Proceedings of Cal. State Conference.
In accordance with appointment the third annual session of the California State Conference was held near Yountville, Napa Co., in connection with the Camp Meeting. Friday, Oct. 2nd, 1874, at 5 P. M. Conference was called to order by the President, Eld. J. N. Loughborough and opened with prayer. Delegates being called, fourteen Churches were represented by Delegates whose names were read as follows:— Green Valley,—W. T. Ross.
Healdsburg,—Wm. Harmon, G. W. Mills.
Woodland,—H. C. Yerby, Geo. N. Andrews, G. C. Martin.
Santa Rosa,—Géo. D. Hager, John Morrison.
San Francisco,—E. A. Stockton.
Bloomfield,—John Judson.
Petaluma,—Edwin Moore.
Napa,—John Custer.
St Helena,—E. J. Church.
Red Bluff,—J. D. Bandy.
Oakland (not fully organized),—D. B. Rickey, J. W. Cronkwrite, John I Tay.
Vallejo (not fully organized),—J. S. Howard.
Santa Clara (not fully organized),—Eld. D. M. Canright.
San Jose (not fully organized),—Juan M. Santa Ana. The President reported the presence of Eld. G. I. Butler, delegate from the General Conference, who, with Elds. M. E. Cornell and D. M. Canright, members of the Michigan Conference, was invited to take a part in the deliberations of the meetings. All members in good standing in our Churches were invited to take part in the deliberations of the Conference, except in voting. The Conference being now fully organized and ready for business, the proceedings of the last Conference were read by the Secretary, and approved. Eld. Butler, delegate from our General Conference, by invitation of the President, made some general remarks as to matters which would come before this Conference, and in relation to standing committees of the Conference, and the usual mode of selecting them. It was then voted that the Chair appoint a committee of three on nominations, a committee of six laymen to act with the executive committee in auditing and settling accounts, a committee of three on credentials, and a committee of three on resolutions. Monday, Oct. 5th, at 8½ A. M. Session opened with singing, and prayer by the President. Admission of Churches to the Conference came up, and on motion the Churches at St. Helena, Red Bluff, and Napa, were each separately received into the Conference. Voted, that the watchcare of the Conference be extended to the Churches at Oakland and Vallejo, they having so requested by resolution. The President announced the appointment of Committees as follows:—
Committee on nomination of officers,—Wesley Diggins, J. S. Howard and E. Moore.
Auditing Committee,—Geo. N. Andrews, Wesley Diggins, John Morrison, Wm. Harmon, D. B. Rickey and John Custer.
Committee on Resolutions,—G. I. Butler, M. E. Cornell and D. M. Canright.
Committee on Credentials,—J. W. Bond, G. D. Hager and E. J. Church. The President made a report on the cost of double tent arrangement made for the Conference, as follows:— No. 2 double top tent and fixtures, $670.00
Cost of splicing with No. 1, 184.00
Cost of three camping tents, 49.00
Total, $903.00 Size of double tent, 125 by 60 feet, with capacity for seating comfortably 2,000 persons. The following Tent Report was made by Eld. Loughborough on running expenses with the tent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $201.60
Received collections and for rent of tent, . . . . . . . . . . $166.20
State funds to balance, 35.40—$201.60 Tuesday, Oct. 6th, at 4½ P. M. Conference opened with prayer by the President. Eld. G. I. Butler, General Conference delegate, read an address by Eld. James White, President of the General Conference, in which the brethren in California were urged to duty, and offering a donation of six thousand dollars from the eastern brethren, to purchase steam press and all material complete sufficient to print the SIGNS OF THE TIMES under the supervision of the General Conference Committee. A recommendation was made by the Auditing Committee that the Conference accept the liberal proposition of the General Conference and that it take the SIGNS OF THE TIMES and assume the control and support of that paper in accordance with the proposition in Bro. White's letter. The Committee on Nominations made its report, recommending the officers of last year as officers of the California Conference for the next year, as follows:— President, J. N. Loughborough; Secretary, Wm. Saunders; Treasurer, T. M. Chapman; other members of the Executive Committee, J. Judson, J. W. Bond. Being put to a vote of the Conference, these officers were unanimously elected. The recommendation of the Auditing Committee concerning the SIGNS OF THE TIMES being called up, Eld. Butler was requested to express his views which he did freely and fully, referring to the recommendation made by the Auditing Committee, that the California Conference take charge of the publication of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES in harmony with the proposition made by the General Conference. He further explained the communication of Eld. James White made to the Conference, and stated that in addition the 6,000 donated by the brethren at the East for the