General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7

TWENTY-NINTH MEETING

W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, C. C. Crisler, T. E. Bowen, H. E. Rogers, J. N. Anderson

June 3, 2:30 P. M.

A. G. DANIELLS in the chair. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.8

Prayer by Allen Moon. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.9

The chair called for unfinished business, and the report of the committee on finance (page 233 of BULLETIN) was considered. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.10

Question was called on recommendation I. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.11

Recommendation 2 was considered, relating to the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund (the plan outlined on page 52). GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.12

C. A. Burman: I suppose it is quite natural for each of us to consider our own position in this matter. I was wondering how far this would apply. I suppose it will apply to all fields alike. It might be well to know how some fields are situated. I understand this means five cents a week for every member, to the support of our institutions, providing the institutions receiving the benefit have a twenty-five-per-cent indebtedness. We are in such a place as not to receive any benefit, and still we are asked to settle our own indebtedness, which is less than twenty-five per cent, and at the same time turn over five cents to the support of some other institutions. Now the question in my mind is whether it is just to carry this into effect in applying it to all conferences. We of course are outside the United States. We live just over the line [Alberta, Canada]. Our position is that we have been deprived, and have deprived ourselves, of many things other institutions have, in order to keep out of debt, and we have been able to do it to quite a large extent. Now to ask us to turn around and pay some one’s obligations to put in sidewalks and various lighting plants and things which we denied ourselves of because we did not want to go into debt (perhaps we should have afforded them), seems not just right. If it is so voted, of course we shall be good-natured about it; but this is the position we are in. We will receive no benefit, and still we will be helping others to pay for the things which we would not invest in because we did not want to go into debt. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.13

C. R. Kite: I would like to ask if this plan is based upon the church-membership, that is to say, the twenty cents a week is based on the membership of the conferences. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.14

A. G. Daniells: Yes, sir. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.15

C. R. Kite: The same as was the Fifteen-cent-a-week Fund? GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.16

A. G. Daniells: Yes, sir. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.17

C. R. Kite: Now I would like to ask, Brother Chairman, if there is not a better way, a better basis, to place our mission offerings upon than upon the membership basis. Is there not a better standard or basis to fix our funds upon? I am sure we do not shrink responsibility in raising funds for missions, that I speak as I do, Brother Chairman; but it has seemed to a number of us that the correct basis would be as the Bible has said, according as God hath prospered you, not according to whether you are a member of a church; that the index of a man’s ability to give is measured or established by his tithe. Individuals grouped together make a church, and the tithe of the church would measure the ability of that church to give to missions, or to any other cause. The tithe receipts of the conference would tell better the exact ability of the conference to give than its membership; for the membership may change according to the administration or ideas of a conference in making up its lists; whereas the tithe really represents the actual capital and income of the people of that conference; and it has seemed that in the great plan of working up these funds, we shall more certainly see the fund raised from year to year if placed on this basis. We started with ten cents a week; it grew to fifteen; now it is placed at twenty; and before this work ends, it will go higher than that. I do not know where it will stop—not until it takes all we have, I hope. But, Brother Chairman, I wish that the finance committee could have found a basis different from the membership; for I can assure you that it is not very satisfactory in many places. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.18

A. G. Daniells: I would say, in answer to Brother Kite, that this matter was given a good deal of study. It seemed to those who did this, that the membership basis was really a more certain basis, a concrete basis, to work upon. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.19

E. K. Slade: I think it should be understood by all of the delegates that our conference officers and our conference presidents have something to do besides holding tent efforts; that it keeps us pretty busy in trying to carry out the plans and meet the standards. We have other funds to raise aside from money for the mission field—for our tent outfits, and for meeting the deficit, perhaps, in the running of the camp-meeting, the poor fund, and other funds, and helping some companies in building their churches. Now when we go to our churches asking for a tent fund or an emergency fund of any sort, about the first question that is asked by our church officers today is, “Will it be counted on the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund?” It is getting to that point that we do not get a very hearty response unless we say that it is counted on the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund. I do not know that I would want to change that. I am glad that our people do want to see this mission fund brought up to that high standard; yet it must be understood that it is making the burdens a little heavier, the struggles a little harder, in meeting the various funds to carry on the good, strong work in the local conference. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.20

