Document: General Conference Committee minutes for January 25, 1893, 9:30 am. HTML, PDF.
Contents: In response to W. C. White’s request, General Conference President O. A. Olsen recommends the organizing of district conferences, now called union conferences, and the GC Committee votes to do so.
The relevant part of the minutes is highlighted.
Seventh Meeting.
Jan. 25, 1893. 9:30 A. M.
Present: Olsen, Loughborough, Haskell, Underwood, Prescott and Kilgore.
After a season of prayer and the reading of the minutes of the last meeting, the chairman read a communication from Eld. W. C. White in regard to planning for general organizations, but under the General Conference, for Europe and Australasia. The chairman said he thought nothing should be planned so as to interfere with the general supervision and work legitimately belonging to the General Conference, as that is the highest organized authority under God on the earth but he thought the idea of the organization of district conferences a feasible one.
It was voted as the sense of the committee that it would be advisable to divide up the field, wherever the work has assumed sufficient proportions, into districts; and that conferences, under the General Conference, be organized in these several districts, to take the oversight of the work in them.
Voted that the chair appoint two to act with himself as a committee to take into consideration the plan proposed. He appointed as the other two members, Elders Haskell and Kilgore.
It was voted that Eld’s Underwood and Loughborough be a committee to visit Elder Smith Sharp to ascertain his present standing and condition, and report back to the General Conference Committee.
Voted as the sense of the committee that D. T. Shireman, S. H. Shaw and A. Barry should be ordained.
27. Voted that we recommend that A. F. Ballenger be appointed to take charge of the religious liberty work in Dist. No. 2.
Voted that Prof. Prescott and Eld. Kilgore be a committee to present resolutions in regard to the school at Graysville, Tenn.
Adjourned to meet at 3:00 o’clock P. M.
W. A. Colcord,
Sec’y.