EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE MICHIGAN CONFERENCE OF S. D. ADVENTISTS by J. Fargo; A. B. Oyen

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 17, 1878

EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE MICHIGAN CONFERENCE OF S. D. ADVENTISTS.

By J. Fargo; A. B. Oyen

The eighteenth annual session of the Michigan Conference of S. D. Adventists was held on the camp-ground at Battle Creek. The first meeting convened Oct. 2, 1878, at 5 P. M. The president, Eld. J. Fargo, called the meeting to order. Prayer was offered by Eld. D. M. Canright.

Credentials of delegates to the Conference being called for, 71 credentials were presented, representing 44 churches. Geo. Leighton from Otsego, Nelson Brown from Ovid, Wm. Erwin from Leslie, J. S. Day from Monterey, Austin Hamilton from Sheridan, C. B. Ingersoll from Adrian, and A. O. Burrill from Convis, were, by vote

of the Conference, chosen to represent these churches.

The minutes of the Conference of 1877 were read and accepted.

On motion, the chair appointed the different committees. They were as follows: On nominations, W. C. White, M. B. Miller, E. Van Deusen; on resolutions, W. H. Littlejohn, M. B. Miller, S. Brownsberger; on auditing, A. W. Maynard, F. Howe, J. S. Wicks, J. S. Day, E. P. Giles, F. Nelson. Meeting adjourned to call of chair.

The second meeting convened Oct. 7, at 6:30 P. M. The president called the meeting to order, and prayer was offered by Eld. E. R. Jones.

The minutes of the first meeting were read and approved.

Eight additional delegates, representing six different churches, took their seats as members of the Conference at this meeting.

The Committee on Nominations reported as follows: For President, J. Fargo; Secretary, A. B. Oyen; Treasurer, H. W. Kellogg; Executive Committee, J. Fargo, S. Brownsberger, S. H. King. It was moved and seconded, that these persons be declared elected to their respective offices, as a whole. Carried.

The Committee on Credentials and Licenses submitted the following report: For Credentials, James White, Mrs. E. G. White, J. H. Waggoner, John Byington, A. O. Burrill, D. H. Lamson, R. J. Lawrence, I. D. Van Horn, E. B. Lane, Sands H. Lane, H. M. Kenyon, U. Smith, E. R. Jones, J. O. Corliss, Orlando Soule, M. B. Miller, E. Van Deusen, J. Fargo, E. H. Root, James Sawyer, and W. H. Littlejohn for ordination and credentials. It was voted that the credentials of these ministers be renewed according to the recommendation of the committee. The case of J. B. Frisbie was referred back to the committee for further consideration.

The committee also recommended the renewal of the license of the following-named persons: Wm. Potter, H. S. Guilford, Mrs. E. S. Lane, D. A. Wellman, J. L. Edgar, John Sisley, Gardner Owen, August Rasmussen, R. T. Sisley, Frank Starr, Geo. Gilbert, Isaac Morrison, Knud Brorsen, A. B. Oyen, M. S. Burnham, E. P. Daniels, L. A. Kellogg, Wm. Ostrander, B. F. Richards.

Voted, That the above-named persons receive license.

The cases of Geo. King, T. P. Butcher, G. A. Carlstedt, J. S. Preston, and Mrs. C. A. Preston were referred to the Conference Committee.

The treasurer's report was then read. It was as follows:—

TREASURER'S REPORT.


Cash on hand Sept. 17, 1877,	$10,435.99
Received during the year,	9,538.66
Total,	$19,974.65
Paid out during the year,	9,452.61
Balance on hand, Sept. 30, 1878,	$10,522.04

Mrs. F. H. Sisley, Treasurer.

On motion, the report was accepted. The meeting then adjourned to the call of the chair.

The third meeting was held Oct. 10, at 8:15 A. M. The president being absent, Eld. J. H. Waggoner was called to the chair. Prayer was offered by Eld. J. Byington.

The Committee on Credentials and Licenses recommended the renewal of Eld. J. B. Frisbie's credentials. This recommendation was adopted by the Conference.

Several requests from churches to retain their s. b. for the coming year were referred to the Conference Committee to act upon.

The classes of Sabbath-keepers at Westphalia, Hickory Corners, and Deerfield were, by vote, taken under the watchcare of the Conference.

The Committee on Resolutions then read the following partial report, and, on motion, these resolutions were taken up separately: 1. Whereas, The time has manifestly come in the providence of God for the establishment of a S. D. Adventist mission in Great Britain, therefore, Resolved, That we heartily endorse the suggestions of Eld. James White on this subject, and that we recommend to the brethren in this Conference to contribute liberally of their means to the end that these suggestions may be fully carried out without embarrassment or delay. 2. Whereas, The duty of simplicity in both dress and manners is clearly inculcated in the word of God, and Whereas, It is painfully manifest that as a people we are slowly but steadily backsliding in these respects, therefore, Resolved, 1. That we earnestly exhort our brethren and sisters in this Conference, as they love their own spiritual interests, and as they would advance those of the cause of God, that they speedily return to the old paths by making the reformation necessary for this purpose. 2. That we recommend to the ministers of this Conference, first, that they shall present the teachings of the word of God on this subject on all suitable occasions, with all plainness of speech; and second, that they shall become an example to the flock by carefully avoiding slackness in dress on the one hand, and on the other the use of every article of apparel and every appendage, of whatever name or nature, to the employment of which any reasonable person could take exception, and against the use of which he could find authority in the Scriptures.

