Hymn 772 was sung. Prayers were offered by D. E. Lindsey, A. T. Jones, and A. G. Daniells, after which all joined in Hymn 501.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.2

A. T. Jones: Before business begins, I do not know but that I ought to say a few words. One or two of the brethren, meeting me this morning, asked me how I felt, and if I slept well last night. I feel as I always feel, and slept as I always do. It has occurred to me that some of the brethren thought that I had something I was wedded to and wanted to have prevail here. That is not so. The constitution that has been adopted is my constitution now. There will be no more loyal man to that constitution than I am, because that is “the constitution.” I had convictions as to its being adopted, and I expressed them, and that is the end of it. We are all brethren. Whoever shall be elected as president, he will have no more loyal standby or cooperator than myself, because we are all brethren. Unity with my brethren is a good deal more to me than any personal convictions or opinions I may have advocated. Then there is another comfort. Even though Israel started back to Egypt a number of times, they never got there, you know. The Lord was with them all the time, and kept them out of Egypt; so I am not afraid.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.3

The Chair: I believe the business before us is the report of the Committee on Education.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.4

The following is the report:—GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.5

Educational ReportGCB April 13, 1903, page 177.6

Your committee would respectfully submit the following recommendations:—GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.7

ORGANIZATION

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Whereas, Christian education is the only education that will qualify the youth to become efficient workers in the cause of the third angel’s message; and,—GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.8

Whereas, The Educational Department of the General Conference needs to be strengthened and more fully organized to do efficient work,—GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.9

1. We recommend, (a) That for the Department of Education this Conference elect a committee of seven members, which will represent all lines of school work,—the training-school, the intermediate industrial school, and the church-school,—three members of said committee to be members of the General Conference Committee.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.10

(b) That an educational secretary be selected who shall attend to the correspondence of this department, edit the organ of the department, and assist in every way possible to unify and strengthen the educational work of the denomination.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.11

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE AND STATE INSTITUTES

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2. We recommend, (a) That a conference be called by the Educational Department of the General Conference Committee, to convene at some central point in the United States for the purpose of giving those directly connected with school work an opportunity to study all the phases of school work which are general in character, and to devise and inaugurate plans that will be of universal application.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.12

(b) That teachers’ institutes be conducted, as far as practicable, in each local conference.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.13

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

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3. We recommend, (a) That the needs of our youth be provided for in our local conferences, where practicable, by the establishment of intermediate schools.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.14

(b) That care be taken to keep these schools within the proper limits of intermediate schools.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.15

(c) That they be industrial in character, giving first attention to agriculture and domestic arts.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.16

(d) That they affiliate with the training-school of the district, and that the training-school be represented on the board of management by a member of its faculty.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.17

(e) That in the establishment of these schools there be previous investigation regarding the operation and experience of the intermediate schools already in existence.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.18

SUPPORT OF CHURCH-SCHOOL TEACHERS

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Whereas, The church-school teachers are gospel workers; and,—GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.19

Whereas, There is need of establishing schools in places where the churches are weak; therefore,—GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.20

4. We recommend, That donations for the church-school work be gathered throughout the conference into the state conference treasury, and that the church-school teachers receive their support from the conference, the same as other conference laborers. Committee on Education:—L. A. Hoopes, Chairman, M. E. Cady, Secretary, E. J. Waggoner, E. A. Sutherland, H. A. Washburn, J. S. Osborne, R. C. Porter, S. M. Butler, E. K. Slade, Mrs. I. J. Hankins.GCB April 13, 1903, page 177.21

L. A. Hoopes: I think it would expedite matters much if those who had a part in framing these recommendations would state to the Conference the idea of the committee. I call on Professor Cady to speak to the first resolution.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.1

