Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook for 1954

542 Pages·2013·11.51 MB·English

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OF THE
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
DENOMINATION
A DIRECTORY OF
The General Conference, World Divisions, Union
and Local Conferences and Missions, Educational
Institutions, Hospitals and Sanitariums, Publishing
Houses, Periodicals, and Denominational Workers.
Edited and Compiled by
H. W. Klaser, Statistical Secretary,
General Conference
Published by
REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
WASHINGTON 12, D.C.
PRINTED IN THE U.B.A.
(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)
CONTENTS
Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists (cid:9) 4
Constitution and By-Laws (cid:9) 6
Special Days and Offerings for 1954 (cid:9) -(cid:9) 13
General Conference and Departments — (cid:9) 14
Divisions:
North American (cid:9) 27
Australasian (cid:9) — (cid:9) -(cid:9) 82
Central European (cid:9) -(cid:9) 101
China (cid:9) - — 108
Far Eastern (cid:9) — (cid:9) 108
Inter American (cid:9) - 126
Middle East ._ 144
Northern European (cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 148
South American 163
Southern African (cid:9) . —(cid:9) 180
Southern Asia 201
Southern European 212
Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (cid:9) 236
Unattached Territory (cid:9) --.. —.. .(cid:9) 236
Institutions:
Educational (cid:9) — (cid:9) 238
Food Companies 293
Medical 297
Dispensaries and Treatment Rooms 314
Publishing Houses (cid:9) — 317
Periodicals Issued(cid:9) ..... (cid:9) _ (cid:9) 328
Statistical Tables (cid:9) v (cid:9) - . - ...... 343
Countries Where S.D.A. Work is Established (cid:9) -(cid:9) 345
Languages in Which Publications Are Issued 350
Necrology (cid:9) - (cid:9) - - --(cid:9) 360
Index of Institutional Workers (cid:9)
Directory of Workers (cid:9) ---- .............. 392
Preface
A directory of the conferences, mission fields, and institutions connected with
the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is given in the following pages. Adminis-
trative and workers' lists have been furnished by the organizations concerned. In
cases where current reports were not received, previous official and personnel rolls
have been retained or adjusted to the best information available. Below appears
data summarized largely from the 1952 Statistical Report, the one last issued at
this date.
The number of churches and the church membership in each of the conferences
in North America are those reported at the close of the third quarter, 1953. In fields
outside of North America the church and membership statistics at the close of 1952
have been used except in instances where the organizations themselves have
reported later figures. Populations of conferences in North America are. based on
the 1950 census or latest figures available; and population figures for other fields
have been furnished largely from the different Division or Union offices.
Following the classification order of workers in the General Conference
Working Policy, those persons who carry missionary credentials are placed ip-
mediately following the ordained minister groups in the conference and mission
sections of the Yearbook. The Directory of Workers lists the names and addresses
of ordained and licensed ministers and workers holding missionary credentials and
Bible instructors credentials. A separate Index of principal workers employed in
educational, publishing and medical institutions is also given.
The Seventh-day Adventist denomination was organized May 21, 1863, with
a constituency of 125 churches and 3,500 members. The work was largely con-
fined to North America until the year 1874, when the first missionary, Elder J. N.
Andrews, was sent to Switzerland. Gradually other countries were entered. In 1886
a minister went to Russia, the first non-Protestant country in which this work was
started. The schooner "Pitcairn" was launched in San Francisco Bay on July
28, 1890, and was soon prepared to carry groups of missionaries to various Pacific
islands. In 1894 Seventh-day Adventist workers first entered a heathen land, opening
a mission in Matabeleland, South Africa. South America was entered the same year,
and Japan in 1896.
Although publishing and the distribution of literature had been a major factor
in the development of the Advent cause from its beginning, the first regular pub-
lishing house was incorporated in 1861 at Battle Creek, Mich., under the name of
the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association. The Advent Review and Sabbath
Herald was first published in 1850 at Paris, Maine; the Youth's Instructor at
Rochester, N.Y., in 1862 ; and the Signs of the Times at Oakland, Calif., in 1874.
