General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

ORGANIZATION OF GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

At a meeting of the General Conference Committee held April 22, further organization of the Committee was effected, as noted below:— GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.2

Finance Committee: J. H. Kellogg, I. H. Evans, P. T. Magan, W. C. White, S. H. Lane. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.3

Sabbath-school Department: W. A. Spicer (chairman), W. T. Knox, E. J. Waggoner, M. C. Wilcox, A. J. Bead, Mrs. L. Flora Plummer, F. Griggs. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.4

Educational Department: A. T. Jones, P. T. Magan, David Paulson, W. W. Prescott, J. H. Kellogg, E. A. Sutherland, F. Griggs. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.5

Religious Liberty Department: A. T. Jones (chairman), E. A. Sutherland, David Paulson, A. Moon, S. H. Lane. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.6

ORGANIZATION OF SOUTHWESTERN UNION CONFERENCE. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.7

District 5 has organized under the name of Southwestern Union Conference, and the following officers have been appointed:— GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.8

President, C. McReynolds; Vice-President, H. Shultz; Secretary, R. W. Parmele; Treasurer, Manager of Pacific Press Publishing Company, Kansas City; Auditor, C. T. Caviness; Executive Committee, C. McReynolds: President of each local Conference: President of Keene Academy: Manager Pacific Press Publishing Company, Kansas City; President Boulder Sanitarium; General Canvassing agent. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.9

GENERAL CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.10

Twenty-seventh Meeting, April 21, 3 P. M. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.11

ELDER O. A. OLSEN in the chair. Prayer by J. W. Collie. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.12

The Chair: It was announced this forenoon that the afternoon would be given to a consideration of the situation in Scandinavia, especially the financial situation. This Conference should receive a statement of the condition of things there, regarding the publishing house and its present needs and circumstances. We will call upon Brother Evans, who, as a representative of the General Conference and the Foreign Mission Board, has been in Europe and investigated the situation, and obtained a full understanding of the status of the whole case. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.13

I. H. Evans: I will make a brief statement in regard to our obligations there, so that the Conference may be familiar with the situation. It will be remembered that a year ago last fall our publishing house became embarrassed with its outstanding bills. It had been obliged to borrow quite largely from the banks in order to carry on its work, and meet an accumulation of obligations it had been carrying for many years. Two years ago this spring there began to be a financial depression in Christiania; money became less free in circulation than before. There had been a boom in the city. They had builded very extensively; many capitalists had put thousands of dollars into putting up large flats for rental, and the increase of population was not sufficient to fill up these buildings. It was a great boom for an old Eastern city. When there was not a sufficient population to fill up the new houses, these men, who had borrowed the capital with which to build them, were unable to meet their obligations in the banks. The building operators began to fail. That caused a shortage of money, and the banks became more cautious to whom they advanced loans. Finally it reached out to other important branches that were doing business quite largely on borrowed capital. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.14

Our own house, unfortunately, had been operated upon borrowed money, and as this depression became more and more intense in the city, it was not able to borrow money at the banks, as it formerly had been doing, to carry the business, to pay interest, and other obligations. When money could no longer be borrowed at the banks, our publishing house became greatly embarrassed, and appealed to this country, asking that we send money at once. The Foreign Mission Board sent 85,000, to help the necessity. This money was used in carrying the business over from spring until about August. In August the situation became still more intense; the bankers became more cautious, demanding additional security. And as fast as our paper became due, they would not accept a renewal of our paper with the old security. Our men could not secure new security, and consequently became greatly embarrassed. They then wrote over and asked for more money. The Foreign Mission Board sent them $3,000, and told them that was all that we felt warranted in sending. Before they received the money, however, they had suspended payment. They had become so greatly embarrassed that they asked for a moratorium of six months, in which to reshape their finances, get out a balance-sheet, and decide whether they were able to meet their obligations or be obliged to go into bankruptcy. They hoped in this moratorium to get help from America, so that they could meet their obligations, and not be forced. GCB April 23, 1901, page 409.15

When their appeal came to the General Conference a year ago last fall, our brethren decided that they would send a committee over there to investigate matters, and see why our house was in such a straightened condition. Brother J. N. Nelson and I went and looked the matter over, and made our report to the General Conference. It decided that it was unable to produce so much money, and consequently that the house must go into bankruptcy, and the creditors take possession. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.1

