Ellen G. White: The Early Years: 1827-1862 (vol. 1)

The Battle Creek General Conference

In several notices in the Review James White sent forth to believers “east, west, north, and south,” a general invitation to attend a general conference at Battle Creek, Friday, June 3, to Monday, June 6. He was especially eager for a good attendance, for it was his plan to promote Systematic Benevolence. The people were told to make provision for their own entertainment. “It will be impossible,” he wrote, “to supply all with beds, or all their horses with stable room. Our sleeping rooms will be given up to females to be made as comfortable as possible, in camp meeting style. The brethren will have the next-best chance in our barns, in the tent, or on unoccupied floors in our houses. Blankets and buffalo robes will be in good demand. Those who will need them must bring them.”—The Review and Herald, April 21, 1859. 1BIO 405.2

There was a good response. Reporting the conference, Uriah Smith declared: 1BIO 405.3

And those who came showed their interest in the matter not only by the pains they took to come, but also by the liberal provision they made for taking care of themselves and others during their sojourn with us.—Ibid., June 9, 1859 1BIO 405.4

Of the quality of the meeting and its spiritual impact, he wrote: 1BIO 405.5

We can tell you of a conference such as makes the hearts of God's people glad, brightens their hope, revives their courage, and renews their strength. We can tell you of a conference without one unpleasant feature from beginning to end; of a meeting where there was a steady and rapidly increasing interest from its very commencement to its very close.—Ibid.

Because he was eager to have the largest possible representation present for the consideration of the plans for the financial support of the growing church, James White called for a business session to convene immediately after the Sabbath. Joseph Bates chaired the meeting. The address from the Battle Creek church prepared in January setting forth the broad plans for Systematic Benevolence was read and freely discussed. Waggoner declared he had seen the plan in operation and “it worked well. “Andrews said he heartily approved of the plan. Steward compared it to taxes that people pay, even when they are increased. Cornell declared that “nothing could be brought against the position taken.” Byington remarked that God is a God of order and he thought it to be a good plan. Rhodes had only one objection, and that was that “the individual amount called for by the system was too small.” 1BIO 406.1

The record of the meeting stated: 1BIO 406.2

Moved by Brother Loughborough that the address be adopted by the conference. Unanimously carried.—Ibid.

This marked another step toward organization by the emerging church. 1BIO 406.3