In 1866 the Health Reform Institute, later the Battle Creek Sanitarium, was
established. The first denominational school was opened in 1872. Tract and mis-
sionary society work was organized on a state-wide basis in 1870, and state Sabbath
school associations in 1877. The name, "Seventh-day Adventists," was chosen in
1860, and in 1903 the denominational headquarters were moved from Battle Creek,
Mich., to Washington, D.C.
Since 1900 to the close of 1952 there have been sent out 7,054 missionaries for
mission service in various lands comprising all of the larger countries of the world
and many of the islands of the sea. Evangelistic and institutional workers num-
bering 39,159 were using 721 languages and modes of speech in their gospel service.
The membership of the 10,830 Seventh-day Adventist churches throughout the
world in 1952 was 856,463. There were 80 union conferences and missions, 145 local
conferences, 219 regularly organized mission fields, and 550 institutions. Of the
39,159 laborers, 14,785 were in North America, and 24,374 in other countries.
The funds in tithes and offerings contributed in 1952 by Seventh-day Adventists
were the largest ever raised by the denomination during any one year. The amount
of $56,097,969.43 was equivalent to a per capita contribution of $77.19 for every
member in the world field. In North America alone the per capita giving in tithes
and offerings was $174.70. In addition to the above, $13,721.29 was given in North
America in 1952 for mission rehabilitation and famine relief.
The Statistical Report showed that there were 39 Seventh-day Adventist pub-
lishing houses and branches, whose book and periodical retail sales in 1952 were
$16,371,888.24. These publishing houses employed 1,704 workers in producing this
literature, and 3,557 colporteurs were engaged in its distribution. Seventh-day Ad-
ventist literature has been printed in 198 languages, and there were 348 periodicals
issued.
The enrollment in the 17,993 Sabbath schools was 1,120,998, and the annual
Sabbath school offerings were $5,480,350.56. Sanitariums, hospitals, and treatment
rooms to the number of 181 were engaged in the care of the sick, with 8,785 physi-
3
4(cid:9) SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST YEARBOOK, 1954
cians, nurses and other attendants, caring for 188,978 patients in the institutions
and furnishing 2,093,423 additional treatments and medical services during 1952.
There were 4,524 elementary schools, and 274 secondary and advanced schools,
with 9,417 teachers employed, and an enrollment of 232,087 pupils. At the close of
the 1951-52 school year 1,222 students entered some branch of denominational work.
The property value of •all organizations and institutions connected with the
Seventh-day Adventist denomination, including churches, at the beginning of 1952
was $207,595,694.25.
The total amount of funds in tithes and offerings contributed since the organi-
zation of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in 1863 to the close of
1952 was $732,399,378.01. Literature sales for the same period were registered at
$250,611,193.41.
FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS OF SEVENTH-DAY
ADVENTISTS
Seventh-day Adventists hold certain fundamental beliefs, the principal features
of which, together with a portion of the scriptural references upon which they are
based, may be summarized as follows:
1. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by
inspiration of God, contain an all-sufficient revelation of His will to men, and are
the only unerring rule of faith and practice. 2 Tim. 8:15-17.
2. That the Godhead, or Trinity, consists of the Eternal Father, a personal,
spiritual Being, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, infinite in wisdom and love;
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, through whom all things were
created and through whom the salvation of the redeemed hosts will be accomplished ;
the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, the great regenerating power in
the work of redemption. Matt. 28:19.
8. That Jesus Christ is very God, being of the same nature and essence as the
Eternal Father. While retaining His divine nature He took upon Himself the
nature of the human family, lived on the earth as a man, exemplified in His life
as our Example the principles of righteousness, attested His relationship to God by
many mighty miracles, died for our sins on the cross, was raised from the dead, and
ascended to the Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. John
1:1, 14 ; Heb. 2:9-18 ; 8:1, 2 ; 4:14-16 ; 7 :25.
