General Conference Bulletin, vol. 5

Pacific Union Conference

W. T. KNOX

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, W. T. KNOX

The initial steps in the organization of the Pacific Union Conference were taken at Battle Creek, Michigan, in April, 1901, during the session of the General Conference. At that time temporary officers were selected, and a constitution framed. During the spring and summer following, these actions were submitted to the local conferences for their ratification. The executive committee held its first meeting in June of the same year, from which date the responsibilities of the conference really began, although only partially equipped for the work. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.2

The conference convened for its first session in Portland, Oregon, Feb. 28, 1902. The previous work of the council and committees was carefully studied, and the work more thoroughly organized by the creation of the following departments: Educational; mission, for the oversight of the unorganized fields within our territory; publishing; auditing; and medical missionary, the latter having a legal organization, but with a constituency practically identical with that of the Union Conference. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.3

At the time of organization, the following local conferences composed the Union: Montana, Upper Columbia, North Pacific, and California. At the request of the General Conference, the responsibilities of the mission fields of Arizona, Utah, Alaska, and the Hawaiian Territory were taken over. This gave the conference all that territory lying west of the eastern boundary lines of Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, besides the Hawaiian Islands, containing an area of 1,860,473 square miles, with a population of 3,684,536. In this population there were, according to the reports submitted to the last General Conference, 9,492 Sabbath-keepers, 67 ordained ministers, 48 licentiates, and 190 churches. The tithe for the year 1900 amounted to $76,985.82. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.4

In August, 1901, all of California south of the Tehachapi and Santa Ynez Mountains was organized into a new conference, known as the Southern California Conference. In April, 1902, Arizona was organized into a conference. At the regular meeting of the North Pacific Conference in May, 1902, the territory of this conference was divided, and two conferences, known as the Western Oregon and the Western Washington Conferences, were created, the Columbia River being the dividing line, their eastern line being the boundary previously existing between the North Pacific and Upper Columbia, which is generally the summit of the Cascade Mountains. British Columbia had in the past been operated by Upper Columbia and North Pacific Conferences as a mission field, but both conferences relinquished this field to the Union Conference. Utah was, in August last, organized as a conference, and British Columbia in September. The Pacific Union now has nine conferences and two unorganized mission fields under its jurisdiction. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.5

The results thus far obtained from the organization of these new conferences indicate that this has been beneficial to the fields affected, for, while in the case of Arizona, Utah, and British Columbia, the constituency is small, and will have to be assisted financially and otherwise for some time to come, yet the organization of them has relieved the Union Conference of much care, and has resulted in giving these conferences a better management than could have been otherwise obtained. The statistics will show a healthy growth in the cases of all newly-organized conferences. These changes make it impossible to render statistical reports for the local conferences for the biennial term. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.6

The Northern California Conference, which includes the state of Nevada and Northern California, has an area of 220,986 square miles, with a population of 1,229,212. There are 55 churches, 35 of which have their own buildings, and have a membership of 3,892; two unorganized companies and 100 isolated Sabbath-keepers bring the total membership to 4,012, who paid a tithe in 1902 amounting to $45,612.29. Of this amount, $14,378.39 was appropriated to fields outside of the conference. The weekly, annual, and Sabbath-school offerings to foreign missions amounted to $3,887.64. Church-schools numbering 20 have a combined enrollment of 645. The conference has 36 ordained ministers, 17 licensed ministers, and 20 licensed missionaries. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.7

The Southern California Conference, embracing the six southern counties of the state, has an area of 46,074 square miles, with 301,010 inhabitants; its 19, churches and two unorganized companies report a membership of 1,200. The tithe for the year 1902 was $15,017.24. These two California conferences reported a membership in 1900 of 4,516, and paid $42,607.01 tithe, showing a gain of 697 in membership and $18,022.52 in tithe. There are in Southern California 11 church-schools. The force of public laborers consists of 10 ordained and eight licensed ministers and five licensed missionaries. The combined offerings to foreign missions amounted to $1,531.48. Of the tithe, $200 was appropriated to fields outside the conference. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.8

Western Oregon GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.9

contains an area of about 36,000 square miles and a population of 300,000. It has a membership of 1,338 in its 34 churches and one unorganized company. These paid a tithe of $12,950.63 during the year. Of this amount, $2,971.62 was appropriated to fields beyond their borders; $3,005.61 was raised in various donations to foreign missions. Eleven ordained ministers, three licentiates, and six licensed missionaries compose the working force of the conference. Six church-schools have 165 pupils in attendance. Of the 34 churches, 19 own their own buildings. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.10

