ORDER OF CONFERENCE BUSINESS.
By Uriah Smith
Within a few months the annual sessions of all our State Conferences will be held, mostly, if not exclusively, in connection with the camp-meetings in the various States. While these meetings are important, and should receive their due share of attention from the brethren, it is desirable that as little time should be consumed in them as possible. In this way they will be more efficient and of greater interest. Hence we venture a few suggestions on the point. 1. Much time may be saved by a little previous preparation of business matters by the officers of the Conference. After the opening of the meeting by prayer, the first thing is the organization of the Conference. To effect this the delegates pass in to the Conference committee their credentials. If they would do this before the meeting, the officers could examine them, and the delegates would be ready to take their seats at once, and proceed to business. Frequently much time can be saved in this way. 2. The reception of new churches into the Conference. Those who have applications to present should be all prepared to make the necessary statements to the Conference to guide them in their action, and let this part of the work be accomplished without delay. 3. After the reading of the minutes of the previous session, committees are to be formed. These should be appointed at this early stage of the meeting to give them all the time possible in which to work. The committees usually appointed are as follows: 1. On Nominations, 2. On Resolution, 3. On Auditing. The first two committees usually consist of three individuals, the last of six; and as it is almost invariably left with the Chair to appoint the committees, he should have his committee list all made out beforehand, ready to appoint immediately, in case it should be left to him to do so. The committees being appointed, it is the usual practice to adjourn and the committees can then enter upon their work. The first business of the next session, or any session after committees have been appointed, till their discharge, is to listen to the reports of the committee. 4. And lastly, all members of the Conference should bestow much previous thought on what is likely to come up, or should come up, at the Conference, and so be prepared to express matured opinions, or take prompt and well considered action on all anticipated movements. The business of a Conference, well transacted, however small, means work—work for officers, work for committees, work for the members. And all should make it a point to do at once all duties laid upon them and to see that everything is put forward with promptness and despatch.