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Business Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the S. D. A. General Conference

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 25, 1873

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 42, No. 24.

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Business Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the S. D. A. General Conference.

By Geo. I. Butler; Uriah Smith

THE S. D. A. General Conference held its twelfth annual meeting, according to appointment, in Battle Creek, Mich., Nov. 14, 1873. The President, Geo. I. Butler, in the chair. Opening prayer by J. N. Andrews.
Delegates being called for, the following responded:— Eld. R. F. Andrews, Illinois. P. Z. Kinne, New York. Jas. Harvey, Indiana. Eld. S. N. Haskell, New England. Eld. Jas. White, California. A. Vuilleumier, Swiss Mission. Eld. John Matteson, Danish Mission. Eld. Geo. I. Butler, Iowa. Oliver Mears, Ohio.
The smallness of the number of delegates present was owing to the shortness of the notice, which did not give all time to appoint delegates in due form. Brethren being present from different parts of the field,
On motion, it was voted that the President appoint from those present, persons to act as delegates from the different Conferences. The following were appointed:— D. A. Robinson to act for Maine. A. S. Hutchins, “ “ “ Vermont. C. Comings, “ “ “ N. England. Eld. J. N. Andrews, “ “ New York. Eld. J. H. Waggoner, Eld. I. D. Van Horn, Harmon Kenyon, Harmon Lindsay, A. W. Maynard, Ira Abbey, Michigan. Eld. John Matteson, “ “ Wisconsin. Wm. Ings, “ “ Iowa.
Bro. White made remarks explaining the call for a Conference at the present time. It was for the purpose of arranging matters preparatory to extending the work on the Pacific coast, sending a missionary to Switzerland, &c.
Minutes of last meeting read and accepted.

TREASURER'S REPORT.

Amount on hand at the time of last report, March 3, 1873, $4,375.63 Amount received since last report, $4,663.00 Total, $9,039.63 Amount paid out since last report, $4,879.88 Balance on hand, Nov. 12, 1873, $4,159.75 E. B. Gaskill, Treas.
On motion, it was referred to the Conference Committee to determine at what points in the meeting the annual addresses appointed at last Conference should be presented.
On motion, the President appointed the following committees:— On Auditing: Oliver Mears, Ira Abbey. On Nominations: I. D. Van Horn, P. Z. Kinne, Jas. Harvey. On Resolutions: J. N. Andrews, J. H. Waggoner, John Matteson. On Preaching: The preachers present.
Reports from laborers being called for, responses were made by Bro. Matteson, respecting the work among the Scandinavians. Many items of interest and encouragement were mentioned. Bro. White related many interesting incidents of his sojourn the past summer in Colorado.
Adjourned to 2 P. M.

SECOND SESSION.

Met according to adjournment, and listened to the opening discourse by Eld. Jas. White, based on the 10th chapter of Revelation.

THIRD SESSION.

Sunday, 4 P. M. Prayer by Eld. S. N. Haskell.
Committee on Nominations reported by suggesting the following persons as officers of the Conference the coming year, who were unanimously elected:— President: Eld. Geo. I. Butler, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Secretary: Sydney Brownsberger, Battle Creek, Mich. Treasurer: E. B. Gaskill, Battle Creek, Mich. Conference Committee: Geo. I. Butler, S. N. Haskell, Harmon Lindsay.
The General Conference Committee reported through the Chairman in reference to the matter committed to their hands by the last Conference in reference to inducing proper persons to move to Battle Creek. He reported a number of families brought in, in this manner. Their action was approved by vote of the Conference.
On motion, the committee were requested to continue their action for the year to come.
The Conference Committee, having been intrusted with the matter of raising funds for a denominational school, reported through the Chairman. Fifty-two thousand dollars have been pledged.
Most of the session was taken up with remarks by various persons.
Adjourned to call of the President.

FOURTH SESSION.

The report of the Committee on Resolutions being called for, they reported the following, which were adopted:—
1. Resolved, That God has committed to us as a people two great truths which he holds us responsible to set before our fellow men, viz., the doctrine of the near advent of Christ, and that of the commandments of God, and the holy Sabbath.
2. Resolved, That while we must ever feel an interest in those who are looking for the return of the Lord, we deeply regret the opposition of many of the Advent people to the Sabbath and the law of God; and we cherish toward them no spirit of contention or of bitterness, but hope that with many of them a more candid spirit toward these great truths may yet prevail.
3. Resolved, That we recognize in the S. D. Baptists a people whom God has highly honored in making them in past ages the depositaries of his law and Sabbath, and that we desire, so far as practicable, to co-operate with them in leading men to the conscientious observance of the commandments of God.
4. Resolved, That we fully indorse the position taken in the paper read by Eld. Butler on Leadership. And we express our firm conviction, that our failure to appreciate the guiding hand of God in the selection of his instruments to lead out in this work has resulted in serious injury to the prosperity of the cause, and in spiritual loss to ourselves. And we hereby express our full purpose of heart faithfully to regard these principles, and we invite all our brethren to unite with us in this action.
5. Resolved, That our confidence is increased in the gift of the Spirit of prophecy which God has so mercifully placed in the third angel's message; and that we will endeavor to maintain an affectionate regard for its presence and its teachings; and we hereby request our Executive Committee to prepare or cause to be prepared a work giving our reasons for believing the testimonies of sister White to be the teachings of the Holy Spirit.
6. Resolved, That we behold the wisdom and goodness of God in the reforms which he has introduced among this people. And with deep regret we have noticed a declension from both the health and dress reforms. And we entreat our people to arouse and to make these subjects matters of conscience, and to take that stand which will make us an example to the world, and secure the approbation of God.
7. Resolved, That we feel the deepest interest in the work among people of other tongues, and recommend to our Executive Committee to take steps for the speedy publication of tracts and periodicals in other languages; and we heartily indorse the suggestion of Bro. White, not to wait for the cause to grow so strong among them that they can pay for these works, but to move out by faith as was done in the first publication of the REVIEW AND HERALD, believing that the true method of extending the cause in that direction is to furnish them with present truth publications.
8. Resolved, That we recommend to the officers of the different State Conferences, who arrange the quarterly meetings and missionary labor among the churches, to see that labor is bestowed upon the churches of other tongues in their State the same as upon those of our own nationality.
9. Resolved, That as a Conference we express our sincere approval of the action of our Executive Committee during the past year, involving, as it has, peculiar responsibilities in respect to the advancement of the work of God, and making more definite and plain the principles which should govern our action, as a people, and we believe that in these things they have had the special guidance of the Holy Spirit.
10. Resolved, That we consider it for the interests of the Tract and Missionary Societies to so consolidate their system by some general organization, that at the General Conference each Conference society may be represented, and thus uniformity of action be secured.
Amendment. That the General Conference Committee be requested to prepare a plan to secure the object herein mentioned.
Passed as amended.
A letter from the Missouri Conference was read by the President, and referred to the Gen. Conf. Committee for such action as they shall think is demanded.
On motion, the President was authorized to appoint a committee of four to act with the Executive Committee of the Conference, in the formation of an Educational Society preparatory to the establishment of a denominational school. The following persons were appointed: James White, Ira Abbey, J. N. Andrews, and Uriah Smith.
The General Conference Committee were instructed by vote of the Conference to appoint a delegate to the S. D. Baptist General Conference, in season for its next session.
Adjourned. Geo. I. Butler, Pres. U. Smith, Sec.