These were unanimously adopted by the Conference, and resolution 2 was adopted by a rising vote of the congregation.

The time having arrived for the General Conference to assemble, the meeting was adjourned to call of the chair.

The fourth meeting was held Oct. 10, at 10 A. M. The Conference was called to order by Eld. Waggoner, and prayer was offered by Eld. J. N. Andrews.

The Committee on Resolutions completed the reading of their report at this meeting, as follows:—

3. Whereas, The method heretofore employed in the raising of our systematic benevolence fund has not worked satisfactorily in all respects, and Whereas, A tract is about to be issued from the Review Office, in which a better and more scriptural plan for this purpose will be elaborately set forth, therefore, Resolved, That we heartily concur in the system therein proposed, and that we recommend all of our brethren throughout the Conference to adopt the same and put it in practice as soon as the time for the regular yearly business meeting for their respective churches shall be reached.

4. Resolved, That our ministers, equally with our lay brethren, are under obligation to pay to the Lord a tithe of their income.

5. Resolved, That we recommend to the faithful auxiliary of this Conference, the T. and M. society, that the plan of raising funds for the carrying on of its work known as the one-third be dispensed with entirely, and that the T. and M. work be sustained, as far as possible, by an apportionment of such a proportion of the Conference funds as may be deemed advisable by this body in full concurrence with the General Conference in its Committee.

6. Whereas, This Conference recognizes the special favor of God manifested among S. D. Adventists in the gift of the spirit of prophecy through Sr. White, and, Whereas, We owe much of our harmony, united action, and steady growth to its agency, Resolved, That all our ministering brethren should give this gift more prominence in their labors among the people, and set forth its perpetuity and special revival among S. D. Adventists. Resolved, That, before leaving new churches which they have been instrumental in raising up, all our ministers should discreetly instruct the people upon the important work of this gift before they can reasonably consider their work finished.

7. Whereas, Many of the churches have been granted permission by the Conference to apply their s. b. to the building of a house of worship, and Whereas, From this permission there has resulted an inequality in bearing burdens, arising from an unequal distribution of men of means among the churches, Resolved, That we recommend that the s. b. of the various churches be paid into the State treasury, and whenever aid is needed by any church to build a house of worship, application be made to the Conference for an appropriation for this purpose. Resolved, That we recommend that no church shall enter upon the construction of a house of worship without first counseling with the Conference Committee. Resolved, That in the judgment of this Conference, ministers traveling to a distance for the purpose of attending funerals should be paid by the friends of the deceased the full amount of their traveling expenses, providing their means are sufficient to warrant such payment. Resolved, That we cordially invite the president of this Conference to make Battle Creek his place of residence.

After considerable discussion and several amendments, all the above were adopted except the fifth resolution. The sixth was adopted by a rising vote of the congregation.

Adjourned to call of the president.

Fifth meeting, Oct. 13, at 1:30 P. M. Meeting called to order by the president. Prayer by Eld. D. H. Lamson. The reading of the minutes of the last meeting was waived.

The subject of making a donation to the General Conference being introduced, the assembly desired to know the financial standing of the Conference. It was explained that after settling with the ministers for the past year, there would be a balance of $6,266.50 in the treasury.

It was then moved and seconded that the Conference donate $3,000 to the General Conference, and that it hereafter pay a tithe of its income to the General Conference. Carried.

Eld. Canright presented the following resolution, which was adopted by the Conference:—

Whereas, In order to avoid expense in traveling and loss of time, and to secure greater permanency to the work of individual ministers, it is, in our judgment, necessary that each preacher, after selecting his field of labor, remain in that section for at least one year, to develop his own work, therefore, Resolved, That we recommend the ministers and the Executive Committee to act upon this plan as far as is practicable.

The classes at Seneca, Jasper, Mt. Pleasant, Pierson, and Coral, were, by vote, taken under the watchcare of the Conference.

Several requests from churches in regard to retaining their s. b. for the purpose of building houses of worship were referred to the Conference Committee.

A resolution in regard to donating to the General Conference a tithe of the s. b. funds of the Conference for the past year, in addition to that already donated, was lost, and it was finally moved and seconded that the matter be referred to the Conference Committee. Carried.

Eld. E. R. Jones was appointed Auditor, to examine the s. b. treasurers' books.

The meeting then adjourned to call of chair. J. FARGO, Pres. A. B. OYEN, Sec.