We made the proposition, according to instructions, and arranged to transfer all our assets in favor of our creditors. That matter ran along until in August of last year, about that time, we received word from Australia that it was wrong for us to allow our creditors to take the property; that the house should be rescued; that its failure would be a great depression upon our people, and a source of great discouragement. The General Conference Committee was called together, with the presidents of the State Conferences, and the Foreign Mission Board, to advise means by which we could rescue the house, and pay our creditors in full. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.2

A new proposition was then submitted to our creditors. We offered, in lieu of the former proposition, which they had already accepted, to pay them in full, in six semi-annual installments, the amount of our obligations to them, providing they were willing to grant us time. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.3

On the 15th of January they cabled us that they would accept our propositions, and that we might pay these obligations according to our own propositions. In the statement we received from our business manager, Mr. Christiansen, he presented a balance-sheet showing that we were obligated to outside parties, and to our depositories in Christiania, $81,084. This does not include an obligation of $9,000 which is owing the Foreign Mission Board. The amount that we have to raise is $22,000 per annum, for three years, making $11,000 in semi-annual payments, having to pay $11,000 on the first day of January and the first day of July until the whole amount is canceled. We have paid the first obligation, due last January, and the second obligation falls due the first day of the coming July, so that we are really bound by our own word of honor to redeem the property, and pay our creditors in full. They have accepted it cheerfully. When they received notification that we would do better than our original propositions, they said that we were an honest people; that that was the first time in the history of their business that they ever knew people who could get out of their obligations to be willing voluntarily to pledge themselves that they would pay the whole amount. They said that we had reinstated ourselves in their estimation, and they believed that we were a devout, Christian people. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.4

We were glad for this, and we hope we shall be able to be as good as their expectations from our promises. It means a large amount of money—$81,000; but, brethren, we are surely able to pay it, much more able to pay it than we are able not to pay it. The saddest thing I ever did in my life was to submit a proposition to the creditors that we could not pay them in full for value received; and my heart was made glad last fall when we pledged ourselves as brethren that we would pay that amount, every dollar of it, and produce it just as fast as we could. I have not been informed of a single soul in this denomination whose heart was not cheered by the knowledge that we intended to redeem that property. I know of no Seventh-day Adventist that believes in repudiation. I believe if there is one thing that we have always prided ourselves in, it is to be an honest people, to pay everything we owe, and you know we have always taught it to our people. So the only way I know of for us to raise this money is to take right hold of it individually and practically, and each one of us do our part. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.5

I am ready to answer any questions in regard to these obligations that you may ask if I can, so that you will understand it, and it will be plain and simple. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.6

Voice: Is this money that is due, money that has been received by our publishing house, or is it securities that have gone for outside parties? GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.7

I. H. Evans: It is a part of both. We have endorsed paper for others, but a large part of it is our own obligations. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.8

F. D. Starr: Is the $81,000 now owing exclusive of the $11,000 that was paid in January? GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.9

I. H. Evans: No; inclusive. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.10

F. D. Starr: That reduces it to $70,000? GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.11

I. H. Evans: Yes, sir. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.12

A. G. Daniells: This is not the time for long speeches, and as we do not want to talk to no purpose, we must come right to the point, and get at the heart of the question. I feel for one that however great burdens is, it is the duty of this people to lift it in the name and strength of our God. I believe that the Lord, whose resources are unlimited. will help us lift the burden. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.13

It was my privilege a few months ago to visit the publishing house at Christiania and the sanitarium at Skodsborg. From my experience in Australia for fourteen years, I was quite prepared to sympathize with those brethren in their troubles. I felt in my soul, while there, that we would never stand clear, and we could never feel right if we did not take hold of those burdens, and help our brethren lift them. Now Jesus says, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” That is the religion of Jesus Christ: that is the gospel of God. And anything short of that is not the gospel that God has taught us in this word. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.14

That teaches us that the man who deserves, and who must have our loving ministry, is the man who is in need. It is the sick man who must have the physician: it is the man in darkness who calls most loudly for the light; it is the man who is down and helpless, who needs a hand stretched out to lift him up. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.15

