General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

GENERAL CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

A. G. DANIELLS

Twenty-ninth Meeting, April 22, 3 P. M.

A. G. DANIELLS in the chair. Prayer by Luther Warren. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.6

The Chair: Are there any committees wishing to report? GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.7

F. H. Westphal: I move the adoption of the resolutions accepted by the German brethren, as found on page 378 of the BULLETIN. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.8

S. H. Lane: I second the motion. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.9

The Chair: It is moved and seconded that the resolutions accepted by the German brethren, as printed on page 378, be adopted. Are there any remarks? Those who favor the motion please say Aye. Contrary, No. It is carried. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.10

G. B. Thompson: The Committee on Nominations are prepared to submit their final report. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.11

The Chair: Will you kindly report? GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.12

W. A. Spicer [reading]: Final Report of Committee on Nominations. It is recommended that the Board of Management of Walla Walla College be as follows: The president of the Upper Columbia Conference; the President of the North Pacific Conference; E. L. Stewart; the Business Manager of the College; S. A. Miller; T. L. Ragsdale; J. A. Holbrook. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.13

It is recommended that C. W. Flaiz be a member of the General Conference Committee. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.14

Recommended, further, that the General Conference Committee be authorized to appoint the one remaining member of that Committee to make up the full number of twenty-five. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.15

The Chair: What will you do with this report? GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.16

C. P. Bollman: I move its adoption. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.17

Delegate: I second the motion. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.18

The Chair: It is moved and seconded that the report be adopted. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.19

The report was then read, the questions being called on each item as read. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.20

The Chair: All who favor this say, Aye. Contrary, No. It is carried. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.21

Are there any other Committees prepared to report? GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.22

Luther Warren: The Committee on Young People’s work has a report. Brother M. C. Wilcox will read it. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.23

M. C. Wilcox [reading as follows]:— GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.24

“REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON YOUNG PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATIONS.” GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.25

“Your committee would with burdened hearts recommend that something more effectual be done, and that speedily, to save our children, youth, and young people, and to develop them as laborers for God. As primary steps in this work, we would respectfully suggest the following:— GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.26

“1. That we would urge our ministers, church officers, Sabbath-school and other workers, to encourage our young people, youth, and children to organize themselves into simple working bands, or companies, under the direction and counsel of wise, spiritual leaders. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.27

“2. That these bands, or companies, be adapted to the material at hand, the churches of which they are a part, and the work which surroundings and opportunities bring them, and that more elaborate organization be a matter of growth and necessity and not of form. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.28

“3. That the work of these bands include all phases of Missionary and Christian Help work. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.29

“4. That all our workers in these lines, our church members, young and old, be entreated to do all in their power to plan and labor as those who are indeed one in Christ Jesus. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.30

“5. That our Conference be asked to connect this work with the Sabbath-school or missionary department of the Conference work, that these bands of young workers may have some central source of instruction and channel of communication. GCB April 24, 1901, page 441.31

“6. That our Conference set such men as are especially adapted to this work to help our larger and city churches, organizing and training our churches, especially our young people and youth more effectually to labor for the Master. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.1

“7. That a department in the Youth’s Instructor be open for the advancement of this work among the young people. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.2

“8. That the Executive Committee of this Conference appoint a committee to study this work, and push it forward. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.3

“LUTHER WARREN,
   ”S. M. BUTLER,
   “H. H. BURKHOLDER,
   ”M. E. CADY,
   “M. C. WILCOX,
   ”MRS. S. N. HASKELL,
   ”MRS. L. F. PLUMMER,
   “ESTELLA HOUSER.” GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.4

The Chair: What will you do with this report? GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.5

It was moved and seconded that the report be adopted as a whole. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.6

The Chair: Are there any remarks? The question is called. Those who favor the adoption of the report entire, will so indicate by saying, Aye. Contrary, No. It is carried. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.7

Are there any other committees prepared to report. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.8

L. A. Hoopes: I see the Nominating Committee have submitted their final report, and by looking over the proceedings on page 311, we find that the Committee of twenty-one, the General Conference Association, is made up of the six Presidents of American District Union Conferences, with fifteen others. One of those others, whose name is mentioned, is one of those six. That is C. W. Flaiz; and it will be necessary for this body to elect another member for the General Conference Association, to make the full number of twenty-one members. This is a legal body. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.9

The Chair: What will you do with the situation? Nominate some one now to elect him? GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.10

S. H. Lane: I move that Brother A. G. Haughey, of Ohio, be selected to make up the number of twenty-one. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.11

