Report of General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
THE General Conference of S. D. Adventists convened according to appointment at Battle Creek, Mich., May 20, at 6 o'clock P. M. The meeting was temporarily organized by choosing J. M. Aldrich, chairman, and U. Smith, secretary. The Conference was then opened by singing the hymn on page 233, and prayer by Bro. Snook. A committee to receive and judge of the credentials of delegates being called for, it was Voted, That we have a committee of three on credentials. The following brethren were thereupon chosen as that committee: Eld. J. N. Loughborough, of Mich., C. O. Taylor, of N. Y., and Isaac Sanborn, of Wis. The remainder of this session was occupied in the presentation of credentials to the committee, and the meeting adjourned to the following morning, May 21, at 9 o'clock. In the morning session, the committee announced the following brethren as the duly elected delegates from their respective States: From New York, Brn. J. N. Andrews, N. Fuller, C. O. Taylor, and J. M. Aldrich. From Ohio, I. N. Van Gorder. From Michigan, the ministers present from that State, namely, Brn. White, Bates, Waggoner, Byington, Loughborough, Hull, Cornell, and Lawrence, with a lay representation of Brn. James Harvey, of North Liberty, Ind., and Wm. S. Higley, jr., of Lapeer, Mich. From Wisconsin, Isaac Sanborn. From Iowa, Brn. B. F. Snook, and W. H. Brinkerhoof. From Minnesota, Washington Morse. The report of the committee was accepted. Voted, That Bro. H. F. Baker be received as an additional delegate from Ohio. The following brethren were then appointed a committee to draft a constitution and by-laws for the government of this Conference: Brn. J. N. Andrews, N. Fuller, I. Sanborn, W. Morse, H. F. Baker, B. F. Snook, J. H. Waggoner, and J. N. Loughborough. After due deliberation the committee presented the following constitution for the consideration of the Conference: CONSTITUTION OF GENERAL CONFERENCE.
For the purpose of securing unity and efficiency in labor, and promoting the general interests of the cause of present truth, and of perfecting the organization of the Seventh-day Adventists,205we, the delegates from the several State Conferences, hereby proceed to organize a General Conference, and adopt the following constitution for the government thereof: Article I. This Conference shall be called the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Art. II. The officers of this Conference shall be a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and an Executive Committee of three, of whom the President shall be one. Art. III. The duties of the President and Secretary shall be such respectively as usually pertain to those offices. Art. IV. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and disburse means under the direction of the Executive Committee, and keep an account of the same, and make a full report thereof to the regular meetings of the Conference. Art. V. Section 1. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to take the general supervision of all ministerial labor, and see that the same is properly distributed; and they shall take the special supervision of all missionary labor, and as a missionary board shall have the power to decide where such labor is needed, and who shall go as missionaries to perform the same. Sec. 2. Means for missionary operations may be received by donation from State Conferences, churches, or individuals; and the Committee are authorized to call for means when needed. Sec. 3. When any State Conference desires ministerial labor from a minister not a resident within the bounds of such Conference, their request shall be made to the General Conference Executive Committee, and ministers sent by said Committee shall be considered under the jurisdiction of the Conf. Committee of such State: Provided, 1. That if such minister consider the State Committee inefficient, or their action so far wrong as to render his labor ineffectual, he may appeal to the General Conference Executive Committee: Provided, 2. That if such State Committee consider such minister inefficient they may appeal to the General Conference Committee, who shall decide on the matter of complaint, and take such action as they may think proper. Art. VI. Each State Conference shall be entitled to one delegate in the General Conference, and one additional delegate for every twenty delegates in the State Conference, such delegates to the General Conference to be chosen by the State Conferences or their Committees: Provided, That the delegates to such State Conferences be elected according to the following ratio, to wit: Each church to the number of twenty members or under shall be entitled to one delegate, and