Conference Proceedings. FOURTH MEETING GCB May 16, 1909, page 16

W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, I. H. Evans, C. M. Snow, T. E. Bowen

May 14, 10:30 A. M.

Elder G. A. Irwin, chairman. After the usual opening exercises, the delegates having arrived since the last roll-call responded to their names, showing that very nearly all the delegation was present in the meeting. Elder W. G. Kneeland was added to the West Indian Union delegation. GCB May 16, 1909, page 16.20

The chairman then called upon the treasurer of the General Conference, I. H. Evans, to present his quadrennial report. The financial statements were placed in the hands of the delegates for study, and the treasurer presented the report as follows:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 16.21

GENERAL CONFERENCE TREASURER’S REPORT FOR THE QUADRENNIAL PERIOD GCB May 16, 1909, page 16

WASe

Jan. 1, 1905, to Dec. 31, 1908

The financial department of our General Conference is one that lies close to the hearts of God’s people. The worldwide message which we are giving is one that involves an ever-increasing outlay of means. In the early history of our work, a small sum of money went a long way in paying operating expenses; but with mission stations located in nearly every country in the world; with institutions to be financed in many centers; with workers continually breaking down and being compelled to return to their native land that they may recuperate their strength; and with the new recruits who must be pushed to the front annually, there are heavy demands upon the treasury of the General Conference. GCB May 16, 1909, page 16.22

The four years which have passed since the last session of the General Conference have been years of progress and growth in developing our work in the fields operated by the General Conference. Judging from the money received and expended during this period, we must conclude that in receipts this period has been the most successful and progressive of any in the history of our missionary work. Many countries which once were mission fields are now organized, self-supporting, self-operating conferences. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.1

About twenty years ago we had but little work started in Europe. For many years the Mission Board was continually making large appropriations for the upbuilding of our work in that great and populous field. Sometimes it doubtless seemed that we were robbing the home land in order to establish the message in that country. But as we now contemplate the growth and progress of the third angel’s message in nearly every nation in Europe, with its rapidly increasing constituency and with its splendid financial showing, who would now complain of the investment required in men and means in starting that work? Not only has the work in Europe become entirely self-supporting, but with an annual appropriation of only $10,000 from the General Conference treasury, the funds supplied by Europe support the work in Iceland, Siberia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and German and British East Africa. Thus not only does Europe support itself, but it becomes an important factor in financing the great, world-wide work in adjacent territory and in heathen lands. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.2

Many of the delegates at this Conference will have no difficulty in recalling the large demands made upon the General Conference treasury during the nineties in developing our work in Australia. To-day the Australian field has become entirely self-supporting. It not only finances its own work, but it has become a strong factor in supporting the work in other territory than its own. For each of the last two years, $8,500 has been appropriated to the Australasian Union Conference to assist in the mission work which it has undertaken. With this small assistance the Australian field not only supplies the funds for the support of the work in its own territory, but it supervises and finances the work in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Java, New Guinea, Norfolk Island, the Philippine Islands, Pitcairn Island, Samoa, Singapore, the Society Islands, Sumatra, and Tonga, at a total expense of $40,736.21. From these mission fields, Australia anticipates that it will receive in tithes. Sabbath-school, and other offerings, $15,072.66. Adding to this the $8,500 called for on appropriation, we have a total of $23,572.66 which Australia expects to receive from the General Conference and these respective fields, leaving her to raise $17,163.55 for mission fields. Thus it will be seen that the Australasian Union Conference is doing a great work in mission fields outside its own boundaries, and supplies a considerable amount of funds for carrying the message into the dark places of earth. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.3

The Western Canadian Union Conference has called for $9,525.50 for the support of its work, in addition to the money that it will be able to raise during 1909. Those in charge of this Conference believe that by another year, provided they can receive financial help during 1909, they will be able to entirely finance the work in that field. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.4

