DOINGS OF THE BATTLE CREEK CONFERENCE, OCT. 5 & 6, 1861.
THE Conference convened for business purposes, evening after the Sabbath, Oct. 5, at 6,30 P. M. Elder Joseph Bates was chosen chairman, U. Smith secretary. Meeting opened by prayer by Bro. White. Brn. White, Loughborough, Cornell, and Hull, having consulted together in regard to the business to be brought before the Conference, Bro. White proposed that if the Conference would accept them as a committee to present business to the meeting, they were ready to report. On motion of Bro. Gurney these brethren were accepted as the business committee of the Conference. The first business presented was the organization of churches. Bro. Loughborough said: I consider it proper and necessary to consider here the organization of churches, as the subject has been agitated among us, especially for the last six months; and in order to bring the matter before the meeting, I move that we consider the proper manner of organizing churches. Seconded by Bro. White. Carried. Bro. White then presented the following resolution: Resolved, That this Conference recommend the following church covenant: We, the undersigned, hereby associate ourselves together, as a church, taking the name, Seventh-day Adventists, covenanting to keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus Christ. Seconded by Bro. Hull. Adopted. The vote not being full, Bro. White said: I hope that matters of so much importance will not be passed by without discussion, if any are disposed to question them. Nothing hurt my feelings more than the non-committal position of some at last full conference. I hope therefore that these subjects will have the benefit of a full and free discussion, and that the sisters will take part in the vote, and that the action may be unanimous. I would be in favor of trying this vote again. Moved by Bro. Loughborough that we re-consider the last vote. Carried. Bro. Hull said: I have but very few words to say on this subject. The covenant proposed is very nearly such a one as I have several times written out for churches who were about to organize. The need of some such covenant has been seen and felt. I believe it is according to apostolic custom to have our names signed to something; and this must be something written out. We pledge ourselves only to do one thing, to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. There can be nothing more in christianity. We pledge ourselves to help each other along in the christian journey. No one can call this a creed or articles of faith. BRO. BYINGTON. If we carry out this matter, not only merely covenanting to do, but practically doing it, then it can be said of a truth, Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. BRO. WHITE. If there is no one to raise any objections to this step, I have almost a mind to raise some myself, so that the subject may be discussed. Circumstances have driven me to an examination of this subject somewhat, and it is a very clear one to my mind; but perhaps it might be objected to on this ground: It will look like patterning after the churches around us; and what will be the influence? I would like to hear remarks upon this point. It will certainly be doing like those around us; and certain individuals will say that we are following after Babylon; and this may be an objection in their minds. BRO. LOUGHBOROUGH. It may with equal propriety be said that we are patterning after the churches in building meeting-houses. We call the churches Babylon, not because they covenant together to obey God. I am still of the opinion I advanced sometime since through the Review: The first step of apostasy is to get up a creed, telling us what we shall believe. The second is, to make that creed a test of fellowship. The third is to try members by that creed. The fourth is to denounce as heretics those who do not believe that creed. And, fifth, to commence persecution against such. I plead that we are not patterning after the churches in any unwarrantable sense, in the step proposed. BRO. CORNELL. The point in the covenant is to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I never heard of a people making such a covenant, and hence cannot consider that we are patterning after the churches in such a covenant as that. Again: We have Bible-classes, and Sabbath-schools just like the churches, but no one accuses us of patterning after them in these respects. BRO. WHITE. I am convinced: not by what the brethren have said: for I was convinced before. I wish to say a word now in favor of the resolution. I prefer that the brethren should be uniform in this thing. This would tend to unity in the church. Let us set a right example here, and let it go out from this meeting. This is one reason why I would vote for this covenant. On the subject of creeds, I agree with Bro. Loughborough. I never weighed the points which he has presented, as I have since I began to examine the subject for myself. In Eph. iv, 11-13, we read, "And he gave some apostles, and some