4. That every person in order to obtain salvation must experience the new birth ;
that this comprises an entire transformation of life and character by the recreative
power of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 8:16 ; Matt. 18 :8 ;
Acts 2:37-89.
6. That baptism is an ordinance of the Christian church and should follow
repentance and forgiveness of sins. By its observance faith is shown in the death,
burial, and resurrection of Christ. That the proper form of baptism is by immer-
sion. Rom. 6:1-6; Acts 16:30-33.
6. That the will of God as it relates to moral conduct is comprehended in His
law of ten commandments ; that these are great moral, unchangeable precepts,
binding upon all men, in every age. Ex. 20:1-17.
7. That the fourth commandment of this unchangeable law requires the observ-
ance of the seventh day Sabbath. This holy institution is at the same time a
memorial of creation and a sign of sanctification, a sign of the believer's rest from
his own works of sin, and his entrance into the rest of soul which Jesus promises
to those who come to Him. Gen. 2:1-8 ; Ex. 20:8-11; 81:12-17 ; Heb. 4:1-10.
8. That the law of ten commandments points out sin, the penalty of which is
death. The law cannot save the transgressor from his sin, nor impart power to
keep him from sinning. In infinite love and mercy, God provides a way whereby
this may be done. He furnishes a substitute, even Christ the Righteous One, to die
in man's stead, making "Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21. That one is justified, not by
obedience to the law, but by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. By accepting Christ.
man is reconciled to God, justified by His blood for the sins of the past, and saved
from the power of sin by his indwelling life. Thus the gospel becomes "the poWer
of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Rom. 1:16. This experience is
FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS(cid:9) 5
wrought by the divine agency of the Holy Spirit, who convinces of sin and leads to
the Sin-Bearer, inducting the believer into the new covenant relationship, where the
law of God is written on his heart, and through the enabling power of the in-
dwelling Christ, his life is brought into conformity to the divine precepts. The
honor and merit of this wonderful transformation belong wholly to Christ. 1 John
2 :1, 2 ; 3 :4 ; Rom. 3 :20 ; 5 :8-10 ; 7 :7 ; Eph. 2 :8-10 ; 8 :17 ; Gal. 2 :20 ; Heb. 8 :8-12.
9. That God "only hath immortality." 1 Tim. 6:15. Mortal man possesses a
nature inherently sinful and dying. Eternal life is the gift of God through faith in
Christ. Rom. 6:28. "He that hath the Son hath life." 1 John 5:12. Immortality
is bestowed upon the righteous at the second coming of Christ, when the righteous
dead are raised from the grave and the living righteous translated to meet the Lord.
Then it is that those accounted faithful "put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15:51-55.
10. That the condition of man in death is one of unconsciousness. That all men,
good and evil alike, remain in the grave from death to the resurrection. Eccl.
9:5, 6; Ps. 146:3, 4.; John 5:28, 29.
11. That there shall be a resurrection both of the just and of the unjust. The
resurrection of the just will take place at the second coming of Christ; the resur-
rection of the unjust will take place a thousand years later, at the close of the
millennium. John 5:28, 29 ; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:5-10.
12. That the finally impenitent, including Satan, the author of sin, will, by the
fires of the last day, be reduced to a state of non-existence, becoming as though they
had not been, thus purging God's universe of sin and sinners. Rom. 6:23; Mal.
4:1-3; Rev. 20 :9, 10 ; Obadiah 16.
13. That no prophetic period is given in the Bible to reach the second advent,
but that the longest one, the 2300 days of Dan. 8:14, terminated in 1644, and
brought us to an event called the cleansing of the sanctuary.
14. That the true sanctuary, of which the tabernacle on earth was a type, is the
temple of God in Heaven, of which Paul speaks in Hebrews 8 and onward, and of
which the Lord Jesus, as our great high priest, is minister; and that the priestly
work of our Lord is the antitype of the work of the Jewish priests of the former
dispensation ; that this heavenly sanctuary is the one to be cleansed at the end of
the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14; its cleansing being, as in the type, a work of judg-
ment, beginning with the entrance of Christ as the high priest upon the judgment
phase of His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary foreshadowed in the earthly service
of cleansing the sanctuary on the day of atonement. This work of judgment in the
heavenly sanctuary began in 1844. Its completion will close human probation.
