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General Conference Bulletin, vol. 5

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    Report of the Minority of the Committee on Plans and Constitution

    H. W. Cottrell

    The minority of your Committee on Plans and Constitution beg leave to submit that the Constitution proposed by the majority of the Committee appears to us to be so subversive of the principles of organization given to us at the General Conferences of 1897 and 1901 that we can not possibly subscribe to it.GCB April 10, 1903, page 146.22

    The proposed new Constitution reverses the reformatory steps that were taken, and the principles which were given and adopted as the principles of reorganization, in the General Conferences of 1897 and 1901, and embodied in the present Constitution; and this before that Constitution or the organization according to it, has ever had adequate trial.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.1

    We therefore recommend that the Constitution of 1901 be given a fair trial before it be annihilated.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.2

    Signed,
    E. J. Waggoner,
    David Paulson,
    Percy T. Magan.

    W. T. Knox: I move the adoption of the majority report.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.3

    D. E. Lindsey: I second the motion.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.4

    The Chair: Now, if it is the wish of the delegates, this report may be read through entirely; or, if you desire, it can be taken up one section or article at a time. If this be the mind of the delegates, the secretary may read the first article.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.5

    P. T. Magan: The congregation will all see that the minority report deals only with certain general vital principles, which we believe are transgressed in the proposed new constitution; and therefore, in order that that matter may be brought before the house, as it is the vital thing in the consideration of the whole subject, I move that the report of the minority be substituted now for consideration in place of the report of the majority.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.6

    E. J. Waggoner: I second the motion.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.7

    The motion was put, and was lost.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.8

    E. J. Waggoner: I hope you will beforehand do us the kindness to think that we are not captious or desirous of obstructing the work of the house, or lightly bringing in some difference for the sake of differing.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.9

    My dissent from the report of the majority of the committee is on two lines. I will give those two lines as briefly and concisely as possible, and dispassionately. The first objection I have to the report is that it is fundamentally and diametrically opposed to the principles of organization as set forth in the Bible, and as, up to the present time, adhered to in the main by this body. This being so, I regard the report as revolutionary and inconsistent. Now why and wherein?GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.10

    I think we are all agreed in this, that the church, the local body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, in any place, is the unit of organization and the standard. Thus in any company of believers, wherever they may be, in whatever city, we have there the epitome of the whole body of believers throughout the world. Whatever name you give to the larger body, whether conference, or session, or what not, the fact remains that that large body is the church. The local companies, also known as churches, are simply constituent parts of the body as a whole; but the life and principles of the whole are manifest in every part. Whatever position, whatever principles, whatever features, are true of the church as a whole, are true simply because they are true locally of the bodies composing the one universal body. And to carry the analysis still further, whatever is true of that body of believers is true simply because it is true of the individual members composing that body, and I hold these truths to be self-evident propositions. Therefore whatever organization is necessary and right and proper for the body as a whole must be necessary and proper for the constituent parts, the component parts of the local churches; and that the body as a whole needs no other form of organization, and, consistently with the Scriptures, can not have any other form of organization than the local church has.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.11

    Now, I am sure that my brethren will agree with me in this statement, that those who are called to lead out in the larger body, whether in a state or in a country or in the world, by whatever name they may be known as leaders, whether president, vice-president, or what not, occupy the same relation to that large church that the elder of the local church does to that smaller portion of the body.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.12

    Our brethren everywhere are familiar with church organization. All of our ministers have had more or less to do with that. We read of it frequently that a church was organized here, a church was organized there; and when we regard a church as organized, ready for aggressive work, aggressive gospel work in the world, what do we have?—A company of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, with certain persons in the body recognized as called of God to instruct the people, or to guide in the administration of affairs.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.13

    I maintain that this proposition ought to be self-evident to every person, that if that is complete organization, then that same thing obtaining in the larger body is complete organization. If a church can be organized for all the work that God has designed that the church shall do on this earth, with that simple condition that is set forth in the Bible that elders shall be ordained in every city, and that other persons shall be recognized as called of God to do whatever work may be necessary, as in the case of the seven who were appointed to administer the distribution of funds in Jerusalem,—I say if a church is fully organized under that condition, then the church as a whole must be fully organized under the same condition; and that to carry on the work without any fixed creed or constitution does not tend in the least to disorganization. Further, if that be complete for the organization of the local church, if more than that would be contrary to the Scriptures, and thus to that intent tending to disorganization under the form and name of organization, then the same thing in the larger body tends essentially to disorganization, and not to true organization; so that we have this report calling for this organization, and this specifying what shall be done, and just how it shall be done under every circumstance, is not according to the counsel established by God.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.14