prophets," &c. Here we have the gifts of the church, presented. Now I take the ground that creeds stand in direct opposition to the gifts. Let us suppose a case: We get up a creed, stating just what we shall believe on this point and the other, and just what we shall do in reference to this thing and that, and say that we will believe the gifts too. But suppose the Lord, through the gifts, should give us some new light that did not harmonize with our creed; then, if we remain true to the gifts, it knocks our creed all over at once. Making a creed is setting the stakes, and barring up the way to all future advancement. God put the gifts into the church for a good and great object; but men who have got up their churches, have shut up the way or have marked out a course for the Almighty. They say virtually that the Lord must not do anything further than what has been marked out in the creed. A creed and the gifts thus stand in direct opposition to each other. Now what is our position as a people? The Bible is our creed. We reject everything in the form of a human creed. We take the Bible and the gifts of the Spirit; embracing the faith that thus the Lord will teach us from time to time. And in this we take a position against the formation of a creed. We are not taking one step, in what we are doing, toward becoming Babylon. BRO. CORNELL. I think we have many examples in the Scriptures of the people of God entering into a covenant. It is always proper to covenant to do right; and there can be no more appropriate covenant than to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. [Reads 2 Chron. xv, 12, and says] Here it seems the people of God were at one time together, and all entering into a covenant to do what the Bible commanded them to do. I think, in the step we propose, we are only entering into a covenant to do what the Lord commands us to do. BRO. BYINGTON. A covenant I understand is a promise or vow. The Bible requires us to pay our vows unto God. We could not pay them unless we had made them. BRO. WHITE. The 19th chapter of Exodus shows that there was a covenant entered into between God and the people to keep the commandments of God. God promises that if they would keep his commandments he would be their God; and the people say, All the words that the Lord has spoken will we do. Read also 2 Kings xxiii, 3. BRO. LOUGHBOROUGH. The greatest objection that rests in the minds of individuals, I presume, is having this thing set down in writing. I do not know as I ever went into a meeting, but there were some to express the determination to renew their covenant. Now there is the covenant; but to just put that down in writing, seems, in the minds of some, to be Babylon. You see at once that here is where the difficulty lies; for when I state a thing I endorse it; and all the difference there is between that and what we now propose, is that one is set down in writing and the other is not. The question was called for, and unanimously carried. 2. The next question being in regard to the proper manner of organizing churches, after some remarks by different individuals, the following resolution was presented by Bro. White: Resolved, That we refer this subject to the ministers present, instructing them to hold a Bible class on it and write an address to the brethren, to be published in the REVIEW. Unanimously adopted. 3. Organization of Conferences. On this subject the following resolutions were presented by Bro. White: Resolved, That we recommend to the churches in the State of Michigan to unite in one Conference, with the name of The Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Adopted. Resolved, That the conference be composed of ministers and delegates from the churches. Adopted. Resolved, That the officers of this Conference consist of a Chairman, Clerk, and a standing committee of three. Adopted. Resolved, That our present Chairman and Clerk, act as officers of this Conference for the coming year. Adopted. Resolved, That John N. Loughborough, Moses Hull, and M. E. Cornell, be the Conference committee. Adopted. Resolved, That the first session of the Michigan State Conference of Seventh-day Adventists be held at Monterey, Mich., Oct. 5-8, 1862. Adopted. 4. Ministers' papers. On this subject the following was presented by Bro. Cornell: Resolved, That our ministers' papers consist of a certificate of ordination, also credentials to be signed by the Chairman and Clerk of the Conference, which credentials shall be renewed annually. Adopted. Resolved, That this Conference give credentials to the ministers of this State who are in good standing. Adopted. 5. Interests of Publishing Association. Resolution presented by Bro. White: Resolved, That we recommend to the brethren scattered abroad to remember in their liberalities the wants of the Association. Adopted. Adjourned to 8 o'clock in the morning. Meeting opened with prayer by Bro. Cornell. 