General Conference Committee Council
The following actions were taken by the General Conference Committee in council, following the proceedings printed in our last issue:— 1. That an educational department in the REVIEW AND HERALD be established, to be conducted by the Educational Department of the General Conference. 2. That as soon as possible, provision be made in Washington for the training of workers associated with the publishing, sanitarium, and other enterprises called for in this district. 3. That the mission secretary shall visit our training schools in this country this winter, presenting to the students the claims that the great mission fields have upon them, and becoming personally acquainted with young people who are qualifying for missionary service. 4. That we urge all our schools—training, intermediate, and church schools—to do all they reasonably can in concert with the regularly organized conference campaign to revive and carry forward the work with “Christ’s Object Lessons.” 5. That we counsel our training schools, in accordance with the instruction of the spirit of prophecy, so to plan their studies that they may give to all passing through the school a substantial and simple training for genuine medical missionary work, and a preparatory course for those contemplating advanced work in medical lines; but we caution against return to the long courses from which all our schools have endeavored to free themselves, the question of granting or not granting degrees not entering into this matter, inasmuch as, with very few exceptions, degrees are not necessary for entrance to medical courses in the many medical schools of this country. 6. That in view of the fact that there are a goodly number of our people who are teaching in the public schools, who have sufficient literary qualifications for our church school work, but who need to study the principles underlying our denominational educational system, we urge upon each of our union conferences the holding of summer schools in connection with their training schools, for the benefit of teachers engaged within the union conference territory. ON WASHINGTON SANITARIUM ENTERPRISE
1. That a corporation be created under the laws of the State of Maryland to hold, control, and manage the institution. 2. That the corporation be organized as a charitable institution and a non-dividend paying and a non-stock company. 3. That a constituency shall be created consisting of,—
(a) The General Conference Committee.
(b) The Atlantic Union Conference Committee.
(c) The Executive Committees of the Eastern and Western Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Chesapeake, and Virginia Conferences, and the Board of Management of the evangelical work in the District of Columbia and Takoma Park.
(d) Five members to be elected by the Seventh-day Adventist church membership residing in the District of Columbia. 4. That this constituency shall have charge of the affairs of the institution, approve and amend its charter and by-laws, annually elect a board of seven individuals who shall manage the institution in harmony with the by-laws and charter of said corporation, shall name the officers of said board, and shall quarterly receive from said board a statement of receipts and expenditures, and annually a statement of its operations. 5. That the officers of the General Conference Committee appoint such a committee as required by the laws of Maryland, for the incorporation of the sanitarium. 1. That the apportionment already made to the union conferences be paid as soon as possible to the General Conference Association, and that the unprovided part of the obligations of the General Conference Association and the General Conference be met by an appropriation of ten per cent from the general funds each year until said obligations are canceled. 2. That the General Conference arrange to furnish General Conference representatives to visit local conferences, laboring in connection with their officers in general meetings and from church to church as their time may permit, believing that they will thus become more familiar with the work of each, and so be of mutual benefit. 3. That the appropriation of the Canadian Union Conference be raised from $3,600 to $4,100. 4. That the conference committees make careful study of the recommendation adopted at the last General Conference respecting the subject of finance, and that suitable information and instruction be furnished the churches. 5. That our people generally be encouraged to respond to the calls that come through the recognized channels for funds with which to carry forward the gospel in both home and foreign fields, but that they be guarded in giving to irresponsible parties, or for enterprises not approved by the denomination. 6. That the General Conference Committee in making appropriations for the coming year give favorable consideration to the request from the Canadian Union Conference for special appropriations to the Ontario Industrial School and the Canadian Sanitarium. 7. That the Treasury Department be organized to carry on an aggressive financial policy, and that the treasurer, as soon as he can be relieved from other duties, devote his entire time to the finances of the General Conference. 8. That the department endeavor to place with every family literature that will keep them continually informed concerning the progress of the message in the fields operated by the General Conference, and that occasional statements be published showing the condition of the funds. That our agency to be used by the department in this be our General and Union Conference papers. 9. In order fully to meet the appropriations made for the work in the foreign fields—
(a) That a special effort be made by all of our laborers from now until the close of the year to encourage large contributions from our Sabbath-schools, and to stimulate a faithful carrying out of the ten-cent-a-week plan.
(b) That we request the officers of all union conferences, who can do so, to donate surplus funds for this purpose.
(c) That the amount which shall accrue to the Mission Board through the sale of the extra Signs be used for the same purpose. INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, OF COLLEGE VIEW, NEB.
