Northwestern Union Conference
By L. A. Hoopes
The first session of the Northwestern Union Conference was held in Des Moines, Iowa, April 3–13, 1902. This report is continued from last week’s issue. 21. We recommend (1) That North Dakota be organized into a conference, and that the Dakota Conference Committee and the Northwestern Union Conference Committee constitute a joint committee to make proper division of the funds and laborers; and (2) we also recommend that Manitoba be organized into a conference. A report from the Committee on Plans was submitted as follows:— 22. We recommend, That a Northern Union Conference be organized on the following conditions:— (1) That the territory embrace Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Manitoba, Assiniboia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, also Montana if agreeable to that conference and the Pacific Union Conference. (2) That the Northern Union Conference now sell two copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons” per member for full payment of their share of the eighty-five-thousand-dollar debt of the Northwestern Union Conference, all sales of copies of German and Scandinavian editions being reckoned in the number. (3) That the Relief of the Schools Committee be requested to supply the Northern Union Conference with “Christ’s Object Lessons” at cost price for the erection of school buildings. (4) That a request be made in proper form, to the Pacific Union and the Manitoba Conferences, to unite the Montana Conference with the Northern Union Conference. (5) That a Central Union Conference be formed, comprising Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri, providing the plan be approved by the Southwestern Union Conference; also that, if the foregoing readjustment be approved, the delegates of the conferences comprising the proposed Northern Union Conference proceed at once to the organization of the Northern Union Conference, and that the Iowa and Nebraska Conferences send delegates to the Southwestern Union Conference for the purpose of uniting with the delegates of Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri in the organization of a Central Union Conference. 23. We recommend, That the organization of the Northern Union Conference go into effect on approval of the Southwestern Union Conference. It was voted to accept the proposal of the General Conference Association for the transfer to the Central Union Conference of Union College, with liabilities amounting to eighty-five thousand dollars, provided the Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri Conferences will accept their proportion of the indebtedness. 24. We recommend, That the location of headquarters for the Union Conference be referred to the union conference committee to be decided after the decision has been made concerning the division of territory. 25. We recommend, That the president, secretary, general agent, educational secretary, and missionary secretary of this union conference be a missionary committee for this conference. 26. We recommend, That the executive committee of the union and State conferences be urged to take the responsibility of so reconstructing the work in the State tract society offices that they may be able to carry out more perfectly the object for which they were organized, and— 27. We recommend, That these committees give earnest attention to the building up of our regular book work and tract and missionary work, and push the same with that energy which its importance demands, until all the people are engaged in the old-time missionary work. In pursuance of this plan,— 28. We recommend, (1) That State conferences arrange to relieve the tract society offices from all conference business outside the missionary department; (2) that our State tract society offices be supplied with sufficient help to do the routine work, thus enabling the missionary secretary to devote a large share of his time to progressive missionary work, both in the field and by correspondence. Whereas, God has providentially opened the way to push our vanguard still farther into the heart of Africa, therefore,— 29. Resolved, That we encourage the Mission Board to send Brother Joseph Booth into Nyassaland, South Africa, with a company of workers, and that we bear our share of the necessary expenses in supporting that work. Whereas, There is an urgent demand for medical missionaries in both home and foreign lands, therefore,— 30. We recommend, That our brethren in responsible positions encourage suitable persons to fit themselves for work as missionary physicians and nurses. Whereas, Good Health is a successful agent in the promulgation of health-reform principles, therefore,— 31. We recommend, That all our members take an active interest in circulating it among the people, particularly the special numbers, and in securing subscriptions for it. Recognizing our sanitariums as great educational factors in the molding of the public mind on the principles of healthful living, therefore,— 32. Resolved, That we earnestly pledge our co-operation to make them all that they should be as representatives of these principles. 