General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7
Departmental Meetings
W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, C. C. Crisler, T. E. Bowen, H. E. Rogers, J. N. Anderson
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
First Meeting
The first meetings of the Religious Liberty Department was held in the Religious Liberty tent, on Flower Avenue, Friday afternoon, May 16, at 4:30. GCB May 21, 1913, page 87.24
W. W. Prescott, secretary of the department, occupied the chair. GCB May 21, 1913, page 87.25
Opposition to the principles and work of the National Reform Association Federal Council of Churches, and the coming World’s Christian Citizenship Conference, to be held in Portland, Ore., June 29 to July 6, characterized the speeches and discussion. K. C. Russell, of Chicago, former secretary of the department, and W. F. Martin, of College Place, Wash., were the principal speakers. GCB May 21, 1913, page 87.26
Concerning the work and principles of the Christian Citizenship Conference, Brother Russell said:— GCB May 21, 1913, page 87.27
“The terms ‘Christian citizenship’ and ‘civil righteousness’ are comparatively modern terms that the promoters of the National Reform and other affiliated movements are employing to give great currency to their so-called reformatory activities. GCB May 21, 1913, page 87.28
“It is significant to observe that the more unchristian a movement is in these times, the more men seek to label it Christian. GCB May 21, 1913, page 87.29
“That which is Christian, and Christian indeed, does not require labeling, for it is proof in itself that it is genuine in character. The true Christian citizen is one who manifests in his character those noble and elevating Christian virtues which are seen in his relations with his fellow men. The idea of genuine Christian citizenship was clearly expressed by Justice Welch in his opinion in the Supreme Court of Ohio concerning the question of religious instruction in the public schools, as follows: ‘Is not the very fact that those laws (laws made by a Christian people) do not attempt to enforce Christianity, or to place it upon exceptional or vantage ground, itself a strong evidence that they are the laws of a Christian people? It is strong evidence that their religion is indeed a religion “without partiality,” and therefore a religion “without hypocrisy.” The true Christian asks no aid from the sword of civil authority. It began without the sword, and wherever it has taken the sword it has perished by the sword. To depend on civil authority for its enforcement is to acknowledge its own weakness, which it can never afford to do. Its weapons are moral and spiritual, not carnal. Armed with these, and these alone, it is not afraid nor ashamed, and the very reason why it is not so afraid or ashamed is that it is not the power of man but the power of God, on which it depends.’ From these statements it is very plain that true Christian citizenship is seen in the fact that it does not attempt to enforce Christianity or seek in any way to take advantage in matters of religion. This idea, however, is contrary to the ideas of those who constitute what is denominated as the Christian Citizenship Movement.. GCB May 21, 1913, page 87.30
Second Meeting
The second meeting of the Religious Liberty Association was held Sunday afternoon. The subject under consideration was: “Religious Liberty Institutes and Campaigns: Their Importance, and the Best Methods of Conducting Them.” GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.1
The speakers leading out in the meeting were: J. O. Corliss, of California; W. F. Martin, religious liberty secretary of the North Pacific Union Conference; and H. A. Weaver, religious liberty secretary of the Ohio Conference. J. O. Corliss and W. F. Martin discussed principally the matter of conducting campaigns in opposition to Sunday legislation. The mass-meeting feature was strongly recommended, and extensive advertising of the meetings was urged. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.2
H. A. Weaver spoke on the subject of institutes among our own people in our own churches, and urged that a larger, clearer view be taken of the importance of the Religious Liberty Department as a vital element in our organized work. He recommended that the secretaries of the association henceforth be more active in conducting institutes in churches. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.3
In the discussion which followed, participated in by J. E. Jayne, W. A. Colcord, K. C. Russell, A. J. Clark, A. J. S. Bourdeau, F. H. Robbins, H. W. Cottrell, H. C. Clemen, and others, the united sentiment was that hereafter union and local conference religious liberty secretaries ought to spend all their time in the work of organizing and pushing the interests of this department. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.4
SABBATH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Second Meeting
The Sabbath-school workers enjoyed a treat in hearing Elder Wm. Covert, a veteran Sabbath-school worker, reminiscently describe how we used to study the Sabbath-school lesson. No regular lessons were prepared in those early days, each teacher providing his own. The class of which Elder Covert was teacher studied verse by verse the books of Daniel and the Revelation. His sense of responsibility was so great that many times after working hard on the farm all day, he studied until midnight, to make sure that he had his lesson sufficiently well to teach it. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.5
“Faithful Study of the Sabbath-school Lessons—The Need—How to Secure It,” was the special topic for the day. Prof. M. E. Olsen, of Takoma Park, read a valuable paper setting forth the importance of this topic in an especially helpful way. He stated that the Sabbath-school is the one universal educational institution of this denomination. Its teachers outnumber ten to one those in our church-schools, academies, and colleges. The Sabbath-school lesson, moreover, represents the only systematic study of God’s Word in which our people everywhere can and do have a part. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.6