Delegate: I second the motion. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.12

The Chair: It is moved and seconded that A. G. Haughey be elected as member of the General Conference Association to make up the number. Are there any remarks? All in favor of it say, Aye. Contrary, No. It is carried. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.13

Are there any other items of unfinished business? Are you now prepared to continue to take up the report of the Committee on Distribution of Laborers submitted this forenoon? If there is nothing else, we will call for that. There is no motion to adopt this report. Do you wish to have it read again, or will you move its adoption, and then take up each name with the one reading? [Voices: Yes, one reading.] GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.14

Here it was moved and seconded that the report be adopted. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.15

The Chair: It is moved and seconded that the further partial report of the Committee be adopted. The Secretary will read the items. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.16

The Secretary then read Nos. 82 to 101 inclusive, the question being called on each item as read. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.17

No. 102 was read, and a delegate requested that it be referred back to the committee, and deferred for further consideration. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.18

The Chair: If there is no objection to this, it will be deferred. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.19

Nos. 103 and 104 were next read. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.20

The Chair: You have heard these recommendations. It has been moved that they be adopted. One has been deferred. All in favor say, Aye; contrary, No. Carried. The only item of unfinished business that we have is the Constitution. Have any of the members any special business committed to them that they have not reported? GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.21

The Secretary: Our blind Brother Wilson made a motion this morning concerning the paper for the blind, and there was such a press of business at that time that I did not second the motion, but I felt like doing so. Our brother is making a very decided, earnest effort to do what he can to help the blind people to help themselves. It is a most worthy enterprise, and if the motion were made now, I would second it, that the sentiment of his resolution may be made the next business of the Conference. [Voices: Amen!] GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.22

A. O. Wilson: Was that a motion? GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.23

The Secretary: I would like to have the motion that you made this morning considered before this body. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.24

S. H. Lane: I would ask that he repeat it. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.25

A. O. Wilson: I move that each one of our Conference place two or more copies of the Christian Record in each institution and library, where blind literature is kept, that this truth through that means, may come to blind people. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.26

C. Santee: I second the motion. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.27

The Chair: You have heard the motion that each Conference be requested to place two or more copies of the paper for the blind in each institution and library where literature is kept for the blind. It has been seconded. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.28

Delegate: What is the price of the paper? GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.29

A. O. Wilson: $1.50 a year. It is a monthly. There are about twenty to twenty-four sheets of paper, and each sheet contains about half as much as an ordinary sheet of typewritten matter, may be a little more. This is not very much of a chance, but it is the only opportunity that blind people have of learning the precious truth for this time. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.30

The Chair: Are you ready for the question? GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.31

Delegates: Question. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.32

C. C. Lewis: Before the question is put, I would like to call the attention of the delegates to the room where this work is carried on, if they have not yet visited it, at the head of the stairway, Review and Herald Office. I am sure we will all be greatly interested to go into that room and see how this paper is prepared. You will be more interested in the subject, and be able to speak of it more intelligently. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.33

Delegate: Brother Wilson, I would like to ask, to how many institutions in the different States this motion would apply? Give us an idea. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.34

A. O. Wilson: There are, on an average, a little more than one institution for each State. Of course there are some States that have no school or library; there are other States that have two schools, and sometimes two or three homes for blind people, and one or more libraries, as in the case of New York and Pennsylvania. There are nearly half a million blind people in this country alone. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.35

S. H. Lane: I know that time is precious. But I have been connected with the office ever since Brother Wilson printed his first sheet. He and his wife work faithfully. They know nothing about hours. They work at night, just as well as in the daytime, without any light. And they have got out a very creditable paper. Stranger to say, the first year of its existence it has been nearly self-supporting; and if they do as well next year as they did last, and each State puts from one to three papers into State institutions, paying full price therefore, the paper will be self-supporting. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.36

Brother Wilson calls us seeing people, and those who can not see he calls blind people. A great many seeing people have written in here concerning the per for the blind. I have a letter on my desk which I have thought of putting in the Review, but I have been so busy, I have not done so. If there is one work above another that ought to be supported, it seems to me that this blind work ought to have our indorsement and our means. GCB April 24, 1901, page 442.37

C. M. Gardner: I would like to state to this Conference that the California Conference has been furnishing a blind institute in Oakland with two copies of the paper for some time. In company with the secretary of the California Conference, we visited the institution some time ago, to inquire as to how the paper was received. The superintendent called the parties that had charge of this part of the work, and had them make statements before us concerning the matter. They expressed their satisfaction with the paper, stating that it was very neatly edited, and it gave us pleasure to hear them request that the paper should be continued to them. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.1

