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GENERAL CONFERENCE

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 16, 1879

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 54, No. 17.

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GENERAL CONFERENCE.

By James White

The readers of the REVIEW will notice on the last page of this week’s issue the appointments of our General Conference, also the anniversary meetings of our several associations and societies. These are to be held in the Tabernacle at Battle Creek, Mich., at the dates given in the appointments.
For several years in the past our General Conference has been held at the time of our great Michigan camp-meeting, in connection with the anniversary meetings of the Publishing Association, the Educational Society, the Health Reform Institute, and the General Tract and Missionary Society.
And while some have urged that the great amount of business necessary in this arrangement detracted from the spiritual interests of the camp-meeting, on the other hand it has seemed necessary to hold the annual business meetings of our legal associations and societies at the time of the greatest gathering of their friends who were stockholders in them, as the majority of stock in some of them must be represented in person or by proxy in order to elect officers and transact other business according to the law under which they are incorporated.
Our camp-meetings have come to be of great importance; and in order that they continue to be that source of strength to the cause they have been, general attendance throughout the several States in which they are held should be encouraged. And as our people and our work are practical, all the friends of the cause should be encouraged to take a lively interest in all branches of the work discussed at our business meetings. Our general meetings should therefore be held at such places, and at such times, as will secure general attendance.
No part of the field needs the blessings of a general camp-meeting as much as that portion of the State of Michigan where our institutions are located. The reports of such meetings in past years show that they have been the means of the conversion of many college students, persons at the Sanitarium, and those connected with the publishing work. During the present camp-meeting year, this matter has been controlled by others. And however much we may regret that the old plan, proved to be successful in the days of our prosperity, is exchanged this year by those who desire the benefits of new experiences, it is very probable that experience may convince them that changes are not always improvements.
And as experience is valuable, and as it is always best to do the very best we can, we have urged the necessity of a Biblical Institute, to be held with the series of meetings on the occasion of the General Conference and the several society meetings, as the means of calling together at Battle Creek many of our ministers and those who have the ministry in view.
At a business meeting of the church at Battle Creek, held after the Sabbath on the 11th, a committee of five was appointed by the chairman of the meeting, to take into consideration the matters of the General Conference, Biblical Institute and annual meetings of our several institutions located in this city, to report the following evening. The result of the work of this committee may be seen in the appointments on the last page, and the following resolution reported by Eld. McCoy, chairman of said committee, which was adopted by a rising vote of the Battle Creek church, at a brief session after the close of the service on the evening of the 12th:—
Resolved, That we, the S. D. A. church at Battle Creek, cordially invite the General Conference to hold its next annual session with us, and in connection therewith a Biblical Institute; and that we solicit not only an attendance of delegates from distant States, but a full attendance of brethren and sisters so far as practicable, cheerfully offering the hospitalities of our homes to all who may attend, while with us.
As the members of the church at Battle Creek take upon themselves the blessed burden of entertaining so large a crowd as they hope to see at our General Conference, several things may be suggested.
1. That those who come should bring bed clothes, buffalo robes, straw ticks, camp-chairs, and other conveniences and provisions similar to those usually taken to our camp-meetings, excepting stoves and tents. Lodging quarters can be found for one thousand in the old meeting-house, in the spare rooms of the printing buildings and College, and on the floors of spare rooms in all our dwellings.
2. That as the Biblical Institute will hold during the autumn college term of nearly nine weeks, the class should be a select one, its members to be selected by the trustees of the Educational Relief Fund of the several Conferences. In those Conferences where no such trustees have been appointed, the Executive Conference Board are requested to act in this matter.
3. The members of the Biblical Institute class may expect board free during the Conference week only.
4. That the first object of our educational efforts has been, and should be, the education of men for the ministry, so far as time, means, and circumstances will permit.
5. That the length of the term will give ample time for only one lesson each day, excepting on each first day of the week, when there may be two; therefore students can take a special course of other studies suited to their wants.
6. That the opportunities for improvement will probably be better the present autumn and the next winter than they will be at any future time. Mrs. W. and the writer design to remain at Battle Creek to assist in those departments of the work where our labors are most needed.
7. That the time has come for the friends of education to act liberally and with vigilance. The trustees and officers aforementioned will please act promptly in the performance of their official duties. Many will need no assistance, a less number will need some help, while a still smaller class will need means by loans or donations to pay their board. In all doubtful cases, correspondence should be held between trustees and managers of the Institute before such leave their homes.
8. That in most cases delegates to the General Conference can be taken from those who attend the Biblical Institute.
9. That as the Educational Relief Fund is not designed to pay traveling expenses, but to relieve those who need help in defraying expenses at our college, no encouragement should be given of assistance to meet traveling expenses.
10. And, finally, a crowd of students is expected at the autumn and winter terms of the Battle Creek College, as special attention is to be given to the theological department of our beloved school.
J. W.