15. That God, in the time of the judgment and in accordance with His uniform
dealing with the human family in warning them of coming events vitally affecting
their destiny (Amos 3:6, 7), sends forth a proclamation of the approach of the
second advent of Christ; that this work is symbolized by the three angels of
Revelation 14 ; and that their threefold message brings to view a work of reform
to prepare a people to meet Him at His coming.
16. That the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary, synchronizing with the
period of the proclamation of the message of Revelation 14, is a time of investi-
gative judgment, first with reference to the dead, and secondly, with reference to
the living. This investigative judgment determines who of the myriads sleeping in
the dust of the earth are worthy of a part in the first resurrection, and who of its
living multitudes are worthy of translation. 1 Peter 4 :17, 18 ; Dan. 7:9, 10; Rev.
14:6, 7; Luke 20:35.
17. That the followers of Christ should be a godly people, not adopting the
unholy maxims nor conforming to the unrighteous ways of the world, not loving
its sinful pleasures nor countenancing its follies. That believers should recognize
their bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that therefore they should clothe
that body in neat, modest, dignified apparel. Further, that in eating and drinking
and in their entire course of conduct they should shape their lives as becometh
followers of the meek and lowly Master. Thus the followers of Christ will be led
to abstain from all intoxicating drinks, tobacco, and other narcotics, and to avoid
every body and soul defiling habit and practice. 1 Cor. 3 :16, 17 ; 9:25; 10 :31; 1 Tim.
2:9, 10; 1 John 2:6.
18. That the divine principle of tithes and offerings for the support of the gospel
is an acknowledgment of God's ownership in our lives, and that we are stewards
who must render account to Him of all that He has committed to our possession.
Lev. 27:30; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 23:23; 1 Cor. 9:9-14 ; 2 Cor. 9:6-15.
19. That God has placed in. His church the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as enu-
merated in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. That these gifts operate in harmony
with the divine principles of the Bible, and are given for the perfecting of the
saints, the work of the ministry, the edifying of the body of Christ. Rev. 12:17;
6(cid:9) SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST YEARBOOK, 1954
19:10; 1 Cor. 1:6-7. That the gift of the Spirit of prophecy is one of the identifying
marks of the remnant church. 1 Cor. 1:5 7. 1 Cor. 12:1, 28; Rev. 12:17; 19:10;
Amos 8:7; Hosea 12:10, 18. They recognize that this gift was manifested in the
life and ministry of Ellen G. White.
20. That the second coming of Christ is the great hope of the church, the grand
climax of the gospel and plan of salvation. His coming will be literal, personal,
and visible. Many important events will be associated with His return, such as the
resurrection of the dead, the destruction of the wicked, the purification of the earth,
the reward of the righteous, the establishment of His everlasting kingdom. The
almost complete fulfillment of various lines of prophecy, particularly those found
in the books of Daniel and the Revelation, with existing conditions in the physical,
social, industrial, political, and religious worlds, indicates that Christ's coming
"is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24:33. The exact time of that event has not
been foretold. Believers are exhorted to be ready, for "in such an hour as ye think
not the Son of man" (Matt. 24:44) will be revealed. Luke 21:25-27 •' 17:26-80;
John 14:1-8; Acts 1:9-11; Rev. 1:7; Heb. 9:28; James 6:1-8; Joel 3:9-16; 2 Tim.
8:1-5; Dan. 7:27; Matt. 24:86, 44.
21. That the millennial reign of Christ covers the period between the first and
the second resurrections, during which time the saints of all ages will live with
their blessed Redeemer in Heaven. At the end of the millennium, the Holy City
with all the saints will descend to the earth. The wicked, raised in the second
resurrection, will go up on the breadth of the earth with Satan at their head to
compass the camp of the saints, when fire will come down from God out of Heaven
and devour them. In the conflagration which destroys Satan and his host, the
earth itself will be regenerated and cleansed from the effects of the curse. Thus
the universe of God will be purified from the foul blot of sin. Revelation 20
Zech. 14:1-4; 2 Peter 3:7-10.
