Statistical Report of Conferences, Missions, and Institutions GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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

The Statistical Report for 1908. H. E. ROGERS, STATISTICAL SECRETARY.

There is submitted in the following pages the statistical report of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination for the year 1908. This report is presented under four tables: Table No. 1 presents statistics regarding Conferences and missions, arranged by departments, and grouped by Union Conferences; Table No. 2 gives the statistics of our various educational institutions, publishing houses, and sanitariums; Table No. 3 exhibits the leading features of our statistical reports from the organization of the General Conference in 1863 to the present time; Table No. 4 presents information regarding our denominational publications, a similar table having been last issued nine years ago. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.1

Table No. 3 illustrates the progress of this cause as fully perhaps as is possible by figures. The small numbers and their feeble strength at the beginning, the slow but steady growth of after years, and the more rapid progress and wider extent of later years are all clearly indicated in the figures presented. The year 1863, when the General Conference was organized, was the eighteenth year of effort in behalf of this work on the part of the pioneers who led out its promulgation; for it was in 1845-46 that the Sabbath truth was connected with the advent doctrine, and the new message began to make for itself a place in the hearts and lives of God’s professed people. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.2

Publishing Work GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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Almost simultaneously with the promulgation of this truth by the preached word was its heralding begun by the circulation of the printed word. A small paper, called The Present Truth, first issued in 1849, at Middletown, Conn., but later changed to the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, formed the nucleus of a work which was carried on for nearly three years, at Rochester, N. Y., and was in 1855 removed to Battle Creek, Mich., where but one small office continued for twenty-one years to supply all the literature, mostly in the English language, used by the denomination. In 1876, however, a second office of publication was opened at Oakland, Cal., and the sales of both houses for that year amounted to $20,000. By the year 1888 six publishing houses in various parts of the world had been opened, and the sales for that year were $250,000; the year 1898 saw twelve such establishments in operation, with literature issued in thirty languages; in 1908 there were twenty-six offices of publication valued at $1,038,215.26; having 515 employees with sales amounting to $1,286,981.24, and literature issued in fifty-seven languages, in the form of 333 books, 287 pamphlets, 118 periodicals, and 1096 tracts, or a total of 1834 publications one copy of each being valued at $488. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.3

Establishment of Sanitariums GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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In order of development, the establishment of sanitariums came next. The first one was established in Battle Creek, Mich., in 1866, for the rational treatment of disease and the dissemination of the principles of temperance and healthful living. This was the only institution opened by the denomination until 1882, when the second was opened in St. Helena, Cal. The third one was established in 1888, at Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Ten years later, 1898, there were sixteen such institutions in operation in various parts of the world, and at the close of 1908, there were eighty, having a total valuation of $2,766,346.50, with 1843 employees, and treating, in 1908, 22,762 patients, and expending in charity work $75,000. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.4

Educational Institutions GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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The third step in establishing auxiliary facilities for the extension of this work was the opening of schools for the training of workers. In 1872 the first school was opened in Battle Creek, Mich. This school was incorporated as a college in 1874, and was the only denominational training-school until 1881, when a similar school was opened in Healdsburg, Cal. The following year a school of like character was opened in South Lancaster, Mass. A larger college was opened in 1891 at Lincoln, Neb. By 1898 there were twenty-one educational institutions of higher grades, and ten years later, at the close of 1908, there were eighty-three institutions, having a total valuation of $1,625,670.56, an enrollment of 6,521, and employing 476 teachers. In addition there were 535 schools of lower grades, having 625 teachers, an enrollment of 10,487, and an equipment valued at $147,749.05. The work offered in these two classes of institutions together constitutes an educational graded system requiring sixteen years’ work, with the special object of preparing workers for the prosecution of this work in all parts of the world. These schools are located in twenty-two different countries. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.5