In New Zealand one of our church-members went down to the boat to see some friends off to Sidney. The boat was nearly ready to sail. A cab was driven upon the wharf beside the boat, when something frightened the horses, and they rushed over the wharf, and dropped into the sea. This sister was shut into the cab, the doors were shut, and the handles, or locks, turned. One of the sailors standing on the deck looking over, saw the situation, and as quick as a flash, took a header into the sea. He got hold of that cab, wrenched open the door, got hold of the sister, pulled her out of the door of the cab, while the horses were struggling and kicking in every direction, and by main force, lifted her to the surface, swam to the wire trestle of the wharf, put his arm around it, and held her up until the boatman could bring a little boat around and take her. When he had gotten upon the wharf, he was completely exhausted. It was the perilous condition of the woman that demanded that prompt, energetic, perilous effort on the part of this sailor. GCB April 23, 1901, page 410.16

There is a certain principle that God has made everybody recognize. We all sense the fact that when one is in peril or in darkness,—when one is in need,—then God pities him, and calls upon his people to go to his help. Extreme need appeals more loudly to our sympathies than anything else can. GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.1

There is a story told of Dr. Bernardo, the great founder of orphanages in England. One day while standing in his office door, a little ragged urchin came up to him, covered with dirt and rags, and asked the doctor if he might be taken into the home. He said he had no father, no mother, no brother, no sister, no home, no friends, no place to sleep, no food to eat, a most pitiful story. Dr. Bernardo, to test the little fellow, looked down upon him, and said: “My little man, how do I know that you are telling me the truth? You go and get some friends to come and speak for you, and then I will know what to do.” The little fellow hesitated a minute, and then he lifted his dirty arms, covered with a ragged sort of jacket, and he said; “Friends! I ain’t got no friends to speak for me. If these here rags won’t speak for me, then nothing will.” Tears rolled from the doctor’s eyes, and putting his arms around the little fellow, he said, “I have a home here for you.” GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.2

If I understand anything about the spirit of the gospel of Jesus, it is the great need of the lost, perishing world that appeals to heaven and to God, and I believe that spirit ought to be the dominant one among Seventh-day Adventists. I believe that the distant, needy, and neglected fields in the world are the ones that ought to appeal to this people with language that we can not resist. Now I know something about what it is to be a long way off from a center, a long way off from everybody, to have nothing, and to be crippled, and to remain without anything simply because we had nothing with which to do. I was alone in New Zealand, a country a thousand miles in length, with a population of almost a million, and for two years not a single minister walked by my side or counseled with, or to give help in prosecuting the work. But scores of young men and women came into the truth. Then they wanted to help me. They could not preach, but I sent them out to canvass. Well, it went on until they felt that they must go to school, and we began to send them across the sea to attend the school over here in this country. During about five years we sent thirty young men and women over here. Do you know what it cost us in cash, to pay their expenses? -ten thousand dollars-simply to pay the traveling expenses, to say nothing of tuition, etc. That was not all. When they got away from us, into this country, we were without our young people, and we needed their services in New Zealand. GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.3

This made us feel our need of a school, but we had no money, we had no constituency, we had no friends; like this little fellow, we had nothing on earth to speak for us but our pressing needs, and those needs could not speak over here in this country. So we went on year after year without any educational institution, until God in mercy sent his servant across there; and when she saw the situation, she lifted up her hand and her voice, and spoke to the people in this country, and told them that they ought to do something for the regions afar off; and after that voice was raised, something began to come, and we finally got a school. Now we have a school in which we are training one hundred and fifty young men and women every year to work in this cause. If we had not had that help, I do not believe that we would have had an institution to-day, so little have our people in this country been able to take in the situation. While you were piling up great structures here, multiplying them on every hand, our poor, weak fields, afar off, with scores of young men and women needing training, would have been left with nothing, and simply because they have nothing. It is the place with everything that can get all it wants. It is the field with nothing that is deprived of getting anything that is commendable, or that is creditable to the work. GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.4

