THE sixtieth annual session of the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference was held in De Ruyter, N. Y., commencing on fourth-day, Sept. 23, 1874. The report appears in the Sabbath Recorder of Oct. 15. We have looked it over with interest, but have room for only a few items at this time.
The statistics show the whole number of churches to be 83, with a total membership of 8,237. The total increase of membership during the past year is reported to be 572. Four hundred and fifteen of these were by baptism. The total decrease by death, dismissal, and excommunication, 274, leaving a net increase of 298.
The churches were reported as generally in good working condition and harmony prevailing among the brethren. The determination to sustain and extend the distinctive work of the denomination, it is believed, was never stronger than now.
The officers appointed were, Moderator, G. E. Tomlinson; Clerk, G. J. Crandall; Assistant Clerk, D. H. Davis.
Eld. L. C. Rogers, of Milton, Wis., the S. D. Baptist delegate to our General Conference of August last, in the course of the meeting submitted the following report, which was adopted:—
Your delegate to the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference submits the following:—
There were two sessions of this body during our last Conference year. The first occurred in November; the second, in August, and in connection with the Michigan State Conference, which continued from the sixth to the seventeenth of the month. Your delegate was present from the seventh to the twelfth, during which time the General Conference held two sessions. He did not learn of the fall Conference until it was past, it being unusual to call the Conference at this season of the year. The August General Conference having been called on short notice, there were but few delegates present except those who came to attend the State Conference. The attendance from the State, however, was large; this being the largest assemblage of Sabbath-keepers ever held in this country, or in modern times. It was a truly interesting and inspiring occasion. The numbers in attendance, of all classes, on first-day, was estimated at 10,000 people. The meetings were held in an encampment, in a beautiful grove, a short distance from the city of Battle Creek. A strong revival spirit was developed during these meetings, which resulted in a large number of hopeful conversions.
The sessions of General Conference were presided over by Eld. Geo. I. Butler, President. The business of deepest interest transacted was the organization of a General Tract and Missionary Society, with Eld. James White as President, and Eld. S. N. Haskell as Business Agent. The local Tract and Missionary Societies have hitherto been connected with the State Conferences. Reports from about half of these show a distribution and sale of 16,000,000 pages during the past year, which, with sales not included in this report, have added to the revenues of the Publishing Association over $32,000. The assets of this Association are now inventoried at $100,000, from an original capital of $40,000.
Another item of interest was the sending of Eld. J. N. Andrews as Missionary to Europe, to look after their Swiss Mission, and other points of interest on the Continent.
Another item of importance was the establishment of a branch office of publication at Oakland, California, with a weekly paper, the first numbers of which have already been issued, designed to promote the interests of their cause, now quite flourishing on the Pacific Coast. California adds another to the fourteen State Conferences previously reported. This General Conference also took measures toward establishing a paper upon the Atlantic Coast, the plan most favored being to stereotype the pages of the Review, published at Battle Creek, and send the plates to the point designated, thus publishing two editions.
Not the least among the items of business which interested your delegate, was the progress reported in efforts to establish a denominational school of a high and permanent character, at this denominational center. Such a school is now in progress, under the presidency of Mr. S. Brownsberger, A. M., a devoted and intelligent Adventist, and a graduate of the Michigan University. A massive brick building for the use of the school is about completed, on a lot of twelve acres, highly improved, and nearly opposite their Health Institute, and on a beautiful elevation within the limits of the city of Battle Creek. The massive brick buildings of the Publishing Association are also near by, and their extensive church edifice. Beautiful residences of Adventist families also adorn this part of the city. Your delegate was highly pleased with his visit to these institutions, which give evidence of being in a prosperous condition, and under the management of able and enterprising officers and agents. About forty churches have been added to the Seventh-day Adventist connection since the report of your former delegate with a proportionate increase of membership, which, however, is not yet equal to that included in our own General Conference. They have more than four times as many churches as we have, which are of necessity small, from the fact—that they are rapidly formed from the nucleus of an Advent preacher's tent, or an Advent family, or even a few Advent books. They have no settled preachers. Their cause is like a rolling stone that gathers no moss.
Your delegate was received by vote of Conference, and in an address of welcome by Eld. J. N. Andrews; and in the last session of Conference which your delegate attended, he was invited to use the time of the Conference, a portion of which he did, in setting forth the claims of God's law and Sabbath, and in showing some of the grounds upon which the good feeling and unity now existing between Seventh-day Baptists and Seventh-day Adventists could and should be continued, to the advantage of the cause of truth. Favoring responses were made by Elders Andrews and White; and by a unanimous vote of the brethren, a hearty God-speed was extended to your delegate, as he left the meeting to take the cars to return home.
The next session of the S. D. Baptist Conference is appointed to be held with the church at Alfred Center, on Fourth-day before the last Sabbath in September, 1875. Eld. N. V. Hull, editor of the Sabbath Recorder, was appointed delegate to the next General Conference of S. D. Adventists.