ORGANIZATION OF THE CANADIAN UNION CONFERENCE by A. G. Daniells; I. A. Ford

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 17, 1901

ORGANIZATION OF THE CANADIAN UNION CONFERENCE.

By A. G. Daniells; I. A. Ford

During the session of the Eastern Union Conference held at South Lancaster, Mass., November 27 to December 5, a number of meetings were held with members of the General Conference Committee, also representatives from Canada, for the purpose of organizing a Canadian Union Conference.

The members of the General Conference Committee present were A. G. Daniells, W. C. White, W. W. Prescott, S. N. Haskell, H. W. Cottrell, I. H. Evans, and Frederick Griggs. The representatives from Canada were J. W. Collie, S. A. Farnsworth, G. E. Langdon, H. J. Farman, I. A. Ford, James Hannah, and W. R. Andrews.

Meeting was called to order by Elder A. G. Daniells. Prayer was offered by Elder I. H. Evans. I. A. Ford was elected Secretary of the meeting. By vote, all present were constituted a committee of the whole for the transaction of business.

On motion of Professor Prescott, it was voted to proceed with the organization of a Canadian Union Conference, with the understanding that the proceedings of the committee be submitted to the churches of Canada, and to go into effect by Jan. 1, 1902, providing the action of the committee shall have been approved by two thirds of the Canadian churches.

The following Constitution was unanimously adopted:—

CONSTITUTION OF THE CANADIAN UNION CONFERENCE.

ARTICLE I. — NAME.

This organization shall be known as the Canadian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

ARTICLE II. — PURPOSE.

The purpose of this Conference shall be the economizing of our time, energy, and means for the speedy heralding of the Third Angel’s Message to all within our borders, and the assisting as far as possible in the giving of the same to all the world.

ARTICLE III. — BOUNDS.

This Conference shall include the Conferences of the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, the Maritime Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), and Newfoundland.

ARTICLE IV. — REPRESENTATION.

Section 1.—Each local Conference shall be entitled to one delegate to any session of the Canadian Union Conference, without reference to numbers or its ex-officio member, and one additional delegate for each fifty members of such local Conference.

Sec. 2.—Each local Conference shall elect its delegates according to its approved methods, upon due notice of the appointed session of the Canadian Union Conference.

ARTICLE V. — OFFICERS.

Section 1.—The officers of the Canadian Union Conference shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, Auditor, and also an Executive Committee, as provided for in Section 3.

Sec. 2.—The above-named officers and the Executive Committee shall be elected at a regular session of the Conference, for a term of two years, or until the election of their successors.

Sec. 3.—The Executive Committee shall consist of eleven members, of whom the President, Vice-President, and presidents of the several local Conferences embraced in the Canadian Union Conference as ex-officio members, with an authorized representative from the medical, educational, and publishing work in the Conference, shall be members.

ARTICLE VI. — TRUSTEES AND AGENTS.

Section 1.—The members of the Conference shall at each regular session elect boards of management for such incorporated institutions and enterprises as are or may be connected with this organization, in accordance with the rules governing the same, and the laws of the province or colony wherein the same are situated.

Sec. 2.—The Executive Committee shall appoint departmental Secretaries, a Business Agent, also a General Canvassing Agent, for the said Conference, who shall serve under their direction.

Sec. 3.—The Conference shall employ such ministers, missionaries, committees, agents, or other persons as are necessary to carry on its work.

ARTICLE VII. — DUTIES OF OFFICERS.

Section 1.—President: The duties of the President shall be such as usually pertain to that office.

Sec. 2.—Vice-President: In the absence of the President or the vacation of the chair for any reason, the Vice-President shall fill the vacancy. Further, he shall assist the President in his work as he may be requested to do by the Executive Committee.

Sec. 3.—Secretaries: The duties of the secretaries shall be such as usually pertain to the office, and they shall also do such other work as the Executive Committee shall assign them.

Sec. 4.—Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all moneys belonging to the Conference, to keep a faithful account thereof, to deposit and disburse the same according to the direction of the Executive Committee. He shall make a full report of receipts and disbursements at all regular sessions of the Conference, or at such time as may be required by said Committee. The Treasurer shall also collect from the Conferences embraced in the Canadian Union Conference such financial and statistical reports as are required, and forward copies of the same as the Committee may direct.

Sec. 5.—Auditor: The Auditor shall faithfully audit the books of the Conference at such times as directed by the Executive Committee, and make a report of the same to the Conference. He may also audit the books of the several Provincial Conferences embraced in the Canadian Union Conference, upon their request.

Sec. 6.—Executive Committee: During the interval between the sessions of the Conference, the Executive Committee shall have full administrative power, and shall exercise a general watchcare over all matters pertaining to the work of the Conference, and shall fill for the current term any vacancies that may occur in the Conference, unless the same has been provided for in other sections of the Constitution or By-laws. It shall direct the work of the employees of the Conference, and pay them for labor performed, at regular intervals, from the funds of the Canadian Union Conference.

Sec. 7.—The Executive Committee may call for donations from local Conferences, churches, or individuals, when in their judgment it becomes necessary. They may also make contributions to the General Conference from the funds on hand when there is urgent need, and it seems advisable.

Sec. 8.—Trustees elected by the Conference for any corporate organization shall faithfully perform the duties incumbent upon them by the Constitution or By-laws of the Canadian Union Conference, and by the corporate laws of the province or colony in which the same may be located, and make such reports from time to time as the law requires or the Executive Committee may ask.

