BUSINESS PROCEEDINGS OF B. C. CONFERENCE.
BRO. ANDREWS. If it be in order, I would move that the former vote be rescinded, not that I disapprove of the vote, but to give the brethren opportunity to further consider upon it. This motion was carried, and the vote on the first item rescinded. The first item was then read again, and its adoption moved and seconded, whereupon Bro. White remarked:— This is just what I have been pleading for the last six months. I have not done it that the Advent Sabbath-keepers might become a popular people, but it is the necessities of the cause which have driven me to make the propositions that I have. I need not repeat them. In my travels east and west I find many people who are very aged or infirm, who have a few hundreds or thousands, and have no heirs. They wish this property to go to the cause of God, but do not feel at liberty to have it pass out of their hands while living; and it would be a great relief to them to make a will to a Publishing Association of this people, so that if they should be suddenly taken away, it could be secured to the cause. This is one reason for the adoption of the item before us. Again I have become satisfied that the REVIEW should not be the individual property of any one man or number of men. One great reason for this is, the enemy is always ready to attack us, and no matter how pure the motives of those may be who are carrying on the publishing department, there are enough to stir up jealousy and evil surmising. Our present arrangement, so far as it has advanced, contains nothing particularly legal. I have been placed by the Publishing Committee, as Publishing Agent, and the business having been done in my name, I am the only one that the law would recognize as the owner of the property there. I am anxious to place this in the hands of the church. But this they cannot receive without some simple organization. The committee could not receive it from me. If they did, as things now stand, it would be their own individual property. I object to holding this property in the manner in which I do hold it. Again, I see no difficulty in the way of the action we here propose. I find nothing in the blessed Bible, opposed to the item that has been read before us. I find nothing in that Book opposed to an organization, sufficient to hold the property of the church. But perhaps some may not be satisfied with my position when I say that I find nothing opposed to these things in the Bible; perhaps they would call upon me to bring forth scriptures that would plainly teach such an organization. But I do not understand that that is required of me, occupying the position that I do, from the fact that the Bible does not enter into all our duties. We are commanded in the Bible to let our light shine; and this is plainly our duty; but we are not told just how we shall do this. All who are here this evening believe that it is right to pitch our tent from place to place; but the Bible says nothing about it. We believe it is right to publish books and papers; but the Bible says nothing about that; it only says, "let your light shine;" and we are left to the exercise of our own judgment to carry out this into all its particulars. Therefore I adopted this rule: That all means are proper and right, which in our judgment will be for the advancement of the cause of truth, unless we have Bible to oppose them. Occupying this position, I feel perfectly justified in calling upon my brethren to bring forward their plain texts in opposition, if they have any; but when they call upon me for my texts to support my position, they ask more than can justly be required of me. This rule will not work both ways, because the Bible does not enter into all the minutia of advancing the cause of truth. BRO. WAGGONER. I have but a word to say. I would choose not to speak on the subject at all; but the Conference is aware, by my expression, that my feelings have been against any organization whatever of a legal nature; and the difficulty in my mind has been the objection that I have presented to the plan proposed in this Conference, that there was a seeming difficulty in disconnecting the legal holding of property, from the legal organization of the church. The committee have taken this into consideration, and have endeavored to make a schedule which would be free from that objection: and I think they have succeeded. Upon the plan we have proposed to the Conference, I see no difficulty, and shall therefore vote for the adoption of the first item. BRO. POOLE. Who is this association to be subject to, provided they prove recreant to their trust? BRO. ANDREWS. It is understood on the plan we have proposed, that the present body of brethren, shall select the first seven, or whatever number may be chosen instead of seven, men of integrity, and in whom we have the fullest confidence, and that these men shall apply to the legislature of Michigan, for an act under which they can hold the REVIEW Office; and that this association, thus formed, can admit into itself, the whole body of the brethren, or as many as choose to enter into it on the condition there proposed. In this way all the friends of the cause may have a direct voice in the control of the matter. And this association, composed of as many as are interested to join in it, may elect their officers in any manner that may be designated. This is not a legal church organization, but a legal business association to which all