The New Constitution

The second major debate of the 1903 General Conference session, which came toward the end of the meeting, was centered upon the new constitution, specifically the provision for the election of a president and other appropriate officers for the General Conference. Although it was but a slight revision of the 1901 constitution, it was handled as a new document.WV 425.2

Two reports were filed with the session from the Committee on Plans and Constitution. The majority report supported the new constitution, which provided that the leading officers of the General Conference would be chosen by the delegates, thus giving them a mandate from the church. On this committee were a number of conference presidents and W. C. White. The minority report, signed by three men largely connected with institutional interests, claimed that the proposed new constitution would reverse the reformatory steps taken at the General Conference of 1901. These men argued that the constitution of 1901, which provided that the General Conference Committee could choose its officers, should not be “annihilated” without giving it a fair trial.WV 425.3

Dr. Kellogg strongly favored the minority report. In a letter written to Ellen White on the day of the opening of the session, he referred to “the schemes of Daniells and Prescott to become rulers over Israel,” which would be “in direct opposition to the whole plan of reorganization which the Lord gave us through you at the last General Conference.”WV 425.4

The matter was not settled quickly. A vote with a three-fourths majority was needed. At the close of the evening meeting, April 9, 1903, the vote was taken, with 108 delegates present. Eighty-five voted in favor of the majority report.WV 425.5

Another significant action provided for the use of tithe money for the support of widows and orphans of workers (Ibid., 1903, 135).WV 425.6