M. E. Cady: When I spoke the other morning with reference to representation on the General Conference Committee, I spoke of a definite number. However, I had in mind only a proportional representation, and I should have been perfectly satisfied if this recommendation had called for that only The matter of the machinery is a secondary matter. It is the effective work that overtops everything else to me. The educational work has been in a sort of chaos. I want to see order come out of this chaos and confusion. In one state certain subjects are emphasized; in another state a different line of subjects is taken up. It does seem to me that the question of the subjects to be taught in our schools ought to be considered, and that there ought to be some uniformity as to subjects and courses of study. I do not believe that we shall have strength in the educational work until some of these salient features are considered and settled.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.2

I will illustrate the matter by reference to local matters. When I came to California four years ago. we had five church-schools. and two of those made failures. The next year we had nine church-schools. and one made a failure. The succeeding year we had fifteen church-schools. without any failure; and the next year we had thirty church-schools, without any failures. What was the reason? The reason to which I attribute the success is that we organized the work. We got out a church-school manual. We indicated those subjects to be taught. and every teacher in the school could know not only the subjects, but the texts to be used in every subject. That brought uniformity, and brought strength into our work, and if a student moved from one church to another church, he could go right in and take up the work without any break.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.3

I do not say it can be brought about in a year or two years, but it is a problem to be worked out. If it is too large a problem for the entire field, let each Union Conference take up the work, bringing uniformity and stability of the uniformity into the educational work.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.4

Now we have this question of organization coming up from time to time, and some are afraid of organization. Did you notice that sentence that was read yesterday? It is something like this: that the evils of organization result not in the matter of organization simply, but of making more of the organization than we ought to, and too little of vital godliness. Now what God wants is an educational system that is vitalized with the Spirit of God from first to last. And did you ever notice that God always works through forms. When He fed the five thousand, there was a lad present who had five barley loaves. I do not know that those loaves were perfect; but Christ took the best that they had and blessed it, and gave it to the people. Now God wants us to take the best means within our reach, and to ask His blessing upon it, but to be seeking for better and better means by which to carry forward His work.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.5

Another feature: Text-books are appearing from time to time, and then perhaps are not used. I know some say we can get along without text-books. If I read the instruction sent to us aright, we are to have text-books to be used in our schools just as truly as we have books printed giving the principles of the third angel’s message to the world. And the definite statement is made that books should be prepared and placed in the hands of the students that would abound in principles, that would affect the life and the heart. Placed where?—In the hands of the students. Now I do not believe any person can learn how to teach a subject in these modern times without the use of books to begin with. I have seen persons riding along on a bicycle without using the handles, but they learned first by using the handles. did they not? They had to use them at first to get balanced, and then they were able to fold their arms for a time, and ride along without touching the handles at all. Let us take some of these handles that God has given us, crutches you may call them, if you like; but we are weak; we need help; and God gives us these means to use till we can stand on our own feet, by the grace of God. And so the instruction of the Spirit of prophecy is that text-books should be prepared and placed in the hands of the children. If they are rightly used, and the teachers carry on the work aright, they will learn to get along less and less with books, because they are becoming observant.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.6

Just a word about the next section, that speaks about the secretary. Some will say, “Do you think that a secretary would be of value in such a large field as the United States or the world in harmonizing and unifying the work?” I do not know why an educational secretary can not have a work to do in harmonizing and unifying the work just as well as a Sabbath-school secretary. If it is too large a work for the whole field, then let it be done in the Union Conferences. But I believe, really, that more effectual work can be done by beginning in the districts, and unifying it in the districts. I believe thus more rapid progress could be made than by taking in the whole field. But that means an extra work along that line in every district, and it might be a saving of expense for a time simply to have one to carry on this work.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.7

It is immaterial to me how the thing is done: but I do hope it will be done. I hope we will stop spending so much time in theorizing about education, and that we will actually get to work and do something. When we read in the Scriptures. “Blessed are they that do.” it applies to educational work just as well as to any other line of work.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.8

