General Conference

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 5, 1882

General Conference.

We can give only a partial account of the proceedings, as the report is still incomplete. We give extracts of the most general interest, as far as we have received. The following were among the resolutions adopted:—

Resolved, That all candidates for license and ordination should be examined with reference to their intellectual and spiritual fitness for the successful discharge of the duties which will devolve upon them as licentiates and ordained ministers.

Resolved, That females possessing the necessary qualifications to fill that position, may, with perfect propriety, be set apart by ordination to the work of the Christian ministry.

WHEREAS, We recognize the manifestation of spiritual gifts, especially the spirit of prophecy, as one of the distinguishing features of the work of the third angel's message, and—

WHEREAS, We fully believe that the neglect of these gifts, and of the special instruction given us through them, will surely result in a decline of spirituality and true godliness among us as a people; therefore—

Resolved, That we urgently recommend to all our ministers that they frequently present before our brethren, in our older churches, as well as among those more recently brought to the faith, the plain teaching of the Scriptures concerning the perpetuity of these gifts, and the great importance of carefully heeding the precious instruction given us through this agency.—Adopted.

WHEREAS, Many calls for ministerial labor among our churches come in from every part of the field; and—

WHEREAS, In the past our method of labor has failed to meet the wants of many churches, on account of the unsystematic bestowal of said labor; therefore—

Resolved, That we recommend that all our Conferences so distribute the labor in their respective States as to give each ordained minister, at least, a certain portion of territory to which his labors may be confined for a stated period, with instructions to labor for the spiritual advancement of each church and company in his respective territory, and thus hold together and build up the work already started with so much expense and labor, before entering new fields.

Moved, That it be considered the rule that State Conferences pay their tithe to the General Conference quarterly.—Carried.

The Committee on Nominations reported as follows:—

For President, Geo. I. Butler; Secretary, A. B. Oyen; Treasurer, M. J. Chapman; Executive Committee, Geo. I. Butler, S. N. Haskell, U. Smith. These persons were thereupon elected to the offices named.

We present, also, the following brief synopsis of the meeting of the Publishing Association:—

WHEREAS, During the past year it has been our painful duty to chronicle the death of our esteemed brother, Eld. James White, President of this Association, under whose wise and judicious management, with the blessing of God, it came into existence, grew up, and has reached its present magnitude and importance in our specific work; therefore—

Resolved, That while we lament his death and mourn our loss, we will most earnestly seek the guidance of that Hand which led him in his work, and that Wisdom which alone will lead to such success as resulted from his efforts.

This resolution was unanimously passed by a rising vote of all present.

Resolved, That we recognize the importance and usefulness of the tract and missionary societies; that we appreciate their past labors in the circulation of our periodicals and books; and that we request them to continue to act as our agents for the sale of books, and in obtaining subscribers for our periodicals.

This resolution, which elicited quite general discussion, was also carried.

WHEREAS, We regard it of the highest importance that right influences be exerted in our houses of publication; therefore—

Resolved, That we request our ministers to recommend none as laborers in them, except such as are sound in the faith and firm in their principles of right.

The following-named persons were elected as officers of the Association for the ensuing year:—

For President, Geo. I. Butler; Vice-president, Uriah Smith; Secretary, M. J. Chapman; Treasurer, H. W. Kellogg; Auditor, C. W. Stone; Publishing Committee, Geo. I. Butler, W. C. White, G. W. Amadon.

Moved That U. Smith be elected editor of the Review. —Carried.

Moved, That J. N. Andrews and J. H. Waggoner be elected corresponding editors of the Review.—Carried.