General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

BATTLE CREEK, MICH., April 4, 1901. To the General Conference

The delegates and brethren representing the Southern field present to you the following Memorial:— GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.16

In our study of the situation in the Southern field, we find that there are many circumstances and conditions peculiar to the South which make it desirable that the work of reform which our cause represents should be planned and carried forward by persons who have lived long enough in the field to be well acquainted with its peculiarities and necessities. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.17

Especially do we find that in the education and training of workers and of teachers, that they should receive their education and training in the field where their work is to be done, for this is not only the most economical way, but it is sure to add greatly to the efficiency of the laborers. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.18

Such being the case, we believe that a more complete and independent organization of the work in this field, if sanctioned and approved by the General Conference, will result in great benefit to the work,— GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.19

1. By using to the very best advantage the working forces in the territory. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.20

2. By fostering the spirit of faithfulness and self-reliance, and developing self-supporting Conferences with such aid as may be needed and provided for advance work. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.21

3. By closely linking together all the interests in the field, each part may be made more efficient in helping every other part. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.22

In view of this, we suggest that the delegates present take up and act upon the recommendation of the thirty-second session of the General Conference relating to the organization of Union Conferences, which reads as follows:— GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.23

“That Union Conferences be organized in Europe and America, as soon as deemed advisable, and that these Union Conferences hold biennial sessions, alternating with the General Conference.”—Bulletin, 1897, p. 215. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.24

In the territory comprising District 2 there are three organized State Conferences and a large mission field covering six States. We think it would be for the best interest of the churches in these States if they should be organized at an early date into three or more Conferences. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.25

As this is a mission field which has been largely assisted by the General Conference, and as its advance work will call for large expenditure of means we request for it a continuation of such assistance, first, by remitting the tithe that would naturally be expected from a Union Conference to the General Conference; second, by an appropriation for the current year of a sum equal to three fourths of the net expenditure by the General Conference in this field during the past year, with the understanding that the aid from the General Conference will decrease as the States in the Union Conference become self-supporting. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.26

We also request the General Conference to accept the president of the Southern Union Conference as a member of the General Conference Executive Committee. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.27

Adopted at a meeting of delegates and representative brethren from the Southern States held in the east vestry of the Tabernacle, April 4, 1901. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.28

N. W. ALLEE, Chairman.
SMITH SHARP, Secretary.

Smith Sharp: Before reading the constitution, I will give you some statistics regarding the Southern field. These are compiled from the latest reports from those having charge of the Conferences and mission fields in the South, and cover the entire Southern field included in District 2:— GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.29

Number of States, 9; population (census of 1900), 14,908,768; organized churches, 65; companies, 31; church membership, 1,900; membership of companies, 355; isolated Sabbath-keepers, 325; total number of Sabbath-keepers, 2,580; tithe of district for 1900, 172.84; fourth-Sabbath and First-day offerings, $1,404,82. There are 40 local tract societies, 24 ordained ministers, 11 licentiates, 30 licensed missionaries, 15 self-supporting missionaries, 65 canvassers. 20 medical missionaries and nurses, and 35 church buildings, with a value of $23,110. Among the institutions are Graysville Academy, representing an investment of $10,000: the Huntsville Industrial School (colored). valued at $12,000; the Hildebran (N. C.) Industrial School (white), costing $2,000; many church and missionary schools: the Herald Publishing Company, with an investment of $8,000: a sanitarium at Hildebran, N.C.; colored sanitarium now fitting up at Nashville; and also treatment-rooms at Paducah. Ky., and other places. The retail value of books sold the past year is nearly $32,000. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.30

By request of the Southern delegates, a committee was appointed to draft a constitution to submit to the Conference for their approval. They have drafted a constitution which they would be willing to accept, and which is now presented to you for ratification:— GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.31

Inasmuch as the constitution presented is only suggestive, and has not been ratified by the anticipated Union Conference, the text of it is omitted. GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.32

The Chair: You have heard the Memorial and the constitution that have been submitted for the purpose of organization. What will you do with this Memorial? GCB April 5, 1901, page 67.33

