California Conference Report.
(Concluded from page 63.) Friday, Oct. 9th, at 8 1/2 A. M. Committee on Credentials and Licenses reported in favor of granting Minister's Credentials to Bro. M. G. Kellogg; and in favor of granting Licenses to improve their gift to the following brethren: W. N. Healey, E. F. Uhl, C. A. Carey, Andros Brosen, Knud Brosen, E. A. Stockton, J. S. Howard, A. W. Bartlett and John Judson. Report of committee accepted. Eld. Butler spoke to the point, reciting the imperative necessity of more laborers in the field in order to spread these living but unpopular truths, and what he considered to be the necessary endowments and qualifications the men should possess to whom licenses are granted to preach the Word of God under the sanction of the Conference; and stated further, that unless those who go out to labor in this direction do benefit the cause, the Conferences generally do not feel under obligations to pay them for their time and efforts; but that it has been the rule to pay all successful laborers. Also, that when any that have been granted license to preach are found to injure rather than benefit the cause, the Conference Committee may revoke such license. Eld. Loughborough also made remarks for the benefit of these candidates, cautioning them of the danger of getting puffed up, and of the great need of care as to how they demean themselves. By a vote of the Conference licenses were granted according to the recommendation of the Committee. Eld. Butler remarked that he hoped every one of the brethren to whom a license had been granted would start out with a determination to succeed—not to expect to do so very much at the outset, but working with determination in the smallest and most remote fields at first if need be with all their might; and success would crown their efforts. Eld. Loughborough counseled them as a general rule to avoid commencing labors in meeting houses of other denominations which would be closed against them as soon as an interest was awakened. By request of the Conference the Chair appointed D. M. Canright, Alfred Mason and C. A. Carey as a committee to examine Church and Systematic books, and sisters Lucie Bush, Emma White and Sarah Judson as a committee to assist the Secretary in examining Church Reports. The following resolution was then introduced by Eld. Canright, of the Committee on Resolutions:— Resolved, That the Ministers laboring in this Conference be hereby instructed to solicit pledges of means to be paid within the coming Conference year, for the purpose of establishing a publishing office upon this coast and issuing reading matter upon the great principles of the Present Truth. After remarks by several persons, the resolution passed by a unanimous vote. Sunday, Oct. 11th at 5 P. M. Conference opened with prayer, after which the President called up the matter of the Camp Meeting Fund, and made some remarks as to the disposition of the moneys of that fund during the past year. Following is the report:— Bal. of fund rec'd from State Treas., $137.06
Rec'd for lumber during Camp Meeting, 39.42
Sale of Sierra tent, 15.00
Rent of Restaurant, 20.00
Donated toward Expenses, 4.50
Total Receipts, $215.98
Paid for meeting of 1874.
Printing, Lumber, Freight, Oil, &c., $148.64
Watching gap ten days, 20.00
Five cords Wood for camp fires, 25.00
To Mr. Brann for examining Tent, 4.00
Total Expenses, $197.64
Balance on hand, $18.34. The President announced that the time had now come to receive pledges to the Publishing Fund, stating the desirability of raising at least ten thousand dollars, to be paid any time before Jan 1st. 1876. One brother started the list with a thousand dollars, a sister followed with another thousand, several followed these with $500, others $300, $250, $200, $150, and then followed a list of fifty with $100, and many $50, $30, $20, and $10 pledges, in all amounting to $19,414. A subscription was also taken to a Tent Fund for purchase of tents, amounting to $1616.20; these subscriptions to be paid by Oct. 1st. 1875. The State Treasurer, T. M. Chapman, made his annual report showing— On hand from last year, $705.16.
Rec'd during Conference year, 3150.83.
Amounting to $3855.99.
Paid out at different times, $3447.95.
Balance on hand, $408.04. Report accepted by vote of the Conference.
The following resolution was unanimously adopted by vote of the Conference:— Resolved, That in view of past benefits received from General Conference laborers, we donate $500 of our State funds to the General Conference fund. Eld. Butler thanked the California Conference in behalf of the General Conference for the donation. The amount of Systematic Benevolence pledged by the fourteen Churches represented in this Conference, per year, based upon reports for quarter ending Oct. 1st. was shown to be $4127.64. There being no other business to transact by the Conference, it was proposed by Bro. Diggins of San Francisco to take the double tent to that city, and he would find a place to erect it, pay the expense of seating and carpeting with straw, all free of charge to the Conference. After some little friendly discussion, it was decided by vote of the Conference to accede to Bro. Diggins' proposition and erect the tent in San Francisco and give a course of lectures therein as soon as this meeting closes. A vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. Finnell for the free use of the Camp Ground. Voted, that the proceedings of this Conference be published in the Review and Herald, and in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, President.
WM. SAUNDERS, Secretary. Those who pledged to the publishing interests on this coast, or to the tent fund, who can pay immediately a part or all of their pledge are requested to do so, as we wish means to purchase a stock of paper in the East, and cannot wait for it to come in in the shape of subscriptions to the SIGNS. And further, we learn from private letters that there are others west of the plains who were not at the camp meeting, who wish to subscribe to the Publishing and Tent Funds. Let such send their pledges to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Woodland, Cal., stating what they can pay on the Tent Fund by October 1st, 1875, and what they can pay to the Publishing Fund by January 1st, 1876.
CAL. CONF. COM. Get all the subscribers you can for the SIGNS at $2 00 per year. Send in your donations, and send names of those you have the promise will read and pay the postage. State this in connection with all the names you send, as we can send no free papers on any other condition. ALL letters or business for the SIGNS should be addressed "SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Woodland, Yolo county, California." All drafts or money orders, should be payable to THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. In seeking to comply with postal law as published in No. 5, we may have neglected to send to some who have promised to read and pay postage. Be patient friends, write again; we will try to get this matter of the list all straight as fast as we can. So help us. We have a supply of Hygienic Almanacs for 1874, and can fill orders by mail for this coast, at ten cents per copy, post paid. Address SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Woodland, Yolo county, Cal.
CAL. CONF. COM. ALL money sent by mail to the SIGNS office should be in drafts or postal orders, payable to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, if the sum exceeds $2 00. Sums less than $2 00 can be in currency or postage stamps.
CAL. CONF. COM.