The Chair: How many here favor the putting of the paper into the libraries? All who favor this please raise the hands. [A number of hands were raised.] That is right; we do not need to call for a contrary vote. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.2

Delegate: What is the present circulation? GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.3

A. O. Wilson: We are sending out about two hundred copies a month. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.4

C. Santee: In every city of any size, we find blind people on the street-corners, playing a little organs, or holding a little box with shoe strings in it, or something of that kind. I believe if our brethren will put this paper into the hands of these people, we can not undertake a work that will be more blessed of God. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.5

L. A. Hoopes: I feel as if I would like to say just a word about this blind paper. I have been connected with it from its beginning in this place. Many of our blind people know nothing about the truth, and institutions for the blind are not favorable altogether to a sectarian or denominational literature; hence we have to edit our paper very carefully! In order to reach these people with some of the more specific points of our faith, it is necessary to get out tracts that treat practically upon these topics. We have endeavored to arrange matters in the office so that these can be published at a very nominal sum, but it will be necessary for us to have a reserve fund of some kind. We would be glad if our tract societies or mission depositories in our Conferences, as you may term them, would take it upon themselves to keep a supply of these tracts in their depositories, so that the blind people in these Conferences may have access to this literature. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.6

I believe it is a worthy enterprise. The letters that we have received in reply to the literature that has been sent out, have been most encouraging. In fact, there are some people who have embraced the truth as a result of the effort that has been put forth. I feel very glad for the step taken to help forward this enterprise in getting out the papers. But let us do more. I wish you could see the average literature that blind people have to read in point-print. You may be surprised to learn that the large bulk of it—more than ninety per cent-is of a fictitional character, not calculated to feed the mind. If they will read that kind of literature, why may they not read something that will be food to the soul? GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.7

W. J. Wilson: Of course I am interested in the blind work. While talking with a professor in a blind school, he said if we could publish a small accordance, it would be the best of anything we could do for the blind; for they had nothing to study the Bible with. I speak of this point here before you, so you can think of it. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.8

H. R. Johnson: I would suggest that the delegates go into the Christian Record room, and learn the alphabet, so that they can teach the blind in their home Conference how to read. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.9

J. B. Blosser: Would it not be well for the different Conferences to be notified where the different institutions for the blind in their State are located? GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.10

W. W. Prescott: Mr. Chairman: I move that we do now adjourn this meeting, and that it be the sense of the brethren that the Committee on Order of Exercises make their plan, and plan our work to-morrow, on the basis the Chair has outlined. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.11

W. C. White: I second the motion to adjourn. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.12

The Chair: It is moved and seconded that we adjourn, and it is requested that some program be brought in for this evening, that will help us to spend the day as we ought to to-morrow. We ought to put in the day to-morrow, as far as we can, in spiritual work. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.13

F. D. Starr: The Canadian field was very kindly granted an opportunity yesterday morning to present their field, but the Province of Quebec has not had a chance for any consideration, and I expected that Brother Bourdeau would have some opportunity, before the Conference closed, to present the French work in Quebec. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.14

A. G. Haughey. If the Committee on Distribution of Laborers is ready to make a further partial report, it might help the Conference to take some action to have it presented to-night. Most of our laborers are here, and we want to hold a little session, to plan our State work, and a number of the laborers, I think, are under consideration for other fields, and we would like to hear the report of its direction, of the Committee on Distribution of Laborers. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.15

The Chair: Is the Committee on Distribution of Laborers prepared to make any further report? GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.16

I. H. Evans: A sub-committee has just a partial report concerning the Southern field. It has not yet met with the whole committee, but I think there will be no objection to its being presented here. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.17

The chair called for the report. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.18

N. W. Allee [reading]: “105. That we grant the request of the Oklahoma delegation that G. G. Rupert of the Kansas Conference be invited to take the presidency of the Oklahoma Conference. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.19

“106. That Byron Hagle, of Michigan, be invited to labor in Tennessee River Conference, under pay of the Michigan Conference for one year. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.20

“107. That H. E. Osborne, of Chicago, be invited to make New England Conference his field of labor. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.21

“108. That Allen Moon, of Chicago, be invited to make the Kansas Conference his field of labor. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.22

“109. That L. T. Nicola, of New New York City, be invited to make the New York Conference his field of labor.” GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.23

No other reports being presented, adjournment was voted. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.24

Benediction was pronounced by A. T. Jones. GCB April 24, 1901, page 443.25

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