After that experience, I went to Scandinavia and saw the need of a sanitarium to help the poor people, and to give them the light needed, and I saw our publishing house in its pitiful condition, and when I saw that, I said in my soul, This people will never be clear before God until they render substantial help to those institutions. When I came over here, I intended to say something courageously, in behalf of those places; but when I saw how little those fields over there were understood, my heart sunk, and I could not say a thing worth mentioning. The matter ran on for some weeks, and finally it was brought before Sister White. She gave it consideration, and wrote a couple of stirring appeals in behalf of those institutions. Any one who has read those appeals knows well the position that she has taken, and the counsel that has been given to us. It is that we are not the sovereigns of our circumstances, our funds, our possibilities. That is to say, We are not lords of these, and it is not left with us to say how these shall be disposed of. We are not left free to use all the means and all the laborers who may be within our territorial limits for the advancement of the work in those limits. The whole field is God’s, and the means belongs to him. The people are his, the laborers are his, and God calls for an impartial distribution of the funds and workers. God calls upon the people who have an abundance to share with the needy fields, that they may have something to do with. GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.5

For myself, I have to settle for myself the question as to whether it is right to lift these institutions or not. If it is right, is it not my duty to throw my soul, my life, and my influence into this thing, and get every other man among us to take hold and do what he can? GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.6

But I must not take more time. There are others who want to speak. Dr. Kellogg and others have something to say. GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.7

J. H. Kellogg: Four years ago, when Dr. Ottosen came to the General Conference, he told us at College View about the work in Scandinavia, and we all felt deeply interested. At that time there was no sanitarium in that great country. There are three great countries that are among the finest in the world, though not the largest, but certainly most beautiful countries. I visited every European country, and every part of the United States and Canada and Mexico, and I am bound to say that I never saw any country finer or more beautiful than the three Scandinavian countries. In walking the streets of Stockholm, I saw more fine-looking men on the streets of that city than I ever saw in any other city. You may have seen some Scandinavian peasants come over here, and have seen them get off the dock in New York or San Francisco, and you think all the Scandinavians are a cheap lot of folks. But I want to tell you that when you go over to Scandinavia, and get acquainted with the people of that country and sit down with them at the dinner table, you will find them a cultivated people. The Scandinavians are, I believe, the most thoroughly civilized people in the world, except the Germans. The Germans are the most civilized, and the Scandinavians the next most civilized, and the English people the next. GCB April 23, 1901, page 411.8

That country needed a sanitarium. They did not have money. Although they are a cultivated people, they are not a very wealthy people. They all live at the far north, where they have long winters and short summers, and have no such opportunities for money-making as we have in this country. The story got out that that sanitarium was bankrupt. It was not bankrupt, and has not been bankrupt. The institution started without capital, and has been carried on without capital. It has been paying interest on its debt all the time, and did it on borrowed money. It takes some courage, perseverance, and faith to do that. The brethren there had faith and confidence. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.1

They have no capital, and nothing but a debt; still they have gone on in faith. We should take hold and help them in that country to hold up the principles. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.2

You may say, We have so many calls. But we are a wealthy people. We do not know anything about what it is to live cheaply and economically. The average family in Scandinavia does not get so good a dinner once a year, as the average man of this country gets every single day. I mean, there is not so large a variety of food, or so costly. It is a better dinner, because it is simple. The people are economical and do not throw away a penny. If we in this country would only save what we waste, it would build a sanitarium over there in one year. If we would save what it costs for superfluous clothing, that we do not need, and in the fixings about our homes, it would build a sanitarium in Scandinavia in one year. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.3

We at the Sanitarium have $200,000 of Seventh-day Adventists’ money, and we are paying five to six per cent interest on the whole of it. So I know there are some of our people who are not poor. The Review and Herald Office has about $250,000 of Seventh-day Adventists’ money. The Pacific Press has about $200,000, mostly Seventh-day Adventists’ money. The General Conference has about the same amount, and I might go on and tell you of our different institutions that have on deposit hundreds of thousands of dollars of Seventh-day Adventists’ money, and I could figure it up and show you that the Seventh-day Adventist people have a million and a half dollars on deposit in our institutions, on interest nearly all of it. Our people have also a great deal of money in banks. I do not think that it is overestimating it to say that there is at least as much money in banks as in these institutions. That would make $3,009,000 that Seventh-day Adventists have to-day on deposit in banks and in our institutions. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.4

I suppose our people are worth, on an average, a thousand dollars each. Sixty thousand Adventists in this country, and they are worth a thousand dollars each. That makes sixty million dollars. There are many people, to be sure, who are not worth five hundred dollars each, but there are those worth five thousand, and these would make up for ten worth five hundred. Those who are worth ten thousand would make up for twenty who are worth five hundred. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.5

