General Conference Committee Actions by W. A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 30, 1914

General Conference Committee Actions

By W. A. Spicer

We know there is nothing in which believers in the third angel's message take greater interest than the progress of the work throughout the world. We therefore give herewith a summary of recent actions of the General Conference Committee pertaining to the work and the movements of workers.

Advantage was taken of the presence of most of the union conference presidents in North America and several of

the officers of the North American Division and the General Conference at the annual constituency meeting of the Loma Linda Medical College, to hold some General Conference Committee meetings. The following items are reported from the minutes of those meetings and of meetings held by the General Conference Committee members present in Washington since.

Appointments

The time of the regular Midsummer Offering for missions was appointed for Sabbath, July 4, with the request that articles for reading in the churches on that day be prepared by Elders A. G. Daniells and W. T. Knox.

It was voted that the week of prayer for 1914 be set for December 12-19.

The keynote for the readings for the coming week of prayer, it was agreed, should be "the coming of the Lord," and writers were selected to prepare the readings.

Autumn Council

It was voted that the regular autumn council of the General Conference Committee be held in Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., from October 25 to November 3, this time coinciding with that of the North American Division Conference Committee.

Invitation was given to Elder L. R. Conradi to attend the autumn council. It was felt by the committee that with the intimate relation between the work in Europe and the work in America, and with the many questions relating to world-mission operations coming up for consideration at the time of the autumn council, when the mission field appropriations are made and the plans of work reviewed, the president of the European Division should be invited to plan as a regular thing to attend the autumn councils of the committee whenever not inconsistent with the European program of work.

Asiatic Division Matters

On report from Elder R. C. Porter regarding the best time for holding the biennial meeting of the Asiatic Division Mission field, which is to convene in Shanghai, a cable message was sent, fixing the time of the meeting November 1, in order that by shortening his visit to the Australasian field, Elder A. G. Daniells might attend the Asiatic Division conference and workers' institute at Shanghai on his way from Australia to India, arrangements for the Australasian and Indian visits having been made at the time of the last General Conference.

In view of the fact that both the Australasian and the Asiatic Division institutes and conferences will be very important meetings, invitation has been given to Elder O. A. Olsen, of the North American Division Foreign Department, to proceed a little later to Australia, in time to join in the Australasian institute and conference, Elder Olsen having been president of the Australasian Union for a series of years. It is then planned for him to accompany Elder Daniells to the Shanghai meeting, returning thence to this country. Seeing the benefit that has been derived from the institute work in the union conferences in America, it is felt that these meetings in other fields should give a new impetus to the work, and bring blessings to the workers who gather once in two years for study of the field and plans, and for the seeking of the Lord for added power in soul-winning service.

South African Union Matters

It was agreed that efforts should be made to secure an experienced tract society secretary and treasurer for South Africa, and that the transportation expense be added to the estimates.

A request from South Africa for an additional appropriation for the proper stocking of the new Glendale Mission farm, recently secured as an extension of the Selukwe Reserve Mission enterprise, was regretfully denied or deferred, owing to lack of funds for this year's operations. An additional appropriation of $1,265 was made for the support of the workers on the Glendale station, this item not having been passed upon in the appropriations voted at the last autumn council. The committee deeply regretted having to deny this request, for the work will be done at great disadvantage without the needed facilities in the way of stock and farm equipment; but at a time when calls for evangelists are being denied in many of the fields, it was felt impossible to give favorable response.

An appropriation of $1,000 was made for medical outfit and facilities and equipment for a medical mission among the Kafirs in South Africa, provided the union conference arranges with one of the physicians in South Africa to take up medical evangelistic work in connection with the native missions.

It was agreed that Elder W. A. Spicer should plan to attend the union conference meeting in South Africa in the spring of 1915.

A request from South Africa for an evangelist for city work was favorably considered, and the officers were authorized to secure an experienced volunteer for this work, the General Conference placing the worker in the field, South Africa to assume the support.

Movements of Workers

On receipt of information from the India Mission Committee that Elder Geo. F. Enoch and family were entitled to a furlough, in view of the years of service in the tropics and the physical need of a change, it was voted that a furlough for one year be granted. Elder Enoch has been superintendent of the work on the Bombay side of India for seven years, we believe.

Elder W. C. Hankins and family, on furlough from China on account of Sister Hankins's health, were advised to plan to return to their work in the Amoy district this autumn provided the medical report in Mrs. Hankins's case continues favorable.

Roy Mershon and wife, of the North Pacific Union, were invited to make the Malaysian Mission their field of labor.

Allen Thompson and wife, of the North Pacific Union, were invited to make the Malaysian Mission their field of labor.

K. Adams, of Walla Walla College, was invited to proceed to the Malaysian Mission, to engage in the work in connection with the mission training school at Singapore, on the completion of the college year at Walla Walla.

The North American Division Conference was asked to arrange for the work in this country of Elder J. J. Westrup, of Honan, China, who has been invited to return in order to rejoin his family in America. Sister Westrup and her son have been stopping in America nearly three years, hoping that Sister Westrup's health would warrant her return to the China field. Owing to the rigors of the service in the Chinese interior, it is the judgment of the committee that her health is not sufficiently robust to warrant hope of her going on soon to China, and therefore the action was taken recalling Elder Westrup.

The call from the Bahama Islands, West Indies, for a Bible worker was approved, and the officers were authorized to select the worker.

Drs. S. and Lydia Jespersson, of Union College, College View, Nebr., who had volunteered for service abroad, were released by the committee on call for their services the coming school year in the Swedish Seminary, in Illinois.

Miss Florence Wilson, of the Foreign Mission Seminary, was invited to go to Shanghai, to engage in English school work in behalf of the children of our missionaries in China and such others as may be in attendance at an English school in that field.

Miss Florence M. Kime, of the Pacific Union College, was invited to go to Singapore, for service in the Malaysian Mission.

Ernest Morrow and wife, of Southern California, were invited to join Elder J. S. and Mrs. James on their return to South India this summer, to engage in evangelistic work in South India or elsewhere as may be arranged by the India committee.

Thus, although the plan of the General

Conference Committee has been to make few additional appointments this current year, the calls from the fields continue to come, and wherever it is possible for additional workers to be cared for by the mission field appropriations every effort is made to find the volunteers and to pass the workers on. The fields themselves are studying every economy in order to increase the force and to spread the word.