R. C. Porter: I move that in the place of asking for three members on the General Conference Committee, we change the wording so as to state that there will be a proportionate representation on the General Conference Committee.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.9

This motion was seconded.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.10

W. C. White: Mr. Chairman, I am not in favor of the amendment, or of the resolution which it endeavors to amend. I believe that resolutions directing the Nominating Committee of the Conference are not necessary. We have discussed principles and instruction. which show that all departments should be represented on the General Conference Committee. Our constitution looks to that end; and for us to dictate with reference to the different departments, it seems to me, is entirely unnecessary.GCB April 13, 1903, page 178.11

I wish to make a suggestion for the study of the Conference regarding this whole question of departmental organization. There are three plans before us: (1) The plan adopted last year by the Executive Committee of appointing representative men to form a department; (2) the plan presented in this recommendation; (3) another plan, presented by the Publication Committee, in which it proposes that the department, the Publication Department, or the Publication Committee, shall be made up of one member appointed by the General Conference Committee, one member appointed by each of the publishing houses, and one member appointed by each Union Conference. Now I believe that a careful study of all these plans might lead us to the development of something that might be followed with a certain degree of uniformity in the formation of all departments, and I will suggest this for your consideration.GCB April 13, 1903, page 179.1

L. A. Hoopes: The committee, I am sure, have no disposition to dictate terms to the Conference. As to the representation in this council, the committee did feel that those who were directly in touch with the educational work were the ones that should compose this council largely, if not by a large majority. We are not asking that the educational secretary shall be a member of the General Conference Committee, although he may be. It has been suggested that this plan makes this department fundamental, the same as the General Conference Committee itself. We do not wish it that way particularly. All that we want is an opportunity to do something, to be recognized, and to go ahead with our work.GCB April 13, 1903, page 179.2

A. G. Daniells: I feel heartily in harmony with what I understand to be the aim of this recommendation. I believe that the General Conference Committee should give this work the study and attention that it requires, and it does seem to me that a good, efficient system of education can be developed in the Union Conferences that can be generally harmonious throughout those conferences: I do not see why it can not be developed to apply throughout the United States.GCB April 13, 1903, page 179.3

I am free to confess that during the past two years I have not been satisfied with the attention that has been given to this important department of our work; but I think any one who will stop and look over the ground will be prepared to make a little allowance for the brethren who have been on the General Conference Committee, and for the Educational Department as well. The last two years have been years of very heavy work. We started out to reorganize the field, to establish these Union Conferences, both in this country and in Europe, and also to economize just as far as possible in our administration. When we started in two years ago to divide the field into Union Conferences, we had a forty thousand dollar debt on the General Conference treasury for the payment of laborers. The division cut off a large amount of the tithe we had been receiving before. Now, with the heavy debts upon us, and with the large amount of work of reorganization, and with a degree of prejudice, too, against the whole scheme, besides the arranging of departments, there was something for the General Conference Committee to do; it has had its hands full. It has worked strenuously and economically through this period of time. and I feel that a little allowance should be made by the brethren when dealing with our failures and shortcomings in this matter.GCB April 13, 1903, page 179.4

Now see where we are. The work of reorganization, so far as the Union Conferences are concerned, is well under way. We have organized eight Union Conferences in America, taking in Canada, and we have had one session in each of those conferences. The officers and boards and committees are installed and in command of their work. Our departments to a large extent are established. That work is off our hands. And it is so in Europe. I do not see why the General Conference Committee can not now foster this line of educational work more than it has done during the past two years.GCB April 13, 1903, page 179.5

