W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, I. H. Evans, C. M. Snow, T. E. Bowen
May 28, 10:30 A. M.
H. W. Cottrell in the chair. Prayer was offered by A. G. Haughey. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.1
New delegate seated: B. E. Connerly, of West Indian Union. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.2
H. W. Cottrell: You will have noticed that the meeting held last evening at 7:45 in the Seminary building was called as a regular meeting of this Conference session. As you know, the usual time of adjourning was to this morning, but last evening we adjourned until to-morrow evening at 7:45. I would like to state that there were some parliamentary irregularities concerning such a procedure, so we will rule, and have it so recorded, that the meeting of last evening was a mass-meeting of the delegation. The delegates have a right to adjourn as a mass-meeting until any time they choose, or they can adjourn sine die. It was a mass-meeting because the delegation elected a special chairman. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.3
The president of the Conference would like to call a meeting of the Executive Committee at twelve o’clock. We would, therefore, entertain a motion to adjourn this meeting in time for the members of the committee to attend their meeting. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.4
A. G. Daniells: I move that this meeting adjourn this morning at 11:45. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.5
The motion was duly seconded, and carried. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.6
The chair then called for further partial reports, or completed reports. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.7
G. Dail presented the further partial report from the Committee on Plans and Finance:— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.8
WASe
20. Resolved, That in addition to the educational matter that may appear in the Review and Herald, the Executive Committee of the General Conference arrange for the publication of an educational journal adapted to the development of our school work, the policy and contents of the journal to be under the direction of the Department of Education of the General Conference. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.9
WASe
Whereas, Experience has shown that the schools conducted by local conferences should seldom carry work beyond the tenth grade; and,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.10
Whereas, Several of these local schools are now called academies, though not doing, or equipped to do, full academic work, for lack of libraries, laboratories, and sufficient teaching force; and,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.11
Whereas, We have the following instruction from the spirit of prophecy: “It is not wise for a new school to lift its banner, and promise a high grade of work before it has proved that it is fully able to do preparatory work as it should be done. It should be the great aim of every intermediate school to do most thorough work in the common branches.... It would be a sad mistake for us to fail to consider thoroughly the purpose for which each of our schools is established. This is a matter that should be faithfully considered by our responsible men in each union conference. All the different educational interests should be given careful consideration, and then each school should place its work on a proper basis;” therefore,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.12
21. We recommend, (a) That the local conferences, in counsel with their union conference committee, adapt the name and grade of work of these local schools to the intermediate school standard, except in those special cases where circumstances make this step unadvisable. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.13
(b) That the union conference training-schools do not draw intermediate students from the territory within the jurisdiction of the intermediate schools without previous arrangement with the local conference president. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.14
(c) That in each union conference there be created a committee of inspection, consisting of the union conference president, the union conference educational secretary, and one member of the training-school faculty, to be appointed by the faculty, to counsel with the individual conferences or schools, in order to unify and grade the work of the intermediate schools and academies of the union conference. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.15
WASe
Whereas, The tent-making and other industries of our schools are a means of education and a financial help to the students; therefore,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.16
22. We recommend, To the favorable consideration of our people the purchasing of the products of the industrial departments of our schools. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.17
WASe
23. Resolved, That we invite our conferences throughout the United States and Canada to select men and women of such age and experience as will meet the needs of our foreign fields, and recommend them to the Foreign Mission Seminary for a course of instruction preparatory to foreign service. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.18
WASe
Whereas, With the rapid extension of our publishing work it becomes vitally important that our publications be prepared with great care, so that they may present clearly and suitably the truths of the third angel’s message; and,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.19
Whereas, Sundry publications are being distributed on individual responsibility, which neither represent the denomination nor carry any part of the financial burdens of the organized work; therefore,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.20
24. Resolved (a) That information be given to our people concerning the thorough, painstaking work of the literature committees of our publishing houses in examining manuscripts, and preparing the subject-matter of all publications; and that our people be cautioned to discriminate between literature published by the denomination, and that which is issued by private individuals. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.21
(b) That missionaries, as far as practicable, submit manuscripts to properly constituted literature committees for their respective fields. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.22
(c) That copy for literature prepared to meet emergencies, and for use in local campaigns, be at least submitted for criticism to the conference or mission committee of that territory, and bear the conference or mission imprint. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.23
(d) That all our people be urged to work energetically and loyally for the circulation of our standard denominational literature. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.24
WASe