22. That God will make all things new. The earth, restored to its pristine
beauty, will become forever the abode of the saints of the Lord. The promise to
Abraham, that through Christ he and his seed should possess the earth throughout
the endless ages of eternity, will be fulfilled. "The kingdom and dominion, and the
greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven will be given to the people of
the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey Him." Dan. 7:27. Christ, the Lord, will reign
supreme, and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the
earth, and such as are in the sea, will ascribe "blessing, and honor, and glory, and
power," unto "Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and
ever." Gen. 18:14-17; Rom. 4:18; Heb. 11:8-16; Matt. 5:5; Isaiah 85; Rev. 21:1-7;
5:18; Dan. 7:27.
THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
of the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
(As Revised at the Forty-Sixth Session Held in San Francisco, California,
July 10-22, 1960)
Article I—Name
This organization shall be known as General Conference of. Seventh-day
Adventists.
Article II--Object
The object of this Conference is to teach all nations the everlasting gospel of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the commandments of God.
Article III—Membership
Sec. 1. The membership of this Conference shall consist of :
(a) Such union conferences and union missions either in organized division
sections or without divisional affiliation as have been or shall be properly organized
and accepted by vote of the General Conference in session.
(b) Such local conferences and properly organized local missions not included
in any division, union conference or union mission or such local conferences or
local missions directly attached to divisions as have been or shall be properly
organized and accepted by vote of the General Conference in session.
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
Sec. 2. The voters of this Conference shall be designated as follows:
(a) Delegates at large
(b) Regular delegates
Sec. 8. Delegates at large shall be:
(a) All members of the General Conference Executive Committee.
(b) Such representatives of missions of the General Conference and of general
institutions and departments of work, and such general laborers and field secre-
taries as shall receive delegate's credentials from the Executive Committee of the
General Conference, such credentials to be ratified by the General Conference in
session. The number of these delegates thus seated shall not exceed 25 per cent of
the total number of delegates in attendance otherwise provided for.
Sec. 4. Regular delegates shall be appointed and accredited by division commit-
tees except in the case of North America, where they shall be appointed and ac-
credited by union conferences. In the case of unions without divisional affiliation
the delegates shall be appointed by the General Conference Committee upon
recommendation of the unions involved.
Sec. 6. Each union mission shall be entitled to one delegate for the organiza-
tion, an additional delegate for each local conference in its territory, and one
delegate for each one thousand members or major fraction thereof within its
territory.
Sec. 6. Each union conference shall be entitled to one delegate in addition to
its president without regard to number, an additional delegate for each local
conference in its territory and an additional delegate for each one thousand or
major fraction thereof of its membership.
Article IV—Officers and Their Duties
Sec. 1. The officers of this Conference shall be a president, vice-presidents, a
secretary, associate secretaries, a treasurer, an undertreasurer, and assistant
treasurers who shall be elected by the Conference.
Sec. 2. President: The President shall preside at the sessions of the Confer-
ence, act as chairman of the Executive Committee, and labor in the general inter-
ests of the Conference, as the. Executive Committee may advise.
Sec. 8. Vice-Presidents: Each Vice-President shall at the time of his election
be assigned to serve as a general administrative assistant to the President or to
preside over a division field.
Sec. 4. Secretary and Associate Secretaries : It shall be the duty of the Secretary
and the Associate Secretaries to keep the minutes of the proceedings of the Gen-
eral Conference sessions and of the General Conference Committee meetings, to
maintain correspondence with the fields, and to perform such other duties as usu-
ally pertain to such office.
Sec. 5. Treasurer, Undertreasurer, and Assistant Treasurers: It shall be the
duty of the Treasurer to receive all funds of the General Conference, and disburse
them in harmony with the actions of the Executive Committee of the General
Conference, and to render such financial statements at regular intervals as may
be desired by the Conference or by the Executive Committee. The Undertreasurer
and Assistant Treasurers shall assist the Treasurer in his work.