S. H. Lane; I move its adoption by this Conference. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.1

The motion was seconded. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.2

The Chair: The matter is now open for remarks. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.3

W. W. Prescott: Will this action increase the net amount of funds to be used in this district during the next year or two, or decrease, and how much? GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.4

Smith Sharp: Perhaps it will decrease it by one fourth. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.5

W. W. Prescott: Does that look like increasing the work, and spreading it out into new fields? GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.6

Smith Sharp: We were informed that when this action was taken in Australia, that, whereas they had been giving two hundred pounds, they had to give only one hundred pounds, and that they did as much with one hundred pounds as they had previously done with two hundred pounds. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.7

W. W. Prescott: Is that the right principle, and is that principle to be extended to other mission fields? If so, what means all the instruction we have? GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.8

W. C. White: I think the suggestion means that the General Conference shall do much more than the brethren from the South have asked. Let the requests be small and the gifts large, whereas in the past the requests have been large and the gifts small. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.9

J. E. White: We have instruction that we should have people going to the different churches soliciting funds to forward such missionary work as this. I believe if this is organized, we want to take hold of the work just as the Lord has indicated, so that the riches of the Gentiles will begin to flow into this work. I believe that when we take hold of this work, and pull on right lines, the Lord will bless the efforts to increase the work in that field. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.10

S. N. Haskell: There is something in the thought of persons setting up house-keeping for themselves. They work a great deal harder. I remember when the New England Conference was organized. It had always been a burden to the General Conference. The Conference had sent laborers there, and received but little returns from the tithe. And they went to organize it into a Conference with the understanding that the General Conference would still help. Well, the New England Conference was organized. The General Conference sent down laborers, but the New England Conference proposed to pay those laborers; they also paid their tithe, and their proportion for the Battle Creek College and other institutions. There was an inspiration on their part to do it; and as they were an independent Conference, they thought they ought to do it. If it is necessary to help this new Conference, do so; but they have asked very little in proportion to what they have received, and it seems to me we ought to do that thing. Let us send down more money than that. They will be thankful for all we can send them. But let them plan and organize for themselves, and work for themselves, and it will be an advantage to the cause of present truth as a whole. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.11

S. H. Lane spoke favorably of the plan, giving a brief review of how the General Conference had helped new Conferences in the past. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.12

A. G. Daniells: I am pleased with this thought on the part of our Southern brethren. I believe it is in harmony with the instruction that has been coming to us these many years. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.13

Now, first, I suppose they have resolved to economize, and to do more work with less money. That is what they mean to do. Well, I hope they will do a great deal more work, and accomplish a great deal more results, whether they have less money or more money. But I suppose they have fears that this Conference would question whether the taking of this step would not mean the expenditure of a great deal more General Conference money. That is to say: If they get self-government, and take the work into their own hands, direct their laborers, manage their affairs, shape the expenditure, they will use up a great deal more money than is already being sent; and that the General Conference will hardly know whether to take a step that might involve them in that way. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.14

I want to encourage these brethren to go on and take this step that should be taken: and I pledge myself, as one member of this Conference, to stand by them, even if it should take more money to go through the two years than they have spent the last two. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.15

Mrs. E. G. White: That is the right principle. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.16

A. G. Daniells: I have been in counsel with Sister White about the organization of new Conferences for a number of years, and I esteem it a privilege to state to the delegates here what I have frequently heard Sister White say. In Australia we have many times been in great perplexity for money. When we started on self-governing principles out there, the tendency on the part of our brethren was to let us be self-supporting as well as self-governing. Sister White has often said to us brethren: “What is the matter? What is the reason for that?”—Well I remember a brother once said to her: “This principle has been adopted by this people, by our brethren, our Conferences,—that as long as a field is a missionary field, we will look after it and endeavor to support it; but when it organizes, and becomes a self-governing field, then it must support itself; we no longer stand committed to its support.” Sister White said, in reply, “Who made such a ruling as that? He had better been saying his prayers.” GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.17

