p. 182 | NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 5, 1878

NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE.

By B. L. Whitney; S. B. Whitney

The seventeenth annual session of the New York and Pennsylvania Conference convened at Rome, N. Y., Nov. 13, 1878.

Twenty-nine churches were represented by thirty-six delegates. Three new churches were received into the Conference and nine companies of believers were taken under its watchcare.

The following resolution was unanimously adopted:—

Resolved, That brethren from abroad and those laboring among us be invited to participate in the deliberations of this Conference; and that we especially request Eld. J. N. Loughborough to make such suggestions and give such counsel as he shall see that the interests of the cause in this Conference demand.

Bro. C. H. Williams, who has lately embraced the truth from among the first-day Adventists, was also introduced to the Conference, and especially invited to take part in the discussion of business.

The several committees were as usual appointed by the chair, and consisted of the following-named persons: On resolutions, Geo. D. Ballou, A. P. Bump, and H. E. Robinson; on credentials, A. H. Hall, Jacob Wilbur, and F. Wheeler; on nominations, M. H. Brown, D. T. Fero, and R. F. Cottrell. Conference Auditors: E. S. Lane, David Carr, P. Z. Kinne, Daniel Bowe, Wm. Coats, and Geo. Hall. Auditors of S. B. books: E. W. Whitney, H. E. Robinson, and Geo. D. Ballou.

The Committee on Nominations reported that they were unable to proceed with their duties because of a request preferred from the general meeting at Wellsville. The action of that meeting being called for, the following report was presented:—

“At a business meeting held in connection with the general meeting at Wellsville, Nov. 11, 1878, the matter of dividing the New York and Pennsylvania Conference was presented with a view to learning the minds of the members present concerning it. After remarks by Brn. Loughborough and Whitney, the following resolutions were presented and after some discussion adopted:—

“Resolved, 1. That it is the sense of this meeting that this Conference be divided.

“2. That we request this Conference at its next annual session to consider the matter of dividing said Conference, and that we will submit to its action concerning it.”

The question was then referred to a committee of five to be appointed by the chair. D. T. Fero, Wm. Coats, J. G. Saunders, A. H. Hall, and Irving Whitford were named as said committee.

The question as to who should pay for the tracts given away by the ministers in connection with their meetings being raised, after considerable discussion it was finally voted, that the tract society pay for such

tracts and in return receive the profits on ministers’ book sales.

The committee appointed to consider the division of the Conference, after due consideration, and after prayer and consultation and with advice from Bro. Loughborough, presented the following preamble and resolutions as the sense of the committee:—

Whereas, the great extent of territory comprised in this Conference necessitates extensive travel by its officers, and imposes undue labor upon them, and

Whereas, The expense of effort, time, and money required to obtain a full representation at a given place is so great on the part of officers and members of the Conference and of all other State organizations as to make such representation practically a failure, and to necessitate the holding of two camp-meetings and two State meetings, thus virtually dividing the work and representation of the Conference; and

Whereas, Our General Conference Committee has recommended actual division; therefore

Resolved, That your committee recommend that the work of dividing the Conference be commenced at its present session, and be carried on according to the following plan: 1. That all of Pennsylvania and the counties of Chemung, Steuben, Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua from the State of New York, be organized into a separate Conference, taking the name Pennsylvania Conference; the remainder of the State of New York to retain its present organization and be called the New York Conference; 2. That officers be elected for these Conferences as follows: For each Conference respectively a secretary, treasurer, and an executive committee of two. For both Conferences one president, who shall preside until the settlement and arrangement of financial and other matters makes a complete division practicable, or until the next session.

After consideration, the report was adopted by a rising vote.

It was then voted that the chairman be instructed to add two more persons to the present nominating committee to assist in naming officers for the new Conference. Wm. Coats and A. D. Galutia were added to said committee.

It was also voted that the matter of finance in connection with the division of the Conference be referred to the executive board of both Conferences, when elected.

The name of the church at Farmington, Pa., was changed to Osceola, and that of Allegany county to Niles Hill.

A renewal of credentials was granted to Bro. B. L. Whitney, J. N. Andrews, R. F. Cottrell, F. Wheeler, S. B. Whitney, C. B. Reynolds, A. H. Hall, C. O. Taylor, and Jacob Wilbur. Bro. J. W. Raymond and C. H. Williams were recommended for ordination and credentials; and licenses were given to Bro. E. W. Whitney, M. C. Wilcox, J. Q. Foy, T. M. Lane, J. E. Robinson, H. E. Robinson, E. M. Plumb, F. Peabody, D. T. Fero, B. Holmes, A. P. Bump, J. G. Saunders, Geo. D. Ballou, M. H. Brown, H. H. Wilcox, and Barber Oviatt. Colporteurs’ licenses were given to Bro. E. S. Lane, A. H. Robinson, D. B. Welch, John Lindsey and his wife, S. A. H. Lindsey.