25. We approve, Of the action of several of our publishing houses in paying a tithe into the treasury of the General Conference, and we invite all the publishing houses in the United States to follow their example; and,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.25
26. We further recommend, That this tithe be used by the General Conference in meeting the expenses of the General Conference Publishing Department, and for fostering our publishing interests in mission fields. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.26
WASe
Whereas, A question has arisen concerning the advisability of organizing a General Conference Department to take charge of the periodical and home tract and missionary work; and,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.27
Whereas, We believe that confusion would result from the circulation of literature being directed by two departments operating through the same general offices, and through the same field; therefore,— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.28
27. We recommend, That the periodical and home and tract and missionary work continue, as in the past, under the direction of the Publishing Department, and that the General, union, and local conferences unite in making the necessary provision for conducting more thoroughly and aggressively these neglected lines of work. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.29
The chairman stated that the report would be printed for consideration later. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.30
Discussion on Constitution GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.31
The chairman called attention to the report of the Committee on Revision of the Constitution, on page 189, and on motion to adopt by considering each item separately, the report was considered. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.32
The Chairman: I would urge that you give careful attention to the consideration of the revision of this constitution; we should not rush anything through, especially anything so important as the constitution. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.33
The Secretary: May I explain, Brother Chairman, that on page 190 of the BULLETIN is the constitution as it formerly stood, also as it is proposed it shall read. Read it without the Italics, and with all that is included in the brackets, and you have the old constitution; read it without the brackets, and with all Italicized matter, and you have that which has been proposed by the committee as the new constitution. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.34
The first two items in the report were read, and question called without discussion. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.35
The next item in the report was read, and by common consent, the word “delegates’” was inserted, making it read as follows:— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.36
Sec. 3. Change sub-section (b) to read as follows: “Such representatives of missions of the General Conference as shall receive delegates’ credentials from its Executive Committee, such credentials only to be given by the consent of a majority of the Executive Committee.” GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.37
Question was called. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.38
The Secretary [reading]: Sec. 4. Add at end these words: “or properly organized missions.” GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.39
Question was called on the next item, amending Sec. 4. without discussion. GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.40
The next item was read as follows:— GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.41
Sec. 5. Change one thousand to five hundred in each case, and add, at end, “Each union mission shall be entitled to one delegate, without regard to numbers, and an additional delegate for each five hundred members. Each organized mission, not included in a union mission, shall be entitled to one delegate.” GCB May 30, 1909, page 208.42
The Chairman: You will note that in this the mission fields will have the same representation, if it is passed, as conferences do. This helps out the mission work. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.1
The Secretary: I understand, from the former sub-section, that delegates at large from the mission fields might be appointed at the discretion of the committee, so that a field like India or China may have more than one; but this provides that it will have at least one. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.2
The Chairman: You will decide that the majority of the committee may appoint these additional delegates at large—not a majority of the five, but of the thirty-nine, or whatever the number may be. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.3
E. W. Farnsworth: I wonder if all are clear on the propriety of reducing the basis of representation from a thousand down to five hundred. I am certain that if we do, we will have to make very different preparations for the next General Conference from what we have for this. I confess I am not clear whether this is the thing to do or not. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.4
The Chairman: This received quite a good deal of discussion on the committee. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.5
E. T. Russell: I am not in favor of this proposed change. The Central Union Conference, after looking over the list of delegates, and computing the expense that it would be to the union to place them here, found that it would be at a cost of fully seven hundred dollars; and now if we place it on the ratio of a delegate to every five hundred, that will—providing the list of delegates is filled out—make quite a heavy expense for a large union conference. Some may say, “Even though you fix upon that ratio, you need not send a full quota of delegates;” but the people will feel as if they ought to go, and they will make a very strong pull upon their committees. I am in favor of leaving it as it was—one representative to one thousand. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.6
Wm. Covert: I approve the change as suggested. We have had to bring a whole lot of departmental people to this Conference, who were not delegates at all; we have been to the same expense, and yet they have not been permitted to sit in the Conference; and if we had had it as is proposed, we would have done a good deal better than we are doing, and we would not have had any more people than we do have. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.7
A. G. Daniells: I wish to say, Mr. Chairman, that I am in favor of this change. Prior to our last General Conference the representation was one for five hundred. Four years ago the representation was reduced, so that it was one for one thousand. Now that cut down the representation of a great many conferences to just one person. Those conferences, although they have not as many members as the Central Union, have just as many lines of work, and they have just as many persons carrying responsibilities in these separate lines, that were entirely cut off by that change. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.8