Western Washington has an area of 28,600 square miles and a population of 335,584. There are 28 churches and four companies, with 850 members. A tithe of $14,053.21 has been paid during the past year, making a total tithe for the year for the combined territory of $26,903.84, as against $14,857.14 in 1900. There were raised for foreign missions $1,356.16, and of their tithe, $1,379.37 was devoted to other fields. Eight church-schools report a membership of 153. Of the 28 churches, 18 meet to worship in buildings owned by themselves. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.11

The Upper Columbia Conference contains an area of 185,410 square miles, with a population of 457,827. Forty nine organized churches and four companies report a membership of 1,514. Fifteen churches own houses of worship, and six have church-schools, with an enrollment of 123. During the year $17,398.36 tithe was paid into the treasury, as against $10,930.93 in 1900. The conference appropriated $780 of its tithe to other fields, and raised in donations to foreign missions $3,193.67. The public workers consist of 10 ordained ministers, five licensed ministers, and 10 licensed missionaries. GCB April 2, 1903, page 48.12

The conference of Montana, with its area of 146,080 square miles and 243,630 inhabitants, has 464 Sabbath-keepers in 13 churches and six unorganized companies. Of these, seven own their own meeting-houses; six of them have church-schools, with an attendance of 89. A tithe of $5,965.46 was paid during 1902, which was $105.62 less than the tithe of 1900; their membership also shows a small loss, due largely to removals from the conference. Donations to foreign missions amounted to $1,581. There were four ordained ministers, two licensed ministers, and six missionary licentiates in the conference. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.1

The Arizona Conference has an area of 113,020 square miles and a population of 122,931. Sabbath-keepers numbering 173 are found in their four churches. There are three ordained ministers, two licentiates, and four to whom missionary licenses were granted. There was one canvasser in the field. Tithe to the amount of $856.74 was paid to the treasurer. The various donations amounted to $266.76. All the organized companies own their own church buildings. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.2

Utah’s population numbers 276,749; the area is 84,970 square miles. This conference has four churches, with 143 members; one company owns its own church building, and there is one church-school. The tithe for the year amounted to $1,211.58, which was $211.08 in excess of the amount paid in 1900; the membership, however, shows a loss of 18, due to removals. The various offerings amounted to $172.73. There were two ordained ministers, one licensed minister, and two licensed missionaries in the conference. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.3

British Columbia is the youngest and, in point of members, the smallest conference in the Union. Her area, however, is the largest, being 400,000 square miles; the population is over 200,000. There are five organized churches and 95 Sabbath-keepers. Of the churches, two own their own houses of worship. Tithe amounting to $1,237.03 was received in 1902, and $112.70 from various donations. The force of conference laborers consists of two ordained and two licensed ministers, and six missionaries. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.4

The Hawaiian Territory, in which is situated the mission field of Hawaii, has an area of 6,449 square miles and 154,000 inhabitants, found chiefly among the native Hawaiians, Americans, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese. There is but one organized church, which is in Honolulu. There is also a small, unorganized company in Hilo. Thirty seven Sabbath-keepers compose the constituency of this field. There are two ordained ministers and one licentiate in the field. The principal work conducted by us is the Anglo-Chinese Academy. Tithe amounting to $994.19 was received in 1902; $274.14 was the amount of the combined offerings. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.5

The Alaska Mission Field has been occupied by laborers from the Pacific Union Conference since July of 1901. There is at present but one ordained minister in the field. Two companies of Sabbath-keepers, with a membership of 25, are largely the fruit of the labor put forth. The area of Alaska is 590,884 square miles; its population, 63,592. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.6

Some of the conditions existing and results attained in the Union Conference during the past biennial term, as compared with the corresponding term closing Dec. 31, 1900, were as follows: The laborers drawing their compensation from the treasuries of the conferences had been increased from 159 to 189. The organized churches in 1900 numbered 184, and there was a total membership in the conferences of 9,330; there are now 212 churches and a membership of 9,845. The small gain in membership can be accounted for, at least partially, by the action of some of the conferences in revising their membership rolls, thus bringing their reported membership into harmony with existing facts. During the biennial term closing December, 1900, there was paid in tithe $153,629.72, which was a per capita payment of $16.59. During the past term of two years the tithe paid amounted to $212,588.18, or at the rate of $21.59 per capita, making a per capita gain of $5.00, or a total gain of $58,985.46. Of the tithe thus received, about $30,000 has been appropriated to fields other than the conferences in which it was raised, thereby sustaining about twenty laborers in foreign fields. In the same periods the various offerings amounted to $28,844.94, as against $22,903.06, a gain of $5,941.88. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.7