Article V—Election
Sec. 1. The following shall be elected at each regular session of the Conference:
(a) A President, Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, Associate Secretaries, Division
Secretaries, a Treasurer, an Undertreasurer, Assistant Treasurers, Division Treas-
urers, a Statistical Secretary, General Field Secretaries, Division Field Secretaries,
a Secretary and Associate Secretaries of the Ministerial Association, a General
Conference Auditor and Associate Auditors, a Secretary and Associate Secretaries
of the International Temperance Association, a Secretary and Associate Secretaries
of each duly organized General Conference Department; namely, Publishing, Med-
ical, Educational, Sabbath School, Religious Liberty, Young People's Missionary
Volunteer, Home Missionary, North American Colored, Radio, and North Amer-
ican Home-Foreign Bureau,* Division Departmental Secretaries, including the
Australasian Inter-Union Health Food Department Secretary, and Division Min-
isterial Association Secretaries.
(b) Other persons, not to exceed 25 in number, to serve as members of the
Executive Committee.
Article VI—Executive Committee
Sec. 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of:
(a) Those elected as provided by Article V.
(b) Presidents of union conferences, presidents of union missions, ex-presidents
of the General Conference having credentials from this Conference, the general
manager of the Australasian Conference Assn., Ltd., the president of College
of Medical Evangelists, the president of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological
Seminary, and the editor of the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald.
• Note: The Autumn Council in 1951 voted to discontinue the North American
Home-Foreign Bureau.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST YEAR1300K, 1954
Article VII—Auditor and Associate Auditors
At each regular session the Conference shall elect an auditor and one or more
associate auditors.
Article VIII—Term of Office
All officers of the Conference and those members of the Executive Committee
provided for by Article VI, Sec. 1 (a), shall hold office from the time of election
until the next ensuing regular session or until their successors are elected and
appear to enter upon their duties.
Article IX—Incorporations and Agents
Sec. 1. Such incorporations may be authorized by the General Conference in
session, or by the General Conference Executive Committee, as the development
of the work may require.
Sec. 2. At each regular session of this Conference, the delegates shall elect such
trustees of corporate bodies connected with this organization as may be provided
in the statutory laws governing each.
Sec. 3. The Conference shall employ such committees, secretaries, treasurers,
auditors, agents, ministers, missionaries and other persons, and make such distribu-
tion of its laborers, as may be necessary effectively to execute its work.
Sec. 4. The Conference shall grant credentials or licenses to ministers and
missionaries except in division fields, in union and local conferences, and in
organized union missions.
Article X—Sessions
Sec. 1. This Conference shall hold quadrennial sessions at such time and place
as the Executive Committee shall designate and announce by a notice published
in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald in three consecutive issues at least
four months before the date for the opening of the session. In case special world
conditions seem to make it imperative to postpone the calling of the session, the
Executive Committee in regular or special Council shall have authority to make
such postponement not to exceed two years, giving notice to all constituent
organizations.
Sec. 2. The Executive Committee may call special sessions of the General
Conference at such time and place as it deems proper, by a like notice as of
regular sessions, and the transactions of such special sessions shall have the
same force as those of the regular sessions.
Sec. 8. The election of officers, and the voting on all matters of business shall
be by viva-voce vote or as designated by the chairman unless otherwise demanded
by a majority of the delegates present.
Article XI—By-Laws
The voters of this Conference may enact By-Laws and amend or repeal them
at any session thereof, and such By-Laws may embrace any provision not incon-
sistent with the Constitution.
Article XII—Amendments
This Constitution or its By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the
voters present and voting at any session: provided that, if it is proposed to
amend the Constitution at a special session, notice of such purpose shall be
given in the call for such special session.
BY-LAWS
Article I—Division Sections
Sec. 1. The General Conference shall conduct its world-wide work in division
sections, each section to operate within a specified territory in harmony with the
policy of the General Conference.
