The Chair: If there are no objections offered, we will ask the secretary of the Committee on Plans and Constitution to make a further report, in harmony with a request which was made before we adjourned. We can waive consideration of present business long enough to hear that report read.GCB April 7, 1903, page 101.8

G. E. Langdon: Your committee would further submit the following:—GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.1

“11. We recommend, That the Treasury and Finance Department of the General Conference be broadened and strengthened by the selection of a treasurer of wide experience in the field, and the appointment of a sufficient staff of clerical help to do the office work.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.2

“12. That the commandment of the Lord, that the poor shall be permitted to glean after the harvesters, be accepted as giving permission to representatives of needy missionary enterprises to visit the churches and families of the brethren in well-to-do conferences, for the purpose of arousing an interest in needy missionary enterprises, and collecting money for the same. That the story of Ruth be accepted as an illustration of the spirit and methods which should be followed in that work.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.3

“13. That, in the interest of harmony and success, the local conference presidents be consulted before gleaming is begun in any field.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.4

“14. That, in harmony with the foregoing, the General Conference shall aid the brethren of the Southern Union Conference in the raising of funds for the following:—GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.5

“FOR THE HUNTSVILLE SCHOOL

No Authorcode

“a. Five hundred dollars for the establishment of broom-making, carpentry, cabinet work, blacksmithing, knitting, and dressmaking.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.6

“b. One thousand dollars for the planting and developing of a fifty-acre fruit orchard.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.7

“c. About two thousand five hundred dollars annually, from the sale of scholarships, from donations and collections, for the support of teachers in the Huntsville school, thereby relieving the general mission fund from a corresponding burden.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.8

“d. Funds for the building of a school home, with a department for sanitarium patients, as has been proposed by the school board, the Southern Medical Missionary Association, and the Union Conference Committee, that there may be a place and facilities for the training of colored nurses.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.9

“H. W. Cottrell, Chairman.
“G. E. Langdon, Secretary.”

The Chair: We will now call up the unfinished business. You will remember that it was the question of removing the headquarters of the General Conference. The secretary will please read the recommendation.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.10

(Secretary read as requested from page 67 of the “Bulletin.”)GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.11

C. W. Flaiz: I am in harmony with the first part of this recommendation. I do not see how, understanding the situation as we do, we can do anything else than act in harmony with the proposition to remove the General Conference offices from Battle Creek. However, I am not so clear with reference to the latter part of the recommendation, that the General Conference offices shall be located on the Atlantic Coast.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.12

The Chair: Are there any further remarks?GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.13

S. H. Lane: Oftentimes when a change is made, some will say, “If I had understood fully the significance of the change. I would not have voted as I did.” And I think that, before such a move as this is made, we should understand very thoroughly every bearing of the move.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.14

E. T. Russell: I am in favor of this recommendation to move the offices from Battle Creek. I am not sure as to whether I am in favor of their going to the Atlantic Coast or not.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.15

Another thought that suggests itself to my mind is this: Naturally the “Review and Herald,” our denominational paper, ought to be where the headquarters go. This seems self-evident to me. I do not know who could better inspire the right kind of life in our good “Review and Herald,” a true missionary spirit, than those who are in touch with missionary problems; and therefore it seems natural to me that our denominational paper should be located where the headquarters are located; and, as has been stated, if the “Review and Herald” is taken to the Atlantic Coast, the extreme eastern portion of this continent, it would not reach the readers in the West until the news had become, to a great extent, stale, that is, a portion of it.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.16

W. C. White: I hope I may express the few thoughts I have, without consuming too much of your time. For some years I was foreign mission secretary of the General Conference, and for some years secretary of the Foreign Mission Board, therefore have had some opportunities to study these questions; and what I say will be based upon the supposition that we all are agreed in the fact that we have a General Conference which is a world’s Conference. It was always intended to be such, yet for a time our foreign work was so little that we talked about “home work” and “foreign work;” but you remember that about six years ago we decided to drop that term “foreign,” and have been working upon the basis, for about six years, that our General Conference is a world’s Conference. Therefore I think we may safely base our propositions and our plans upon that basis.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.17

Now, if we have a center, a headquarters, where the officers, where the secretaries and the treasurers, shall be, where correspondence shall come for the world’s work, where should it be? Should it be in the interior of one of the sections? or should it be in one of the world’s great centers of travel?GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.18

Again, in sending forth missionaries to foreign fields, nineteen-twentieths sail from New York City; and in the return of missionaries and of representatives from foreign fields to the United States. nineteen-twentieths come through New York City.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.19

As regards the proposition that the work of our people in America is largely that of recruiting missionaries, and the advantage of a recruiting center being in the center of the territory: It is plainly evident to my mind that economy demands that the headquarters of the General Conference, operating in all the world, should be either near London or near New York. “Why would you choose New York above London?” may be asked. Because a larger number of our people are at the present time located in the United States. As to the exact location, I do not think we need to deal with this question.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.20

The Chair: Any further remarks?GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.21

R. C. Porter: I would like to ask if we are to understand by this discussion that, if we pass this recommendation, we virtually in our minds assent that the “Review and Herald” is to go to the same place.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.22

The Chair: I do not think we are dealing at all with the “Review and Herald.” It might go there; I wish it might; but it is not in this.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.23