one delegate for every additional fifteen members. Art. VII. The officers shall hold their offices for the term of one year, and shall be elected at the regular meetings of the Conference. Art. VIII. Sec. 1. The regular meetings of the Conference shall be held annually, and the time and place of holding the same shall be determined by the Executive Committee, by whom due notice thereof shall be given through the Review. Sec. 2. Special meetings may be called at the option of the Committee. Art. IX. This constitution may be altered or amended by a two-thirds vote of the delegates present at any regular meeting: Provided, That any proposed amendment shall be communicated to the Executive Committee, and notice thereof given by them in their call for the meeting of the Conference. The report was accepted and the committee discharged. The Conference then took up the reported constitution item by item, for consideration and discussion, which resulted in its entire adoption. The Conference being now ready for a permanent organization, it was Voted, That a committee of three be appointed to nominate officers to act under the constitution already adopted. Brn. Wm. S. Higley, Jas. Harvey, and B. F. Snook, were appointed as that committee. Adjourned to 1 o'clock P. M. Afternoon session. Prayer by Bro. Cornell. The committee on nominations reported as follows: For President, James White. Secretary, Uriah Smith. Treasurer, E. S. Walker. Executive Committee, James White, John Byington, J. N. Loughborough. Report accepted and Committee discharged. On motion the Conference proceeded to vote on the nominations presented. Bro. White was unanimously chosen President, but declined to serve. After a considerable time spent in discussion, the brethren urging reasons why he should accept the position, and he why he should not, his resignation was finally accepted, and Eld. John Byington elected as President in his stead. The nominations for Secretary and Treasurer were then ratified. J. N. Andrews and G. W. Amadon were chosen as the remaining members of the Executive Committee. On motion of Bro. Loughborough it was Voted, That, as one object of the General Conference is to secure uniformity of action throughout all the States, a committee of five be appointed to draw up a constitution for State Conferences, to be recommended to the brethren in the different States, that there may be uniformity in the matter of State Conferences. The following brethren were then chosen as that committee: Brn. Sanborn, of Wis., Brinkerhoof, of Iowa, Aldrich, of N. Y., Loughborough, of Michigan, and Morse, of Minnesota. On motion of Bro. Waggoner it was Voted, That this Conference recommend to the Publishing Association to publish a new prophetic chart. Voted, That we recommend to the Publishing Association to publish a chart of the ten commandments, suitable for public lectures. The next business brought before the Conference was the matter which the Battle Creek Church at a special meeting, March 29, 1863, as reported in the Review, No. 18, voted to lay before the General Conference, in relation to the charges and reports that are in circulation concerning Eld. James White. As no one had reported any grievances pertaining to the subject in hand, according to the request in the Review, the committee could only report that fact to the Conference, and place in its hands the more than three-score and ten fervent testimonials which have been received on the other side, with the recommendation that, as it seemed that no one dared appear to sustain the aforesaid reports, some action be taken by this Conference to show the falsity of these reports, and vindicate before the world the character and course of Bro. White. On this matter the following resolutions were adopted: Resolved, That the committee employed by the Battle Creek church, be empowered to act further in this matter in behalf of this Conference, and prepare for publication a record of the action of the Battle Creek church relative to the accusations against Bro. James White, and the substance of the responses received. Resolved, That this committee shall invite, through the Review, further responses on this subject, for the space of two months. Adjourned to evening after the Sabbath, at half-past seven. Met again according to adjournment. Prayer by Bro. Andrews. The committee appointed to draft a constitution for State Conferences, reported through its chairman, J. N. Loughborough, the form of a constitution for the consideration of the Conference. This was examined item by item, and after full discussion it was Voted, That this Conference recommend the following form of constitution to the different State Conferences: CONSTITUTION FOR STATE CONFERENCES.
