IOWA & NEB. CONFERENCE by Henry Nicola; L. McCoy

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 29, 1876

IOWA & NEB. CONFERENCE.

By Henry Nicola; L. McCoy

This Conference held its thirteenth annual session at Marshalltown, Iowa, in connection with the camp-meeting, June 8–12, 1876.

The first session convened June 8, at 6 P. M. Conference was called to order by the President, Eld. H. Nicola; prayer by Eld. James White.

Credentials of delegates were examined, showing that the following churches were represented, viz., Sigourney, Sandyville, Monroe, Peru, Winterset, Smithland, West Union, Soldier Valley, Cedar Falls, Marion, Mt. Pleasant, Crescent City, State Center, Washington, Woodburn, Adel, Lisbon, Pilot Grove, Victor, Onawa, Anamosa, Hook’s Point, Elkhorn, Knoxville, Laporte City, all of Iowa; and Seward, Stromsburg, Decatur, and Hooper, of Nebraska.

The following were not represented: Richland, Brighton, Waukon, Osceola, Decatur (Iowa), Caloma, Afton, and Prescott. Minutes of proceedings of the last Conference were read.

Fourteen newly organized churches, representing a membership of 189, were admitted into the Conference, viz., West Dayton, Boone Co., near Marshalltown, Bradford, Chickasaw Co., Oxford Mills, Jones Co., Deloit, Crawford Co., of Iowa; David City, Valparaiso, Saunders Co., Farmer’s Valley, Hamilton Co., Salem, Richardson Co., Lindon, Furnas Co., Blue Valley, York Co., Nebraska City, Neb., Fonda, Pocahontas Co., Iowa, and Swan Lake, Dakota Ter.

Moved, by Eld. Geo. I. Butler. That those companies of Sabbath-keepers which are not yet organized into churches, but pay s. b., be considered under the watch-care of this Conference for the ensuing year; and the Conference hereby requests the Committee to provide them such labor as their wants demand. Carried.

The President was authorized to appoint the usual committees, which were as follows: Nominating Committee, J. H. Morrison, C. L. Boyd, and L. McCoy. Auditing Committee, W. P. Andrews, F. H. Chapman, Noah Hodges, S. M. Holly, A. J. Stifer, and Henry Shultz. Committee on Resolutions, U. Smith, John G. Matteson, and E. W. Farnsworth. Committee on Credentials and Licenses, Geo. I. Butler, U. Smith, and Jacob Shively.

SECOND SESSION.

Met June 11, at 5 P. M.; prayer by Eld. J. H. Morrison.

Voted, That Elds. James White, U. Smith, and John G. Matteson, together with all brethren present who are in good standing, be invited to take part in the deliberations of this Conference.

The Committee on Nominations made the following report:—

For President, Eld. Geo. I. Butler, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; Conference Committee, Elds. Geo. I. Butler, H. Nicola, and R. M. Kilgore; Secretary, L. McCoy, Sigourney, Iowa; Treasurer, A. R. Henry, Indianola, Iowa; Camp-meeting Committee, F. H. Chapman, John Berry, and Wm. Newcomb.

On Motion, the report was received, and the persons named were declared the officers of the Conference for the Conference year.

The Committee on Credentials and Licenses made the following report:—

For Credentials: Geo. I. Butler, R. M. Kilgore, D. M. Canright, S. Osborn, J. F. Hanson, Henry Nicola, C. L. Boyd, J. T. Mitchell, C. A. Washburn, J. H. Morrison, J. Bartlett, and J. W. McWilliams.

For Ordination: Matthew Wing, E. W. Farnsworth, and L. McCoy.

For Licenses: G. V. Kilgore, F. A. Barlow, A. Caldwell, S. W. Bird, Henry Shultz, Matthew Hackworth, and Louis P. Johnson.

The report was received and adopted.

THIRD SESSION.

Convened June 12, at 5 P. M.; prayer by Eld. R. M. Kilgore.

On motion, The church at Stromsburg, Neb., were allowed to retain their s. b. for one year, to aid in building a meeting-house.

On motion, The Smithland, Iowa, church were allowed $100 of their s. b. to aid in building a meeting-house.

On motion, A committee of three were appointed to consider the question and policy of churches retaining all or any portion of their s. b. for building purposes.

The following resolution by Eld. James White was adopted:—

Resolved, That in view of the opening fields in Dakota and other western territories, it is the duty of this Conference to encourage missionary labor in those fields.

On motion of R. M. Kilgore, the President appointed a committee to take into consideration the distribution of tent labor in this Conference, and the provision of tents. The persons named were J. H. Morrison, C. L. Boyd, and J. H. Hanson.

The question of how to build houses of worship, and when, was discussed by Eld. White and others, to much profit, evidently, to all present. Also the proper manner of entering new fields or communities to labor was a question of much interest to all.