(a) That we indorse the creation of the International Publishing Association according to the plan adopted, and herewith submitted, as follows:— “1. That a publishing association be incorporated which shall be organized as a trustee association, which shall be a non-stock and non-dividend paying association, to carry on this work (among the Germans, Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians in America). “2. That the name of this association be the International Publishing Association. “3. That the work of this association be the printing, publishing, purchasing, and sale of religious, health, and educational literature throughout the United States in the German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and other foreign languages, and also to print in the English19for Union College and the Central Union Conference, and to provide facilities for class-room work in general printing instruction in connection with Union College, and that, after the present cylinder press owned by the college, is paid for, it and all other equipment owned in the printing department of the college be turned over to the International Publishing Association. “4. That the business of the association be governed by a board of seven trustees. “5. That there be a committee of seventeen counselors, not less than three to be selected from each of the different nationalities; namely, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and English; and these to meet once or twice a year with the trustees for the discussion of general plans. “6. That hereafter the trustees and counselors be elected annually by the following body of electors: the Executive Committees of the General Conference, the Central, Northern, and Southwestern Union Conferences. And inasmuch as the main purpose of this association is to purchase, print, and publish literature in foreign tongues, the majority of the trustees should be elected from the foreign nationalities represented in the same. “7. That the officers of the three union conferences in the Mississippi Valley, the German and Scandinavian laborers throughout the United States, and the influential brethren everywhere, be encouraged to raise funds for the erection of a modest, but roomy factory, for the purchase of a good book-printing press, and other necessary facilities, and also for the purchase from the Review and Herald of a portion of its stock of German and Scandinavian books. “8. That the General Conference shall consider the advisability of establishing in New York City a general book store and importing and shipping agency, which shall carry a full line of German and Scandinavian and other translated books for distribution in the Eastern States, and which shall act as our Eastern agents for the importation of books printed in Europe, and for the distribution of books printed in College View. “9. That the preliminary step for the incorporation of this association be committed to the following persons, whom we have selected to act as the first board of trustees; namely, E. T. Russell, A. Swedberg, T. Valentiner, C. A. Thorp, F. H. Westphal, T. G. Johnson, and J. Sutherland. “The Advisory Committee of seventeen counselors are N. P. Nelson, L. Johnson, H. Shultz, S. F. Svensson, Fred Johnson, J. J. Graf, C. J. Herrmann, S. Martensen, H. R. Johnson, H. H. Hall, L. A. Hoopes, G. F. Haffner, E. G. Olsen, C. A. Burman, J. G. Walker, and J. Wallenkampf.” (b) That a general donation of $6,000 for this work be called for the first Sabbath in February, and providing this collection amounts to more than the sum called for, the surplus be donated to the work in Washington, and that each of the papers concerned solicit donations from its own people. (c) That the committee of seventeen and the board of trustees be recognized as a continuation of the committee on foreign publications in America. (d) That the matter of the establishment of an importing and shipping house for foreign publications be referred to the General Conference Committee. DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE
1. That each conference appoint a competent State agent. 2. That he receive the same liberal support morally and financially, as other workers in the conference. 3. That conference committees give attention to the organization and planning for this branch of the work. 4. That each worker laboring among the churches make a special effort in every church to secure suitable persons to enter the canvassing work, promptly reporting any such persons to the State agents. 5. That strong, able men who have succeeded in life, be urged to take up the canvassing work. 6. That we aim to develop a class of trained, competent workers, who shall make the canvassing work their life work. 7. That all our ministers individually, do all they can in selling our literature. 8. That all our churches be encouraged to sell our small publications in their own vicinity. 9. That one or more canvassers’ institutes be held in each conference some time before June 1, 1904. 10. That the conferences adopt a liberal policy in assisting canvassers to and from these institutes. 11. That each conference arrange for special seasons of study and consideration of the canvassing work in the churches, and that suitable readings be prepared by the State agent, president of the conference, and others, and furnished to the various churches. “CHRIST’S OBJECT LESSONS”
That the union and State conferences take up and push to a finish the coming winter, beginning November 21 and 22, the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” accompanied by the book “Education.” UNION CONFERENCE MEETINGS
That the following program be recommended for holding the coming union conference meetings:— Atlantic .................. Nov. 4-
Southern ................. Dec. 31-
Southwestern ........ Feb. 24 to March 2
Central .................... March 4-13
Pacific ..................... March 18-27
Northern .................. April 5-10
Lake ........................ April 12-18
Canadian .................. August That Allen Moon be chairman of the Religious Liberty Department. That Chicago be the headquarters of the Religious Liberty Department. That an offering for Religious Liberty work be taken as early in the year 1904 as may be reasonably arranged. THE ST. LOUIS WORLD’S FAIR
That the following plan be recommended for dealing with the opportunity for effort at the St. Louis World’s Fair:— 1. That the Missouri Conference execute the plans in counsel with the Central Union Conference Committee. 2. That funds be provided by a special collection this winter in the churches of the Central Union, and that a percentage of ten per cent be apportioned from the Religious Liberty offering to be taken early in 1904, the amount to be increased by further appropriation if necessary. 3. That the plan of operation be,—
(a) Literature exhibit, providing for the sale of books and the free distribution of small literature.
(b) Bible work and public effort as the local management may deem advisable. That the Relief of the Schools Committee be constituted as follows: W. C. White (chairman), P. T. Magan (secretary), W. T. Bland, F. Griggs, L. A. Hoopes, C. C. Lewis. That we request the editors of the REVIEW AND HERALD to publish in that paper a series of articles on church discipline, and the relationship of the church to the members, and the members to the church. That the issue of the General Conference Bulletin be discontinued, and that the workers’ directory be published in pamphlet form. That A. P. Needham, of Vermont, be invited to come to Washington to engage in business management in connection with Washington enterprises. That J. R. Scott, of New York, be invited to engage in evangelical work in Washington, later to connect with Washington enterprises in a business way as occasion demands.