J, H. Behrens: I had hoped that some one would suggest what I have in mind, but no one has so far. When the General Conference Committee met in January at Mountain View, we were furnished with a copy of the recommendations. We took these to our conference the following month, and adopted them. Even previous to this we presented the matter of the mission funds to the people in our churches, and the conference voted that instead of raising twenty cents a week per member, we raise that fund to twenty-five cents a week per member, giving fifteen cents to the foreign mission work, five cents for the institutional work in the North American Division, and five cents additional for our own individual obligations in the California Conference, and we were confronted with the question as to what basis we would place this fund upon. They said: “All right, we will give to missions. We are in sympathy with the work in Africa and in India and in China, but when you come and ask for institutions nearer home, we haven’t any faith in it.” And we were forced to study the question, not from the local standpoint, but from the missionary standpoint, and we told the people that the work in India, in China, Japan, or in the foreign fields, could not be carried forward unless we had the home institutions to furnish the workers; therefore the five cents addition that was asked for in liquidating the indebtedness of our institutions was missionary funds in the highest sense of the word; and we found that from that viewpoint our people responded gladly. GCB June 4, 1913, page 264.21

The thought has occurred to me, Brother Chairman, that we ought to swing around from the idea of having home mission work and having foreign mission work, in connection with this Twenty-cent-a-week Fund. I believe that we will have more success in getting the money when we present the idea that these institutions—Loma Linda College, the Foreign Mission Seminary, or any other institution that may have the benefit of this five cents—are missionary institutions in the highest sense of the word, and that without them the foreign mission work would be crippled. I believe it will help in raising this money, and I would like to see a little discussion along that line, that when our delegates go back into the field there will go a sentiment all over the North American Division that we are not divided in this fund, as to having one portion go for institutional indebtedness and the other to mission work directly, but that this is all one fund, and goes to missions, even if it pays the debt of Healdsburg College, that has sent out missionaries to foreign fields. In that old institution at Healdsburg were worked out some of the most beautiful principles of Christian education that can be found in this earth; these principles of Christian education have had their influence all over the denomination, not only in this country, but in the foreign field. Therefore I contend, Brother Chairman, that this institutional relief ought to be put on a strong missionary basis. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.1

W. T. Knox: A number of other plans were suggested to the finance committee, looking toward a modification of our plan of raising funds for the mission fields. They were all given careful consideration. I will tell briefly why the committee did not think it well to change the plan. First of all, because the present plan upon which we are operating, after years of trial and effort, has now become a positive success. It is not unscriptural, because, when it is understood as it should be, and as I have always thought our people generally did understand it, it does not mean just exactly fifteen cents a week from every member, no more and no less, but it calls for an amount from all the conferences, from all the churches, and from all the membership, of an average of fifteen cents a week per member, which on the aggregate, would give us so many thousands of dollars for our operations. In it is the idea of giving according as the Lord prospers. Where one man might give, and give acceptably to the Lord, five cents per week for himself, another man might not meet the requirement of God if he gave five dollars a week. Each one is to give as God has prospered him, with the idea of furnishing so much money for the needs of the cause. I will say that we felt very reluctant to give any favorable consideration to any plan that would turn away the denomination from this plan that today is a success. Local conferences have attempted in the past to provide mission funds, school funds, camp-meeting funds, tent funds, all kinds of funds, from a second tithe, and from the raising of money on the basis of the tithe paying. As far as I know, as conferences, they have abandoned them today, although they were strongly advocated at certain times. They have abandoned them because they have not found them workable. Whether that is correct or not, I cannot tell. Now, however, we do have a successful plan in operation. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.2

F. W. Stray: I would like to mention a feature of the raising of this fund that has not been touched upon so far as I have heard. In speaking of the denomination receiving so much more than any other denomination, I am convinced that the doctrine of the imminence of the second advent and the finishing of the work in this generation, is a thing that impels our people to large missionary giving. As I have learned from our church elders, I believe that the reason we jumped so quickly last year from ten to fifteen cents was not so much administrative effort. I know our brethren worked hard; yet I believe it was largely the providence of God working through the development of the Eastern Question that stirred our people to give last year. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.3

E. E. Andross: Was it not in God’s plans originally that the sanctuary and its services should be maintained on the membership basis, aside from the tithe? Was not the gift for the temple to be a half-shekel for every man? I think that is true, and I think we could not find a better basis for the support of our work than that which we have already set forth. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.4

Chas, Thompson: The success or the failure of the plan, in my judgment, lies with the people here. Whether we raise twenty cents a week or not per capita will depend upon our leadership before the people. The people are ready for it, evidently. So far as our field is concerned, they are ready for it. They reached the standard very easily last year, and more. Now, it seems to me we are on the advance. We must be on the aggressive, and if our field reached more than fifteen-cent standard last year, for us to keep the stake back at fifteen cents this year, would not be an aggressive move, I think. So I have every confidence that if we will give proper leadership, we shall have no trouble in doing it. I believe, brethren, it is time that we, as preachers and conference workers, should set the right pace before the people. The thing for us to do is to lift the obligations, and when there is a plan set in operation that we have every reason to believe will do the work, we ought to go at it. The very principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is for those who are not in trouble to help the unfortunate. Now, brethren let us take hold of the plan for the relief of our institutions, and four years from now we shall see how greatly strengthened our whole work shall be. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.5