The Canadian Union Conference should soon be entirely self-supporting, so that its tithes and offerings can go for mission work outside of its own territory. At the present time it is asking appropriations from the General Conference to the amount of $9,356 for the year 1909, which is the largest request for appropriations that it has made during the last four years. But this union conference is rich in strong, sturdy, intelligent people, and will soon join other fields in sustaining its own work. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.5

We look with fond hopes to our work in South America. There we have a rich, fertile country, and an industrious, economical people, who are able to do considerable along financial lines. The Argentine Conference has been more than self-supporting during the last two years. Some of the conferences in Brazil are also doing well. Other territory in South America will, before long, be organized into conferences, and become entirely self-supporting. The South American field has estimated its entire expense for 1909 at $27,072, but it expects to receive from the fields $9,211, so will require an appropriation from the General Conference of only $17,861. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.6

It is most encouraging to see those in charge of the fields where our work has for some time been planted doing their best to become self-supporting, and to reduce to the lowest possible amount their demands upon the General Conference treasury. However, as the General Conference turns over the control and supervision of the work in these civilized countries to local organizations, it will need to give its attention more directly to the development of our work in what are known as heathen lands. We rather anticipate that in all these great heathen countries the efforts already being made must be multiplied many fold before the truth will reach all the nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples of the world. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.7

We believe that the future will demonstrate that the General Conference, as such, will put less and less money into the great, civilized countries of the world. We anticipate that the work will become more and more self-reliant, in a financial sense, in these fields, and that they will not only finally reach the self-supporting line, but will become strong supporters of our mission work in the great and needy heathen lands. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.8

By glancing at the detailed financial report of the Treasurer, you will see that the money received and paid out during the quadrennial period has been on the progressive plan. You will note in the Receipts and Disbursements statement for the four years closing with Dec. 31, 1908, that the General Conference received for mission work for the year 1905, $172,948.17; for 1906, $212,296.85; for 1907, $232,956.47; and for 1908, $270,405.96. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.9

During this same period the General Conference paid out, for all lines of mission work under its control, as follows: 1905, $143,796.86; 1906, $163,755.56; 1907, $253,445.74; and in 1908, $272,873.08. Thus you will see that year by year the work carried forward by the General Conference has been rapidly increasing. This necessitates the supplying of a larger stream of funds by the denomination for the maintenance and extension of our work. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.10

You will see by the detailed financial report that, while the funds of the General Conference have increased year by year since the last session of the General Conference, they have not increased in proportion to the expenditures. In the year 1905, the receipts in our foreign mission treasury available for foreign work amounted to $172,948.17; and the expenditures for the year were $143,796.86: while for the year 1908 the receipts for the foreign mission work were $270,405.96, and the expenditures, $272,873.08. In other words, in 1905, the year of our last General Conference, our receipts exceeded our expenditures for mission work by $29,151.31, while the disbursements in 1908 exceeded the receipts for the same period by $2,467.12. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.11

In the fall of 1907 the General Conference Committee considered the propriety of agitating the ten-cent-a-week plan, and trying to secure its general adoption for the support of our mission work. The union conferences took hold of this proposition with great earnestness and loyalty, and nearly all have endeavored to raise money for foreign missions to an amount that would equal ten cents a week per capita for their church-membership. Some have done better than others in this effort. Of course there are differences in location and differences in seasons, all of which seriously affect the finances of our people. However, we are not convinced that local, climatic, or financial conditions are the paramount reasons why one conference differs so much from another in the amount of contributions to foreign missions. I would like to inquire if more does not depend upon the management and officers of the conference than upon the financial conditions surrounding the people. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.12

To illustrate this point: When the $150,000 fund was apportioned among the States, the South resolved that it was not able to pay its full quota. When the delegates assembled to consider this matter in connection with the General Conference Committee, they pledged that they would endeavor to raise as much as $6,000, which was more than a thousand dollars less than the apportionment for that field. Many said, “The South can not raise this money; our people are too poor; they have but limited resources, and they are not able to pay such a large amount.” To the surprise of almost everybody, the South was the first of the union conferences in America to raise its full quota. This is an actual demonstration of what can be done by men who set themselves in a determined way to accomplish a definite result. GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.13

