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Michigan Conference of S. D. Adventists

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 16, 1873

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 42, No. 14.

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Michigan Conference of S. D. Adventists.

By E. H. Root; I. D. Van Horn

THIRTEENTH ANNUAL SESSION.

By order of the Committee, this Conference met on the camp ground, Battle Creek, Mich., after due notice had been given, Sept. 4, 1873, at 9 A. M. Meeting called to order by the President, and opened with prayer by Eld. C. Stoddard.
The number of delegates presenting credentials to the Conference was fifty, representing thirty-eight churches. Twenty-one churches were not represented.
It was moved and voted that all brethren in good standing be permitted to participate in the deliberations of the Conference.
Moved and voted that the following churches be received into the Conference: Monroe Center, Grand Traverse Co.; Dowagiac, Cass Co.; East Saginaw, Sag. Co.
The following unorganized churches were admitted under the watchcare of the Conference: Grant, Clare Co., Antrim, Shiawassee Co.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
The Treasurer's report of S. B. funds of the Conference was read and accepted as follows:—

TREASURER'S REPORT

Of the Mich. State Conference of S. D. Adventists from Sept. 5, 1872, to Sept. 4, 1873.
Amount on hand at last report, $6,342.23 Received to date, $5,765.59 Total, $12,107.82 Amount paid out during the year, $8,611.18 Balance in treasury at date, 3,496.64
Addie Merriam, Treasurer.
On motion, the Chair appointed the following committees:—
On Nominations, R. J. Lawrence, C. Stoddard, E. B. Lane. On Resolutions, J. H. Waggoner, I. D. Van Horn, D. H. Lamson. On Credentials and Licenses to assist the Conf. Committee, I. D. Van Horn, Ira Abbey, J. Fargo. Auditing Committee, Harmon Lindsay, E. B. Gaskill, J. S. Day, A. W. Maynard, Robert Sawyer, Chas. Buck.
Adjourned to the call of the President.

SECOND SESSION.

Opened with prayer by Eld. S. N. Haskell.
The report of the Committee on Nominations was read, suggesting the following persons for Officers of the Conference the ensuing year:—
President, E. H. Root; Secretary, John Kellogg; Treasurer, Addie Merriam. Conference Committee, E. H. Root, Harmon Lindsay, M. S. Merriam.
The report was accepted, and these brethren were unanimously elected to fill their respective offices.
The Auditing Committee read their report of the settlement of the accounts of ministers and licentiates. Bro. Butler, President of the Gen. Conf., made some excellent remarks on the duty of ministers and licentiates in their labor, and the duty of the Conference toward them.
The Committee on Credentials and Licenses reported the following ministers to receive a renewal of their credentials: James White, Ellen G. White, J. H. Waggoner, John Byington, M. E. Cornell, E. B. Lane, D. H. Lamson, Sands H. Lane, R. J. Lawrence, I. D. Van Horn, Philip Strong, C. Stoddard.
By vote of the Conference, the credentials of each of the above ministers were renewed.
The following-named brethren were presented by the Committee, and by vote of the Conference, received license for the ensuing year: W. H. Littlejohn, E. H. Root, H. M. Kenyon, Charles Jones, D. W. Milk, Edwin R. Jones, J. O. Corliss, A. N. Fisher, Charles A. Russell, E. P. Daniels, M. B. Miller.
The Committee on Resolutions reported the following, which were adopted by the Conference:—
Resolved, 1. That we deeply deplore our wretched condition as shown by Testimony No. 23, to the church of the Laodiceans; and we acknowledge the special hand of God in the plain, straight testimonies borne by Bro. Butler and Haskell on this and kindred subjects.
2. That we believe the time has fully come when we, as a people, should take a more decided stand in favor of the order which God himself has ordained in the work of the third angel's message. While we have formally acknowledged this order, and professed a belief in the gift of the Spirit, and in the position which Bro. White is called of God to occupy in this work, we confess that we have not heartily acted consistently with this profession; for which we feel to humble ourselves before the Lord. And we will earnestly strive for that love and union which must characterize the gospel of Christ, and without which we sink to the level of the formality of the current popular religion of this degenerate age.
3. That we now view all our murmurings, complainings, and fault-findings against those whom God has selected to bear special burdens and responsibilities in the third angel's message, and our great lack of sympathy with them in their afflictions, and of support in their work, as not wrongs against them merely, but as grievous sins against God, the author of this sacred work. And we believe that this, in a great measure, is the cause of our lukewarm condition, as God's Spirit has been grieved away by our murmurings. And we believe that thorough individual confessions must speedily be made to save us from being spewed out of the mouth of the True Witness.
Bro. Butler presented the following resolutions, which were adopted by vote of the Conference:—
Resolved, That the S. B. Treasurers of this Conference should pay all money belonging to it into the Conference treasury instead of paying it, or any part of it, to ministers or licentiates; and that no money should be paid out of the treasury during the Conference year, except by an order from the State Conference Committee.
Resolved, That this Conference consider it the duty of all ministers and licentiates in its employ to labor in new fields, if laboring at all, unless called upon by the State Conference Committee to labor in the churches. And the Conference will not consider itself under any obligation to pay for labor which is not in harmony with this resolution.
Resolved, That this Conference, in the matter of giving licenses to individuals to prove their gifts, do not consider itself under any obligation to pay for any labor of such persons, or their expenses, that does not prove to be a real benefit to the cause of truth. And it is furthermore expected that the Auditing Committee will settle in accordance with this principle.
Moved, that $1,000.00 of the S. B. fund of this Conference be appropriated to the use of the General Conference. Carried.
Moved, that the Olivet church be hereby disbanded by this Conference. Carried.
Moved, that a Camp-meeting Committee of three be appointed by the Chair. Whereupon the following brethren were appointed, and the appointment ratified by election: J. F. Carman, J. Fargo, and Wm. Potter.
The ordination of Bro. H. M. Kenyon took place at the close of the meeting. Eld. Geo. I. Butler made some interesting introductory remarks; Eld. S. N. Haskell offered the prayer, and Eld. J. H. Waggoner gave the charge and right hand of fellowship.
Moved and voted that the minutes of this meeting be published in the REVIEW.
Adjourned.
E. H. ROOT, Pres. I. D. VAN HORN, Sec.