FOURTH SESSION.

Convened June 12, at 7 P. M.; prayer by Eld. Morrison.

Committee on Appropriations of s. b. Funds for Church Building made the following report:—

Your committee have to report that there has no case come before them in which they feel justified in making any appropriation of s. b. funds.

Report received and adopted.

The Committee on Tents reported that the Conference should at once provide a forty-foot tent, send it to Dakota Ter., and supply laborers for the same.

On motion, $500 were voted to the General Conference fund.

The following resolution, presented by Eld. Kilgore, was adopted:—

Resolved, That this Conference return a vote of thanks to the officers of the Central R. R. of Iowa, for their kindness in granting to those attending this camp-meeting a reduction of fare over their line.

Eld. James White, President of the General Conference, laid before this Conference the progress and wants of the cause, especially of the European Mission and Battle Creek College, in a few remarks, which were highly interesting and instructive to all present.

On motion, A committee was appointed to circulate a subscription on the ground for the purpose of raising funds to aid said Mission and College, the result of their labors to be reported through the Review.

The financial condition of the Conference is as follows:— June 8, 1875, bal. in hands of treas. $1091.83 June 12, 1876, amt. rec’d by treas. during year 3478.76 June 12, 1876, amt. paid ministers by churches 1702.28 $6272.87

CONTRA.

June 12, 1876, amt. paid by treas. for year $950.00 June 12, 1876, amount of orders drawn by Aud. Com. 3371.23 June 13, 1876, rec’d by ministers from churches 1702.28 June 12, 1876, in hands of treas. 249.36 $6272.87

SUMMARY.

No. of churches at beginning of year, 38; No. of new churches admitted, 14; No. of members admitted during year, 335; No. of members at present, 1,123; No. of Sabbath-school scholars, 831; No. of ordained ministers in Conference, 14; No. of licensed ministers in Conference, 8; amount of s. b. pledged, $6450.00; amount of s. b. pledged to Conference, $6047.00.

The Committee on Resolutions made the following report, which was adopted unanimously:—

Resolved, That we note with pleasure the promptness of the brethren in assembling at this annual convocation, by which we were enabled to commence with a full representation at an early hour on the first day of the meeting.

Resolved, That we are happy to see so many of our Scandinavian brethren at this meeting, and are thankful that they are able to have services in their own tongue, which adds greatly to the interest of this occasion.

Resolved, That we hail with joy the continued success of the cause in Europe, and the good prospect of its more rapid advancement in the future.

Resolved, That we have occasion for thankfulness to God for the great blessing he has given us since the commencement of this meeting, by which sinners have been converted, backsliders reclaimed, and the people of God enlightened and much encouraged.

Resolved, That we hereby express our gratitude to the General Conference for the help furnished at this camp-meeting, and our gratitude to God for sparing Bro. and sister White to labor with us, and we take this opportunity to express our sincere desire that we may be favored with their presence, counsel, and help every year till the Lord comes.

Resolved, That we express our thanks to the Camp-meeting Committee for their faithful services in making preparation for this gathering.

Resolved, That it is the sense of this Conference that ministers should not incur expenses of long journeys without the counsel of the Executive Committee, and that in all ordinary cases they should meet their own expenses of board and washing.

Resolved, That, in the opinion of this Conference, those ministers who do not labor at our camp-meetings and annual Conference should not expect to have their expenses to and from the meetings paid, neither be allowed for the time occupied in attending our annual meetings.

Resolved, That in our opinion the Camp-meeting Committee should feel at liberty to hire needed help in making preparation before the annual camp-meeting; and, also, to call on young men who are not otherwise employed to do errands, and perform general service during the time of the camp-meeting.

Resolved, That this Conference fully approve the plan and efforts of Eld. James White in furnishing daily reports of this meeting, for the leading secular papers of Iowa.

Resolved, That we express our thanks to the people of Marshalltown for the candid hearing they have given, and the kindness and courtesy manifested toward us during our stay here.

A very gratifying feature connected with the camp-meeting was the daily reports furnished the secular press of the State by a competent reporter furnished by the General Conference Committee, giving to the public in a very readable form a concise history of our people and work, their religious faith, and a summary of sermons delivered, which it is hoped will do much toward correcting erroneous impressions among the masses concerning our people and work.

This annual gathering of S. D. Adventists was the largest ever held in the State, and the courage and zeal manifested by the worn servants of God, and their close testimony to his people, will do much toward establishing the work in this Conference.

On motion, The secretary was directed to furnish a copy of the proceedings of the Conference for the REVIEW AND HERALD for publication.

On motion, Adjourned.

HENRY NICOLA, Pres. L. McCoy, Sec.