The New England Conference by S. N. Haskell; M. Wood

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

The New England Conference.

By S. N. Haskell; M. Wood

Pursuant to appointment in REVIEW, the New England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists held its fifth annual meeting at S. Lancaster, Mass., Aug. 20, 1873. The President in the chair.

Prayer by Eld. J. N. Andrews. Fourteen churches were represented by delegates. In absence of the Secretary, Bro. M. Wood of Boston was chosen to act in his stead. After some preliminary remarks by Eld. Haskell, it was voted that the Chair appoint the following committee, viz.: Auditing Committee, Nominating Committee, also Committees on Resolutions and Credentials. After appropriate remarks by Eld. Andrews, the Chair appointed the following: Committee on Resolutions, Eld. J. N. Andrews, J. R. Israel, L. W. Hastings; on Credentials, S. Twing, J. C. Tucker, F. Mace; Nominating Committee, Eld. P. C. Rodman, J. T. Ashley, L. W. Hastings; Auditing Committee, S. Martin, C. L. Davis, J. C. Tucker, D. H. Gould, L. W. Hastings, M. Wood.

Adjourned to call of the Chair.

SECOND SESSION.

Prayer by Eld. Geo. I. Butler. Committee on Nominations report as officers of the N. E. Conference for the ensuing year, for President, Eld. S. N. Haskell of S. Lancaster, Mass.; for Secretary, M. Wood, Boston, Mass.; for Treasurer, C. K. Farnsworth, Washington, N. H.; Executive Committee, H. B. Stratton and A. W. Smith; Camp-meeting Committee, H. B. Stratton, J. C. Tucker, and S. Martin. The report was accepted and the nominees were elected by a unanimous vote. Committee on Credentials and Licenses reported that the credentials of Elds. S. N. Haskell and P. C. Rodman be renewed, and to grant licenses to Joel Crandall and L. W. Hastings.

Voted, That the N. E. Conference donate to the General Conference the eight hundred dollars previously loaned to it by this Conference.

Voted, That a committee be appointed to assist Bro. Chas. W. Comings in obtaining a purchaser for his farm, and a suitable person to take charge of, and manage, the same during his stay at Battle Creek. After some consultation with him, Eld. S. N. Haskell, C. K. Farnsworth, and L. W. Hastings, were appointed as said committee.

At this point, the scattered brethren at Williamsburg, N. Y., made a request through their delegate (Bro. Kellogg) to unite with the N. E. Conference. Also a letter was read from the few in New Jersey.

After appropriate remarks by Elders Butler, Andrews, and Haskell, upon the utility of forming some kind of organization with the brethren in New Jersey, and Williamsburg and Pleasantville in New York, the following was adopted:—

Whereas, The brethren in the vicinity of New York city have expressed a wish to unite with the New England Conference as being more convenient of access than the New York Conference, the churches of which are more remote; and,

Whereas, We would take no steps toward annexing a portion of the territory of the New York Conference without the consent of that Conference,

Resolved, That we express our willingness to receive these brethren on condition that they obtain the consent of the New York Conference; and, in the meanwhile, we request the General Conference Committee to send help to New York city for the purpose of organizing the churches in that vicinity.

Committee on Resolutions reported as follows:—

Resolved, That we hold in grateful remembrance the labors of our dear Bro. and sister White, with which we have been so often favored in the past, and which have been of such inestimable value to us, especially at many important crises in our history, and which we trust will, in God's merciful providence, be renewed to us in the future; and while we regret that they are under the necessity, because of prostration from excessive labor, to retire from the field to a place of comparative quiet and freedom, we assure them of our deep sympathy, and that our prayers do daily go up to God that his blessings may be richly bestowed upon them in the full recovery of their health. And that we will by the grace of God faithfully regard their warnings and admonitions so many times addressed to us.

Resolved, That we are fully in sympathy with the efforts now being made to establish a school for the purpose of training our young for usefulness in the cause of God, and we pledge ourselves to help forward the work after a godly sort.

Resolved, That we highly approve the plan of sending out Bro. L. W. Hastings to visit the churches in the Conference, to counsel and instruct them in the proper management of their affairs, and to administer the ordinances.

Adjourned sine die.

S. N. Haskell, Pres.

M. Wood, Sec.