benefit of the publishing interest on this coast, it was also proposed by them to start a pioneer paper at Battle Creek, for use especially in new fields. He also spoke of Bro. White's connection with this cause from the first, that he had intended to continue the publication of the SIGNS here himself, but that circumstances had called him back again to act a part at the head of the work, and that in response to urgent and repeated calls from those in charge of the work there, he had finally consented and returned to Battle Creek, where he is now laboring with might and main. Moved by Bro. Moore, and carried by vote of the Conference, that a committe of three be appointed by the Chair to inquire into the financial standing of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Wesley Diggins, D. M. Canright and Wm. Saunders were appointed. Wednesday, Oct 7th, at 4 P. M. Committee on financial standing of SIGNS reported in favor of adopting the recommendation of the Auditing Committee to accept the proposition of the eastern brethren. The committee also stated that they had examined an inventory of type and materials on hand amounting to between $800 and $900, and that it was all just such material as would be necessary in the publication of the SIGNS, and the prices were reasonable. They also reported that the estimated cost of $150 per number for publishishing the first seven numbers of the SIGNS, was a fair estimate. Report of committee was accepted by unanimous vote of the Conference. Thursday, Oct. 8th, at 8½ A. M. Conference opened by prayer, after which the President stated that the matter of printing would be first in order, and as the committee on Resolutions had handed in a preamble and resolution touching the matter of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, the Secretary was called on to read, as follows:— Whereas, In the providence of God, the Third Angel's Message is now being extensively proclaimed upon this coast, and we have strong hopes and good prospects that it will be greatly extended in the future; and, Whereas, A weekly paper advocating these views is needed for the benefit of the church, for the missionary work, and to aid our lecturers in their work in new fields; and it is a great disadvantage on account of distance and time required to do all our business through the Office at Battle Creek; and, Whereas, Such a paper as we shall need has already been started here; and it would be a great discouragement to the friends of the cause every where, and a disgrace to the cause here to allow the paper to be taken from the coast; and, Whereas, Our brethren east of the Plains now offer to help us so liberally; and, Whereas, In our judgment, the strength of the cause here is now sufficient to warrant the undertaking of such an enterprise; therefore, Resolved, That we accept the offer of the General Conference made through Eld. James White, and purchase the SIGNS OF THE TIMES with the material on hand, and assume the work of publishing it hereafter. Several brethren made remarks setting forth their views in favor of the proposition. Eld. Canright, chairman of the committee on Resolutions expressed his views of the importance not only of a regular weekly paper, but also of having a depository for books, tracts, etc., in connection therewith as important aids to the general spread of the work. Elds. Butler and Loughborough also expressed similar views. After another reading of the Preamble and Resolution the question was called for, and upon being submitted to the Delegates received a unanimous vote, every one voting in favor of the resolution. The Delegates requested an expression from the audience, which was taken by a rising vote. With one or two exceptions the whole house arose. Bro. Morrison moved, and it was voted, that the Chair appoint a Camp Meeting Committee of three for the ensuing year. G. D. Hager, D. B. Rickey and Wm. Harmon were appointed as such Committee. Thursday Oct. 8th, at 5½ P. M. Session opened with prayer. The President called up the matter of publishing, etc., when a resolution from the Committee on Resolutions was introduced that "the oversight of the business of purchasing and publishing the SIGNS OF THE TIMES be committed to the California Conference Committee." This resolution drew out remarks from several delegates and other brethren, when the following amendment was proposed to be added to the resolution—"until such time as a legally organized Association shall be formed and its officers elected." The resolution was passed as amended, by a unanimous vote of the delegates and by a unanimous rising vote of the congregation. Resolutions were also passed in the same manner thanking Bro. and sister White for their labors on this coast; thanking the friends East for their liberal donation for establishing a publishing house on this coast, and also recommending careful attention to the testimony given through Sister White. A motion to raise a Tent Fund of one thousand dollars was passed unanimously. Conference voted to renew the credentials of Eld. J. N. Loughborough.