The principle involved in that statement is this: that we are not justified in cutting a field off from our fostering care and support simply because it chooses to organize for local self-government. We are in duty bound to help the field, foster it, and encourage it with our assistance, just the same after organization as before. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.18

I do believe that by organizing in the South, placing the government. The management of the work, in the hands of men on the ground, having them direct the laborers, audit their accounts, run their institutions, work with their people, I believe that the funds, or receipts, will be increased per capita over what they have been hitherto. We must put them where they can advance their work, and help them with our counsel and with our funds just the best we can. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.19

Mrs. E. G. White: Amen! It is the Lord’s money. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.20

Mrs. E. G. White: I am thankful that there is to be a time when the mists will be cleared away. I hope that this time has begun here. We want the mists here to be cleared away. I want to say that from the light given to me by God, there should have been years ago organizations such as are now proposed. When we first met in Conference, it was thought that the General Conference should extend over the whole world. But this is not in God’s order. Conferences must be organized in different localities, and it will be for the health of the different Conferences to have it thus. This does not mean that we are to cut ourselves apart from one another, and be as separate atoms. Every Conference is to touch every other Conference, and be in harmony with every other Conference. God wants us to talk for this, and he wants us to act for this. We are the people of God, who are to be separate from the world. We are to stand as representatives of sacred truth. GCB April 5, 1901, page 68.21

While on my journey to Battle Creek, as I have visited different places, I at Los Angeles, asked, Why do you not do this? and, Why do you not do that? And the response has been, “That is what we want to do, but we must first get the consent of the Board, the members of which are in Oakland.” But, I asked, have you not men here with common sense. If you have not, then by all means transport them. You show great deficiency by having your Board hundreds of miles away. That is not the wisdom of God. There are men right where you are who have minds, who have judgment, who need to exercise their brains, who need to be learning how to do things, how to take up aggressive work, how to annex new territory. They are not to be dependent on a Conference at Battle Creek or a Board at Oakland. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.1

At the Health Retreat at St. Helena there was something which greatly needed to be done, and I called the leading men together, and urged upon them the importance of doing this thing. But they said, “We have no authority to act. We must first communicate with the Board.” “What do you mean,” I asked, “by acting in such a childish manner? Have you no men here who can be put in a position of responsibility, to decide such questions? If you have not, then do your best at once to find those who can fill such places here. We must have some one right at hand to whom we can speak. The Board must not be at San Francisco or Oakland, but here. They must be where we can counsel with them at once, in cases of necessity. Here is something that must be done immediately, and even if you have no official authority, take off your coats, and go to work to do that which must be done for the health of the institution.” I relate this to show you how foolish it is to have a Board miles and miles away, instead of close at hand. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.2

In regard to the work in the South, the arrangements which are being made for that field are in accordance with the light which has been given me. God desires the Southern field to have a conference of its own. The work there must be done on different lines from the work in any other field. The laborers there will have to work on peculiar lines, nevertheless the work will be done. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.3

The Southern field must be organized into a Conference. The lack of interest that has been manifested in that field has made it doubly sure that it must be thus. The Lord is going to enter the South; he is going to work there. His salvation is to be revealed, and the very places in which it has been most difficult to make advancement, are to be the places where the angels of the Lord will go before us. The Lord told the children of Israel that they should have gone up and possessed the land, and he would have given them possession. So he says to us. We are to enter every place in which we can find standing-room. There we are to plant the standard of truth. There we are to leave a monument which every week will proclaim, “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” The Lord declares that when we diligently observe his Sabbath, it is a sign between him and us, that we may know that he is the Lord that doth sanctify us. This knowledge is of more value to us than gold or silver or precious stones. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.4

The workers in the South are not to depend upon the Conference at Battle Creek. They are to hang their helpless souls on Jesus Christ. God can work for men to-day as he worked for Daniel. He gave Daniel and his companions wisdom and understanding, and he will give wisdom and understanding to the workers who, with clean hands and willing minds, with self-denial and self-sacrifice, go into the Southern field to clear the King’s highway, to take up the stumbling blocks, and prepare the way for the Lord’s work to be done. If they will seek for the wisdom of God, if they will cling in humility to the mighty One, they will receive heaven’s blessing. I said to my son, “If you will only work in and through the Holy Spirit, you will have a Comforter with you all the time. It does not matter what this one or that one may say. You are not amenable to any man. You are amenable to God. He has given you your work, and he is making a way for you so that you can work in his name.” GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.5