A. J. Clark: It seems to me that the question of the membership basis involves the keeping of the list of members as it really is. Some have advocated a sort of retired or inactive list of members, not counted in these apportionments for the raising of funds, though their names are on the church books. It seems to me we ought to place ourselves on record that there is but one basis, the real membership of the church, so we can know where we are on this Twenty-cent-a-week Fund. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.6

A. G. Daniells: That is just the position the General Conference has taken from the year one in that matter. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.7

W. A. Ruble: I believe if there is one word we should leave out from our vocabulary it is the word “foreign” in regard to missions. I believe that all our work should be missionary work, and any enterprise that is not worthy of that name ought not to receive our support. I believe that the yellow man’s soul in this country is just as good as it is in foreign countries, and that we should give our money to home mission work just as we should to those in foreign lands. Another thing. It is sometimes said that some of our people are favorable to paying deficits on institutions if they are called educational. I want to give you a little information that possibly you may not have. When I was in college, I paid on an average $140 a year for tuition and board. Today we have in our sanitariums a thousand young people who are paying all their way; the institution is giving them their education, and the expense of those institutions is about one hundred fifty thousand dollars a year. Some sanitariums are teaching subjects that could not be gotten elsewhere. And the students have been paying their tuition by working in the institutions. It is recognized by every sanitarium board that their nurses’ training-class is an expense to them, a heavy expense. Some of our schools are getting $140 a year tuition per student, and are running behind. Now, what is the difference whether we are educating our young people in an institution known as a college or a sanitarium? It seems to me we must recognize these institutions as educational, whatever kind of training they may give, if we recognize them at all, and, further, that we must recognize them as missionary if we recognize them at all. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.8

A. G. Daniells: M. C. Wilcox has the floor, and then we must decide whether we will pass this resolution or adjourn. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.9

M. C. Wilcox: Brother Chairman, I have only this to say, that if our people fully understand that the fifteen cents a week is for missions, and the extra five cents for institutions financially involved, upon which there shall be piled up no more debts, we will have no trouble whatever in raising the twenty cents a week. [Many amens.] GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.10

A. G. Daniells: And that is the condition. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.11

M. C. Wilcox: And that is what our people ought to understand, too, Brother Chairman. I think that when the time comes that we are as willing to groan under the obligations as we are now to groan over them, we shall get along all right. [A chorus of amens.] GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.12

E. L. Maxwell: This recommendation provides for revision of these plans adopted by the General Conference. Are we to do this revising here this afternoon? GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.13

A. G. Daniells: I understand so. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.14

G. B. Starr: Would you be willing, Brother Chairman, to state the spirit with which the report was received here in the East when you returned from the California council stating that such a movement was on foot to clear the indebtedness of both schools and sanitariums? Some of us regarded it as one of the signs of the soon coming of the end, that the Lord was going to work to get his institutions out of debt. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.15

A. G. Daniells: After this decision was made at Mountain View, wherever I went I spoke of it in church or conference gathering, and it was hailed with gladness. In a number of cases churches and conference gatherings voted to support that measure and to encourage the Conference to go on with it. I have never related an action of the Conference that received heartier acceptance than this proposition has, as far as I know. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.16

Question was called, and the report adopted. GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.17

W. T. Knox: I think that just a few moments would suffice to make all needed revisions in these recommendations. I move that No. 1, on page 233, be substituted for No. 10, on page 52, and that in all places where “General Conference” appears, “North American Division” be substituted, making the outline of the plan read as follows:— GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.18

Twenty-Cent-A-Week Fund GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.19

Whereas, It is more clearly revealed, with each passing year, that schools, sanitariums, and publishing houses are most helpful and necessary facilities for the rapid and efficient carrying forward of the work of God throughout the world; and— GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.20

Whereas, These institutions can accomplish their purpose only to the extent that they are understood, appreciated, and supported by our people; and— GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.21

Realizing, That in the establishment and maintenance of the institutions we now have, there has not been given the careful study, the efficient management, and the proper financial support they should have had; therefore, be it— GCB June 4, 1913, page 265.22

Resolved, That we take these institutions, with their workers and their great interests and needs, more fully upon our hearts and into our plans and fostering care than heretofore; and further,— GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.1

That we commend to the study, the interest, and the support of our people everywhere, the schools, sanitariums, and publishing houses among us. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.2

Resolved, That we adopt the following arrangement for removing the present liabilities of these institutions, and for maintaining them without creating further indebtedness:— GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.3

The standard of offerings to missions to be raised from fifteen to twenty cents a week per member in the United States and Canada, and that twenty-five per cent of the total amount thus raised be devoted to the liquidation of the liabilities of all training-schools, and those academies, intermediate schools, and sanitariums whose liabilities equal or exceed twenty-five per cent of their assets. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.4

PHOTO-Gendia mission station, British East Africa.

