The Conference | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 23, 1865

The Conference.

ANOTHER of our delightful yearly gatherings has just closed. Where to commence, or what first to report of the good season we have enjoyed, it is difficult to determine. True, we have not, with the disciples on the day of pentecost, witnessed cloven tongues as of fire, sitting upon the heads of any, nor heard any speaking with unknown tongues, nor seen three thousand converts, but we have received instruction in relation to body, soul, and spirit, which, if carried out, will free the church from spots and wrinkles, and prepare it for manifestations such as these.

Were we to commence with what might be really termed the commencement of the Conference, we should go back to Sabbath, the 13th inst. Several ministering brethren from a distance, varying in a manner very agreeable to us from the usual custom, came in the week before the appointment. The society and labors of these we enjoyed in advance of the great gathering of the meeting. Delegates to the General Conference, representing every portion of the field, as may be seen by the business proceedings published in another column, were all present promptly to commence the session at the appointed hour on Wednesday morning. And throughout the business sessions of the General Conference, the Mich. State Conference, and the Association, on no single proposition that came before the meetings, was there a single dissenting vote.

And not only in the business meetings was this union and harmony apparent, but in all the religious exercises, it could but be seen and felt. Like the sweet chords of a grand and perfectly harmonious tune, was the union and harmony of these meetings, from the beginning to the end. It would seem that the apostle could have contemplated nothing more perfect when he exhorted the brethren to all speak the same things, and with one heart and one mouth, to glorify God.

During the five days of the Conference, there were held fifteen religious meetings, and seven business sessions. Of these meetings singly, it would be impracticable to speak to any great length. We can only give the reader one rule by which to work in this case. Having ascertained the character of one meeting, multiply that by the whole number held, and this will give the aggregate of the religious feast which we have enjoyed.

Wednesday and Thursday evenings were occupied with social meetings. And by social meetings we mean as a general thing (of course there will be some exceptions on such occasions), meetings which are characterized by spirited and soul-cheering testimonies, the beaming eye, the voice of praise, the earnest and stirring exhortation, and often the falling tear—scenes in which faith and love flame up anew, and we feel that all our hearts, and the truth, take a firmer hold upon each other.

We trust, for the good of those who were present, that they will not soon forget the remarks of sister White, Thursday evening, on the connection between the physical and the mental and moral, the relation which health bears to, or the almost controlling influence it has over our feelings, and the necessity of caring for the health of the body, if we would possess buoyancy and cheerfulness of spirit. The important bearing of this subject upon the present truth, will be seen at once by all who realize how necessary is a reform in our physical habits to that high state of spirituality involved in the preparation needful for us to be partakers in the latter rain.

Nor can we pass without notice the lectures of Bro. White, at the early hour of 5 o'clock on the mornings of the 18th and 19th, in which he spoke to a house full of interested hearers, on the life, duties, and privileges of the young minister, and the duties of the people among whom he labors, to him. He faithfully exposed the evils of late hours after the evening meeting, damp beds, late rising, frittering away the time in a sort of frivolous visiting, inactivity, putting forth no exertions to improve and discipline the mind, and then pampering and overloading the body with rich and unhealthful food. Pursuing such a course, a man will inevitably find himself at last the possessor of a weak, imbecile, and sluggish mind, scarcely holding its control over a fat and lazy body. Unless the memory of those who listened proves very faulty, we do not anticipate that any of them will soon be guilty of these faults.

Sabbath at 8 o'clock, A. M. and 2 P. M., and Sunday at half-past 8 A. M., and at half-past 6 P. M., an hour or an hour and a half each time, were devoted to social meetings. Of these meetings see definition above.

The discourses by Brn. White, Andrews, Snook and Loughborough, were, as discourses on present truth must ever be, when presented by those who have heads to understand and hearts to feel the solemn realities of these things, plain, clear, powerful, convincing and encouraging. This is the least that can be said of what we heard at these meetings.

Sabbath afternoon, discourse by Bro. White. It was some time before he could commence, so close were the ranks of those who were anxiously pressing in and bearing their testimonies, at the rate of about sixty in twenty-five minutes. After several attempts he at length obtained his turn to speak, and refreshed the minds of the congregation on the subject of the seven seals, showing in its appropriate place how strikingly is now fulfilled before us the holding of the winds, preparatory to the sealing of the servants of God. From this position there did not seem to be a dissenting voice. Indeed, it was a characteristic of most of the testimonies which were borne, that the time has come for the cause of the Lord in the present truth to move on in power and accomplish its work. A suggestion was made in connection with this subject which we hope to see carried out, which was, that as God had so signally answered our prayers as we have prayed for the restraining of the winds, we now have another season of prayer for the accomplishment of the work for the people of God, for which the way is now opening.

Sunday morning at five o'clock, Bro. Andrews ably presented to nearly a tent full of Sabbath-keepers, some new light on the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, the event from which the 2300 days are to be dated. By this our position on this question is rendered invulnerable. He has been requested as will be seen by the proceedings of the General Conference, to write out his views on this subject for publication, and the reader will doubtless soon have the pleasure of perusing them for himself in the Review.

Following this meeting, six went forward in the ordinance of baptism.

Fortunately, the weather was so favorable that the tent could be pitched Friday afternoon, in which the meetings were thereafter held. Sunday evening, while Bro. Andrews was presenting the closing sermon on the solemn subject of the Judgment, it is estimated that over a thousand persons were present.

It is thought that over five hundred were in from abroad. These, with the Battle Creek church, made a body of between six and seven hundred Sabbath-keepers. There were fifteen ordained ministers present. This is probably the largest body of Sabbath-keepers that has assembled for fifteen hundred years. We believe it is the most important Conference that has yet been held under the third angel's message. From all directions, brethren came up impressed with the idea that the meeting was to be one of unusual interest and importance. And while we heard none say that they were disappointed, not a few declared that it was the best meeting it had yet been their privilege to attend. We confidently expect that the rapidly-growing cause of present truth will look back for the time when it received a mighty impetus, to the spring Conference of 1865.