Then another thing. Reference was made last night to our religious liberty work. I presume we can all confess that that work has not had the attention that it should have had. But the same apology, if we may call it that, may be given. We have had a large amount of heavy work upon our hands. It has been pioneer work in this reorganization. But two years ago these departments were created; committees were appointed. There was an Educational Committee. Dr. Kellogg was elected chairman of it, and held it for the first year; then Professor Prescott was made chairman, and has held it since. But both of these brethren have been loaded down to the water’s edge with responsibilities and hard work. The Religious Liberty Department was also established; a committee was appointed, and Elder A. T. Jones was elected chairman. He was soon called to California, and was engaged in heavy work. After some months, a change was made, and Elder Moon was elected chairman. The committee has been somewhat scattered, and Brother Moon had a full amount of work upon his shoulders, without anything extra. Now I do not feel to blame any of these committees for not giving more time to their departments. The departments were created; chairmen were chosen; secretaries were appointed. We can all make due allowance for all these departmental committees and for the General Conference Committee on the ground that the past two years have been pioneer years in opening up new lines. Are we not on better vantage ground to-day to grapple with our departments and do something with them than we were two years ago?—Surely we are.GCB April 13, 1903, page 179.6

Now I would like to see this: I would like to have these departments tried thoroughly another year. Instead of the General Conference here creating an independent committee, as this resolution recommends. let your General Conference Committee create these departments of education. religious liberty, publishing. and so forth: let the personnel of these committees be carefully studied. We must look beyond the United States in the study and development of this educational work. We are starting schools on the other side. There are hundreds and thousands of children over there that we on this side forget. If we treat this educational work as we ought to, we will endeavor to shape our committee so that our brethren in that country can have the benefit of this work, and receive help from us. Make your departmental committee on education as strong as possible. Get the best men you can on it. Then select a chairman who will be a member of the General Conference Committee who can give that work his special attention. Relieve him of other burdens that will deprive him of giving this work the attention it ought to have, and let him bring before the General Conference Committee the data that the committee ought to consider for fostering the educational work. I believe that by that means you will get more done by the General Conference throughout the field than in any other way. If it is not the chairman who should occupy that place, assign the work to the educational secretary of this committee. I do not know which will be best. The same plan can be followed with the religious liberty work. Why not, if we ought to take that work and give it special attention, let the one in charge of the department be free from other weighty responsibilities, and let him locate where he can conduct this work and develop it as it requires. I would like to see this matter placed in the hands of your General Conference Committee. Let them take the time to gather the best material for departmental committees; let them put specialists in charge of the department work, and develop it in every Union Conference. That is where the work is to be done. We have no General Conference school; we have no General Conference publishing house; we have no general institutions, but some of the Union Conferences have. Let your departmental committee develop the idea and work it out in the Union Conferences.GCB April 13, 1903, page 179.7

S. M. Butler: Would you have this departmental committee made up of men connected with training-schools, or from church-schools, training-schools, and other schools?GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.1

A. G. Daniells: The committee ought to be constituted so that it would represent every phase of the work that we are doing, so that. if possible. that committee would take in each department; and that is in harmony with this whole idea that we started out with two years ago. which was to have all parts of the field and all phases of the work represented in our management.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.2

S. M. Butler: I think that is exactly the idea or result the committee had in mind. The committee had no thought of censuring or even intimating that the General Conference Committee had been negligent of its duty during the past year, and that hence there needed to be a change. I know there was an immense amount of work to do, and we were not sure but that it might be so during the coming year. I should be very willing to see this plan that Brother Daniells has outlined carried out.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.3

R. C. Porter: With the consent of the second, I would withdraw my motion; and if Brother Daniell’s motion is to come before the house, I would second his motion.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.4

A. G. Daniells: I had forgotten your motion, Brother Porter.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.5

The Chair: If there is no objection, the motion of Elder Daniells is before us.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.6

The question was voted upon, and carried.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.7

The Chair: The secretary will read the next recommendation.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.8

The secretary read Recommendation 2.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.9

