Decisions and Recommendations of the General Conference Committee
By George B. Thompson
THE following are some of the more important actions taken at the recent council of the General Conference Committee in Washington:— That the time of the week of prayer be set for December 15 to 23 inclusive, that the general theme be that of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit, and that the readings be published in the REVIEW AND HERALD, as last year. To take favorable action in response to the request of Elder Gates for help in the Philippine Islands, and that we ask the treasurer to ascertain by correspondence the amount required. To authorize the officers of the Board to appropriate a sum not to exceed five thousand dollars for this purpose. That it is the sense of this council that the biennial council of the General Conference be held in Europe, at such time and place as may be agreed upon by the European brethren in counsel with the General Conference Committee. The following action was adopted relating to the support of aged workers and the families of deceased laborers:— “1. That we urge upon every State conference, union conference, and mission field both the duty and the privilege of supporting faithful dependent workers and their families who are unable to support themselves because of sickness, declining years, or death. “2. That we advise that workers be supported, as far as practicable, by the conference or mission field where their labors cease, or by the conference where the principal part of their work has been performed. “3. That this support be given cheerfully as unto the Lord, and that all embarrassment of having to ask or petition for the same be removed by the respective conferences and mission fields placing these workers upon their regular pay-roll, and remitting to them as to workers who are actively engaged in service. “4. That we urge our General Conference men to request State and union conferences not to endeavor to shift the responsibility of supporting these workers, but to show a warm, hearty loyalty to dependent ministers and their families, and make arrangements for their support where they have done their work, and where they may be located.” The committee appointed to make recommendations concerning the policy which the General Conference advises to be followed in the organization, holding, and operating of denominational institutions throughout the country, submitted the following report:— “Whereas, The General Conference Committee has been requested to give information concerning the policy they recommend in the holding of institutional property, which is built up and maintained by the donations and sympathetic co-operation of the people; therefore,— “We recommend, (1) That we recognize the principle that the people who build up and support an enterprise should own and direct the control and management of said property; (2) that future corporations for holding property be organized on a membership basis; (3) that the membership of such institutions be not placed upon a monetary basis, but be so arranged as to make the constituency represent the field from which the support is to come; (4) that all institutions or enterprises built up by the contributions, and fostered by the patronage and sympathy of the denomination, shall have their property held by a corporation whose membership is representative of the people, and whose charter and by-laws are subject to change by the membership only and secures the property to the denomination.” It was voted to notify the secretary of the Centenary Conference that the Seventh-day Adventist Mission Board accepts the invitation to send a representative to attend that conference, which is to convene in Shanghai, April 25, 1907. The following recommendations relating to the work in the South and in Washington, D. C., were passed:— “Whereas, The Southern Union Conference has petitioned the General Conference Committee to assist it in raising the sum of forty thousand dollars for the development of its institutional work in the South; and,— “Whereas, The spirit of prophecy has repeatedly instructed this denomination to assist the South in opening up its work in many of its large cities; and further,— “Whereas, The work at Washington, D. C., is still in need of additional help to finish the buildings which have already been started, and to place them in a condition where they can command the respect of the public in this important center; therefore,— “1. That a fund of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars be raised for the work in the South, and to complete the work in Washington, D. C. “2. That the first fifty thousand dollars received from this fund shall be donated to the work in the South. “3. That the funds shall be sent to the treasurer of the General Conference at Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. “4. That our church paper, the REVIEW AND HERALD, the Watchman, the Signs of the Times, and the foreign papers in the United States open their columns for suitable articles from various persons agitating the raising of these funds, and that a list of these donations be printed in the REVIEW AND HERALD. “5. That the president of the General17Conference open up the campaign for these funds by publishing an article in the REVIEW AND HERALD and other papers, accompanied by the recommendations of the General Conference Committee favoring the raising of this fund. “6. That the editors of these papers are invited to make frequent favorable mention of this fund. “7. That in our efforts to raise this fund we earnestly solicit the sympathetic co-operation of our union and State conferences, and of our people everywhere.” “That a collection for the International Publishing Association be taken the first Sabbath in November, 1906. “That a publishers’ convention be held in the United States at such time and place as may be decided later. “That the matter of publishing Spanish books and literature be pushed from the Pacific Press, and that they secure such assistance from Prof. G. W. Caviness as may be necessary in doing this work. “That we fully approve of the plan of continuing the great missionary campaign inaugurated, on the same general plan as last year. “That we recommend each union conference where the work with ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ is not yet finished to take steps for the early completion of this work. “That from the information and data we have on hand, we are unable to suggest a better plan for the handling of the funds accruing from the sale of ‘Ministry of Healing’ than the one recently adopted by the Relief Bureau. “That union conferences be advised to appoint a relief committee for the energetic prosecution of the sale of the book ‘Ministry of Healing’ within its territory, and by such other means as may be necessary take steps for the successful prosecution of this relief enterprise.” The following additional recommendations on finance were adopted:— “1. Resolved, That we open a fund known as the Dollar Fund. “2. That we endeavor to persuade our people to each donate one dollar a year to this fund, the same to be used in liquidating the obligations owing by the General Conference, and other imperative demands made upon it. “3. That the ten thousand dollars called for with which to assist in establishing a much-needed school for Great Britain be raised by our union conference presidents in soliciting liberal donations from those who are best able to give. “4. That articles be frequently printed in all our papers setting the needs of the school before our people. “5. That we appropriate five per cent of the October donations for 1905 and 1906 to the development of the work among the colored people of Washington, D. C., the same to be expended under the direction of the District Executive Committee.” The matter of rendering help for the school in the Maritime Conference was presented by Wm. Guthrie. The present capacity of the school is filled, and it is necessary to provide additional accommodations. About sixteen hundred dollars is needed for this purpose. It was recommended that two thousand dollars be added to the call for the school in England, and that this additional two thousand dollars be used, when raised, for the Maritime school. A number of other actions were taken regarding laborers for the different fields, also in reference to some other matters; but as it is necessary to correspond with the persons involved before definite arrangements can be assured, these, with later recommendations, are deferred till another time.