When I was in Vicksburg, I was so pleased to see in the congregation which assembled on the Sabbath, men of intelligence and real moral worth. I wanted to leave the room; for I felt that I should have to weep. I seldom shed a tear, not even when my dead are before me. Their work is done, and they are at rest. But when I see something that makes my heart glad, the tears will come. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.6

I want to tell you that I feel hopeful in God regarding this proposition concerning the Southern work. There is to be a great work done in the South. For several years I have been waiting and watching for this work. It has been delayed, but now it has been started, and I believe that it has been started right. And to those who do not believe this, I would say, Do not talk unbelief. Put on your armor; put on the gospel shoes; and go to the South and see the work that is being done. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.7

My heart is greatly encouraged in God. I have rolled off the burden that was upon my soul. I feel, brethren and sisters, that we are going to take hold together in the name of the Lord, and seek with all our power to restore, to heal the wounds which have been inflicted on the cause, by a deficient knowledge of what God is to us, and of our relation to him. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.8

We want to understand that there are no gods in our Conference. There are to be no kings here, and no kings in any Conference that is formed. “All ye are brethren.” Let us work on the platform of humility, seeking the Lord earnestly that his light may shine into our hearts, and that the arrangements we make may be after God’s order. I thank God that we are to-day in the presence of the whole heavenly universe. While we are making these arrangements, all heaven is witnessing to them. If the veil could be removed, if our ears could be opened, we would see the holy angels and hear a song of triumph ascending to God, because advance is to be made in the Southern field. This field, because it is a hard one, has stood with little help and with little sympathy. Those who work there must put on the righteousness of Christ. He says, My righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall be your rearward. GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.9

New Conferences must be formed. It was in the order of God that the Union Conference was organized in Australasia. The Lord God of Israel will link us all together. The organizing of new Conferences is not to separate us. It is to bind us together. The Conferences that are formed are to cling mightily to the Lord, so that through them he can reveal his power, making them excellent representations of fruit-bearing. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” GCB April 5, 1901, page 69.10

O, if ever there was a people who needed to be imbued with the Spirit of the living God, we need to be. At this time we must see something done which we have not seen for a long time. There must be a scattering from Battle Creek. Those who are here should learn all they can, so that when they go to other places, they can work for the Lord. He has wisdom for you, even as he had for Daniel. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.1

The Lord wants to bind those at this Conference heart to heart. No man is to say, “I am a god, and you must do as I say.” From the beginning to the end this is wrong. There is to be an individual work. God says, “Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me.” GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.2

Remember that God can give wisdom to those who handle his work. It is not necessary to send thousands of miles to Battle Creek for advice, and then have to wait weeks before an answer can be received. Those who are right on the ground are to decide what shall be done. You know what you have to wrestle with, but those who are thousands of miles away do not know. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.3

It is best for us to put our trust in the God of Israel. We are to feel that it is time for us to possess new territory, time for us to feel that we must break the bonds which have kept us from going forward. Young men, young women, there is a work for you to do. Just as surely as you do this work will you see the salvation of God. Close the windows of the soul earthward, and open them heavenward, and you will receive the rich blessings of heaven, and will at last gain a crown of immortality. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.4

G. A. IRWIN: The question is still before us, to adopt the motion to adopt the Memorial. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.5

W. W. PRESCOTT: I think we would all like to see this first step the right step.—I am referring especially to this question of funds. If the instruction which has been given here means anything to me, it means that right from the first the appropriations, or suggestions of appropriation, for these mission fields, must be largely increased; it means that from the very first our idea and expectation should be that all appropriations, or thoughts of appropriation, to these destitute fields should be much larger than heretofore. I am just as much interested in one field as another. I therefore move that it be the sense of this assembly that the General Conference deal liberally with the Southern field, and act upon the same basis in dealing with every mission field now in operation. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.6