L. A. Hoopes: I think it is evident that such a convention is necessary. I know that a few years ago, when the question of reorganization of the school work was started anew, the different schools were somewhat at sea. They hardly knew what to do, what course to pursue, what courses of study to pursue, or what text-books to adopt. So the president of the General Conference called a council, composed of the heads of all the leading institutions in the United States, and at that council each one was permitted to express himself freely and fully on every subject touching the work in which he was engaged. At first there seemed to be differences of opinion; but opportunity was given for questions to be asked and answered, and I feel very confident that at the end of that meeting there was practically no difference of opinion relative to the work. and all were better prepared to go ahead with the work. I believe it did more to bring about a unanimity of sentiment in our school work than anything else that had happened.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.10

The second division of this section is that teachers’ institutes be conducted, as far as practicable, in each local conference. I believe that a number of the states are already doing that, but this recommendation is that it be generally carried out, and that all our church-school teachers who are expected to do work in our church-schools shall be required to pass an examination that will be equivalent to any examination that they would have in any county superintendent’s office, so that they will not stand below those of the public school, but far in advance.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.11

J. S. Osborne: We talk about the loud cry of the third angel’s message. Are we not to expect that the loud cry of the message will make itself felt in the school work as well as in other departments? Does not that indicate to us that there should be an unusual activity in this line? There must be unity and organization. I believe the call for a convention a step in the right direction.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.12

The question was called.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.13

The secretary read Recommendation 3, on intermediate schools.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.14

R. A. Underwood: I see these recommendations are intended to be guarded somewhat; but my own personal feelings of responsibility of a parent to a child are such that I can not help having some misgivings in regard to such schools. If I have the right idea, the design of these intermediate schools is to take children from twelve to sixteen, or at an age that they are not prepared to enter one of our larger schools. I have attended and been connected with some of our schools, and I want to say I have never yet seen one, with all its equipment and work, that I would feel free to-day to send a child of my own from my home to, surrounded as it would be, by a large number of children of the age of from twelve to sixteen, before it had the proper formation of character to stand. It seems to me that there is a good deal of danger involved in these enterprises; and yet I know there are many children among us as a people that would be better off in a school of this character than they are at home. But when we take a step in our recommendation that seems to put upon this denomination a sort of paternal responsibility, it is a rather serious matter.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.15

A. G. Daniells: This will have to be worked out by the Union and State Conferences, will it not? and there is a little provision put in here that would be advisory to them. It seems to me that this will have to be left with the states to work out as they can.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.16

H. A. Washburn: I have been requested to say something with reference to this work. I have been connected with it for some time. Possibly all may not be aware of the fact, but it has been nearly four years now since the Lord, through the Spirit of prophecy, approved the movement of establishing intermediate schools. You will find the statement on page 122 of the “Church School Manual,” published by the Review and Herald Publishing Company. During these four years, while there was no sentiment to begin with in favor of these schools, this sentiment has been spreading, and there are no less than fifteen conferences that have taken steps in this direction. So far as the work in Wisconsin is concerned, for which I can speak more in particular, the approval of our people is given to that work. It has been a blessing to the conference. These schools are to be preparatory schools. I do not believe that they should take any children as young as has been suggested. Judgment should be used in sending children to these schools. Under present conditions, these intermediate pupils will do better when they have special schools provided for them than when they go to a high school. I will read a few statements from volume 6 of the Testimonies, on page 179: “Study in agricultural lines should be the A, B, and C of the education given in our schools. This is the very first work that should be entered upon.” On the preceding page I read these words: “Some do not appreciate the value of agricultural work. These should not plan for our schools, for they will hold everything from advancing in right lines.” There is a movement beginning in the public school system of the world for the establishment of just such schools as the Lord is leading us to establish in our denominational work.—the establishment of secondary agricultural schools. I believe the Lord would have His people lead in that, and not follow after. If we are to lead in that. work it will be necessary for us to be encouraging that work now. If we wait until the state is ready to take up the matter, and then take steps to establish our schools, we will find it will take us longer time to raise the money to establish these schools. so that we shall be following along behind, instead of taking the lead. Our Wisconsin school has prospered so that over 200 students have been in attendance during the present year. While some have been sent simply because their parents could not manage them at home, they have been given the missionary spirit; in fact, many of them have gone forth into our training-schools and are now in the field. These schools should be carefully guarded, lest they become independent and militate against the interest of our larger schools.GCB April 13, 1903, page 180.17