Foreign Work GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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Work outside the United States was not undertaken until 1874. Ten years later the six conferences and missions outside the United States reported 906 members. By 1894 the sixteen conferences and missions outside this country had a membership of 5,120. At the close of 1904, just thirty years from the time foreign work was entered upon, there were eighty-one conferences and missions, with 21,682 communicants. At the close of 1908 there were, in 78 countries, 110 conferences and missions, with 32,505 communicants. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.6

Sabbath-School Work GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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Sabbath-school work was begun early in connection with this work, and has steadily grown in interest and membership, until at the close of 1908 there were 3,825 schools, 91,230 members, who contributed during the year $104,620.77. Of this sum $95,280.90 was given for foreign missions. The local Sabbath-schools in the United States retained for their own expenses during 1908, $7,352.64, a per capita, for the 58,383 members, of 0126 cents. The 32,847 members outside the United States retained for the expenses of their local Sabbath-schools $1,987.23, a per capital of .0061 cents. The contributions for missions for the entire world averaged $1.04 per member for the year. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.7

Missionary Volunteer Department GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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The Missionary Volunteer Department, organized in 1907, now has 539 local societies, 10,148 members, with total contributions amounting to $16,282.52 for the year, $9,469.38 of which was for foreign work. The entire contributions averaged $1.60 per member for the year. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.8

Doctrine GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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Seventh-day Adventists have no formal or written creed, but take the Bible as their rule of faith and practise. The chief points of their belief, upon which there is entire unanimity throughout the body, are as follows:— GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.9

That the law of God is the divine standard of righteousness, binding upon all men; that Christ, taking on him the nature of the seed of Abraham, lived our example, died our sacrifice, was raised for our justification, and is now the only mediator for us in the heavenly sanctuary, where, through the merits of his shed blood, he ministers pardon and forgiveness of sins to all who come to God through him; that the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath; that the personal, visible coming of Christ is near at hand, and is to precede the millennium; that immersion is the proper form of baptism; that man is not by nature immortal, but receives eternal life only by faith in Christ; that the state to which man is reduced by death is one of unconsciousness; that the investigative judgment now in progress in heaven decides the eternal destiny of all men; that at the coming of Christ the living righteous will be translated, and the righteous dead resurrected, and taken to heaven, where they will remain during the millennium, during which the punishment of the wicked is determined, and that at its close Christ, with his people, returns to this earth, the wicked are resurrected, and Satan, the originator of all sin, and his followers meet their final destruction; that the earth is then to be made the fit abode of the people of God throughout the ceaseless ages, where the righteous shall evermore dwell, and sin never again mar the universe of God. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.10

The use of intoxicants or tobacco in any form is made a test of church fellowship; “higher criticism” finds no place in their ranks; they advocate the complete separation of church and state, and oppose all religious legislation; the payment of the tithe, or one tenth of the income, supplemented by offerings, is the accepted method of gospel support. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.11

Polity GCB June 1, 1909, page 253

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From the local church upward the form of organization may be stated thus: The local church elects officers annually to look after its interests; the churches in a State form a local conference, holding annual sessions, with one delegate for every fifteen members; five or six local conferences form a Union Conference, holding biennial sessions, with one delegate for every 200 members; the Union Conferences compose the General Conference, holding quadrennial sessions, with one delegate for every 1,000 members. The presidents of local conferences are ex-officio members of the Union Conference committees, and the presidents of Union Conferences are ex-officio members of the General Conference. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.12

Attention may be directed to the decrease reported by a few of the Union Conferences in the United States. This decrease comes from a more thorough revision of church records in some of the conferences than has been undertaken for a number of years, and should have been attended to each year, and thus not have been brought into one year. The decrease in these Unions is therefore not an actual loss. GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.13

The financial summary on page 265 presents some of the leading items in connection with the various tables:— GCB June 1, 1909, page 253.14