The speaker gave a number of suggestions to teachers concerning the assignment of special subjects to pupils, to encourage greater lesson study and research of the Bible. The suggestions were practical and greatly appreciated by all present. In closing he said, “We must take for one of our mottoes, ‘The Sabbath-school lesson seven days in the week,’ and then lend our energies to its accomplishment.” GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.7
Mrs. H. F. Taylor, of Utica, N. Y., emphasized the thought that a hurried study of the lesson leaves so faint an impression on the mind that it soon fades away. To parents comes the call, “Parents, set apart a little time each day for the study of the Sabbath-school lesson with your children.” GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.8
Mrs. R. G. Stringer, of Florida, made a very striking comparison between the nurseryman caring for the orange orchard and the Sabbath-school teacher caring for the tender plants assigned to her in the vineyard of the Lord. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.9
Mrs. E. C. Boger, of British Guiana, had found it helpful to allow the pupils to teach occasionally, with the teacher sitting in the class. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.10
W. A. Sweany of the Bahama Islands, urged that the Sabbath-school lesson be studied for twenty minutes or half an hour each day. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.11
Third Meeting
“Some Do’s and Don’t’s” was the topic of a spicy paper read by Dr. G. H. Heald. A few of the suggestions to superintendents were:— GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.12
Plan ahead; be always cheerful and hopeful; be more ready to praise than censure; don’t depend upon machinery; don’t get into a rut. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.13
Teachers were admonished thus:— GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.14
Take your commission from God; be an example of what you wish your pupils to be; study the members of your class, as well as the lessons; carry cheer into the class; don’t let any ordinary excuse keep you away from your place Sabbath morning; don’t fail to follow up the indifferent, the absent, and the troublesome members; don’t think you know all there is to be learned about the lesson, or the art of teaching. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.15
Topic: “Plans for Increasing the Interest in Lesson Study.” Miss Edith Graham, of New Zealand, spoke of her experience in studying the lesson until she could recite it without reference to the Quarterly or the Bible. Others were influenced to do this, with most excellent results. She found that even new Sabbath-keepers were able to do this after a few months effort. The more the lesson is studied, the greater the interest in it. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.16
Mrs. R. D. Quinn, of New York City, spoke of the necessity of choosing teachers for the children with great discretion. The memory verse cards are proving a blessing in increasing the interest of the children in memorizing verses. She said: “At the close of the quarter we write questions on slips of paper, fold them neatly, and each child draws one and proceeds to answer it. They enjoy this very much.” GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.17
Mrs. Mettie Lenker, of Tennessee, had noticed in teaching in day-schools that the subjects she liked best to teach were most enjoyed by her pupils, while the interest in subjects that were not her favorites, was not so good. The application to Sabbath-school teaching was very apparent. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.18
Question Box GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.19
“What are the advantages gained in electing Sabbath-school officers for one year instead of six months?” GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.20
Mrs. L. F. Plummer: I will tell you some of the disadvantages of electing them for six months. Very much of the work of the conference Sabbath-school secretary is done by correspondence. In pushing new plans, there is only about time to write a couple of letters and get tardy responses before the term of office expires and the local officers are changed. Then the work with that school must begin over again. We should train workers, but we cannot give them a training of value in six months, and much better results would be obtained if changes were not so frequently made. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.21
THE EVENING SERVICE
Tuesday, May 20
The hour this evening was occupied by Elder Evans, who gave an interesting description of China and our work in that republic. He first presented a series of slides showing Chinese life, manners, and conditions, both public and private; and then by means of another well-chosen series he set before the congregation our work in all the seven provinces into which our mission workers have penetrated. Each slide was briefly but well explained by Elder Evans, who displayed careful and detailed knowledge of the field and all of our mission interests. The lesson of the hour was both inspiring and instructive, and the impression that God is doing a great work in that field was made on the minds of all present. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.22
According to appointment, the early morning devotional services were held in various portions of the camp. The leaders in the large pavilion, Elders Quinn, Burg, Christiansen, McCord, and Starr, report an attendance of six or seven hundred in their section, and a profitable season of seeking God. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.23
The 8:30 A. M. Bible Study Hour was occupied Tuesday, May 20, by Elder Allum, of China. The tent was filled, and those who came rejoiced in the tidings given of progress in the Far East. A stenographic report of Brother Allum’s talk is already in type, and will appear in a later issue. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.24
The reports of the Publishing, Religious Liberty, and Educational Departments, which have been held over from former sessions for lack of space, appear in this issue, on pages 73-80. These are replete with facts regarding progress during the past few years, and will be read with more than ordinary interest. GCB May 21, 1913, page 88.25