We believe that it would be possible for us to more than double our donations to foreign missions if we all, as officers, realized as we should our responsibility to give this message to the GCB May 16, 1909, page 17.14

GENERAL CONFERENCE RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENT STATEMENT GCB May 16, 1909, page 17

No Authorcode

For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1908

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS OF MISSION FUNDS GCB May 16, 1909, page 17

No Authorcode

For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1905

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS OF MISSION FUNDS GCB May 16, 1909, page 17

No Authorcode

For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1906

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS OF MISSION FUNDS GCB May 16, 1909, page 17

No Authorcode

For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1907

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS OF MISSION FUNDS GCB May 16, 1909, page 17

No Authorcode

For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1908

QUADRENNIAL COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS TO MISSIONS GCB May 16, 1909, page 17

No Authorcode

Jan. 1, 1905, to Dec. 31, 1908

QUADRENNIAL COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF DISBURSEMENTS TO MISSIONS GCB May 16, 1909, page 20

No Authorcode

Jan. 1, 1905, to Dec. 31, 1908

QUADRENNIAL RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS GCB May 16, 1909, page 21

No Authorcode

Jan. 1, 1905, to Dec. 31, 1908

FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS GCB May 16, 1909, page 21

No Authorcode

For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1908

SUMMARY OF MISSION RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS, 1905 TO 1908 GCB May 16, 1909, page 21

WASe

TAKOMA PARK, WASHINGTON, D. C., I. H. Evans, Feb. 28, 1909.

Treasurer General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.

DEAR BROTHER: Attached you will please find statements of the General Conference which I have made after completing my audit for the year 1908. I have checked the receipts with the letters of remittance, and the disbursements with vouchers and receipted invoices and statements, etc., which are on file, and find that the books have been carefully and correctly kept. The cash on hand agrees with the demands of the cash-book, statement of which I also attach. GCB May 16, 1909, page 21.1

In making up these statements, I have endeavored to give you all the detail I thought you would be glad to receive. GCB May 16, 1909, page 21.2

All of which I respectfully submit. GCB May 16, 1909, page 21.3

Sincerely yours,
E. R. BROWN, Auditor.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE CORPORATION GCB May 16, 1909, page 21

No Authorcode

For the year ending Dec. 31, 1908

GENERAL CONFERENCE CORPORATION COMPARATIVE STATEMENT GCB May 16, 1909, page 21

WASe

TAKOMA PARK, WASHINGTON, D. C.,
I. H. Evans, March 10, 1909.
Treasurer General Conference Corporation,
Takoma Park, Washington, D.C.

DEAR BROTHER: This is to certify that I have examined the books of the General Conference Corporation for a period of one year, ending Dec. 31, 1908, and find that all of the letters of remittance, receipts, vouchers, receipted bills, etc., have been correctly entered, and the cash on hand and in the bank agrees with the balance demanded by the cashbook. I know of no reason why I should not report that your funds have been honestly and carefully handled. GCB May 16, 1909, page 21.4

I have again made statements of bills payable and bills receivable, and have figured the accrued interest on the same to the end of the year, thus showing the actual net gain of interest on the notes of the year. The books are neatly kept. GCB May 16, 1909, page 22.1

All of which I respectfully submit. GCB May 16, 1909, page 22.2

Sincerely yours,
E. R. BROWN, Auditor.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE ASSOCIATION OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS GCB May 16, 1909, page 22

No Authorcode

For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1908

GENERAL CONFERENCE ASSOCIATION COMPARATIVE STATEMENT GCB May 16, 1909, page 22

WASe

I. H. Evans,
Treasurer General Conference Association,
Takoma Park, Washington, D.C.

DEAR BROTHER: I hand you herewith financial statement of the General Conference Association of the Seventh-day Adventists, after completing my examination of the books up to Dec. 31, 1908. I have checked all the journal entries representing the business for the year 1908, and find that everything has been correctly entered in the books. GCB May 16, 1909, page 22.3

I am attaching a detailed statement of the bills payable account, which agrees with the bills payable register. The books are in balance and neatly kept. GCB May 16, 1909, page 22.4

All of which I respectfully submit. GCB May 16, 1909, page 22.5

Sincerely yours,
E. R. BROWN, Auditor.