R. C. Porter: Then I would like to say a word about the proposition before us. If it is divorced from the other, I have quite different ideas toward it than if the two were to be considered together. I have been in the East, and have seen the needs of the Eastern work. We have so many large cities all through the East that I feel ought to be considered in connection with our general work. And locating our office in that part of the field would place the general officers in touch with this needy part of the work,—the large cities. They abound in that section of the country. It was one of the greatest problems we had to face when I was there,—how to reach them. We have had our attention called again at this time in the testimony borne to us that these general men should come in touch with these cities. Being right in their midst would throw them in touch with them. They would see their needs more, and that would make it easier for them to become interested in laying plans to help develop the work in these cities. And that makes it, to me, more clear that it would be well for the General Conference offices to be located in that part of the territory, and I would therefore be in favor of that, and then sending out workers in different parts of these cities, near where the offices are located, from time to time, would certainly be a very helpful missionary work. And I say that part of it I am very clear upon, that that would be an excellent thing, but when it comes to the “Review and Herald” part, perhaps I would not be so clear upon that.GCB April 7, 1903, page 102.24

H. Shultz: I have listened to everything that has been said. There is one point that I think we ought to consider in this matter, that one speaker merely touched, and no other one touched it, and that is the expense of this thing. How much is there to be removed from Battle Creek? How much does the General Conference own there? What will they have to do with it?GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.1

R. A. Underwood: I want to suggest a few thoughts on that, one or two of which have already been mentioned. The advantage to our foreign work, to have the Mission Board in the East, is not only that they will be in touch with all the foreign mails and the point where all our missionaries, or most of them, will pass through to other countries, but there is a vast population on the Atlantic Coast of almost all these foreign fields; and it seems to me, if the Mission Board is located adjacent to New York, Philadelphia, and other large cities on the coast, they will be able to bring from the recruiting territory in the United States men of all nationalities, and they will also be able to send out, perhaps, a better class of workers, and less who will return after going abroad.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.2

A. G. Daniells: Some minds seem to be running on the question of our debit and credit features, the question of a cash policy or debt. I would like to read these recommendations for adoption right here before we launch this other question. You will find them on page 19 of the “Bulletin.”GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.3

Now it seems to me that these recommendations give us a guiding policy, something to help us, and to lead us, and I move their adoption.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.4

A. G. Haughey: I second the motion.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.5

The Chair: We will waive the further consideration of the former question, and consider this question of privilege. It has been moved and seconded that these resolutions be adopted. They are open for remarks.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.6

The question was called.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.7

The Chair: All in favor of this question, this cash policy, please rise to your feet. (Nearly all the delegates arose.) Any opposed may manifest it by the same sign. It is carried unanimously. The other question is now called up, and open for further remarks.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.8

Watson Ziegler: I believe, when we do anything like this we have under contemplation at this time, that we ought to have a reason for doing it. I believe that there has been a good and sufficient reason brought before us for moving the General Conference offices somewhere near the Atlantic Coast. It seems to me that the greatest reason advanced is with regard to the missionary work that we are doing, and we are going over the territory where the work has not been done.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.9

The question was called for.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.10

E. W. Webster: I would like to ask a question, something about the expense of this matter.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.11

The Chair: I think we decided the financial question just a moment ago by the vote of the people. No debt will be incurred by this move.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.12

The question was called.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.13

The Chair: The question is called. All in favor of the motion make it manifest by the uplifted hand. Any opposed, by the same sign. It is practically unanimous. I saw but one opposing vote.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.14

The next resolution may be reread.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.15

The Secretary (reading): “We recommend that the General Conference Committee hereafter be the Mission Board of this denomination.”GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.16

The Chair: It is open for remarks.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.17

W. C. White: For myself, and in behalf of the other members of the committee that passed in this recommendation, I wish to request that its consideration be deferred until other matters connected with it can be further considered.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.18

J. E. Jayne: I second the motion.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.19

The Chair: If there is no objection, the question will be deferred.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.20

The secretary may read the next recommendation.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.21

The Secretary (reading): “We recommend that the General Conference Association reduce its board of trustees from twenty-one to seven.”GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.22

The Chair: It is open for remarks.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.23

The question was called for.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.24

The Chair: The question is called. All in favor of the motion manifest it by the uplifted hand. Any opposed, manifest it by the same sign. The motion is carried unanimously.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.25

Are there any other committees ready to report? What is your further pleasure?GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.26

With your consent, we will entertain a motion to adopt this last report that was read just a little while ago.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.27

J. E. Jayne: I move its adoption.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.28

Delegate: I second the motion.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.29

The Chair: It is moved and seconded that this report be adopted. The question is open for remarks. The question is called.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.30

H. Shultz: I should like to ask for information if it is proposed that this treasurer shall travel all over during the immediate time between meetings, and spend more money than he will collect.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.31

A. G. Daniells: No, sir. It does not mean that he shall spend more money for himself on his traveling expenses than he will collect for the field. I think you will all see, after a moment’s reflection, the value of such an officer in the General Conference. I do not believe that the treasurer of this denomination ought to be simply a bookkeeper in the office. I believe that he ought to be one of the clearest-headed, natural-born business men that we have in our denomination. He should be a Christian, a man who loves God, and is full of the Holy Ghost, a man like Stephen, and he should give his time up entirely to these great interests that we have.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.32

The question was called for, and the motion, being put, was carried unanimously.GCB April 7, 1903, page 103.33

G. G. Rupert: Mr. Chairman, I move that we adjourn.GCB April 7, 1903, page 104.1

W. C. White: I second the motion.
W. T. Knox: I should like to crave the indulgence of the Conference, and call attention to a matter. Two important committees are each short one member, the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Institutions. The personnel of both of these committees is almost identical. Brother Parsons was chairman of one, but he has left Oakland. I should like to move, if you will allow me, that the name of C. W. Flaiz be added to both these committees.
Lewis Johnson: I second the motion.
The Chair: Are there any remarks?
The question being called, the motion was put, and prevailed.
Benediction by E. J. Waggoner.

H. W. Cottrell, Chairman.
H. E. Osborne, Secretary.

FURTHER REPORT ON PLANS

THE WORK BEFORE US