Whereas, We have before us the great work of disseminating light upon the commandments of God, the faith of Jesus, and the truths connected with the third angel's message; and Whereas, Order, union, and concentration of action in the dissemination of these truths is of the utmost importance, therefore Resolved, That we adopt the following constitution, as recommended by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, assembled at Battle Creek, Mich., May 20, 1863. Art. I. Sec. 1. This Conference shall be known as the ——— Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and shall be composed of all ministers in good standing and delegates from organized churches within its limits. Art. II. Sec. 1. The officers of this Conference shall be a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and an Executive Committee of three, of whom the President shall be one; and they shall be elected annually. Sec. 2. The duties of the President and Secretary shall be such as usually pertain to those offices respectively. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep an account of the receipts and disbursements of the Conference funds,—to pay out the same under the directions of the Executive Committee, and to make an annual report thereof at the regular meetings of the Conference. Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to appoint through the Review the time and place of the annual Conferences, and to call special Conferences, whenever in their judgment it may be needful so to do; to call on the churches and scattered brethren for means when needed, and to disburse the same; to take the general supervision of all tent operations, and property belonging to the Conference; to audit and settle accounts with ministers and others in the employ of the Conference, and to exercise a general watch-care over all matters pertaining to the interests of the cause within the bounds of the Conference. Art. III. Sec. 1. Conference funds shall be raised from the proceeds of Systematic Benevolence, and by gifts and donations. Sec. 2. We recommend that all churches belonging to this Conference adopt the plan of Systematic Benevolence on the tithing principle, as set forth on the first page of our S. B. books. Sec. 3. The churches and scattered brethren within the bounds of this Conference will be expected to pledge to the Executive Committee the amount that they will give each month during the Conference year, for the support of the ministers and tent operations, and for such other purposes as may be necessary for the advancement of the cause; said sums to be paid to the Treasurer monthly, when convenient so to do; or at the commencement of every quarter; viz., on the first of April, July, October, and January; except when it be preferable to give it, or a portion of it, directly to preachers who labor among them. Sec. 4. The churches will be expected to make a report to the Secretary at the end of each quarter, of the amount they have sent to the Treasurer, or paid to preachers, during such quarter. Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of ministers to report to the Secretary at the end of each quarter the amount they have received and expended during such quarter, and at the end of each year they shall make a written report to the regular meetings of the Conference of the entire amount of their receipts and expenditures during such Conference year. Art. IV. Sec. 1. When any church or scattered brethren wish ministerial labor in their vicinity, their call shall be made to the Executive Committee. Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the churches in this Conference to send a written report to the regular meetings of the Conference of their standing, their losses, and additions during the year, also the yearly amount of their s. n. fund. Art. V. Sec. 1. It shall be the duty of the Conference to determine who are the approved ministers within the bounds thereof, to grant suitable credentials to the same at each regular meeting; and during the interval of such meeting the Executive Committee shall perform such duties. Sec. 2. Those who feel it their duty to improve their gifts as messengers or preachers, shall first lay their exercises of mind before the Conference Committee, to receive a license from them, if the Committee consider them qualified. Art. VI. Sec. 1. It shall be the duty of the ministers of this Conference to make a written report to each annual meeting thereof, of their labors each week during the Conference year. Art. VII. Sec. 1. The delegates to this Conference shall be elected according to the following ratio: Each church to the number of twenty members or under shall be entitled to one delegate, and one delegate for every additional fifteen members. Sec. 2. In case all the delegates to which any church is entitled do not attend the Conference, the delegates attending206may cast the full number of votes to which said church is entitled. Art. VIII. Sec. 1. This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the Conference by a two-third's vote of the members present, provided such amendment shall not conflict with the constitution of the General Conference. The Mich. State Conference having appointed a committee to frame a series of rules and regulations to suggest to those building and holding meeting-houses, and to report to the General Conference, the report of said committee was called for and submitted. The report was accepted. It was then Voted, That J. N. Andrews, James White, and U. Smith, be a committee to take this matter into consideration, and at some future time to report through the Review. To this committee Bro. Byington and Waggoner were afterward added. Voted, That this Conference issue a pamphlet containing the minutes of this Conference, together with the address on organization, issued by the Battle Creek Conference of Oct. 5 and 6, 1861; also that the minutes of this Conference be published in the Review. Voted, That we recommend State Conferences to publish in pamphlet form the minutes of their proceedings, and distribute to their churches. JOHN BYINGTON, Chairman,
U. SMITH, Secretary.