STATEMENT OF THE $150,000 FUND GCB May 16, 1909, page 22

WASe

Showing the Amount Due and Overpaid to the Various Enterprises up to May 1, 1909

I. H. EVANS, Treasurer.

TREASURER’S REPORT
world. It must be patent to all here to-day that it is not possible for the officers of the General Conference to give attention to the numerous demands made upon it, and at the same time to be the sole agent, or responsible factor, in gathering sufficient funds with which to prosecute our work. The union, State, and General Conference officers should be a unit in working up the funds for mission work. Union and local conference presidents, secretaries, and treasurers, the ministry, and even the laity, are as much a component part of the General Conference work and constituency, and are as responsible for the progress and development of the work in the great, needy fields, though perhaps not so directly, as the officers of the General Conference itself. Does it not appeal to you that there must be a great responsibility upon the ministry, upon every conference officer, and upon all who are officially connected in any way with our general administrative work, to do our utmost to increase the funds for foreign mission work? GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.1

According to the money received at our office during the year 1908, the people of the United States and Canada donated to foreign mission work $3.52 a member. It is not possible that these gifts impoverish our people. We must shut our eyes to all that is written in the Inspired Book, we must close our hearts to God’s precious promises to his people, and throw away our whole experience of the past, if we believe that the giving of means to the cause of God impoverishes God’s people. In a land of such prosperity as that in which we live, $3.52 per capita is but a small part of the funds that should be contributed by this people for the advancement of the Lord’s work in other lands. Had the Mission Board received during the year 1908 the full quota of ten cents a week a member, there would have been an inflow into the treasury, over that which was received, of $106,445.12. Should we not rally at this Conference, and go home with the determination that 1909 will see the full amount of ten cents a week contributed from our people to the work in foreign fields? GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.2

You will notice in our detailed financial report a Receipts and Disbursements statement for each year during the quadrennial term. The General Conference received, during those four years, as follows: On annual offerings, $156,860.35; First-day offerings, $80,020.83; midsummer offerings, $28,747.61; general mission fund, $287,236.94; on second tithes. $16,717.09; Sabbath-school donations, $181,118.32; tithes, $33,664.97; Thanksgiving offerings, $1,101.08; from conferences and individuals for laborers’ support, $13,379.18; from miscellaneous sources, $41,792.87; making a grand total of $888,607.45. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.3

We also submit to you a quadrennial comparative statement of disbursements to missions for each year. From this it will be seen that we have paid during the year 1905 to various mission stations on previous audits, $5,169.21; to the China Mission during the four years since our last General Conference, $61,506.64; to the Australasian field, $36,076.48; to the Canadian Union Conference, $23,244.06; to the Chesapeake Conference, $1,891.96; New York Conference, $4,170.72; India Mission, $55,800.14; Hawaiian Mission, $850; Japan, $31,398.57; Mexican Mission, $17,851.97; South American Union Conference, $56,542; South African Union Conference, $53,246.59; Southern Union Conference, $32,757.44; West Indian Union Conference, $76,540.30; West African Mission, $11,839.27; in the Home Fields, to the General Conference employees, on traveling expenses and wages, $86,970.09; General Conference laborers in the field, $103,971.97; on emergency calls, such as people who have been sick and had to have help, or widows whose husbands have died in the field and required financial assistance, $8,962.13; on expenses, such as postage, stationery, etc., $23,901.75; on the General Conference building, $4,899.70; on the fifteen per cent fund, which money was voted at the last General Conference to be paid to the General Conference Corporation and Association for the payment of its outstanding debts, $31,798.88; to the Foreign Mission Seminary, from the Smith estate, $8,000; to the Christian Record, $1,749.14; allowed on the Christiania Publishing House account, $6,615.53; on miscellaneous items, $11,147.93, making a total of $833,871.04. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.4