Let us get rid of that idea that we are so poor. We are worth millions, and a great deal more than I have told you anything about. Are we willing to do the right thing, and be liberal, charitable, consecrated, and self-denying? If we are, we have a right to put our hand into God’s bank and get what we need. We can get it. Dr. Ottosen has been praying about this thing, and the Lord has sent him over here in person to appeal to us, and I hope that he will not be disappointed. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.6

I have found out that God has all the money we can make any use of, and we will get it when we are ready to use it. In Scandinavia they are ready to use it. I find that the best way to get money for ourselves, is to give freely of what we have to others. So I want to move that there be taken up a special collection for Skodsborg among all our churches at a proper time, and at such a time as the General Conference Committee shall recommend. I wish to add to this motion the suggestion that the same thing shall be done for the Australia Sanitarium, where the very same condition exists as in Skodsborg, and where the need is just as great. If you get up a collection at one time for two things, you will not get more than for one thing. We should have two special collections, one for Skodsborg, and one for Australia. This work is to be set before our people a sufficient length of time beforehand, so that they shall all understand to what they are giving. The money should be sent to the Treasurer of the General Conference Committee, and from there straight to the destination. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.7

The motion was seconded, and carried. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.8

The Chair: Dr. Ottosen will follow with a few remarks. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.9

J. C. Ottosen: I would have been glad, had it been possible for all of you to have been present at an occasion a few months ago in our work at Skodsborg. If you could have witnessed the feast of joy, although many tears flowed, your hearts would have been touched, and it would have been a feast of joy to you also. It was when our brethren in America came to our help, and sent over money for us. It came just about New Years. Dr. Kellogg wrote me a letter, and said he wanted us to take it as a New Year’s gift. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.10

I want to make a few remarks about our financial condition, and how we came into this crisis. It is true that we made a very unwise move in starting such an institution without any capital. We were very enthusiastic about our principles, and we thought that we were going to do a great work, and so the circumstances in the beginning seemed very favorable. That was the reason we took courage and went on, and undertook the work we have in hand. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.11

When we began this work, money over there seemed very abundant. For twenty-five or thirty years, there had not been so much money among the people as at that time. But soon after, the Spanish-American war came on, and that brought finances in Europe into trouble. Shortly afterward came the English-African war. This made money very scarce, the men of capital in Europe withdrew their money from the banks, and there was a financial crisis nearly all over Europe. That was also really at the bottom of the Christiania crisis. Then we had a great labor strike, and after that followed a great lockout. It was the largest lockout, compared with the number of inhabitants in the country, that has ever occurred. That hindered us in many ways. First, people did not have any money with which to come to our institution. Second, our bath-rooms and treatment-rooms which were just being prepared, could not be finished because the contractors who had agreed to put them up could not do so on account of the lockout and strike. GCB April 23, 1901, page 412.12

While we needed to enlarge our work and go ahead, there were two things when we started that were very discouraging. There were people around who would beg to be taken in, and when we told them that we had no room, they would cry, and hardly go out of the room. Our hearts were stirred when we saw the hundreds of such people, and we could not do what we wanted to do for them. Another was that I received many letters stating that they wanted to get an education. I wrote in return that we were not able to take them, and they replied, saying, “Why, you can, too. I believe the Lord has put it into my heart to get a preparation for his cause, and I want to enter the work. Why can’t you do it?” Considering these circumstances, we took many of them. We have since learned that it was unwise, but I hope the Lord will help us to make it a profitable one. GCB April 23, 1901, page 413.1

Another thing that has added to our financial embarrassment at Skodsborg is the property of the Frederikshavn school. A few years ago there was started a central Scandinavian school at that place. Take it all in all it took about eighteen thousand dollars to rent the building and to secure the property. For some time we had a prosperous school. Since coming to this country, I have had opportunity to look a little into the grand work you are doing toward relieving the American schools, and from this I can see that you, too, have trouble to keep the schools going, and you will understand that under our financial circumstances, it was a hard thing for us to keep that institution going. GCB April 23, 1901, page 413.2