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[CD-ROM Editors note: Table incomplete - will be completed in future edition of CD-ROM]Statistical Report of Seventh-day Adventist Conferences and Missions Church and Confe 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NAME OF CONFERENCE Organized Population Number of Membership Number of Membership Number OR MISSION (a) Churches Companies Sabbat Miscellaneous Missions Bermuda 1903 17,000 1 39 9 British West Africa 1894 50,000,000 1 31 3 24 5 China(h) 1903 435,000,000 5 128 Hawaii 1895 170,000 1 24 India (Inc. Burma and Ceylon) 1895 297,970,499 6 132 4 25 50 Japan 1897 50,000,000 4 119 33 Korea 1904 12,000,000 4 100 8 105 Mexico 1893 13,607,259 2 70 4 65 7 Totals for 1908 858,764,758 24 643 19 219 104 Totals for 1907 847,597,758 21 535 26 228 153 Gain for 1908 11,167,000 3 108 Recapitulati 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NAME OF CONFERENCE Organized Population Number of Membership Number of Membership Number OR MISSION (A) Churches Companies Sabbath Union Confs. in United States General Conference (i) 1863 Atlantic Union 1901 14,130,044 186 4,975 33 211 348 Central Union 1902 6,792,874 256 8,621 60 566 849 Columbia Union 1907 17,929,066 215 6,376 21 194 430 Lake Union 1901 11,828,940 382 12,473 29 277 352 Northern Union 1902 5,357,686 256 5,980 545 North Pacific Union 1906 1,944,580 143 5,724 30 333 339 Pacific Union 1901 2,620,000 117 7,440 22 181 108 Southeastern Union 1907 7,129,466 60 1,632 27 146 145 Southern Union 1901 8,886,187 66 1,564 15 143 211 Southwestern Union 1902 6,560,040 136 4,353 24 238 320 Totals for 1908 83,178,883 1,817 59,138 261 2,289 3,647 Totals for 1907 82,243,434 1,807 58,557 251 2,256 3,702 Gain for 1908 935,449 10 581 10 33 Union Conferences in Canada Canadian Union 1902 5,191,699 39 851 5 31 88 West. Canadian Union 1907 1,460,000 34 818 2 21 320 Totals for 1908 6,651,699 73 1,669 7 52 408 Totals for 1907 6,419,609 72 1,718 11 116 260 Gain for 1908 232,090 1 148 Australasian Union for 1908 1894 48,851,122 117 3,750 47 368 374 Totals for 1907 50,377,544 109 3,525 42 362 312 Gain for 1908 8 225 5 6 62 European Union Conferences British Union 1902 43,833,663 52 1,529 15 139 6 German Union 1901 136,011,078 140 5,566 171 2,955 Latin Union 1907 109,591,619 24 771 16 176 16 Levant Union Mission 50,938,782 8 156 11 93 16 Russian Union 1908 148,442,100 40 1,534 74 1,473 70 Scandinavian Union 1903 13,147,001 81 2,691 5 33 115 Totals for 1908 501,964,243 345 12,247 292 4,869 223 Totals for 1907 516,294,927 338 11,270 243 3,495 569 Gain for 1908 7 977 49 1,374 Miscellaneous Union Conf. South African Union 1902 7,598,328 21 679 9 88 135 South American Union 1906 41,964,550 61 2,210 28 271 80 West Indian Union 1906 11,591,862 76 2,786 66 1,014 293 East African and Miscella- neous Mission Fields 877,786,008 27 666 19 219 104 Totals for 1908 938,940,748 185 6,341 122 1,592 612 Totals for 1907 905,916,952 178 5,827 128 1,389 690 Gain for 1908 33,023,796 7 514 203 Totals by Groups United States 83,178,883 1,817 59,138 261 2,289 3,647 Canada 6,651,699 73 1,669 7 52 408 Australasia 48,851,122 117 3,750 47 368 374 Europe 501,964,243 345 12,247 292 4,869 223 Miscellaneous 938,940,748 185 6,341 122 1,592 612 United States 83,178,883 1,817 59,138 261 2,289 3,647 All other countries 1,496,407,812 720 24,007 468 6,881 1,617 Grand total for 1908 1,579,586,695 2,537 83,145 729 9,170 5,264 Totals for 1907 1,561,252,466 2,504 80,897 675 7,618 5,533 Gain for 1908 18,334,229 33 2,248 54 1,552 Per Cent of Gain 1908 1.17 1.32 2.78 8.00 20.37 Totals for 1904 1,414,694,654 2,243 71,891 552 5,432 4,298 Gain for four years 164,892,041 294 11,254 177 3,638 966