We also submit to you a financial statement of the resources and liabilities of the General Conference on Dec. 31, 1908, which shows a credit to the General Conference of $6,770.71. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.5

We also submit to you a comparative statement of the finances of the General Conference, beginning with Jan. 1, 1905, and terminating Dec. 31, 1908. By this you will see that the General Conference had a deficit, Jan. 1, 1905, of $47,965.50. During this quadrennial period the General Conference has gained $54,736.21, wiping out the deficit of $47,965.50, and giving the General Conference a credit of $6,770.71. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.6

During this Conference we shall be compelled to seriously consider our financial responsibilities, and perhaps to revise some of our plans, but we do not want to retrench a single cent in our outlay for the advancement of the message. There must be an ever-increasing demand for men and means to carry forward our work. There certainly will ever be, until the close of probation, a widening field and a multiplying need. Therefore there must be larger offerings and a greater source of income until the work closes. When you consider for a moment the resources of the General Conference, you find that they are relatively nothing. The General Conference exists without a dollar of working capital, save the loyalty and support given to it by the people of this denomination. The territory belonging to the General Conference, and under its direct control, is what is known as mission territory. At the present time most of this territory consists of the dark, heathen lands of the world. It is the benighted regions where poverty reigns, where heathenism has ruled for centuries. To-day the General Conference does not have under its direct control any territory among the leading civilized nations of the world. The territory which it occupies, and over which it exercises supervision, is largely heathen lands, where we can not expect that the people who come to the truth will be any great strength to the denomination policy of the General Conference that the contributions in tithes and offerings from the natives who accept the truth in these heathen lands shall ultimately support the native workers; but in starting the work, of course this can not be done. No inconsiderable sums of money will have to be expended in these fields before there will be a sufficient constituency to support any large number of native workers. At the present time in China, Japan, Korea, India, and Africa, the tithes and offerings from the brethren who have accepted the truth in these fields is nowhere near sufficient to support our corps of native workers. However, we all hope that the future will see great changes in this respect. Schools must be established in all these lands, where natives can be educated and trained to go out and preach the gospel. Funds should be appropriated for schools in China and other foreign fields among the heathen nations of the earth for training native workers, who will be enabled thereby to go out and preach the message. Sanitarium work should also be started in these heathen lands. Never were there such opportunities for our medical work as in the benighted regions of the earth at the present time. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.7

Literature must also be prepared and largely circulated in all these countries. The crying need in all the darkened regions is for the printed page in simple form, teaching the truths of the message. Printing plants must be established, and a great army of workers must circulate the message-laden pages of truth. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.8

This Conference ought to give careful thought and study to the financial needs of our work in heathen lands, and to devise some plans whereby the mission treasury shall have sufficient funds with which to support a stronger corps of workers in all these fields than we are now able to maintain. It is impossible for the General Conference to carry this work without additional resources. As we scan the world-wide field, we say, “Where will the money come from to place another worker in a single field?” This Conference, and you, my brethren, as delegates, must take up this financial responsibility, and consider what shall be done to further make it possible for advance moves to be made in these heathen lands. We ask you to study carefully the financial report, so that you will be intelligent in regard to the receipts and expenditures of the General Conference, and be able to lay such plans at this meeting as will tend to speedily advance the cause of God. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.9

A. G. Daniells: This is a wonderfully encouraging report. It is very voluminous, and I am sure many of us will wish to refer to it at a later date during this meeting. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.10

On motion, the treasurer’s report, with the accompanying auditor’s report, was adopted unanimously. The meeting adjourned. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.11

G. A. IRWIN, Chairman,
W. A. SPICER, Secretary.