Now, in order to meet that, they besought the General Conference Committee to help them get a delegation. We saw that they needed it. Their publishing department, for instance, needed representation; in some instances their medical department needed it; in some instances, other lines needed it. There was one way in which the General Conference Committee was authorized to help them get a reasonable representation, and that was to make the representatives of the departmental committees, delegates; it was in our power; and so, at the request of union and local conferences, we issued credentials to those departmental members, so that they might have a voice here in this Conference. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.9
Now the result is that I suppose we have, by request, issued credentials to as many people as this increased representation here will grant. Well, now, in four years from now, it will be just the same way, only more so. And which is better,—to fix this up for the conferences themselves to choose their delegates, and elect them, or to throw the burden on the General Conference Committee at the end of the period? I feel that it is better to give them a wider, a larger, representation in the Conference. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.10
Now another thing, brethren: I do not believe it is a loss of money for the Central Union Conference to send a liberal number of representatives to this Conference. Here are men and women who come from all parts of the world to the Conference, to give us important information. And people have been so anxious to get this, that they have come anyway; they have paid their own fare, because they want to get into closer touch with this great movement. Now I feel that for these delegates from around the world to come here, and then just have a few of our American brethren here to meet them, will be a mistake. I would rather see more responsible men here in these departments, to hear the reports from foreign fields, to become enthused with the spirit of this movement, and then go back to their homes to double our contributions to the great mission fields. I am in favor of having this delegation as it is represented here; and I do not believe it will bring more people than we have sitting here in this delegation to-day. But it will save the General Conference Committee from stepping in at the importunity of the local conferences, and doing what the local conferences ought to do. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.11
J. N. Anderson: Does this mean that where three fields, as Japan, Korea, and China, are united in one union mission, they can have but one representative? GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.12
H. W. Cottrell: That is all that is provided in this; but you know we just passed a section providing that others may be selected if the committee so votes. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.13
The question on this being called, Article IV, Section 1, was next taken up, and by common consent the term “prosecution” was changed to “carrying on.” GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.14
The next item was read as follows:— GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.15
Section 2. Change to, “The executive committee shall consist of the president, three vice-presidents, the secretary, the treasurer, the presidents of union conferences, the secretaries in charge of duly organized departments; namely, the publishing, medical, educational, Sabbath-school, religious liberty, young people’s. North American foreign, Negro—and seven other persons.” GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.16
H. W. Cottrell: You will notice that the proposed change is to provide for three vice-presidents, and that the treasurer and secretary will be members of this committee. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.17
G. B. Thompson: I think that attention ought to be called to the fact that the head of each General Conference department is by this changed from chairman to secretary. We might raise the question, Is this intended to reduce the working faculty in the department? or what is the intention in this change? GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.18
H. W. Cottrell: This does not necessarily reduce the strength of the department. There may be as many sub-secretaries as those in charge may desire to have in order to carry forward the work of the department. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.19
H. G. Thurston: I would like to ask, if it is proper for us to inquire, what the occasion is for another vice-president. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.20
H. W. Cottrell: It is thought there should be one over in the Orient. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.21
C. H. Keslake: What is meant by the “North American Foreign Department”? GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.22
H. W. Cottrell: The department having charge of the work among the foreign people of North America, the same as before. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.23
A. G. Daniells: I would like to make a brief explanation regarding that and the other departments. You will remember that we created this North American Foreign Department four years ago. The object of that department was to build up and carry forward our work in North America among the foreigners of this country, as far as we could reach them. This department has carried on its work during this period. After the department was created, and the committee formed, they made branches of the department. There was the German branch, with a superintendent over that division; also the Swedish and Danish-Norwegian branches; and there was also appointed a superintendent to look after the French work in this country. So you see the object of this department is to foster the work among the foreign people who have come here. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.24
