General Conference Bulletin, vol. 2

TWENTY-FIRST MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE

L. T. NICOLA

THE twenty-first meeting of the General Conference took place at the Tabernacle, at Battle Creek, Mich., Wednesday, March 10, 1897, at 9 A. M., according to appointment and also per adjournment from College View, Neb., at its twentieth meeting. O. A. Olsen presided. Meeting opened with the signing of hymn No. 132, followed by the offering of prayer by Elder J. O. Corliss. GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.5

As a lack seemed to be seen in the Constitution and By-laws as submitted by the committee at College. View S. H. Lane moved, and G. A. Irwin seconded, to refer this report back to the committee to bring in recommendations at the next meeting. Carried. GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.6

J. J. Gibson, secretary of the General Conference Association presented before the meeting for adoption, a preamble and resolutions and amendments to correct an apparent discrepancy in the By-laws of the General Conference Association, on opinion of the Attorney of the Association, S. S. Hulbert, esq., as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.7

BATTLE CREEK, MICH, Nov.30, 1896.

Mr. O. A. Olsen, President of the General Conference Association of the Seventh-day Adventists. GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.8

DEAR SIR: I suggest that the Association at its next meeting, both at Lincoln, Neb.,and Battle Creek, Mich., pass the resolution with the preamble as below given; and that the Board of Trustees also pass the same preamble and resolution as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.9

Whereas, The By-laws of the General Conference Association of the Seventh-day Adventists, as originally enacted, and as they have always stood, and as they now stand, provide that the Board of Trustees shall “always be in session;” and,— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.10

Whereas, Said By-laws were subsequently amended so as to authorize the creation of an Executive Committee, which committee was duly created, and entered upon the execution of the line of duty marked out for it in Section 2 of Article 1 of the By-laws as amended; and,— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.11

Whereas, Said amended By-laws provided by said Section 2 that said Executive Committee shall have “full administrative power during the intervals between the sessions of the Board,” which provision was totally irreconcilable with the then existing provision that the Board should “always be in session,” and which provision would, when followed out, never permit the Executive Committee to have any meeting whatever; and,— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.12

Whereas, What was intended to be enacted was that the Executive Committee should have full administrative power during the intervals when a quorum of the Board was not convened; and,— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.13

Whereas, It was also intended that the make-up of the Executive Committee should be in line with the provisions of the By-law which provided that the President, and Treasurer, and Secretary, should be—at least two of them—present at the doing of any business; and,— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.14

Whereas, The facts are that the Executive Committee has never met and done business except during the intervals when a quorum of the Board was not convened, and that the Executive Committee has, in fact, included the President, Secretary, and Treasurer among its members; and,— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.15

Whereas,The work done has been done in a manner consistent with the original By-laws, as has been pointed out, and the inconsistencies have been in the faculty wording of the By-laws and not otherwise;now,— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.16

Resolved, That each, every, and all acts and business done, and action taken by the Executive Committee, is hereby ratified and confirmed. GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.17

Moved by W. C. Sisley, supported by G. A. Irwin, that the preamble and resolution be adopted. Unanimously carried. GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.18

Moved by C. H. Jones, seconded by S. H. Lane, that the changes in the By-laws suggested by the Attorney be approved. They are as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.19

I suggest the following changes for the Trustees to make in the By-laws:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.20

Amend Section 1 of Article 1, so that it reads as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.21

The Trustees shall elect annually from their numbers a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor, and an Executive Committee of five, who shall hold their respective offices one year, and until other are chosen in their stead and appear to enter upon their duties, provided however, that three of said Executive Committee shall be the President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and that a quorum of said Executive Committee shall consist of not less than three, in which quorum shall be the President and Secretary, or Treasurer in lien of the absence. GCB January 1, 1897, page 68.22

Also amend Section 2 to read as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.1

The duties of such officers shall be such as usually pertain to such offices. The Executive Committee shall have full administrative power during the intervals when a quorum of the Board is not convened, but shall not unnecessarily originate any business of an extraordinary character on which the opinion of the Board is unknown, but shall confine their labors to the well-defined policy of the Board, as set forth in its regular meetings. GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.2

Also amend Section 6 to read as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.3

Subject to the provisions herein contained regarding the transaction of business by the Executive Committee,a quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of not less than nine Trustees, of whom the President and Treasurer (or Secretary in lieu of either absentee) shall be two, and the concurrence of at least seven of said Trustees shall be necessary to pass any measure coming before said Board. GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.4

F. D. Starr then presented the report of the Nominating Committee for the twenty-one Trustees of the General Conference Association as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.5

I. H. Evans, G. A. Irwin, C. H. Jones, S. II. Lane, R. M. Kilgore, G. A. Nichols, C. F. Stevens, A. J. Breed, T. A. Kilgore, J. I. Gibson, R. A. Underwood, J. Sutherland, W. C. Sisley, P. L. Steinbaugh, J. H. Morrison, N. W. Allee, M. J. Cornell, Allen Moon, A. G. Adams, J. D. Gowell, N. W. Kauble. GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.6

As some of the delegates wished more time to consider the report, and as the meeting was encroaching on the time of the stockholders’ meeting of the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, the Conference adjourned to 5 P. M. on motion of W. W. Prescott. GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.7

Elder William Covert pronounced the benediction. GCB January 1, 1897, page 69.8