When the school was erected, it cost us about eighteen thousand dollars; and of this, seven or eight thousand dollars were paid in cash, so there was on the institution when it began its operations, about ten thousand dollars indebtedness. But during the years that the school was kept in operation, that indebtedness was increased by about four thousand dollars, and then partly because of financial pressure, and after the Swedish Conference withdrew from the school to have their own school, it was harder than before to keep our school out of debt. So it was decided, when the brethren did not see any other way, to turn it into a sanitarium, and from that time we have tried to operate it as a branch institution, with Skodsborg sanitarium as the head. This was very difficult for us to do, as you will understand from our financial condition, and the fact is that we have tried to run that institution notwithstanding our own financial failure, and we have become security for about eight thousand dollars. That has added to our financial burden. At Skodsborg itself last year we did our very best to try to have our work succeed, and the Lord blessed us wonderfully. Had I the time, I could read to you some striking testimonials that we have from guests who have been at our sanitarium. GCB April 23, 1901, page 413.3

When I came away, the brethren were assembled, and wanted me to extend to the American brethren their thanks for your kindness, for your interest in the work in Scandinavia. In our crisis we appreciate not only what the American brethren have done for us, but also for what the German and English brethren did for us. Germany has done a great deal for us. They have sent us money several times, and we have paid part of it back. Great Britain, when they themselves were in great need of money, in fact I understand they were near a crisis too, sent us all the money they had to help us, and I wanted to mention that, I want also to say that many prayers have gone up in Scandinavia, for the presence of God to rest upon our American, German, and English brethren, who have taken so much interest, and shown so much interest in the work in Scandinavia. GCB April 23, 1901, page 413.4

O. A. Olsen Elder A. G. Daniells taking the chair: I want to bring our heartfelt greeting from all Scandinavia to this General Conference, which we were charged to bring you, and also express their exceeding thankfulness to you for the interest that our brethren here in America have shown in this time of our distress. It is sad to me that our people in Scandinavia need to appeal to your liberality in this way, but so it is, and our need is our greatest eloquence. It is something wonderful, and yet it is so that in this way the the real principles of the gospel are brought out. The first and greatest failure took place long ago, and it was so complete that everything was lost, and the failure could not restore even the very smallest person, yet the great God of heaven in his infinite love for poor, lost, dying humanity, came forward and gave his Son as a ransom for the lost. Oh, what a wonderful thought that is, my brethren! GCB April 23, 1901, page 413.5

When this trouble came up, we feared and trembled, and we turned to seek the Lord. We proclaimed a fast; we appointed a week of self-denial; in seeking God and bringing in our contributions to help the work, and I want to tell you, that the Lord blessed us in that. When we had our period of fasting and prayer and seeking the Lord for help, we felt that the Spirit of the Lord witnessed with the work: “The battle is not yours but mine.” We took courage. We went forward. We trusted God, and we can not refrain from stating the fact that the very day we united in Norway in a season of seeking the Lord, the Lord wrought over here in Battle Creek. The report came back to us that the situation was terribly perplexing, and it seemed as if nothing could be done, but on that day Dr. Kellogg had a meeting of the leading brethren here, and the letter stated to us that Brother Haskell had received the Scandinavia spirit, and that the Lord had worked upon his mind in a most wonderful manner in behalf of the situation. The peculiar thing was that that took place here in Battle Creek, the very day we were humbling our hearts before God, and seeking his help. GCB April 23, 1901, page 413.6

So the Lord has taken his work into his own hands. We have passed through trying experiences, but the Lord has been greater than all our force. We can not express to you the gladness of our souls, when the word came to us from the leading brethren assembled here stating, “We will pay our obligations in full.” It brought light and joy and gladness to every heart, and when our creditors heard of it, they expressed themselves with all confidence; and when finally the word came, some of them said, “That is what we expected they would do.” Yet they waited nearly a year and a half before they received the word, though they had seen in print every word that had been in the public papers regarding our failure. Brethren, God has held his hand over his own institution. God has cared for his people in their situation here, and therefore my soul feels encouraged to-day. GCB April 23, 1901, page 413.7

I. H. EVANS: In view of the situation, and the necessity of having some funds with which to meet our July obligations, I would submit the following:— GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.1

