THE twenty-fifth annual session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists convened in Battle Creek, Mich., Thursday, November 18, at 9 A. M. As this body has the oversight of all the missionary work done among Seventh-day Adventists, its proceedings indicate the extent of the spread of the Third Angel's Message, and we therefore design to give to our readers some of the main features of this session.
The first meeting was chiefly taken up with organization and the appointing of committees, of which the following were named: On Nominations—J. Fargo, J. B. Goodrich, C. L. Boyd; on Resolutions—R. A. Underwood, E. J. Waggoner, A. B. Oyen; on Licenses and Credentials—S. N. Haskell, B. L. Whitney, G. G. Rupert; on Auditing—Harmon Lindsay, D. T. Jones, D. B. Oviatt, J. Fargo, J. H. Morrison, H. Grant; on Distribution of Labor—G. I. Butler, S. N. Haskell, R. A. Underwood, D. M. Canright, A. J. Breed, Lewis Johnson, M. C. Wilcox; on Religious Services—R. M. Kilgore, L. McCoy, G. C. Tenney.
The President, Elder Geo. I. Butler, then made an address, in the course of which he gave the following items of interest: The last year has been one of marked prosperity to the cause; the publishing houses have sold more denominational books than ever before; our institutions of learning are attended by more persons who are preparing for the work, than at any previous period in their history; and there was never before so great an interest in the matter of education among our people as at the present time. There is also a greater willingness on the part of people to listen to the truth than ever before.
At the second meeting additional delegates presented their credentials. The Conference, as organized, is composed of delegates representing the following Conferences and Missions: Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, California, Dakota, New England, Minnesota, Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Colorado, Vermont, Maine, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Canada, Texas, North Pacific and Upper Columbia (Oregon and Washington), Central Europe, England, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, North Carolina, and the general Southern field.
The greater part of the second meeting was devoted to a consideration of the Sunday law persecutions in Arkansas and Tennessee. In this discussion the following facts were brought out: In Arkansas everything that a man has, even to the smallest article of household furniture, is liable to be levied on in payment of a fine for laboring on Sunday. Although the sentence usually runs that the convicted person shall pay a certain fine and the costs of prosecution, with the alternative of one day in jail for each dollar of the fine and costs, lying in jail the specified time does not satisfy the judgment. After a man has served out his time in jail, his property may still be seized, or he may, if he has no property, be compelled to work out the fine. Besides this, the prisoners are treated as convicts having no rights whatever. They are not considered as having any conscience, and may be compelled while in jail to labor on the Sabbath, with the alternative of the most barbarous punishment if they refuse. It will thus appear that the law violates every principle of justice, and is most inhuman and cruel. And this appears still more plainly when we learn that offenses such as stealing are not punished with anything like such severity.
More than this, these prosecutions are conducted against only those who keep the seventh day of the week, "according to the commandment." Brother Armstrong, who served out one sentence in jail for doing a little work in his garden on Sunday, stated that when he was brought before the grand jury to testify in another case, he was asked if he knew of any parties who had done labor on Sunday. He replied that he did, and when asked for the names, he mentioned the employees of the railroad companies. Then he was asked if he knew of any others. In reply he mentioned the hotel keepers. In like manner he cited the jury to livery men, hackmen, barbers, and saloon keepers. Finally he was asked if he knew of any Seventh-day Adventists who had labored on Sunday, and when the names of some of them had been obtained, the jury was satisfied. The Seventh-day Adventists were indicted, and the others were not molested. In some cases the brethren have been told that they would not be molested, or that they would be released from the remainder of their term of imprisonment, if they would promise not to keep the Sabbath any more.
Thus it appears that these Sunday law prosecutions are nothing else than the meanest kind of religious persecution; and that the persecutors are moved, not by a regard for the Sunday, but by a hatred for the Sabbath. This is still further shown by the manner in which the testimony has been gained which has convicted these persons. In some cases two persons, one a professed Sunday observer and the other a Sabbath-keeper, have transacted certain business together on Sunday; the Sunday-keeper would then go and tell of it, and his companion would be arrested, while he would not be molested.
In the face of all these things there are people who have the unblushing effrontery to say that there is no danger of there being any persecution for conscience' sake in this country, and that Sunday laws do not interfere with any man's religion! The fact is, and every candid person must admit it, that Sunday laws as they are executed in the State of Arkansas, are unjust and inhuman, and utterly subversive of every principle of civil or religious freedom. And the people of Arkansas are no different from the people of other States. The law is administered there no differently from what a similar law would be administered anywhere else. The fault is not primarily with the law, but with the people; and when the National Reform movement shall have triumphed, the Arkansas persecutions will be repeated with tenfold severity all over the United States.