J. E. Jayne: Just a word. It is evident that there are three classes of students who can derive benefit by such a school. The first are orphans, the second are those who are worse than orphans,—that is, those whose parents can not instruct them at home,—and the third is the adult class who are able to take care of themselves in certain ways, but have not received sufficient education to obtain proper instruction in one of the training-schools. It is just as evident to our minds, I believe, that, therefore, the class of students who can be helped by such a school is very limited now. One thing about the industrial character of these schools: when you stop to think of what it means, after establishing our church-schools and our training-schools in many conferences, to get together horses and wagons and utensils, and go to a large amount of expense for such a school, I should say it should be worked out pretty carefully.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.1

E. A. Sutherland: I should like to ask the last speaker what provision he would make for the children who are too far advanced, probably, for the church-school, and not old enough to go to the training-schools.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.2

J. E. Jayne: I would never be guilty of a greater evil in order to prevent a less. And if you have children of very tender years, so young that they are not prepared to go into the training-school. they are too young to be taken from their parents; and you would better let them remain a year or two in their homes, until they are prepared to resist the temptations that come to every such child when separated from his parents.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.3

E. A. Sutherland: I can see what our brother sees, and yet I remember very well a testimony which says many of our children will have to be taken away from their parents in order to be saved. Let us look at that side just a little. There are parents that are able to keep their children: and we say. Let those parents keep those children. But there are parents who are not able to do this. It is a question for us to provide education for these intermediate youth. or else send them to the schools of the world; for they will send them to the schools of the world, unless we make provision for them.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.4

C. A. Beeson: It seems to me that this intermediate work should take our youth from fourteen to eighteen, the age at which they so often go out into the world to work for themselves.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.5

In our church-school work, where our schools are of any size, we have all grades, and it seems to me that it is impossible to make our church-school work a success, unless graded work is done. While I believe the intermediate schools are all right, and that we ought in time to have them, and perhaps the time has come, I suggest that the graded work can be carried on in our church-schools by hiring two teachers, one for the primary department, and the other for intermediate work. I know by experience the last year that this work can be done, all in the same room.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.6

D. E. Lindsey: There is no question, in my mind, that is more important than the one before us. I see the danger pointed out by Elder Underwood, and I have suffered along that line. I lost my boy by sending him away after the death of his mother, when he was young, to a school. I still hope for his conversion and salvation, some time. But I do not want anything said in this conference that anybody can use in our home churches against the organization of a church-school.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.7

R. A. Underwood: I do not want to be understood as being opposed to this, or to church-schools. I am not. I voted very heartily for the recommendation that preceded it. As to the agricultural feature, I believe our schools should begin as spring opens, and have the vacation in winter.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.8

W. Covert: I wish to say with reference to the danger that will come to our young people who attend these schools, that there is danger connected with all our schools; we shall have to guard against this in any school. There is danger in our homes, danger in all our communities; but I believe that our youth in these schools are protected from danger much more than if they were not in these schools; and I have noticed in our Wisconsin school that almost all the young people who attend that school are converted before they leave.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.9

S. H. Lane: There is a period in a child’s life—from 14 to 18—that is indeed a critical period. which. if watched and guarded. saves the child. They are too old to go to church-school. and not large enough to go to our training-schools. The parents hardly know what to do with them. and they want them to go to an intermediate school. If the state where you live does not care for them, the parents will get out into another state where they do. I believe the time will come when every state will make provision for them. This does not mean that you must build great institutions, but we are told in the Testimonies that if several churches will unite they can establish a school.GCB April 13, 1903, page 181.10