“We recommend that June 1 be a day of prayer for our work in Scandinavia, and that a special donation be taken on that day for our Christiania Publishing House.” I move the adoption of this resolution. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.2

Allen Moon: I second the motion. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.3

A. G. Daniells: I believe that this is right. There are different times when we must turn over money to Scandinavia, and this date is very near that time. I believe that the needs of these three institutions—the Skodsborg Sanitarium, the Christiania Publishing House, and the Swedish Sanitarium—ought to be placed fully before our people throughout America during the coming summer of the present year. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.4

The Chair: This motion is before you. Are you ready for the question? GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.5

The question was called. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.6

The vote was called, and carried affirmatively. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.7

The Chair: Now we will at once put into active operation the plans that we have just adopted, and a collection will be taken for this purpose. Envelopes have been handed out at the entrance, and in these is a slip of paper. You will put in the envelope the cash or pledge which you wish to make to this Christiania enterprise. While you are doing this, let us realize that all heaven is looking down upon us with interest, watching our movements here, and watching the spirit and the motive that are actuating us; and let us act in this matter as we would like to have done when we meet and answer before God for our stewardship. Now while the collection is being taken, Elder Loughborough has something he wishes to say. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.8

J. N. Loughborough: I am deeply interested in this movement. It was my privilege to be at the yearly meeting in Norway last spring, and to see our brethren come together there right at the point when it seemed they were going to lose their institution. Brother Olsen said he expected they would have a small gathering. But we had a much larger gathering than we expected. But it was a people with sad hearts. One thing gave me great confidence in the work of that people, and that was to see that as that meeting progressed, although it looked as if they would lose their institution, they rallied, and believed that God would help them, if they began at the very bottom of the question. They began with cheerful hearts to make collections. When the report was brought in, what astonished me under the circumstances, was that right in the midst of that hard time to get money, they had paid nearly $500 more in tithes and offerings than they had paid the year before. Some have said to me, “Why don’t they take hold over there?” Bless your hearts, they did take hold; and their average tithes that very year were $5.36,—better average than it is in some of our Conferences in America. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.9

Voice: What assurance have we that if we take hold and pay these debts that they will keep out of debt? GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.10

W. C. White: I have met that question many times, and also another question. The question comes to me, “Isn’t it generally understood by our people that those people over there are largely to blame for the trouble they are in?” That usually comes first. Yes. Well, what of it? Aren’t you largely to blame for the trouble you are in that led Christ to give his life for you that you might be saved from your trouble?—Yes. And if he forgives your sins, and lifts you out of a horrible pit, and puts your feet on a rock, what assurance has he that you will not get into that pit again? Brethren, are we Christians? Is this a matter of business, or is it a matter of Christianity? [Voices: Both.] Worldly men say that if one gets into trouble, and loses something, let him save himself. Christ says, I will suffer to save the sinner from the results of his mistakes. If we are Christians, will we not be ready to suffer to save other people from the results of their mistakes? God has permitted this to come to us for a test to see how much the principles of Christianity have taken hold of our hearts. I am glad when my brethren ask me such questions. I am glad for the opportunity to tell them that God has permitted this to come to us, that we may see how much of Christianity dwells in our hearts. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.11

S. H. Lane: I want to state that a few days ago, we received at the office a letter containing several dollars. The man hardly knew at first whether to send it or not; he was afraid the brethren might return into debt again, but he said at last it had occurred to him that when the walls of Jerusalem were down, and God sent men up there to rebuild those walls, they builded and fought, and fought and builded, and they were not the men that were responsible for the walls being thrown down. But they were responsible for the building of them up again; so they went to work. So he thought, although he was not responsible, God has made a call for the institution to be built up again, and he was going to help build them up; and I said, with others, Thank God for such a spirit as that. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.12

The Chair: Are there any further remarks? What is the pleasure of the Conference now? GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.13

At this point it was moved by Allen Moon, seconded by A. G. Daniells, that the Conference do now adjourn. The motion was put, and carried. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.14

On the return of the envelopes for the collection for the Scandinavian Publishing House, it was found that $460.36 was collected, and that pledges to the amount of $416.95 were made. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.15

Benediction was pronounced by I. H. Evans. GCB April 23, 1901, page 414.16

O. A. Olsen, Chairman.
L. A. Hoopes, Secretary.