We do not believe, however, that the time for the triumph of this movement has come just yet. We believe that the Constitution of the United States is the best and most just document ever made by man, and that it will condemn the iniquitous proceedings that are being carried on under the mask of the law; and when the Constitution has thus spoken, it will henceforth be so clear to all the world that none need be mistaken, that the work of the National Reform party is a direct attempt to overthrow the best charter of human liberty that is in existence, and to bring in religious oppression.
The greater part of Friday, the 19th, was devoted to the consideration of the wants of the foreign missions. The great want is consecrated laborers. We have space for only a few items of interest concerning the foreign work as presented by Elder B. L. Whitney, who spoke for the Swiss Conference and Central Europe, Elder M. C. Wilcox, who spoke for England, and Elder A. B. Oyen, who spoke for Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. The Swiss Conference has three ordained and seven licensed ministers. The Conference has fifteen churches and about three hundred members. These churches, however, are not all in Switzerland; two are in Germany, four in France, two in Italy, and one in Roumania. Elder Whitney stated that he knew of only three Seventh-day Adventist families in Switzerland who own the houses in which they live, and many of them are in the extremest poverty. Yet notwithstanding this, they have paid into the Conference treasury during the past year, nearly $10 per member.
In England hard times are a still greater obstacle to the spread of the truth than in Switzerland. In every city there are thousands of skilled workmen who are unemployed. If a man begins to keep the Sabbath he is quite sure to lose his position, and if he once loses it, there is little prospect of regaining it, since scores as competent as he stand ready to take it. Still, in spite of these things in the way of living out the truth, many conscientious persons are found who take their stand for God and his truth, and they do not starve to death either.
During the year, 8,154 ships have been visited by the ship missionaries in England. These ships carry the truth to every nation under heaven. Through this agency a gentleman in Finland received papers and books and began to keep the Sabbath, and through his efforts a company of twenty Sabbath-keepers has been raised up, who will soon be visited by Elder Matteson.
Many other instances were related, showing how the truth of the Third Angel's Message cannot be hid, but we can mention only two. A gentleman, a Baptist, received part of a copy of Present Truth, wrapped about some goods. He became deeply interested, and called at the office and bought the back numbers of Present Truth, also the pamphlet "Truth Found," and the tract "Who Changed the Sabbath?" which he saw advertised. He is much awakened over the Sabbath question.
Elder Whitney also mentioned a very interesting circumstance. Brother Vuilleumier baptized a company of twenty-two persons at Neuchatel. A report of this was published in a religious paper in Paris. This report was read by some French Baptists in the Argentine Republic, South America, and awakened their interest. One of this company had been in Switzerland, and he told the others that the people who performed this baptism keep the Sabbath. As a result of this, six of the company have begun to keep the Lord's Sabbath. They have sent for Les Signes des Temps, published at Basel.
In England there are now three organized churches of Seventh-day Adventists, containing eighty-one members. There are besides this forty who are not yet church-members.
In Norway the people are religiously inclined, and are willing to listen to the truth. It is quite easy to convince them of its binding claim, but quite difficult to induce them to take their stand, owing to their limited means of obtaining a living. Still poverty does not deter all. In Norway there are three churches and 175 members. The Swedish Conference has ten churches and 250 members, besides 100 Sabbath-keepers not yet connected with any church. Denmark has nine churches and 250 members.
These facts but poorly show how the truth is spreading. Still there is a great work to be done. This does not indicate, however, that it will be a long while before it is done. The work will all be done within this generation, for "this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Before this generation passes away the Lord will come, and the work of warning the world will have been completed. Therefore the only conclusion is that if those to whom the work has been intrusted are unfaithful to their trust, God will set them aside and727put his work into the hands of those who will connect with him and follow his opening providence. The cause will go on to triumph whether we do or not.
The religious services thus far have been interesting and profitable. Yesterday morning (Sabbath, Nov. 20) at 5:30 A. M., Elder Butler delivered a most impressive and instructive discourse to the ministers and missionary workers. At 10:30 Elder Haskell delivered a sermon on the Judgment, which made a solemn impression on many minds. In the afternoon there was a social meeting, and in the evening a large congregation gave careful attention to a lecture by Dr. J. H. Kellogg, on the "Religion of the Body." The meeting has only just begun, and more items of interest may be expected next week.