There is another department proposed,—the Negro Department, a department in behalf of the colored people of this country. Now just a word with reference to this and the manner of carrying it on. For many years we have been endeavoring to foster this work and build it up; and all this time we have been urged, especially by the spirit of prophecy, to do more. We have been warned of the dangers of having our opportunities limited, and we have been pressed to do more. We have tried to gather funds, we have tried to do more; but we have not been meeting our own highest ideals, and we have not met the needs nor the instruction that has come to us. Now we have come to the place where we feel that a far greater effort, a more systematic effort, a more concerted effort, shall be put forth in behalf of this part of our population. We have a number of our colored brethren with us at this Conference, and I am glad of it. We never have had such an attendance of colored ministers at a General Conference as we have at this meeting. I am glad that they have been here to hear the reports and to join in this work. Meetings have been held where consideration has been given to the question of how they and we could advance the work among their people more effectively and rapidly than we have been doing. We have met with them in their councils; they have counseled with us, and we with them, and they came to us with a request that we establish this department, the Negro Department. We have studied it, and the presidents and committees of the Southwestern, Southern, and Southeastern union conferences have given it careful consideration, and have recommended it and stand for it; and the members of the General Conference Committee who have taken the matter under consideration have agreed to it, and now it is recommended in the constitution. I believe that this is a step in the right direction, that it will help us to organize the work in behalf of these people, that it will help us to systematize our efforts in raising money and in expending it so that we can have one solid, systematized, concerted effort to push this important branch of the work. I believe that under this direct effort we shall see the work in behalf of the colored people of this country go forward with greater success than we have ever seen before. Now, how will this be managed? The department will have a secretary, an executive officer, the same as the other departments; it will have an executive committee, or departmental committee, the same as the other departments, and on this committee there will be a fair representation of the field. The committee will then meet, and plan its work, and outline its policy for the future, the same as do the other department committees. GCB May 30, 1909, page 209.25
Their work will be to carry forward the evangelical work among the colored people. They will take up the question of mission schools, church-schools, and the higher schools, such as Huntsville, and will look after them. They will look after the publishing of such literature as will be best adapted to the people. In fact, they will take into consideration all branches of the work. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.1
I have felt to make this explanation here, in order to answer the queries that may arise as to why this department is brought on. Some may say, “Aren’t we creating too many departments, and getting too much machinery?” Well, I do not think so. I want to ask how much the Educational Department hinders of impedes the work of the Publishing Department? We had the Publishing Department first, and we have created the Educational and Medical Departments since. Now have these departments hindered the work of the Publishing Department? GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.2
[Voices: They have helped it.] Of course they have helped. Anybody knows that who studies the influence of these departments. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.3
I believe that the same argument holds in this case. A department has the motive power, and all the facilities to go with its work. We get a body of men directly at the work that the department ought to carry forward. Our colored brethren have considered this carefully; yesterday I met with them again. We talked it over, and every one declared his approval of the plan. I believe that this will mark a new era in our work in behalf of the Negro race. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.4
J. K. Humphrey: I desire to say that I am heartily in favor of the creation of this new department. I believe that I endorse the sentiment of every man among my people that is in harmony with the organized work. It is a strange coincidence,—yet it is not strange, because the time is near when we shall all see eye to eye,—that four years ago I felt in my soul that something ought to be done in this line to advance the work among the Negro race. We have almost eleven million people. I am thankful to God that the time has come when the brethren are moving in this direction. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.5
H. W. Cottrell: I would like to ask, Brother Humphrey, if you are thoroughly convinced that the term we use there is the best term. Do you think that it would be satisfactory to your people? GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.6
J. K. Humphrey: I am convinced so. The term “colored” really is not definite in fact; for the Chinese, the Japanese, and other races of the Orient are just as colored as we are. But we are the Negro race. I am not ashamed at all to acknowledge that. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.7
W. A. Spicer: Brother Vuilleumier sends in a suggestion that we have here the North American Foreign Department, and now the Negro Department. We are a world conference. I suppose the Conference does not mean the Negro in Africa, but a North American Negro Department. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.8
H. W. Cottrell: Let all the delegates look in Section 2, Article IV, last line but one. Would there be any objections to inserting “North American” before the word “Negro” as suggested by Brother Vuilleumier? There is no objection. Let that correction be made. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.9
C. S. Longacre: Why are the superintendents of organized union missions omitted from the Executive Committee? GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.10
H. R. Salisbury: The same question has occurred to me. I am sorry union mission superintendents have been omitted. The superintendent of a union mission has to deal with different peoples, languages, and religions. I should say that the superintendent of a union mission would have a harder task than the superintendent of a union conference. The fact that it is a union mission shows that he has many missions, and they are united, and are of considerable importance. This man is continually in trouble over financial questions, and he is anxious to see his union mission grow, and to have sufficient funds sent to him; and there is no better way in the world for him to have a fair representation of that field than to allow him a place as a member of the General Conference Committee. I move that the report be amended by adding to Article IV, Section 2, following the word “conferences” (5th line), the words, “the superintendents of organized union missions.” GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.11
J. N. Anderson: I second the motion. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.12
A. Moon: I move that we now adjourn. This was seconded. GCB May 30, 1909, page 210.13
The meeting was adjourned.
H. W. COTTRELL, Chairman,
W. A. SPICER, Secretary.