can be connected who are interested in the matter. Satisfaction expressed by the inquirer. BRO. ANDREWS. I hope our brethren who have any objections to this plan, will consider that now is the proper time to state them, as we want to pass over this as soon as all is said that need be on the subject. BRO. SPERRY. I would say with Bro. Waggoner, that all this has been going right contrary to my feelings; but I would not wish to have feelings govern me in my judgment. And if the cause has arrived to that state and condition that something must be done of this kind, I do not see anything else that can be done but that which has been proposed. And if, as Bro. White has remarked, the progress of the cause has increased his cares and burdens, and if a new order of things would better advance the cause, this is what I would go for with all my heart. I am thankful for the good spirit that seems to pervade this meeting thus far; and I feel willing to lay all my feelings and opinions on the altar, assured that every good idea will be restored to me again; and all that is wrong I want taken away. The feeling is abroad that this act will conflict with our former teaching; and if a little explanation could be given on this point I should like it much. If we have preached and published wrong ideas, I am as willing as any one to be corrected.178 BRO. HULL. If this were a church association, I should think Bro. Sperry's objection well founded; but as it is a business association, and not a church organization, I do not think any of our former teaching would conflict with it in the least. BRO. WHITE. I claim to be a full and sound believer in the second angel's message; but with full faith in that message, I know, no difficulties in forming a Publishing Association, as it is now proposed, or of going into church organization. I can see nothing in this opposed to the doctrine of the second angel's message. I know that some brethren and sisters labor under difficulties on this point; and I know somewhat how to sympathize with them, although I have taken a strong position, and spoke some things very plainly. I know the situation some of our brethren in the East are in. Let me refer to some of the positions taken under the first message. For instance, as we came up to 1844, we believed our Lord was coming there. Some how or other we got the messages all fulfilled together, the first with the second, and the third with them. Now, then, we will look at the third. 'If any man worship the beast,' &c. We argued that the beast was a symbol of an earthly government. Then what was his mark? Why, going to the ballot box, and holding any civil office. Hence this became a test question. And all the views we have since held in regard to our connection with the government, have grown right out of the position taken there. In embracing the truth of the second angel's message, we embraced too much. We now know what the beast is, and what his mark is. Time has given us a chance to correct the errors we ran into there. We acted upon the best light we then had; but time has given us more light. As we can now see that we embraced too much in the second angel's message, we should lay aside that which should not be associated with that message. Our feelings were then deep; and we have thought that we must hold fast the views there received. Such has been Bro. Sperry's position, and also mine. The position I now take in reference to these things is, What is truth? Is there anything in the Bible that stands out opposed to the steps we propose to take here this evening. The feelings of our brethren are not to be trifled with; but we have taken the position here of reformers; and it is our duty to try to reform our fellow men, should they need it, whether they be Sabbath-keepers or not. It is our privilege to stand ourselves on what the Bible will sustain us in. BRO. ANDREWS. I would make just one suggestion that may possibly relieve some minds. I understand our fellowship of one another to be dependent on our belonging to the church; and that our belonging to the church is essential to our being able to fellowship each other as members of the church of God. This association is no test of our fellowship. It is an association of individual members of the church for the purpose of performing necessary business. We select certain persons, in the first place, and show how others can be associated with them. When the civil government defines how we are members of the church, of course this is a very different thing from what we propose. BRO. POOLE. The question as it now comes up seems to be free from the objections that I have had. BRO. SPERRY. The remarks that have been made have freed my mind. Question called for. The motion was then put, and unanimously carried. The remaining items of the proposed schedule were taken up in order, accompanied with more or less remarks, and each unanimously adopted. BRO. LOUGHBOROUGH. I move that the committee be continued, and be empowered to draw up the items of a constitution in form, specifying the duties of the officers, &c., and present their report to the Conference to-morrow morning.—Carried. BRO. BUTLER. I move that the committee be enlarged by the addition of three members.—Carried. BRO. WHITE. I move that the addition consist of Bro. Poole, Loughborough and Smith.—Carried. Bro. Ingraham, White, Hull and Appleton, were also added by vote to the committee. Adjourned to sun-rise to-morrow morning.