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[a The system of educational work outlined by the Educational Department of the General Conference in 1906, comprising sixteen grades, or years of study, is arranged as follows: Church-schools (information concerning which will be found listed under Columns 29 to 33 in Table No. 1), grades 1 to 8; intermediate schools, grades 7 to 10; academies, grades 9 to 12; colleges, grades 13 to 16.]

[b The assets of institutions shown in Table No. 2 are not all complied from official annual statements of the institutions represented. In some cases they may be inaccurate, and should only be considered as estimates of the amounts invested in the enterprises specified.]

[c Assets, etc., included in statement for Loma Linda Sanitarium.]

[d The total here would not indicate the number of languages in which denominational publications are issued, since some of the publishing houses issue in the same language, thus duplicating the number. Information regarding denominational literature is presented under Table No. 4, which see.]

[e Not opened at the close of 1908, but will begin operations during 1909. The assets show the standing at the close of 1908.]

[f Began operations Dec. 1, 1908.]

[g Discontinued before the close of 1908.]

Summary of Statistical Reports, 1863 to 1908 GCB June 1, 1909, page 263

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[a Since mission fields are not organized in the way conferences are, the dates in Column 2 do not refer to the time of their organization, as in the case of conferences, but to the time when the field was entered or when information was first separately given in these reports. The distinction between conferences and mission fields is indicated by greater indentation in names of mission fields.]

[b The tithe per capita is based upon the total Sabbath-keepers, and not the membership of churches only.]

[c By total laborers in Column 19 is meant the total number employed in the conference or mission field in evangelistic work, including not only the four classes named in the preceding columns, but all other persons not thus specified. The totals in Column 19 are not always, therefore, the totals of the four preceding columns, but are frequently greater.]

[d Column 20 shows the retail value of both book and periodical sales. Under the line for the General Conference are given the periodical sales of publishing houses in the United States which are made direct to individuals, and not through conferences, thus securing the total, and avoiding duplication.]

[e All financial items for the Colorado Conference are included in the line for the Eastern Colorado Conference up to September 1, when the Colorado Conference was divided into the Eastern and Western Colorado Conferences. Likewise the money received by the Missouri Conference is included in the line for the North Missouri Conference up to September 30, when the Missouri Conference was divided into the North and Southern Missouri Conferences. The tithe receipts of Eastern Colorado and North Missouri Conferences are increased thereby $20,570.44 and $11,258.80, respectively.]

[f The periodical sales of the Southern and Southeastern Union Conferences, as reported by the Southern Publishing Association, are given here, and are not included in the amount shown under the line for the General Conference.]

[g A failure on the part of the Secretary of the South American Union Conference to send any report whatever for that Union, although repeatedly urged to do so, and since last September, is responsible for the lack of definite information for that Union for the year 1908. It has therefore been necessary to omit the figures for the various local Conferences and missions, and to simply give what is supposed to be an approximately correct summary for the Union.]

[h A failure to receive returns from the British West African and Chinese mission fields, makes necessary the compilation of the report on the basis of the one furnished for 1907, with a few changes that are known to be correct. The 30 in Column 18 under China indicates native colporteurs and evangelists.]

[i Under General Conference are included those engaged in general labor as well as the amount of tithes and offerings not accounted for elsewhere. There are also shown the approximate value of book and periodical sales not accounted for in other portions of this report.

Denominational Publications in Various Languages—Table No. 4 GCB June 1, 1909, page 263

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