The Chair: The secretary will read the next recommendation.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.1

L. A. Hoopes: I call on Brother Porter to explain the idea of the committee.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.2

R. C. Porter: This recommends that church-school teachers shall receive their support from the Conference as other laborers do. This places it so that the Conference shall say who shall go out, and how many schools shall be established, and gives the Conference the management of them, the same as other Conference matters. They would be under Conference control. Further than that, it leaves it open for the Conference to gather up donations, so that it will not have to take a cent from the tithe, if they can get enough in donations to meet the necessities of the case. No doubt that can be done. Elder Santee, in Southern California, has been trying to accomplish this by a second tithe. We leave this question open. All we ask is that the Conference give the subject most careful and prayerful attention.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.3

G. B. Thompson: I would like to inquire if this recommendation means that there is to be no tuition in our church-schools.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.4

Watson Ziegler: If we were to propose to put church-school teachers into every church that would want them, every church would ask for a church-school, having their teachers paid from the Conference funds. and that alone would take more tithe than the churches pay. Some churches would be large enough to support theirs and have a surplus; but to furnish to all would consume the Conference fund if the tithe were appropriated to this end. I do not believe God’s Word allows the tithe to be so used.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.5

C. Santee, by invitation. stated how it had been worked in Southern California. After trying the various plans in common use, without satisfactory results, he said the brethren decided upon the idea of a second tithe for this purpose. Such texts as Deuteronomy 14:22, 23, 28, and Deuteronomy 26:12-16 were studied. along with references in Josephus and Tabit, indicating the custom of paying a second tithe in the Jewish economy; also Patriarchs and Prophets, 530. It was decided to try the second tithe as a basis for church-school support. We presented this matter before the Los Angeles school board and the church, where the school was in financial difficulty. They voted to try it one year. We had but two months more of school; we called special meetings, and although we had previously carried heavy burdens, and the people had done all they could to lift those burdens, they took hold heartily. At the end of the school they rejoiced in their experiences. They had paid out less during the time they had been lifting so heavily than they had for months before. Others who had before been satisfied by dropping in a little on special calls said they had supposed that was all that was needed, but when the second tithe was brought before them, and they tried it, they had found there was something more required of them than they had realized before. When we closed our school we had paid off our indebtedness, and our treasurer reported that there were eighty dollars in the treasury. No one had been burdened, and those who had paid the most said they had had a rich blessing out of it.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.6

The matter was talked over, and a committee was appointed to carefully investigate the best methods, and after looking the matter over carefully, they presented the same thing before our Conference. It was recommended that all the schools be placed upon that basis, and about the first of January the matter was arranged. There is a Conference treasury, where this money would come in, and from that time we have been paying all of the teachers from the treasury.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.7

A. F. Harrison urged the missionary character of all our work, and feared that the question of a salary was being emphasized too much. He believed the young workers should be encouraged to go out and work. salary or no salary. He would use the second tithe for the poor. where he believed it belonged.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.8

C. W. Flaiz: There are various methods that have been employed in various Conferences for the support of the church-schools. There is the second tithe. as we have heard this morning. Some schools have been supported by donations direct. Others have supported their schools by tuitions. I do not believe we are-prepared to take any definite action this morning on any one of these. We have provided for the calling of a council to consider these problems. When that council shall convene, they will be more fully prepared to study those questions, and get some plan that will be recommendatory for trial. I therefore move that this recommendation be referred to that council, when that shall be convened.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.9

R. C. Porter: I second that motion.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.10

E. A. Sutherland: Mr. Chairman, I should like to make another brief statement before this motion is put. I know this is one of the vital questions of the church-school work, and the point of cooperation has been mentioned several times, that much more can be done by cooperating than can be done by the individual. One of the greatest evils that we now meet in trying to support the church-school work by the several churches is the moving of the Sabbath-keepers from weak churches to strong churches, where they can have the advantage of church-schools without too much expense to themselves. We find that many are going to the cities. God has told us to go to the country; but, on account of the poverty and scattered condition of our Sabbath-keepers there, many are driven the other way.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.11