Sec. 9.—Agents: The Business and Canvassing Agents shall faithfully perform the duties belonging to their respective offices, under the direction of the Executive Committee, and in harmony with the laws governing the corporate bodies they may represent. They shall make such reports and at such times to the Executive Committee or Conference as may be required by the same.

ARTICLE VIII. — AUDITING COMMITTEE.

The Auditing Committee shall be composed of the President of the Canadian Union Conference and the Presidents of the Provincial Conferences, with such assistance as in their judgment may be advisable, and shall audit the accounts of the Conference laborers at least once a year.

ARTICLE IX. — FUNDS.

Section 1.—The funds of the Canadian Union Conference shall consist of such tithe as it shall receive from the several local Conferences within its determined bounds, with such gifts, legacies, bequests, devises, and other donations as shall otherwise be made to it.

Sec. 2.—The tithe shall be used for such purposes only as the word of the Lord directs. All other means to be used according to the best judgment of the Executive Committee and the specifications of the donors.

ARTICLE X. — SESSIONS.

The Canadian Union Conference shall hold regular sessions at intervals of about two years, at such time and place as its Executive Committee shall designate by a notice in the Review and Herald, three weeks before the date of meeting. The Conference Committee may call special sessions of the Conference at any time necessary, by giving notice of the same as for regular meetings.

ARTICLE XI. — BY-LAWS.

The Conference may make By-laws, and amend them or repeal them, at any session. The scope of such By-laws may embrace all subjects not inconsistent with this Constitution.

ARTICLE XII. — AMENDMENTS.

This Constitution may be amended by a three-fourths vote of the members present at any regular session.

OFFICERS.

Officers were elected as follows:—

Voted, That Elder W. H. Thurston be elected President of the Canadian Union Conference, providing he is willing to accept the position; and if he is not, that we request the General Conference Committee to assist in securing a president with as little delay as possible.

Voted, That Elder J. W. Collie be elected Vice-President.

Voted, That Carroll H. Drown be elected Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor.

Voted, That Charles F. Parmele be elected Union Conference Canvassing Agent.

Voted, That the following-named persons be elected members of the Executive Committee: W. H. Thurston, J. W. Collie, S. A. Farnsworth, Geo. E. Langdon, H. J. Farman, I. A. Ford, Carroll H. Drown, J. H. Robinson, George Cushing, Alven Huguley, Charles F. Parmele.

DISTRIBUTION OF LABOR.

A careful study of the needs of the field led to the following recommendations:—

That J. R. Israel and wife make Newfoundland their field of labor, to go there as soon as possible.

That we request the Mission Board to donate four hundred dollars for the purpose of building a missionary boat to work the coasts of Newfoundland.

That an ordained minister and wife, of good experience, be sent to Prince Edward Island.

That a minister and wife be sent to Cape Breton.

That we request that a minister and Bible worker be sent to Quebec.

That the selection of the headquarters of the Canadian Union Conference be left with the Executive Committee.

That if possible a general meeting for Canada be held in camp about the first of July, in the city selected for the headquarters of the Conference, the same to be followed with a strong tent effort during the summer.

That, if possible, the General Conference arrange for Elder E. E. Franke to attend the general meeting, and remain as long as consistent with other duties, to carry on the tent work.

PUBLISHING WORK.

The question of the publishing work was also considered. It was thought that it would be for the best interests of the work in the Canadian field if the publishing work could be controlled entirely by the brethren on the ground, and the following request was adopted:—

Whereas, It seems for the best interests for the advancement of the Third Angel’s Message in the Canadian Union Conference, that said Conference have the control of the publishing work in said territory; therefore, we—

Recommend, That the General Conference Committee be requested to negotiate with the Review and Herald Publishing Company, and secure the transfer of all its invested interests in said publishing work in the Canadian field to said Canadian Union Conference, or to such organization as said Conference may create to receive the same.

Voted, That we request the General Conference Association to surrender the notes held against the Review and Herald Publishing Company for the purchase of the Toronto Branch Office, with the understanding that the Review and Herald Publishing Company donate all its interests in the Toronto office to the Canadian Union Conference.

Voted, That we request the Pacific Press Publishing Company to donate to Newfoundland the stock of books and tracts now on that island which belong to them.

Voted, That the Canadian Union Conference publish a monthly paper of from eight to sixteen pages, as the necessities of the work may demand.

SCHOOL WORK.

Voted, That we request the Eastern and the Lake Union Conferences to surrender to the Canadian Union Conference their territory on the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons;” that the proceeds of

the sales of this book from this time be used for a fund with which to organize a school in the Canadian Union Conference.

The meetings of the Committee were pleasant, harmonious, and instructive. The blessing of the Lord rested upon us as we planned for the enlargement of the work in the great Canadian field. There was a general feeling on the part of the Committee that we were following the line of duty as marked out by the providence of God; and it is believed that this will mark the beginning of a new era in the history of this message in Canada, and that from this day forth the cause will move forward with greater rapidity.

When the Committee had finished its work, the above decisions were read to the delegates and visitors attending the Eastern Union Conference, who expressed their approval of the same, and wished the Canadian Union Conference a hearty Godspeed.

A. G. DANIELLS, Chairman.

I. A. FORD, Secretary.