We have two colleges and two intermediate schools. In the colleges the usual courses of study are carried on, and in addition to this considerable progress has been made in industrial training; several industries are now well established, and the students are turning out a good class of work. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.8

In all the conferences much time has been given by the workers and church-members to the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” for the relief of our two colleges. While all regret that we can not report a completed work, yet there is rejoicing that as much has been accomplished as we are able to report. It was necessary to sell 52,800 copies to meet the needs of the two institutions. Money amounting to $31,000 was needed for Walla Walla and $35,000 for Healdsburg. Of this amount, $18,228.75 has been realized, and Walla Walla College has received $10,000. Healdsburg has received $8,228.75. These amounts will be largely augmented during the next three months, as all of the conferences have either almost completed their work or have the work well in hand. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.9

In the subscription book work, an average of forty-four canvassers have been in the field, who sold during the two years books to the value of $49,293.89. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.10

The medical missionary work is well established in this Union Conference, there being three well-equipped sanitariums in our territory, located in St. Helena, California; Portland, Oregon; and Spokane, Washington. The St. Helena institution was incorporated in 1878. These three sanitariums employ eleven physicians and about one hundred helpers. They represent an investment of $185,000, and in the past year their volume of business in caring for the sick amounted to $90,000. In addition to these sanitariums, there are ten branches or treatment rooms distributed over the conference from British Columbia to Southern California and Arizona. Four of these have been opened during the present year. The investment for all amounts to $20,000, and a business represented by $35,000 has been transacted during 1902. GCB April 2, 1903, page 49.11

There are three food factories operated in the conference, one at St. Helena, one at Portland, and one at College Place, the latter owned and operated by the Walla Walla College. The St. Helena institution operates one vegetarian restaurant and seven stores. The Medical Association of Southern California also conducts a restaurant. These enterprises represent an investment of $68,000. GCB April 2, 1903, page 50.1

The departments of the conference have, with one or two exceptions, been quite actively at work. The missionary and auditing departments have done especially effective work, proving to be very helpful to the local conferences and tract societies. GCB April 2, 1903, page 50.2

The Pacific Union Conference has during the year 1902 received as its revenue $9,845.51 in tithe; its mission funds from all sources amounted to $10,254.80. Of this amount, $6,141.79 was second tithe donated by the General Conference. The sum of $8,761.78 has been expended in mission fields. The office and field workers number thirteen. GCB April 2, 1903, page 50.3

In addition to the foregoing, I might bring to your attention one question that I believe is worthy of consideration in connection with this Conference, viz., the division of territory. The map before us does not begin to show the territory, so far as area is concerned. The Pacific Union Conference extends from the Mexican line to the undefined Northern regions, taking in all Alaska and British Columbia. The Hawaiian Islands, too, are included within its limits. The portions most densely populated are within the borders of the United States proper; but even the territory covered by these states is so great that it is almost possible for one man to attend to it properly. One man can not attend all the general meetings that are held, and give proper attention to the many enterprises that are conducted within the borders of the conference. GCB April 2, 1903, page 50.4

I believe serious consideration should be given to the question of dividing the Pacific Union Conference. A natural division would be a line running between Oregon and Idaho on the north, and California, Nevada, and Utah on the south. This division would make an almost equal division, so far as area is concerned. It would throw the mission conference of British Columbia and the mission field of Alaska into the upper portion, and the two mission conferences of Arizona and Utah into the lower portion, leaving the question of the Hawaiian Islands to be determined later. So far as the division of membership is concerned, this would be almost equal also. The resources of the lower portion would be larger than the resources of the upper. The institutional enterprises of the upper portion would also be largely outweighed by those in the lower portion. GCB April 2, 1903, page 50.5

Moved by G. A. Irwin, seconded by R. C. Porter, that the Conference adjourn until 3 P. M. Carried. GCB April 2, 1903, page 50.6

H. W. Cottrell, Chairman.

H. E. Osborne, Secretary.