The Treasurer’s report was as follows:—

Receipts, $5003.79 Disbursements, 3546.86 Balance, $1456.93

The secretary’s report showed as follows:— No. of churches reporting, 37 Membership—Last Year, 911 “ Present “ 1009 S. B. reported, $3313.27 No. of S. S. Pupils, 472 “ “ Ministers, 11 “ “ Licentiates, 16 “ “ Licensed Colporteurs, 5

The Nominating Committee reported as follows: For President of both the New York and the Pennsylvania Conference, Eld. B. L. Whitney. For the New York Conference, Secretary, E. W. Whitney; Treasurer, Chas. E. Green; Executive Committee, B. L. Whitney, A. H. Hall, and P. Z. Kinne. For the Pennsylvania Conference, Secretary, D. T. Fero; Treasurer, O. P. Galloway; Executive Committee, B. L. Whitney, J. W. Raymond, and Barber Oviatt.

The report was accepted, and each person named was elected to the office designated.

The auditors of the S. B. books reported that sixteen books had come into their hands. After giving them a careful examination, out of the number not more than four or five were found to have been kept with any approximation to correctness or completeness, either in accounts or dates. And in view of the importance of having these accounts kept correctly, the committee recommended, 1. That the churches be requested, and urged, by the Conference to procure the new S. B. books, so that the treasurers may have no excuse for not keeping a correct account; 2. That the Conference secretaries be instructed to correspond with the S. B. treasurers in their respective Conferences, especially upon the point of greater care in keeping these accounts, giving such instruction as may be necessary.

After proper consideration, the report was adopted.

The Auditing Committee recommended an appropriation of $263 to the General Conference, which was accordingly made.

The Committee on Resolutions reported as follows:—

Resolved, That in view of the general prosperity of the cause of truth and of the manifold blessings of God that have attended his people and his work in this Conference during the past year, we hereby express our thanks to God for his mercy in showing us the light of the third angel’s message, and for permitting us to have a part in this work; and as we feel our confidence and courage in this work increasing, we will seek God earnestly for more of his Holy Spirit to rest upon and aid us in the determination to sustain the cause by all the means in our power.

Whereas, We believe the coming of the Lord to be very near, and feel the work committed to our trust to be a very important and responsible one, and

Whereas, The most self-sacrificing labors are required of our ministers, therefore

Resolved, That we as individuals and as a people pledge ourselves to hasten this work by adopting in full the tithing system for the support of the ministry, as recommended at the last session of the General Conference.

Resolved, That this Conference accept the recommendation of the General Conference Committee to pay one-tenth of its funds into the General Conference treasury.

Whereas, Much of the unity, harmony, and prosperity among us as a people is due to the gift of prophecy manifested through Sr. White, therefore

Resolved, That we show our increasing confidence in this gift by urging our people to give the testimonies that careful study which their importance demands, and by instructing our ministers to give this subject greater prominence in connection with their labors, by judiciously setting forth the perpetuity and special revival of this gift in the remnant church.

Resolved, That we recognize the hand of God in restoring the health of our beloved brother, James White, and we rejoice in the expectation of still being favored with his timely counsel and admonition.

Resolved, That we hail with joy the prospect of the establishment of a mission in England, and that we show our hearty approval of this move by pledging to sustain it by our prayers and means.

Resolved, That we hereby tender our sincere thanks to the General Conference for sending Eld. J. N. Loughborough to us on this occasion; that we recognize his presence and labors among us as a timely help from the Lord, and that we determine to profit by his counsel.

Resolved, That this Conference recommend to its ministers to make an earnest effort to obtain all the paying subscriptions for our periodicals possible, and also that they be instructed to use discretion in the distribution of free reading matter by keeping the cost of publications given away, as far as possible, within the profits on book sales.

Resolved, That the ministers, while in the employ of the Conference, be required to place all profits on all book sales at the disposal of the State T. and M. Society, whether purchased from the society or other sources.

Resolved, That it be the sense of this Conference that ministers should be required to advise with the Conference Committee in regard to their field of labor, and that they should be expected to labor in such field until they shall have developed their own work.

Resolved, That we, the ministers of this Conference, hereby pledge ourselves to practice strict economy in the matter of expenses, and that we will use every proper and commendable effort to obtain means to defray our expenses while laboring in new fields.

Resolved, That the time and place of our camp-meetings and next annual Conference or Conferences be left discretionary with the Conference Committees; and that they be empowered to appoint the Camp-meeting Committees.

Resolved, That it shall be the duty of each church treasurer to send his or her book to the State secretary one week previous to the annual session of the Conference.

Resolved, That our thanks are due to the officers and employees of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg, and the Utica and Black River railroads for the favors granted us and the courtesy shown to those who have attended this meeting from abroad.

Resolved, That a copy of the proceedings of this Conference be furnished to the REVIEW AND HERALD for publication.

The session of the Conference required several meetings in the transaction of its business, and some points elicited interesting discussion. Bro. Loughborough was especially invited to preach on the subject of tithing, which he did, to general acceptance, as the resolutions in the report show. The report of the Committee on Resolutions was unanimously adopted, several resolutions being passed by a rising vote of the entire audience.

The Conference adjourned Nov. 19, 1878.

B. L. WHITNEY, Pres. S. B. WHITNEY, Sec.