Sec. 2. Union conference and union mission field organizations, together with
all other organizations and institutions within the territory, shall be responsible
to the respective division committees, or in the case of fields without divisional
affiliation to the General Conference Committee.
Sec. 8. The division sections shall be known as: Australasian Inter-Union
Conference (See Article XI, Sec. 6), Central European Division, China Division,
Far Eastern Division, Inter-American Division, Middle East Division,
North American Division, Northern European Division, South American Division,
Southern African Division, Southern Asia Division, Southern European Division,
Federation of Seventh-day Adventists in the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics.
The boundaries of these division sections shall be subject to adjustment only at
the General Conference sessions, or at Autumn Council sessions, provided no
divisional territorial lines shall be changed when such division is not represented
at the Council by one of its executive officers, or when such division has not
given consent, except under an emergency such as war; in such case the General
Conference Committee shall make such provision as it is necessary for the conduct
of the work in the territory concerned.
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS(cid:9) 9
Article II—Standing Committees
Sec. 1. At each regular session of this Conference, such standing committees
as may be found necessary, including the following, shall be elected to consider
such items of business as may be referred to them and to bring in their reports
and recommendations to the session:
(a) Constitution and By-Laws
(b) Credentials and Licenses
(c) Finance
(d) Nominations
(e) Plans
Article III—Vice-Presidents
Sec. 1. Vice-Presidents shall be elected as follows: four Vice-Presidents for
general administrative work, and one additional Vice-President for each division
of the General Conference.
Sec. 2. The General Vice-Presidents shall in the absence of the President serve
as chairmen of the Executive Committee and shall assist the President in his
administrative work. The Vice-President for North America shall work under
the direction of the General Conference Committee.
Sec. 3. The Vice-Presidents elected for the divisions outside of North America
shall act as chairmen of the division committees operating in their respective
fields and shall have charge of the work in those fields under the direction of
the division committees and shall be designated within their respective division
territories as presidents of the divisions over which they preside.
Article IV—Associate and General Field Secretaries
Sec. 1. The term "associate secretary" shall be used to designate the secretaries
elected to be associated with the Secretary of the General Conference, or such
secretary or secretaries as may be elected to associate with the Secretary of any
Department, Bureau, or Association, in carrying the responsibilities of his office.
Sec. 2. Associate Secretaries shall be elected to share the work of the Gen-
eral Conference Secretary. Associate Secretaries shall also be elected as may be
deemed necessary to assist the Secretaries of Departments, Bureaus, or Associa-
tions in the conduct of their work.
Sec. 3. The term "general field secretary" shall be used to designate general
field workers elected, in addition to the officers, to serve in carrying the field
responsibilities of the General Conference.
Sec. 4. The General Field Secretaries shall work under the direction of the
General Conference Committee and be assigned either to field service or to special
projects or responsibilities as may be determined by the General Conference
Committee.
Sec. 5. Such Division Field Secretaries shall be elected as may be deemed
necessary to labor in the divisions under the direction of the division committees.
Article V—Division Secretaries
Sec. 1. A Secretary shall be elected for each division outside of North America
to be designated "division secretary."
Sec. 2. The Division Secretaries shall work under the direction of the division
committees. It shall be their duty to keep the minutes of the division committee
meetings, to collect information and make such reports as may be required, and to
do such other work as usually pertains to such office.
Article VI—Assistant and Division Departmental Secretaries
Sec. 1. The term "assistant departmental secretary" shall be used to designate
such persons as are appointed to assist the Departmental Secretaries and their
Associate Secretaries in the Departmental work of the General office.
Sec. 2. Division Departmental Secretaries shall be elected for the respective
division fields and shall labor under the direction of the division committee.
Sec. 3. Division committees shall appoint such other secretaries as may be
needed to serve in special capacities, to labor under the direction of the division
committee.
Article WI—Statistical Secretary
At each regular session the conference shall elect a Statistical Secretary,
whose duties shall be to compile statistics of the world work, reporting the
same under the direction of the Executive Committee.