33. We recommend, That the sanitarium boards and conference committees counsel together in establishing treatment rooms, health cafés, and schools of health, but we do not favor the establishment of independent enterprises without due counsel. Whereas, Health reform and Christian temperance are integral parts of the third angel’s message given of God to be a blessing to us, and through us a blessing to the world; and— Whereas, Many of our people are sick, and many die because of a lack of knowledge of these principles, this part of present truth not being properly represented, therefore,— 34. Resolved, That we indorse the efforts now being made through the Forward Movement to place these principles before our people, and that we urge every Seventh-day Adventist to study the lessons now being given in the REVIEW AND HERALD, and to apply them in the daily life. 35. We recommend, That the helpers in our sanitariums pay their tithe to the treasurer of the conference in which the institution is located, and in return that the conference furnish the sanitarium with suitable men to act as chaplains and Bible teachers. “Christ’s Object Lessons”
Whereas, The Lord has given us a great and good plan in the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” whereby all the people of the denomination may be enlisted in personal service, and— Whereas, We have abundant evidence that God is fulfilling to us the promise of his fourfold blessing,—a blessing to each one who should enlist in the service, a blessing to the cause as a whole, a grand deliverance to all14our schools from debt, and a great, blessed service in behalf of the world,—therefore,— 36. Resolved, That we express our thankfulness to God for the revival of this good work, and for the success thus far attained, and that we proceed immediately to perfect our one organized effort, and press on with renewed energy. Whereas, Through the missionary acre plan funds are to be raised with which to purchase the property of the Battle Creek College for the use of the American Medical Missionary College for the education and training of physicians and nurses to labor in our sanitariums, and to go to all parts of the world to establish the medical work; therefore,— 37. Resolved, That we fully indorse the plan, and promise to put forth earnest efforts to encourage our brethren and sisters to plant missionary gardens and acres, and give to the work as they deem advisable. 38. Recommended, That we request Dr. Kellogg to issue “The Living Temple” in the German and Scandinavian languages simultaneously with the English. Whereas, God has, in his inscrutable providence, permitted the removal from the field, by death, of our beloved brother and fellow-laborer, Elder O. S. Ferren, of Nebraska,— 39. Resolved, That we extend to his bereaved companion and children our heartfelt sympathy, and pray that they may be comforted by the consolation that the separation is only for a little while, and that the reunion will be for eternity. 40. Recommended, That a vote of thanks be extended to the brethren of the Des Moines church and to the Iowa Conference for their kindness and hospitality to the delegates during their stay at the conference. The Committee on Distribution of Labor submitted the following recommendations as a partial report:— 1. That Peter Lindahl, of Iowa, go to Nebraska, and run their Scandinavian colporteur wagon. 2. That Elder A. J. Stone, of Minnesota, go to Iowa to engage in the Swedish work during the summer. 3. That Edwin H. Wilbur be recommended to the Mission Board for service in China. 4. That Elder B. E. Fullmer and his wife be recommended to the Mission Board for service in India. 5. That Elder C. J. Buhalts and his wife be recommended to the Mission Board for service in Africa. 6. That Elder J. J. Graf labor in the Nebraska Conference. 7. That N. M. Jorgenson and his wife labor in South Dakota. 8. That John G. Walker labor in North Dakota. It was recommended that the following-named persons be given credentials: President of the Northwestern Union Conference, Andrew Nelson, C. J. Buhalts, W. M. Adams, H. J. Dirksen, J. W. Boynton; that ministerial license be given to W. E. Wentland; that missionary license be given to Neil McGill, Alice H. Robinson, Belle Purdon, Mrs. Jessie Adams, Ella Sowler, Carl Mang, Franz Fromback. The following-named persons were elected: President, to be supplied; Secretary, G. M. Brown; Treasurer, J. Sutherland; Auditor, M. W. Newton. Executive Committee: President of the Northwestern Union Conference, presidents of the Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska Conferences; president of Union College; chief of medical staff of College View Sanitarium. Delegates to European General Conference: C. W. Flaiz and N. P. Nelson. The Committee on Nominations, through its secretary, presented the following additional report:— For a board of incorporators for the Northwestern Union Conference: Joseph Sutherland, L. F. Starr, N. P. Nelson, N. W. Allee, E. T. Russell. For a board of management of Union College: The president of the Northwestern Union Conference, the presidents of the State conferences composing the Union College district, the president of Union College, the business manager of Union College, one of the Bible teachers of Union College, and the superintendent of the Nebraska Sanitarium. It was voted that the vice-president, canvassing agent, missionary secretary, and the educational secretary be appointed by the executive committee, as provided in the constitution.