be used as a fund for the issuing of health publications.
13. Whereas, The providence of God has thrown multitudes of foreigners into our land, where we may reach them with the present truth without the labor and expense of foreign missionary work, therefore Resolved, That we will, with renewed interest and zeal, take hold of the work of missions among the foreign-born population of this land, not only for their own sakes, but as one of the most efficient means of spreading to other lands a message which is to go to many nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples.
14. Whereas, At the time when the Association was formed, Bro. White voluntarily transferred to it the ownership of the ADVENT REVIEW, and for this received nothing; and Whereas, After the period of serious loss sustained by the Publishing Association in other hands, it has, since its return to his management, shown a large increase in its assets, the direct result, under God, of his wise management and his severe labor, therefore Resolved, That the time has now come when it is clearly the duty of the Association to perform an act of justice in paying Bro. White the full value of what he freely gave into the hands of the Association in transferring the REVIEW to that body.
On motion, the Chair appointed the following brethren a committee on wills: W. H. Littlejohn, Jas. Harvey, L. P. Bailey.
The Committee on Nominations reported the following-named persons as the officers of the General Conference for the coming year, who were thereupon elected to the offices named: President, George I. Butler; Secretary, U. Smith; Treasurer, Mrs. A. P. Van Horn; Conference Committee, Geo. I. Butler, of Iowa; Ira Abbey, of New York; and S. N. Haskell, of Massachusetts.
The Treasurer’s report for the past year was presented as follows:— Cash on hand Feb. 1, 1871,                 $ 453.36 Am’t received during the year,             3620.45                      Total,                 4073.81 Total amount paid out during the year,     3156.82 Balance on hand Dec. 25, 1871,              916.99                              A. P. Van Horn, Treas.
On motion, it was voted to hold a general camp-meeting in the southern part of Michigan, about the first of June, 1872.
On motion, Eld. James White was chosen as our delegate to the next General Conference of the S. D. Baptists, with Eld. J. H. Waggoner alternate.
At the sixth and seventh sessions, motions were made and unanimously carried, to the following effect:
1. The case of G. S. West, as set forth in a communication received from him, was referred for adjudication to the General Conference Committee for 1872. 2. The Michigan and Indiana Conference was recommended to divide, the brethren in Indiana to form a Conference by themselves, to be called the Indiana State Conference. 3. Eld. D. T. Bourdeau was recommended to labor awhile in Kentucky, according to openings existing there. 4. Eld. Wardner was requested to furnish for publication in the REVIEW the sermon preached by him before the Conference, on first-day forenoon. 5. The action of the Iowa Conference in sending Bros. Osborn and Hare to labor in Kentucky, was approved. 6. The President elect of this Conference, Eld. G. I. Butler, was invited to visit the Eastern States, and acquaint himself with the wants of the cause in all parts of the field. 7. It was recommended that the articles appearing at the present time in the REVIEW, on the two-horned beast, entitled, “The United States in the Light of Prophecy,” be published in book form. 8. It was recommended that the review of Preamble now appearing in the REVIEW, be published in book form; and that the first chapter, with such other matter as may be thought proper to be connected with it, be published by itself for extended circulation. 9. Eld. Jas. White was appointed to write a Conference Address, to be presented at the opening of the next General Conference. 10. The formation of Tract and Missionary Societies was recommended, and a committee appointed, with Bro. Haskell to assist in perfecting a plan for their formation. W. H. Littlejohn, J. N. Andrews, J. H. Waggoner, and I. D. Van Horn, were named as said Committee.
11. The Conference voted to send out Bro. Matteson as a missionary among the Danes and Norwegians and become responsible for any deficiency in his pay from the different States.
12. Bro. Littlejohn was recommended to employ a person to attend him, and the General Conference voted to become responsible for the expense.
Adjourned sine die.                                  JAMES WHITE, Pres. U. SMITH, Sec’y.