Ellen G. White: The Early Elmshaven Years: 1900-1905 (vol. 5)

Important Session Actions

But back to the three-week-long session. Two new departments in the General Conference were formed—the Medical Department; and the Foreign Department, to care for the interests of the various language groups in North America. A far-reaching action was taken that made the General Conference session quadrennial instead of biennial. One of the reasons for this was explained to the constituents of the Pacific Union Conference: 5BIO 421.1

Our union conferences have now taken up nearly all the work of the General Conference that pertains to the administration of affairs in the United States and the other organized fields in the world, so that what must be done at these large gatherings must be entirely of a general nature for the advancement of the work in the unentered fields.—Pacific Union Recorder, June 1, 1905. 5BIO 421.2

Elder L. R. Conradi was reelected as a vice-president; he would continue his work in Europe, where he had labored for twenty years. Elder G. A. Irwin was called back from Australia to serve as the general vice-president, standing by Elder Daniells’ side. 5BIO 421.3

The fund of $100,000 dedicated to the college, the General Conference office, and other Washington interests, was made up as conferences and individuals gave liberally to establish a debt-free work. 5BIO 421.4

The daily ministerial institute meetings were fruitful in giving the gospel ministry the “place which God has ordained that it should fill” (The Review and Herald, May 25, 1905). The certainty of the Advent faith and the surety of the triumph of the Advent Movement seemed to be the underlying theme of the session, sounded again and again. On the second Sabbath Elder Haskell spoke, recounting early experiences and the certainty of the sanctuary truths (Ibid.). 5BIO 421.5

Ellen White's afternoon meeting emphasized the importance of holding fast “the truth that was wrought out amid demonstration of the Spirit and of power in the early days of the Advent Movement” (Ibid.). 5BIO 421.6

Elder Butler's sermon on the last Sabbath morning called for the manifestation of love and unity that should prevail in the church. The spirit of division had to be put away (Ibid., June 1, 1905). 5BIO 422.1

The Review and Herald, reporting the session, declared that: 5BIO 422.2

The one all-absorbing theme which seems to rest upon the heart of every delegate is how this great message which has been committed to this people, and for which they have been sacrificing for a half century, can be speedily carried to all the world, and the glorious day of God be ushered in.—Ibid., May 25, 1905.

As the session closed, Ellen White reported: 5BIO 422.3

I came to the conference with fear and trembling, but determined to do my best. I have spoken ten times, and have done considerable writing.... The conference has called forth very weighty testimonies, and I am pleased with the appreciation shown to these testimonies.—Letter 155, 1905.

J. L. Prescott, who accepted the Advent truth in 1838, felt that the session carried the spirit in the meetings of 1844 (The Review and Herald, June 1, 1905). W. C. White declared the session to be “the most hopeful of the kind that I ever attended” (Ibid., June 8, 1905). 5BIO 422.4

And so the 1905 General Conference came to a close on Tuesday, May 30, having occupied three weeks less one day. 5BIO 422.5