    Now the movement, although I am sure unconscious and unintentional on the part of the brethren, toward the adoption of this report does essentially lie in the line of the adoption of a creed; and that, although the churches of the world and the people of the world regard as essential to organization, we who know the Scriptures and know the falling away that came in in the early days and has been perpetuated until this present time,—we know is essentially disorganization.GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.15

    I know that the brethren will say that there is no intention of narrowing down, and I am sure they are sincere in that statement, that there is no intention of placing some above others; I am sure they are agreed in that, and are just as much opposed to that in principle as I am. Yet, that being so, why tie our own hands? Now, it is impossible for me to understand how I can so tie myself up that I can not untie myself; how I can tie myself so tightly that I can not move. But you say: “This does not do that. This does not tie us up. We can amend this at any time.”GCB April 10, 1903, page 147.16

    Well, grant it. I can not understand, then, how I can tie myself up, or how anybody can so tie his hands, that he can not untie his hands, or make any movement, until the expiration of a fixed time limit. I can not understand how that can be done. But every man is free. If any person, or any number of persons, in the body felt that they could not trust themselves or the brethren without tying their own hands, without tying themselves, then they should be free to do so; but they should not hold others bound by that tying.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.1

    The Bible organization is opposed to the exaltation of any person over others. Now the question will arise and be presented to me: “Why, then, do you sign this report, which recommends that we maintain the present constitution? If you feel and believe that the church as a whole needs no constitution, does not need to tie its hands, can be perfectly free, under God, to move here or there, just as the Spirit of God shall move, then why have any constitution?”GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.2

    I am not inconsistent. My second objection is to this constitution itself, which, in some of its particulars, I regard as the worst constitution ever devised among Seventh-day Adventists. But those particulars I will not speak of now.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.3

    Two years ago a constitution was formed in harmony with instruction given, as nearly as might be. I myself have done no little work in the formation of constitutions. I was one of a committee, some twelve or fifteen years ago, which drafted that constitution that was kept alongside of us until two years ago, in its main features. But, while I did not vote for this last constitution, nor have I voted for any constitution for the last ten years, yet I would not oppose the adoption of that, because, inasmuch as it was milder, had fewer provisions than any other constitution. I regarded it as better than anything we had ever had. It was a step in the right direction, and I hailed it with joy, as a movement toward the time to which I am just as sure we will come eventually as I am that I stand here, when all these things will be left aside, as the toys of childhood.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.4

    Now, that is the main reason. The brethren, I know, who have not given this matter, perhaps, the thought in the same line that I have, regard it as essential that something of this kind shall be adopted, in order that we may regulate our work, and have it unified, and have it harmonious. How are we going to the world to carry a message which is to call out of all the world a people and unite them in one body by the power of the Holy Ghost, when we have not enough confidence in the Holy Ghost and in our own loyalty to the Spirit to trust it to lead us into that unity, and to keep us there? Will not our testimony be weakened just to that extent, if we can not trust ourselves to be led by the Spirit of God to do whatever may seem necessary to do under the circumstances? That is just as when Saul was met by the prophets, and the Spirit of the Lord came unto him, and he was turned into another man; then the advice of the prophet was, “Do as occasion serves.” Can we not come to such a yielding to the Spirit of God that we, as a body, or as individuals, can do as occasion serves, under the leading of the Spirit?GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.5

    The Bible organization recognizes leaders; most certainly it does. Whomsoever God appoints as leaders ought to be recognized, and will be recognized, by the body, if they are leaders indeed; for authority rests in the individual and his relation to God, and not in the position to which he is elected. And truth is truth, though it be spoken by one who has no standing or official position. And error can not be made to be truth, or mistakes can not be made to be right, because promulgated by some one in official position, or even by the whole body; and we should recognize, and we must educate ourselves and the people to recognize, the truth of the Bible, and to be recognized by the Bible and the Spirit of God, so that whenever any case comes up for decision we have that one thing to guide us.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.6

    The apostle Peter, who was an elder, said, “Let the elders take the oversight of the church. not of constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;” and then he said, “Ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder; yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility.” Now there is the principle in the church that Christ is the head of the church, because He is the head of every man. Now, I have no fear that loyalty to that truth, that adherence to that principle, will work disorganization in the body. It can never be, while I recognize Christ as my head, and myself as amenable to Him, and not to anybody else. I also recognize the fact that God can teach my brother just as readily as He can me; and I admit, and will always admit, that God is leading him, as well as leading me. And, that being the case, in the economy of God all are kings. In the kingdom of God, which is the church of God, there is no office recognized lower than king; for God is “King of kings;” and God made man, and made him king; and in the church, which is the body, which brings us back to the primitive standard, every one is to be king and to have authority.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.7

    “But,” you say, “if all have authority, who is going to rule?”—Nobody is going to rule. I am king; but I recognize that other man as king, and I will submit to his authority, under God, and the other man will recognize the other one’s authority, under God, when he stands under relationship to God; and I will recognize the whole of them, and they, in turn, will recognize me; and there is mutual reigning, absolute sovereignty, on the part of each individual, and, above all, submission on the part of each to one another and to the whole.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.8

