Life Incidents

ORGANIZATION

The subject of church order had been from time to time set forth in the Review since 1850, and the necessity of some simple form of organization had been quite fully discussed. The positions taken upon the subject of Babylon, the burden of the second message, had led many of our people to stand in great fear of organization, however simple. Babylon signifies confusion. God did not design to bring his people out of the confusion of Babylon into the greater confusion of no order nor discipline. This would only be making a bad matter worse. His object in bringing them out from the churches was to discipline and unite them for the last great battle of truth under the third message. It was not ambition to build up a denomination that suggested organization, but the sheer necessities of the case. For a time, the subject of organization waded heavily. But the importance of united action, and some simple form of organization by which we could legally hold our places of worship, and property necessary to efficiently conduct the publishing department, being earnestly plead by those who saw and felt the wants of the cause, our people generally soon overcame their fears, and united fully in the work. It has proved a success. LIFIN 299.1

In our church organization, the General Conference, composed of delegates from the different State Conferences, is our highest authority. This Conference chooses annually, besides the usual officers, a committee of three who have the oversight of the work throughout the entire field. LIFIN 300.1

Next to this are our several State Conferences, composed of the ministers and delegates from all the churches, in their respective States. These Conferences also have a committee of three to take the oversight of the work in their several States during the Conference year. LIFIN 300.2

Next to these stand individual churches, associated together under the following simple 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 faith of Jesus.” The officers of the church are local elders, deacons, and clerk. LIFIN 300.3