6. The sixth subject presented for the consideration of the Conference was the recommendation of books, when the following resolution was presented by Bro. Loughborough:149Resolved, That we recommend to our churches and brethren the new Hymn Book. Adopted. Whereas, The press is a powerful means of disseminating Bible truth, and, Whereas, Many can be brought to the knowledge of the truth by reading our publications, therefore, Resolved, That we recommend to our brethren greater sacrifice and activity in circulating all our books; and that the brethren especially furnish themselves with the forth-coming History of the Sabbath, and Spiritual Gifts, volumes one & two. Adopted. 7. Tent operations in Michigan. Resolution presented by Bro. White: Resolved, That this Conference instruct the tent committee to purchase a tent for the State of Michigan, and secure the labors of two efficient ministers and a tent-master for next tent season. Seconded. BRO. WHITE. I have been dissatisfied for a few years past with the course we in Michigan have been pursuing. I do not know why Michigan is not as good a field of labor as can be found anywhere on this globe. Again: I would say I believe there are encouragements to labor in Michigan, which do not exist in any other State. There is union to a great degree in the State; and that union may be attributed partly to the influence of our general conferences. Our large gatherings where our meetings are thrown open to all the testimony which we believe that God, in his providence, designed to bless us with, and where under a uniting influence we have been enabled to stand to a very good degree in union—these have had a powerful influence on our brethren scattered abroad. It is true we have had at some of our large meetings, some little discord. A few years since there were some little difficulties which arose from sentiments written out by Bro. Woodhull, and hastily published in the REVIEW. But that was entirely an imported difficulty. We had some little difficulty, too, in regard to organizing a Publishing Association. That difficulty was also an imported one. It came up from Ohio and New York. All in Michigan were united. Now I do not want to praise you, brethren, but I must speak of these facts. Where people are brought out on the truth in this State there seems to be a warm influence exerted in favor of the truth; and it seems to me that there is more encouragement for messengers to labor in such a State, than in those places where distracting influences are liable to bear them down. There is another fact: Notwithstanding there has been a good degree of union in this State, we have sent our ministers out of the State. I would not give this as a reason why we have prospered, by any means; but to bring out the fact that while the brethren have stood alone, with efficient ministers out of the State, they have enjoyed a good degree of prosperity. Now is this right? It seems to me it is working for the advancement of the cause rather at arms' length. There are sinners in Michigan as well as in other States, and many places where the truth has never been preached. After we get over the Publishing Association (and I suppose Michigan will do a large share of that: you pledged more than all the rest put together, and your donations are coming up accordingly), after we get through with the establishment of the Association, then we are ready to take hold of tent operations. I would not exhort our brethren against selfishness; for we have not been selfish. We have loved our neighbors a great deal better than ourselves. And while the Lord may look with approbation upon this, I believe there are duties for us here. We ought to go into tent operations strong next spring. BRO. LOUGHBOROUGH. My mind has been stirred up for labor in Michigan, especially since my return from the West, and since I have seen how little excitement there is here on the war question, in comparison with other places. I would also endorse the remarks of Bro. White in regard to the union existing here. It would not be here as in Wisconsin where we labored hard for six weeks to raise up a large church, and an influence came right in from a neighboring church, to scatter them all to fragments. It would be encouraging to labor in a State where there is union. The question was here called for, and the resolution adopted. Moved by Bro. Loughborough that the present tent committee, Bro. G. W. Amadon, William Hall, and Myron J. Cornell, act as committee for the coming season. Carried. 8. The interests of the cause in Ohio. This subject was introduced by Bro. White with remarks respecting the present condition of things in that State, the discouragements under which the brethren there are laboring, and their calls for help. He read before the meeting a letter from Bro. Baker, and offered the following resolution: Resolved, That Brn. Loughborough, Cornell and Hull be a committee to consider, and, as far as possible, supply, the wants of the cause in Ohio. Adopted. Moved by Bro. White that the minutes of this Conference be published in Review. Carried. JOSEPH BATES, Chairman.
URIAH SMITH, Secretary.