EASTERN UNION CONFERENCE.
By Arthur G. Daniells
The first session of the Eastern Union Conference was held at South Lancaster, Mass., Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, 1901. The General Conference laborers who were present from abroad were Sister E. G. White, Elder S. N. Haskell, Elder W. C. White, Prof. W. W. Prescott, Elder I. H. Evans, Brother E. R. Palmer, and the writer. The attendance from the Atlantic Coast was good, and consisted of the officers of the Union Conference, presidents and ministers of the State Conferences, and other delegates and visitors. In all, there must have been seventy-five people present from abroad. As the meeting covered only nine days, it was necessary to make the most of each day. Every morning at six o’clock a Bible study was conducted by Elder Haskell. During a part of the time Professor Prescott gave Bible studies at 8:30 A. M. The evenings were devoted to general public meetings. The lessons given in all these services were good, and the evening meetings were well attended, but none of the morning services were as well attended as the beautiful lessons deserved. The committees felt pressed for time, so attended to their business, sometimes even during the morning studies. I have a conviction that this is a mistake. The fact is, nothing but spiritual life and power can make our business meetings, and the business itself, of any force and value. This is offered to all who will take time to seek and appropriate it. I am inclined to think that if the first day or two were given up wholly to earnest prayer, Bible study, and conference regarding our message, our field, and our needs, we should get such light and knowledge regarding the situation, that committees and delegates would be able to do better work in the remaining part of the Conference than they can during the whole time by plunging into business the first day. In this Conference the time set apart for business proceedings was given the first two days, to the study of important questions, without endeavoring to press business to the front. If this course is pursued more generally and fully in the future, I feel certain that great good will come to our Conferences. The business proceedings passed off with very little, if any, friction, or even difference of opinion. The delegates found it necessary to deal with large, perplexing questions, affecting the evangelical, educational, medical, and publishing work. Before the Conference closed, it was apparent to all that the Eastern Union Conference has a mission—a large, important, far-reaching work on its hands. It was discovered that many details which lie at the very foundation of the growth and prosperity of the work on the Atlantic Coast had not been receiving due attention. These were taken up by this new Conference, and thus the work in all its phases was placed on a basis which gives reasonable assurance of more rapid development. As this was done, courage and good cheer came into the hearts of the burden-bearers. As the business proceedings will be reported by the secretary, I will not refer at length to the details.838By the organization of the Canadian Union Conference, the Eastern Union Conference lost the Canadian portion of its territory. But it has an abundance left. Its name was changed from Eastern to Atlantic Union Conference. Action was taken for the publication of a Union Conference paper. The headquarters are to remain, for a time at least, at South Lancaster. New York City would be more central, and in some respects more suitable, but South Lancaster has some decided advantages. The South Lancaster Academy suspended school during the Conference, thus giving the students an opportunity to attend the meetings. The academy is enjoying a large attendance. Nearly all of the students are attending school for the purpose of obtaining that preparation for the work of God that a school can give. The managers of this school have reason to be of good courage in their work. Several hours in the regular program were devoted to the consideration of our book, tract, and missionary work. It was indeed cheering to see the strong, unanimous sentiment in favor of a general forward movement along these lines. There was a hearty response to the call for every Seventh-day Adventist—minister, Bible worker, regular agent, and lay member—to take some part in circulating our literature. A general effort is to be made throughout the Eastern Conferences in behalf of the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” and the extension of our book and tract work. It is evident that the old tract and missionary spirit, which had its origin in the East, as far as the work of this denomination is concerned, is now returning, and under God’s blessing a great work will be accomplished. There was a good attendance of the State agents and tract society secretaries. On the whole, the work in the Eastern States is encouraging. The cloud is moving. Elder Cottrell, who was re-elected president, finds a large work and many burdens on his hands, but he will have the prayers and the co-operation of the brethren throughout the Conference. As I think of the twenty-five millions of souls in that Conference, about one third of the population of the whole United States, I feel, deep down in my heart, that some of our large, strong Conferences farther west should share their laborers and funds with some of the weaker and more needy Conferences in the East. One thing all can do, that is, pray for the prosperity of the cause in the Atlantic Union Conference. A. G. DANIELLS.