About thirty years ago one church had 100 members, with 65 children. To-day that church is not in existence. The children of one family are now in the truth. Two of these are workers in the truth, and two are not, but they are keeping the Sabbath. I asked, as I learned about this, “When did these young people leave the truth?” I was told, “It was about the time they were prepared to go into the advanced schools of the world, or when they had finished the common branches and left home.”GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.12

J. M. Rees: Did the members of that church all apostatize, or did they move away?GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.13

E. A. Sutherland: Many of the parents are, of course, dead; some apostatized, and the one who told me said he knew of only one family to-day that is in the truth.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.14

Another church had 75 members and 35 children in the Sabbath-school. Out of that number but three families are keeping the Sabbath to-day. Six of the children are keeping the Sabbath and only four of these are in the work today. The church has been scattered and gone for thirteen years.GCB April 13, 1903, page 182.15

Another instance: Twenty-five children were in the Sabbath-school ten years ago. To-day there are but two of those children keeping the Sabbath, one of which is in the work.GCB April 13, 1903, page 183.1

Now I will take a representative case. Thirty years ago a church was established. There were 75 members. Their tithe, when they paid an honest tithe, was about $1,200 a year. That church has been disbanded, and nearly all are out of the truth on account of their children. I know something about the circumstances. We will say that twelve years ago that church ceased paying tithe. That would amount to about $15,000 that this denomination has lost in tithe since this church disbanded. The children have gone out of the truth. If they had paid tithe during the last twelve years, their tithe would have been at least $10,000; for I know something about what some of them have earned. That amounts to $25,000 that has been lost to the truth during the last twelve years from this one church. A church-school would have kept this church together, and would have been the means of saving these youth, and during the last twelve years $25,000 would have been saved in tithe, which is nearly three times the whole cost of maintaining a school for the entire period of thirty years. Even if the expense of the teacher had been borne by the Conference, would it not have paid financially, if we consider it only so?GCB April 13, 1903, page 183.2

$640,000 was paid in as tithes during the past year, and $100,000 offerings, making $740,000, in round numbers. If God’s plan had been followed out, we would have had $1,800,000, instead of $740,000. There is a great robbery going on somewhere in this denomination, and it is because the people do not recognize the necessity of paying more than one tithe. They feel that when they pay that. the rest of their obligation, in paying to God what they ought to pay, can be met by paying small sums just as they feel able.GCB April 13, 1903, page 183.3

The amount of money held by this denomination, according to the last “Bulletin,” is about $60,000. The highest per cent, so far as I can learn, paid by any state for public school instruction, is four per cent, or $4.00 for every $100 of property. The lowest rate is one-half of one per cent. If we would pay two per cent, we should have for church-school expenses, or educational expenses, $1,200,000. If we would pay one per cent, we should have $600,000 every year to carry on the educational work.GCB April 13, 1903, page 183.4

There are 2,070 churches in the denomination. If we were to support one teacher for each church for eight months every year, at $30 per month, it would amount to $240 per year for each teacher, or, for the 2,070 churches, $496,800, which is more than $100,000 less than would be a two per cent tax on our property, or, in other words, less than one-half the amount that the citizens of some states pay, pro rata, for the education of their children in the state schools. The second tithe is the Bible plan, I believe, for the support of teachers. I do not ask at all that the first tithe be disturbed. The thing to do is to teach the people to bring up the rest of their offerings.GCB April 13, 1903, page 183.5

The motion to refer the question to the educational council, to be called, was carried.GCB April 13, 1903, page 183.6

At this point P. T. Magan was asked to make a report on the “Object Lessons” campaign.GCB April 13, 1903, page 183.7

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The Relief of the Schools