A Statement of Facts Concerning Our Present Situation—No. 9
By Arthur G. Daniells
It should be understood by all that the counsel that came to us at the 1901 General Conference to reorganize was not a call to disorganize. Nor was it a call to abandon the essential principles and general plan of organization adopted by the pioneers of this cause. We accept the assurance that has been given us through the spirit of prophecy, that the Lord led and guided the men who were called to form the plans of organization for this world-wide movement which we are carrying forward. Instead of being counseled to abandon any of the principles or essential features of our original plan of organization, we were instructed to adjust and develop the details of this plan in harmony with the growth and development of our cause. This is a most important consideration at this time. It is one that should be very clearly understood by our people. Did the instruction given through the spirit of prophecy at the 1901 General Conference set aside any of the essential features of our original plan of organization? Or did that counsel point out the errors into which we had fallen, and call us back to the original plan? And further, what response did the General Conference make to the instruction given? Did it carry out the suggestions? And is it still doing so, or has it repudiated the work of reform and reorganization entered upon at that time? All this can easily be determined by a little study of the instruction given by the spirit of prophecy, and the changes made by the General Conference at the time, and by its history since. The information required on these points can be obtained in the issues of the General Conference Bulletin of 1901 and 1903,7and the report of the session for 1905. At the risk of going over a little ground already covered, I shall here give a brief, but complete summary of the counsel given to the General Conference, and the changes made in response thereto:— 1. “What we want now is a reorganization.” 2. “We want to begin at the foundation, and to build upon a different principle.” 3. “This work must be carried on in a very different manner to what it has been in the past years.” 4. “God has not put any kingly power in our ranks to control this or that branch of the work. The work has been greatly retarded by the efforts to control it in every line.” 5. “There are to be more than one or two or three men to consider the whole vast field. The work is great, and there is no one human mind that can plan for the work which needs to be done.” 6. “Greater strength must be brought into the managing force of the conference.” 7. “Men who are standing at the head of our various institutions, of the educational interests, and of the conferences in different localities and in different States,” are to “stand as representative men, to have a voice in molding and fashioning the plans that shall be carried out.” 8. “When we first met in conference, it was thought that the General Conference should extend over the whole world. But this is not in God’s order. Conferences must be organized in different localities, and it will be for the health of the different conferences to have it thus.” 9. “This does not mean that we are to cut ourselves apart from one another, and be as separate atoms. Every conference is to touch every other conference, and be in harmony with every other conference.” 10. “New conferences must be formed. It was in the order of God that the union conference was organized in Australasia. The Lord God of Israel will link us all together. The organizing of new conferences is not to separate us; it is to bind us together.” Any one who will take the pains to read the addresses given by Sister White as recorded in the General Conference Bulletin of 1901, will see that the quotations given above cover the whole range of suggestions made concerning reorganization. And from a careful study of these quotations any one will readily see what the wrongs were, and the course to be taken to correct them. There were too few men connected with the administrative affairs of the cause. This resulted in centralizing responsibility, control, and management in a narrower circle than was demanded for the rapid, strong, and efficient development of the work throughout the world. And this naturally forced the few in charge of affairs to assume authority which is called kingly. The remedy pointed out was to bring greater strength—more men of experience and talent—into the management of the work. And this was to be done by organizing more conferences, especially union conferences, throughout the world, thus distributing the responsibilities centered in a few at headquarters. The placing of responsibilities and interests in local fields upon those located where the work is to be done will lessen the tendency for a few to assume undue authority. This is the reorganization called for at the 1901 conference. Of course with all this we do not overlook the personal, heart-work required to make the best of plans efficient. Now we may ask, Did the General Conference reorganize in harmony with these suggestions? And has it adhered to the changes made? The following facts will answer:— 1. Before that conference closed the General Conference Committee was increased from twelve to twenty-five. It has since been increased to thirty-two. The members now represent the field in all parts of the world, and all the leading departments of our work. The chairmen of the Sabbath-school, Educational, Medical, Religious Liberty, Publishing, and Foreign Departments are members of the general committee. 2. Before the close of that conference steps were taken to organize five union conferences in the United States and two in Europe, increasing the number from one to eight. Six more have been added since, making the present number fourteen. These conferences are located in the States, Canada, Great Britain, Europe, South Africa, and Australasia. And by this time it is more than likely that the South American Union has been organized, making fifteen. These new conferences have added about one hundred and forty persons to the administrative staff of this cause. 3. Since the conference of 1901, thirty-three local conferences and thirty local mission boards have been organized in all lands. These have added some three hundred and fifty persons to our managing force. 4. Besides these regular organizations there are the department committees in charge of the leading phases of the work. The Sabbath-school has ten members; the Educational twenty-two; the Medical twenty-two; the Publishing twenty-one; the Religious Liberty ten; and the Foreign seven. Thus there have been new conferences and department and mission boards organized, and the managing force has been strengthened by the addition of over five hundred of the most experienced and capable persons that could be selected. 5. In addition to this five colleges have been added to the twelve then operating; twenty-eight academies and intermediate schools have been started, and thirty-six sanitariums and treatment establishments have been opened. These institutions have added many more to the administrative staff of this denomination. 6. In addition to this work of organizing, the natural work of distribution has followed. All the institutions formerly held by the General Conference have been transferred to the union conferences in which they are located. And all the details of administration that can be pressed back upon union and local conferences and mission boards are distributed. It is very doubtful whether any delegate at the 1901 conference had any true conception, at the time, of the marvelous changes that were to follow the simple steps then taken in harmony with the counsel given. These changes have given new life and strength to our organized work in all lands. We have proved that the distribution of administrative responsibilities and the ownership and management of institutions does not mean disorganization. We have proved that all these changes do not “cut ourselves apart from one another” and make us separate, independent atoms. On the contrary, it unifies and binds together. This is the testimony borne by scores of men bearing official responsibilities in all parts of our great field. While I have endeavored in these articles to point out the chief causes of the trouble that has existed among us for years, I have been glad to be able to tell of a way that leads to unity and strength. The General Conference found that way and entered it in 1901. It has been a good way, and it is growing better all the time. Nothing can overthrow this cause. Nothing can stop the onward, triumphant progress it is making everywhere. To our Lord be all the praise.