We further— GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.5

Recommend, That the carrying out of this plan be governed by the following provisions:— GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.6

1. That the entire amount received on the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund be kept intact, and remitted to the North American Division Conference treasury. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.7

2. That the twenty-five per cent to be devoted to the liquidation of the liabilities of the schools and sanitariums be divided annually, by the North American Division Conference Committee, among the institutions, on the pro rata basis of their indebtedness. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.8

3. That in the apportionment, due consideration be given to the conditions prevailing in each institution as to its financial situation, earnings, available assets that can be realized upon without detriment to the work, annuity contracts, etc., a complete report and financial statement being rendered each year to the North American Division Conference by the institutions. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.9

4. In case the total amount raised falls short of the twenty cents per member, so as to interfere with the operations of our foreign-mission enterprises, the shortage shall be deducted from the relief fund rather than the foreign funds. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.10

5. That each institution receiving appropriations from this fund shall apply the full amount it shall receive to the liquidation of its liabilities. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.11

6. That an institution sharing the benefits of this fund shall not by any means add to its present indebtedness either by buildings, equipment, or in its operations. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.12

7. That for the enlargement, repairs, equipment, or loss in operating, the needed funds shall be raised by direct gifts from the people. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.13

8. Where it is demonstrated that an institution cannot maintain itself without increasing its liabilities or encroaching upon the proposed relief fund, such institution shall, upon the advice of the North American Conference Committee, and the union conference in which it is located, be closed, and its assets be disposed of to the best advantage, or diverted to other denominational use. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.14

9. That failure on the part of any institution to comply with these provisions shall debar it from receiving the benefits of this plan. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.15

10. That there be constituted a finance commissions of four members, one member to be appointed by the General Conference Committee, another member by the North American Division Conference Committee; these two to give their entire time to the work; the other two to be the treasurers of the General and the North American Division Conferences; and that the expenses of the commission be divided equally between the two conferences. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.16

11. That this plan go into effect July 1, 1913. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.17

Voted to refer to committee on finance. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.18

Conference then adjourned.

A. G. DANIELLS, Chairman;
W. A. SPICER, Secretary.

NORTH AMERICAN DIVISION CONFERENCE

WASe

Fifth Meeting

June 3, 3:15 P. M.

I. H. EVANS in the chair. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.19

After the meeting was called by the chairman, H. C. Hartwell submitted the following further partial report of the nominating committee:— GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.20

For secretary, G. B. Thompson; treasurer, W. T. Knox; departmental secretaries: Medical, H. W. Miller, M. D.; Educational, H. R. Salisbury; Missionary Volunteer, Matilda Erickson; Religious Liberty, C. S. Longacre; General Foreign, O. A. Olsen; German, G. F. Haffner and J. H. Schilling; Danish-Norwegian, L. H. Christian; Swedish, S. Mortenson; Negro, C. B. Stephenson. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.21

Executive committee: I. H. Evans, O. A. Olsen, G. B. Thompson, W. T. Knox, the union conference presidents of North America, the secretaries of departments, and five additional members, as provided for by the constitution, as follows: Dr. W. A. Ruble, Frederick Griggs, R. A. Underwood, W. W. Prescott, and L. M. Bowen. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.22

Secretary of Press Bureau: W. L. Burgan. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.23

While the name of the nominee for treasurer was before the conference, a statement was made by W. T. Knox as follows: I am sure that all will recognize the desirability both from the standpoint of the General Conference, and of the North American Division, that the division conference should have its own treasurer. The work in the General Conference treasury department ever since I have been connected with it, has been all that I have been equal to, and it is growing heavier each year. This change that has come into our organization does not lessen the volume of the work of the two conferences. And the interests of the North American Division are such that they should have a treasurer of their own. They recognize that, and are aiming to secure it. I have had a conversation with Elder Evans, and it is understood between us that my name is presented on the condition that I be relieved of all responsibility in the office at the time of the fall council. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.24

The motion prevailed. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.25

On motion, the partial report of the committee on plans, recorded on page 218 of the BULLETIN, was referred to the joint committee on plans. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.26

Meeting adjourned. GCB June 4, 1913, page 266.27

I. H. EVANS, Chairman;
GUY DAIL, Secretary.