REPORT OF THE LAKE UNION CONFERENCE COUNCIL.
By Arthur G. Daniells
Held at Berrien Springs, Mich., July 10–18. IN response to a call for a meeting of representative brethren in the Lake Union Conference, about twenty-five officers of State Conferences gathered at Berrien Springs in connection with the teachers' conference, July 10. The object of this council was to complete the organization of the Lake Union Conference, to study the openings and needs of the various departments of the cause in the Conference, and to set the machinery of the new Conference in operation. The arrangement to hold this council in connection with the teachers' conference proved a good one. The interests of both the Lake Conference and the educational work were each day placed before the entire gathering. All were so interested in all that was brought forward for consideration that there seemed to be but one leader, one great aim, and one delegation, or body of representatives. The Conference representatives testified to having been greatly benefited by the daily study of educational questions, while the teachers gratefully acknowledged the help they received from the deliberations of the Conference representatives. The best service rendered to the cause of education by the representatives from the different Conferences was the help they gave in selecting the location of the new school. For weeks the locating committee had been in search of a suitable place. Just before the brethren came together at Berrien Springs, the committee found a place upon which they all agreed. But before purchasing, they had the privilege of having the presidents of the six Conferences in the Lake Conference, also several members of Conference committees, and other men whose counsel they valued highly, examine the proposed site. After careful examination of the land, products, and surroundings, there was a decided, unanimous vote in favor of purchasing the place. To have had the help of about twenty men from different States, whose experience had been such as to make their counsel of value, was more gratifying to the locating committee than words can express. At this council the brethren addressed themselves so earnestly to the work in hand, and planned together with so much harmony, that we were able to place the affairs of the new Conference in a more complete and satisfactory shape than we had dared to hope could be done in so short a time. The organization of the Conference was completed by the adjustment of officers previously elected, and by the election of others required. The constitution was carefully revised, and very much enlarged in its scope. The question of finance, beginning with the Church and ending with the General Conference and Mission Board, received careful consideration. The questions that challenged the wide-awake attention of all were those relating to the Sabbath-school, church-school, and canvassing work. Elder A. T. Jones spent several days with us, during which he gave practical, clear-cut instruction regarding the ministry to which the Lord calls every Seventh-day Adventist. Dr. Kellogg was with us but one day, but left much with us to think about. Believing that a brief abstract of the proceedings of the council will be of interest to our brethren, we furnish them to the REVIEW for publication.