    The apostle Paul has set forth that principle of organization, where we have it in Ephesians, the whole building “built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” He also speaks later on in the same epistle about our holding the head, that all, fitly framed together, speaking the truth in love,—the unity, not of resolutions or fixed laws, but the unity of the faith, “maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” And he speaks against those who, not holding the head, do not make such increase and growth.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.9

    Now I dare say that we have not come to the time when we are ready for this. I presume that brethren who will admit, as it seems to me every one must admit, that every principle that I have laid down here this morning is Scriptural and sound,—brethren who will admit that will say, “That is all right in theory, but we have not come to the time yet when we can do that.” That, to me, is a woeful confession, that we have not yet come to the time when we can stand on bedrock principles. I am sure that a recognition of these principles, and an adherence to them continually, would work a reformation in the body; would work life, would work power; and it would work to the development of talent, the development of spiritual experience on the part of the individual; and it is because such a report as this militates against these fundamental principles, that I am conscientiously bound to dissent.GCB April 10, 1903, page 148.10

    Now, so averse am I to even differing from my brethren, that I think very likely if I had not been in the position of being on the committee, I might have let this constitution go along without making any protest of this kind, simply considering in this way: the brethren know how I feel, and if I should rise they would think it is simply some of my constitutional crankiness, and would pass it by with mild leniency. But having been placed upon that committee, without my request and without any expectation that anything of this kind would come up, I could not, in disloyalty to the principles which I hold, and which I see as clearly as I see the daylight, and which I have been teaching for many years,—I could not, in consistency, let my name go tacitly as upholding, as recommending, this thing. And that is why I have taken this stand.GCB April 10, 1903, page 149.1

    Now, I desire you to think, and to believe, that it has not been captiousness, that there is any lack of brotherly love. If this constitution shall be adopted,—as from my experience in the past I am almost forced to expect it will be,—why it will not make a particle of difference in my love for the brethren. I do not see how we could think that it can. One thing that hurts me very much is even to imply fear on the part of somebody that a difference—I will not say of opinion, but of view—in a case like this kind can lead to differences between us. I do not see how we could ever entertain the thought for a moment that it can. I will not admit that it can, on my part; and I shall not let it; and I shall love my brethren just as much; for whatever they may say on this floor, and whatever position they may take; and they may carry it out—I love them just as much. And I will say this also: that it will not in the least curtail my freedom. I can work just as freely, so far as I myself am concerned, as though the old constitution were retained, or as though we had no constitution, as far as I am concerned. I maintain that any man who admits, or who implies that he is bound, or that he is tied, and his freedom is curtailed, simply confesses that he does not know the Lord. No man has any right to let anybody else curtain him, but that perfect freedom does not mean variance, does not mean that I propose to start off on a tangent any way, but that I simply propose to maintain my work, adhere to my work, to as faithfully teach the Word of God as I know how. That is all. I do maintain this, that the constitution as a whole, any constitution, and this one in particular, does tend to the limiting of freedom, not of individual action, if the individual knows the Lord, but of the results of his action; and therefore I most earnestly hope that the time will speedily come, if it does not come this day, when all these artificial bands shall be broken asunder, and all these childish toys—for I will say, with the utmost kindness, and utterly dispassionately, that consideration of constitutions, of things of this kind, are painful to me, so utterly foreign to the line of study that I have followed, that it is really a bit of torture for me to sit and listen to them, and I find freedom in reading my Bible while the thing is going on. But, childish as I hold them to be, I hope that the time will come speedily when all these things, these artificial things, that we build up for ourselves,—to say that we will go this way a little while, and we must go so, and that we can not walk a certain distance unless we first lay down a plan, we can not build a machine without having a plan before us,—I hope the time will speedily come when they will be swept aside and left behind. To him who thinks it is a necessity, it is a necessity. But there is this difference between the master workman and the apprentice: The apprentice must have a plan; he must first chalk out the way in which he is going to go; he must have a pattern. The master workman has the plan, goes ahead, and does the work. Now, the master workman is God, and the Spirit of God is given to lead us into all truth, not simply into what is unfortunately known as theological truth, or, better, spiritual truth, to guide in personal conduct and morality, but given to guide us into all truth, as to administration. However many administrations there may be, there is only the one Spirit, and therefore when we have that master Workman given to guide us, why shall we not voluntarily, gladly, and rejoicingly, yield to the Spirit of God, for Him to work in us all, and trust that that one Spirit can bring us back into perfect harmony and keep us there?GCB April 10, 1903, page 149.2

    Meeting adjourned to 2 P. M., even date.GCB April 10, 1903, page 149.3

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

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