W. C. WHITE: I wish most heartily to second the motion made by Brother Prescott. If we will deal liberally with these, it will mean entering more avenues, establishing more schools, establishing more bath-houses, building up our book-work, building up the circulation of our literature, studying the requirements of the different classes, and preparing and furnishing a literature to meet their wants. That is what it will mean. Why?—Because in every mission field the missionaries are drawn upon, their sympathies are drawn upon; as they see the work, their purses are drawn upon, their strength is drawn upon. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.7

There are a good number of workers. If they have heart, and something to do with, they will lead out in developing the new agencies; others will have courage to join with them; and thus the work will go forward nobly. Brethren, if you give them the facilities, if you give them the means of developing their field more rapidly than they have been allowed to do in the past, we shall see greater progress. Thus we shall hasten the Lord’s glorious coming. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.8

MRS. E. G. WHITE: I want to say a word. As it has been presented before me, the Southern field has been so long neglected that the cries of distress have gone up to heaven, and there never can be a clearance of our people until that field shall have fourfold more than any other field should have. They must have it, because they have nothing with which to carry forward their work. From the light that God has given me, our people will never stand as they should stand before Him, until they redeem the past. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.9

G. A. IRWIN: I think we should state the question. It is to grant the Memorial by referring that portion of it that pertains to the amount that shall go from the General Conference to this field, to the committee that was appointed for that purpose. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.10

O. A. OLSEN: I am deeply interested in the question that is now under consideration. I am so glad that it has come in, and taken just the shape that it has here to-day. With all my heart I acknowledge that God is in it, and is leading out. Every word that has been said with reference to the Southern field is true. It is true that it has been neglected; it is true that we have not met the mind of the Lord in His calls upon us with reference to the work there; but, brethren, this principle does not begin nor stop with that one field. It is far-reaching in its scope. It means much to us, and it touches my soul deeply. I have made some visits to the Southern field, and know something of the situation there,—something of its needs, its destitution, and its urgent calls,—and I am so glad to see these provisions being made for supplying them. I have also seen something of other fields, and know something of their needs, their destitution, and their earnest pleas for help. May the Spirit that has come into this Conference this afternoon, so take possession of our souls so that we shall be fully aroused to sense the real situation. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.11

There is the European field, with its hundreds of millions of souls, and yet, what are we doing? There are two very small, struggling Conferences, that are doing their utmost; and yet, oh, how little in comparison with what ought to be done! And there, too, are souls that are reaching out with most earnest and anxious desires, pleading for light and for help. This principle reaches there also. It is going to make a tremendous draft upon our funds. Thank God, the Lord has blessed us with an abundance, and our Father is rich. When the Spirit of God gets hold of us, body, soul, and spirit, and we recognize God’s ownership of ourselves and our possessions,—when we recognize that the work is God’s, and that we are His stewards, His instrumentalities,—we shall see the blessing and power of God as we have never seen them before. We shall see the power of God in our Conferences; we shall see God even blessing our finances in a different way than they have ever been blessed before; and as has been mentioned here, we shall hasten the coming of the Lord and the glorious day of redemption. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.12

THE CHAIR: I have no desire to cut off any discussion, but we have considered this matter quite at length, and it is now somewhat past the time for our adjournment. There is a motion before us to amend the Memorial. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.13

The question was called and carried. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.14

THE CHAIR: That brings us to the original question, which is the adoption of this Memorial. Are you ready to vote upon it? GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.15

J. O. JOHNSTON: Will that affect the constitution? GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.16

A. G. DANIELLS: We are not dealing with the constitution. This is simply a suggestive constitution, which will have to be acted upon by the brethren of the South when they organize. We are simply receiving this Memorial, that we may express our approval of their going forward and organizing. GCB April 5, 1901, page 70.17

The question of the adoption of the Memorial by the Conference was put, and carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned by singing the Doxology, Elder W. T. Knox pronouncing the benediction. GCB April 5, 1901, page 71.1

G. A. IRWIN, Chairman.
L. A. HOOPES, Secretary.