Book: Clarence Creager Crisler, Organization: Its Character, Purpose, Place, and Development in the Seventh-day Adventist Church (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1938). HTML, PDF.
[p. 97]
Chapter 11: State Conferences
The “conferences,” or general meetings, held at irregular intervals during the earlier history of Sabbathkeeping Adventists, were partially systematized in 1859, when the brethren began holding regular annual meetings in several of the States.* It was two years later, however, before any attempt was made to form permanent working bodies made up of representatives of groups of churches in certain fields.
[*See the last topic of the chapter entitled, “A Period of Development;” also article by James White, entitled, “Yearly Meetings,” in Review and Herald, July 21, 1859.]
An outline of the advantages to be gained by the formation of State conferences, was given in the address on organization published in June, 1861. “Much of the business attended to at these conferences,” said the ministers who wrote this address, “is of a local nature, especially concerning the locality or State wherein the conference is held. In this respect the wants of all cannot be equally attended to. This may be remedied by holding State or district conferences.
“We have several reasons,” they continued, “to urge for the organization of such conferences. … We hold them essential to the efficiency of our ministry; and this in a twofold manner. First, that our accepted ministers may go out before the world with the endorsement and authority of the body with which they stand connected. This would often open the way for their introduction into [p. 98] schoolhouses, courthouses, or meetinghouses, which are often (and often properly) closed against irresponsible persons who cannot show that they have the confidence or sanction of any body of believers. …
“This stands closely related to the second point, which is, that our brethren be not imposed upon by false teachers, or conceited, self-called, messengers of the third angel’s message. Trouble has been occasioned and churches sometimes nearly ruined by those who professed to fill this office, who were both unqualified and unworthy; but the churches had no authority to which to appeal, unless to those to whom God had entrusted the great burden of this work, but who could not have a personal acquaintance with everybody, and therefore could not always give timely and satisfactory information.”
Further, the brethren in charge of the interests of the work throughout the States urged that “such conferences would be a great benefit by supplying the churches in every part of the field with the means of coming together in their several States or districts for social and public worship, and for the building of each other up in the word of the Lord. Of course,” they added, “the business would be done through the delegates of the churches.”—Review and Herald, June 11, 1861.
Thus were outlined, in their briefer features, the reasons for recommending the organization of groups of churches into State conferences.
James White, in an editorial calling attention to these matters, expressed the hope that “all our people may be aroused to the necessity of a proper organization, to prevent the loss of a large amount of the labor of our preachers, and confusion among believers.”—Idem.
[p. 99]
J. N. Andrews approved. “I am … decidedly in favor of concerted action,” he wrote, “and hence would heartily approve … of State conferences to assemble annually, or semiannually, that the united strength of the people of God may be brought to bear upon the work that is to be done.”—Id., Sept. 17, 1861.
Urging the benefits to be derived from the adoption of the recommendation for State conferences, to which he had attached his signature a few months before, J. H. Waggoner wrote from Iowa in September, 1861:
“I feel the necessity of organization at this time, according to the plan advised in the conference address of last spring. I shall be obliged to leave the cause in southern Iowa suffering for want of a conference, which cannot be held, or if held, cannot be fairly represented in our present confused and unorganized state. The main objects for which a conference in this part of this State should be held cannot be attained except through delegates. I am quite well assured that conferences held in the manner in which they have been held in the past have ceased to be a benefit. But a reform to be effectual must be general. When shall it be? What do you say, fellow laborers in the truth?”—Id., Sept. 24, 1861.
The Michigan Conference
The brethren in Michigan, where were living the largest number of believers, were the first to carry the recommendation into effect. During a general meeting held in Battle Creek, October 4-6, 1861, a series of resolutions providing for the organization of the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, was adopted, and the conference was fully formed and officered.
[p. 100]
Among these resolutions were the following provisions:
“Resolved, That we recommend to the churches in the State of Michigan to unite in one conference, with the name of the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. …
“Resolved, That the conference [in session] be composed of ministers and delegates from the churches. …
“Resolved, That the officers of this conference consist of a chairman, clerk, and a standing committee of three. …
“Resolved, That our ministers’ papers consist of a certificate of ordination, also credentials to be signed by the chairman and clerk of the conference, which credentials shall be renewed annually.”—Id., Oct. 8, 1861.
A Spiritual Meeting
The meeting during which the Michigan State Conference was formed, was remarkable also for the passage of the resolution quoted in the preceding chapter, providing for the organization of churches throughout the field. And, further, it was a time of unusual blessing. “Our ministers had unusual freedom in preaching the word,” James White remarked a day or two afterward, “and the social meetings were excellent,” especially the one the last night of the conference, which continued “three hours with increasing interest. The time was filled up with short testimonies from many brethren and sisters. A calm, sweet, melting spirit pervaded this meeting, making it the best of the kind we ever witnessed.
“We heard many brethren remark in regard to the conference, that it was the best ever held at Battle Creek. With the sweet influence of the meeting upon the minds [p. 101] of the brethren and sisters, they parted Monday morning to go to their several homes.
“The unity existing among the brethren at this conference, the eagerness to take a decided position upon organization, and the general readiness to sustain the publishing association, have greatly encouraged us. We are not, in point of hope, faith, and courage, where we stood prior to the trials of the last eighteen months, and perhaps we never shall be; but we certainly made rapid progress during the three days of our conference.”—Elder James White, in Review and Herald, Oct. 8, 1861.
Other Local Conferences
The happy completion of the work of perfecting the organization of churches into a State conference in Michigan, gave courage to groups of believers in other States to do likewise. It was a time when the work was taking shape rapidly. Throughout the field, churches were being organized, in harmony with the plan adopted by the Michigan Conference; and in several States these newly formed churches banded together in a State organization. The brethren in various places began to discern clearly “the importance of order, union, and concentration of action” in the dissemination of the truths of the third angel’s message. (See resolution in “Reports of the New York State Conference for the Years 1862, 1863, and 1864.”) They began to understand that unless they should adopt some measures to bring about concerted action, the efforts of the individual churches would fall far short of fulfilling the gospel commission.
During the year 1862, six local conferences were formed; namely, Southern Iowa (March 16), Northern Iowa (May [p. 102] 10), Vermont (June 15), Illinois and Wisconsin (September 28), Minnesota (October 4), New York (October 25). The following year, on January 25, 1863, the Southern and Northern Iowa organizations were united and were known as the Iowa Conference. A conference was formed in Ohio on May 31.
November 1, 1867, Maine was organized into a conference; in June, 1871, the Illinois and Wisconsin Conference was separated into two, along territorial lines; and in 1871, also, the New England Conference was formed (August 24). (See “Historical Summary” in S.D.A. Year Book, 1913, p. 246.)