Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

GENERAL CONFERENCE

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 1888. MMM 390.1

The tenth meeting of the General Conforence was opened at 10:40 a. m. Prayey by Elder A. T. Jones. MMM 390.2

Minutes of last meeting read and approved. MMM 390.3

U. Smith, the secretary, read a table of statistics, giving the number of ministers, licentiates, churches, church members, and the amount of tithes paid in each conference, in order that any corrections might be made which were necessary. MMM 390.4

The report of the committee on distribution of labor being called for, the secretary of the committee, A. J. Breed, reported as follows: MMM 390.5

The committee on distribution of labor would respectfully submit the following partial report: MMM 390.6

1. That J. W. Bagby of Kansas go to North Carolina, and make that his field of labor. MMM 390.7

2. That T. H Gibbs of Louisana, labor in the Nebraska conference. MMM 390.8

3. That J. M. Reese of Tennessee, make Indiana his field of labor. MMM 390.9

4. That R. S. Donnell go to Tennessee to take the place made vacent by Bro. Reese and to take the oversight of the work in Kentucky. MMM 390.10

5. That S. H. Lane of Georgia, go to New York and labor in that conference. MMM 390.11

6. That M. J. Huffman of Virginia, occupy the field made vacent by Bro. Lane. MMM 390.12

7. That B. F. Purdham of Indiana, make Louisana his field of labor. MMM 390.13

8. That G. H. Rogers of Illinois, labor in the Upper Columbia conference. MMM 390.14

9. That W. B. Hill of Minnesota, go to Iowa and labor in that’ state. MMM 390.15

10. That W. A. Colcord of Iowa go to Battle Creek to connect with the Review and Herald office. MMM 390.16

11. That H R. Johnson of Iowa return to Wisconsin and make that his field of labor. MMM 390.17

12. That O. A. Johnson of Montana attend Eld. Matteson’s training school in Chicago and then make Iowa his field, and labor exclusively in the Scandinavian language.[original illegible] MMM 390.18

13. That John Covert of Indiana connect with the Michigan conference and labor in that field. MMM 390.19

14. That C. W. Flaize of Kentucky make Minnesota his field of labor. MMM 390.20

15. That in harmony with the request of J. H. Durland we recommend him to return to this country and labor in Ontario under the direction of the Michigan conference. MMM 390.21

16. That E. W. Whitney make Great Britain his field of labor as soon as he can be spared from the work in Basel. [original illegible] MMM 390.22

17. That H. M. Kenyon of Michigan labor in the Kansas conference. MMM 390.23

18. That S. J. Shrock go to Germany to labor in that country. [original illegible] MMM 390.24

19. That R. L. Conradi spend several months in this country, holding institutes for the instruction of German canvassers and workers. MMM 390.25

20. That D. H. Oberholtzer of Indiana go to Pennsylvania to labor among the Germans. [original illegible] MMM 390.26

21. That John Gibson of California go to London as book keeper, and to assist in the management of the office. [original illegible] MMM 390.27

23. That M. B. Miller of Michigan take charge of the work in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. MMM 390.28

24. That W. S. Hyatt of Wisconsin go to Texas to take the presidency of the conference and tract and missionary society. MMM 390.29

25. That O. C. Godsmark of Georgia make Illinois, his field of labor. MMM 390.30

26. That C. P. Haskell of Colorado labor in the Kansas Conference. MMM 390.31

27. That E. P. Auger of Central Europe return to this country to labor in the French canvassing field. [original illegible] MMM 390.32

28. That D. T. Bordeau go to Canada to labor among the French under the direction of the Michigan conference. MMM 390.33

29. That the Pennsylvania conference take charge of the work in New Jersey. MMM 390.34

30. That A. T. Jones, if the way opens to do so, visit Boston, Chicago and other points, where local conferences secure suitable places to reach the masses of the people, and present the subject of religious liberty. MMM 390.35

31. That B. A. Hart return to Norway to assist Eld. O. A. Olsen in the management of the Scandinavian printing house. MMM 390.36

32. That B. M. Shull of Wisconsin, spent six months at the Review and Herald office learning what he can, and then go to Norway to labor in the publishing house. MMM 390.37

33. That Rasmus Peterson of Minnesota, go to the Review and Herald office to learn the book binder’s trade with a view of going to Christiana to work in the printing office. [original illegible] MMM 390.38

34. That M. C. Wilcox of New York go to the Signs office to assist in editing the Signs of the Times. MMM 390.39

35. That J. W. Scoles go to Oakland and connect with the Signs office. MMM 390.40

36. That May Taylor of Central Europe go to England to labor in Bible work. MMM 391.1

37. That Eld. J. F. Hanson attend the training school in Chicago, then to go to Denmark to labor in the great Skandinavian field. MMM 391.2

Moved that this report be adopted by considering each name separately. W. B. Hill, W. C. White, and others spoke upon the ninth recommendation alluding to the importance of work being done among the Germans, and the necessity of workers being thoroughly prepared for the work. W. C. White therefore moved that the recommendation be referred back to the committee that they might consider the matter of the field of Bro. Hill’s labors, and also the advisability of his attending a training school and ministerial institute for a few months. Carried. MMM 391.3

Upon the fifteenth recommendation W. C. White and S. N. Haskell spoke, showing the reasonableness of the recommendation on account of Bro. Durland not being able to properly educate his children in England, and his failing health. MMM 391.4

The recommendation to change E. W. Whitney’s field of labor called out remarks and explanations from W. C. White showing the advantage of having English laborers labor in English fields. L. R. Conradi spoke in the same line, but urged that he be not taken away till he could be spared. MMM 391.5

J. S. Raymond spoke on the eighteenth recommendation to Germany, and moved that the recommendation be referred back to the committee for reconsideration. To this, S. H. Lane and L. R. Conradi spoke to show that Bro. Oberholtzer would well fill the field in Pennsylvania, and that Bro. Shrock had reached a state of development in the German language where he could be of great service in Germany, where help is so sorely, needed to carry the truth to the many millions of Germans. Wm. Covert said that Bro. Oberholtzer was a valuable laborer, but that there was not a sufficient German field in Indiana to occupy his time as a German laborer in that field. The motion to refer this recommendation back to the committee was lost. The recommendation of the committee was then carried. MMM 391.6

On recommendation nineteen L. R. Conradi said that the only thing that would make him willing to remain at all was the hope that the result would be to rouse up more German laborers for Germany, Russia, and other countries. Eld. Shultz moved that the recommendation be amended by adding “and workers.” Carried. MMM 391.7

C. H. Jones on the twenty-first recommendation spoke of the value of John Gibson’s labors in the Signs office, and regretted that he was to be called away. He thought that he would be a great help to the British field. MMM 391.8

On the twenty-eighth recommendation Bro. Bordeau thought that the wording of the recommendation “under the Michigan conference” would limit his work to Ontario, as Ontario was all that belonged to Michigan conference, and there were but few French in Ontario. It was moved that the words “under the direction of the Michigan conference” be stricken from the recommendation. W. C. White moved that the recommendation be referred back to the committee for further consideration. Carried. MMM 391.9

On recommendation twenty-nine J. W. Raymond asked for a statement of the condition of New Jersey, before be would be willing to take charge of the work there, as they could not do much for that field without seriously neglecting their own work. A. T. Robinson said that he should not want New Jersey to go into other hands than that of New England unless the Pennslvania brethren could do more for them than New England had been able to do. Moved by E. J. Waggoner that this recommendation be referred back to the committee for further consideration. Carried. Adjourned to the call of the chair. MMM 391.10