Article VIII—Undertreasurer and Assistant Treasurers
An Undertreasurer and Assistant Treasurers shall be elected to share with
the Treasurer the work of his office. They shall perform such duties connected
with the Treasury Department as may be assigned to them by the Treasurer or
by the Executive Committee. They may' be authorized by the Executive Committee
to sign checks under the instruction of the Treasurer.
10(cid:9) SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST YEARBOOK, 1954
Article IX—DivIsion Treasurers
Sec. 1. A Treasurer shall be elected for each division outside of North America,
to be designated "division treasurer."
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Division Treasurers to receive and disburse
the funds of the General Conference made available for their territory, under
the direction of the division committee, and to perform such other duties as
usually pertain to such office.
Sec. 3. The Division Committee may appoint such assistant treasurers and
assistant auditors as may be required to carry on the work.
Article X—Executive Committee
Sec. 1. During the intervals between the sessions of the General Conference,
the Executive Committee shall have full administrative power, with authority to
grant credentials and licenses, and to fill for the current term any vacancies
that may occur in its offices, boards, committees, or agents, by death, resignation,
or otherwise. The Executive Committee shall also have power to withdraw cre-
dentials or licenses by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at
any regular committee meeting.
Sec. 2. A meeting of the Executive Committee, known as the Autumn Council
shall be held annually for the purpose of considering budgets from the fields
and making appropriations, and for the transaction of other business and the
adoption of such policies as may be necessary in the operation of the world-wide
work.
Sec. S. A majority of the full membership of the Executive Committee, includ-
ing the President or a Vice-President, is empowered to transact denominational
business of any nature at any time and place.
Sec. 4. Any seven members of the Executive Committee, including an officer
of the General Conference, shall, after due notice to available members, consti-
tute a quorum of the Executive Committee and shall be empowered to transact
such executive business as is in harmony with the general plans outlined by
the committee at the designated place of meeting of the Executive Committee
as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 5. All meetings of the Executive Committee, except majority meetings,
shall be held at the general headquarters, or at such other place as may be
definitely arranged by a majority meeting of the Executive Committee, or by the
quorum of at least seven members meeting in regular session at general head-
quarters.
Sec. 6. Meetings of the Executive Committee may he called at any time by
the ranking officer of the Conference who may be present at headquarters, and
such officer, or any member of the committee appointed by him, shall act as.
Chairman of the meeting.
Sec. 7. Minority meetings of less than seven members of the Executive Com-
mittee may be held at the General administrative office for the transaction of
necessary routine business, but actions taken at such meetings shall not be final
until the minutes of such meetings have been approved in a regular session of
the Executive Committee.
Article XI—Division Committees
Sec. 1. In each division outside of North America, a division committee shall
be constituted as hereinafter provided, for the transaction of business pertain-
ing to the division.
Sec. 2. The members of a division committee shall be the President,. the
Secretary, and the Treasurer of the Division. the Presidents of union conferences,
the Presidents of union missions, the Division Field Secretaries, the Division
Departmental Secretaries, the Secretary of the Ministerial Association, and any
other members of the General Conference Committee present. Other members may
also be apnointed by the division committee.
Sec. 3. The actions taken by division committees pertaining to the adminis-
tration of affairs in the division fields, shall be considered final, provided they
are in harmony with the plans and policy of the General Conference as set forth
in the Constitution and By-Laws, and in its Executive Committee actions at
regular Autumn Councils.
Sec. 4. Five members of a division committee, including the chairman, shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. When the chairman is to
be absent from headquarters, he or the committee may designate an acting
chairman. Minority meetings of fewer than five members of the division com-
mittee may be held for the transaction of necessary routine business, but actions
taken at such meetings shall not be final until the minutes of such meetings have
been approved in a meeting with a quorum present.
Sec. 5. The Australasian field is organized as an Inter-Union Conference but
functions subject to the provisions of its constitution, as a division of the Gen-
eral Conference.
Article XII—Corporation Boards
At each regular session of the General . Conference the requisite boards of
trustees, according to their respective Constitutions and By-Laws, shall be elected