Oakwood University - Acorn Yearbook (Huntsville, AL)

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N 1 the colored evangelist of the conference, and two Negro members to be elected. C29 We recommend that in conferences receiving ap- propriations for their colored work the proportionate share of local conference administration expense be on a ratio of one third to the colored and two thirds to the white work, this calculation to be based on practically equal constituency of white and colored mem- bership, and where the proportion of constituency varies from that ofequality, either up or down, the proportion of administrative ex- pense be carried on the same ratio, up or down. The first black person elected to the General Conference was El- der W.H. Green, and he served from 1918 until his rather sudden death in 1928. ln 1929, G.E. Peters, one of the most outstanding black pioneers ofthis church and one of the most progressive lead- ers that we have ever had, was elected to the office. ln 1930, under his leadership, the following recommendations were made at the time of the General Conference Session, June 12, 1930, in San Francisco: tlj That the General Conference Committee select one ofour representative colored ministers to fill the office of secretary of the Negro Department, that this secretary be located in Wash- ington, having his headquarters at the General Conference office: that in giving general supervision to the colored work throughout North America he'd work under the counsel of the General Con- ference Committee as do all other General Conference dep.irtnpe tal secretaries. Then, again, there was the reiteration ot etclliilin tri had been previously taken concerning the organization wl the e- ored work in the Southland and the recommendations tor 1 Northem sections of our country. In regards to the organization ofthe early work in the Soulhlaric the committees that were referred to as the colored committe- were more or less rubber stamp committees. 1-or example. w it I was an evangelist and a representatiye of the colored work in t Florida Conference, we would meet on the same day .is the li-.sec tive Committee: that was the committee made up ot .ill the w lx, representatives of the conference. They would meet generai speaking, in the morning and would make their decisions lfic decisions not only' pertained to the operation of the white work. if also the operation of the black w ork. Then. in the .il-lL'l'l'.Us'11. 2 Colored committee would meet. We would consider the recomztie dations that were made by the Executiy e Coniniittee, .ind w ith y e few exceptions, we would approye the decisions that w ere n1..c prior to our meeting. You will recall that in the recommendation that w .is nzacie 1 General Conference Session in 1-'r.incisco. it w .is requested Lita. General Conference Committee select one of our represent.i11y es

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Early picture of Pittsburgh congregation. K g l 5 4 f I 4 I g f i i , 1 l ff 1 as ,f gf , 1 1 24, If if 2 5 1 , ' , 1 A 1 2 ' 4 'ff' 1 1' 3 '7 , ' ' 4 4 fr ' I 2 f , 'lp 14, J P'12'4f',f'4'3 , , .1 , 4 Md,,,,t U z , ,',,4,ZgA': 1 ,, 'Z H , f ,ff iw, HJ I 1 , M ,,y ff' I ' J 4 14 ' f l '4 1,1 f' 45 f ff 'Fl W ' W IK! ' 'Wt J' ' fn H ffff'-ff M 5 f pig ' v ff. 2,.., 1 I. 4 1 4 ff 1 ' f 4- ' ,f AI, s 1 1 , ' 0 5' if ,I , 1, 4, v fr 7 , 2 1 ,ff ! 1 , 1 Q ma ' 4 1 fn 1, fr , f 9- ' 4' 'A f , f -nfQ,2 f f wwf!! 11511 -22225 J.'?iEii'1Ij ies and helpers of the various departments of the several union conferences in the South as are required to look after and care for the development of the colored work.' Now the irony of this whole situation is the fact that many of these recommendations relative to the organization were never fully impleted. In 1929 at the Fall Council held in Columbus, OH the first major recommendation relative to the organization of the black work in the North was voted, referring to the minutes of that Annual Council. Recommended: fly That in each union conference where there are as many as five colored believers, except in the Southeastern, Southem and Southwestern, a Negro secretary be elected, the sec- retary to be a member of the union conference committee. C25 That the union secretary together with the secretaries of the South- eastem, Southern and Southwestern Union Conferences be invited to attend such Autumn Councils as the local conference presidents may be called to attend, thus, they would receive the encour- agement to be gained by contract with the leaders of our world wide work, and would carry it back to the colored churches in their fields, the appeals on all our activities throughout the field the world around. Q33 That these secretaries together with the union secretaries together with the union secretaries of the Southeast, 16 Southem and Southwestern Unions, and such other persons that the General Conference may appoint, would form the General Conference Negro Department Advisory Committee. This Com- mittee will counsel over matters pertaining to the colored work, and at this Annual Council the primary responsibilities of these secretaries were outlined as follows: C15 Holding evangelistic efforts when advisable. C21 By assisting evangelists with the efforts when advisable. C35 By helping to train young preachers and workers. Q45 By helping to foster real soul-winning work in each of the churches and conferences. C55 By cooperating in all lines of departmental and church activities and Q63 That where the colored constituency in a local conference is sufficiently strong, and is represented by a colored minister of experience, we recommend that he be made a member of the local conference committee. Now this more or less applied to the Negro constituency in the Northem sections of our country. At this Annual Conference, con- sideration was given to the previous recommendations that were made by the joint committees of the Southern, Southeastern, and Southwestern Unions which met in 1827, and these were among the actions which were approved: .... fly That the Negro Com- mittee of the local conference be composed as follows: the presi- dent of the conference, the secretary-treasurer of the conference,

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ng., fill the office of secretary of the department. The reason for this ac- tion was due to the fact that Elder Peters only served one year. A crisis had arisen particularly in the East because one of our great leaders J K Humphrey, had left the mainstream of Adventist and hundreds of black Adventists joined him in the organization of a Black conference Elder Peters resigned from his office in the Gen- ral Conference went to New York. and under the influence of his powerful spirit filled preaching was able to reclaim many of these members At this time Elder F.L. Peterson, who later became a vice president of the General Conference, was elected to succeed Elder Peters Notice that the statement also said that the secretary be located in Washington D C. having his headquarters in the General Con- ference office I stated earlier that when Elder Green was elected in 1918 he should not have his office in the General Conference, and this time the brethren were requesting that the Negro Department head have his office at the General Conference rather than having it in his home There was strong resistance to a black man even in 1929 and 1930 having his office at our headquarters in Washing- ton DC We now come to the Autumn Council of 1941, and at this coun- cil Elder G E Peters, who was again serving as the departmental 18 , . . v Q - , . 9 ., . . secretary, gives his report. I would like to quote from his historic report: Brother Chairman, I believe that we are all convinced that the Negro Department through the years has made wonderful ad- vancement and achievement. Just think, we have grown from 900 believers in 1909 to 14,537 at the close of 1940. In the year 1912, the tithe receipts were 516,323 from the colored constituency, and during the last five years, or from 1936-1940 inclusive, our colored believers paid in tithe 51,112,000 During the same period, mission offerings were S703,000 as compared with 83,000 in the year 1912. Surely when taking all things into consideration, the colored Sev- enth-day Adventist is more of an asset than a liability. Elder Peters continues, Relative to our present organization, it has been proven that in many instances in foreign fields it paid in large dividends when greater responsibility was placed on native workers. That role holds true when it comes to the Negro work in North America. It is obvious that the colored work made decided advancement when greater and larger duties were placed on their own leaders. It is particularly interesting to note the progress of our book work in certain Union territories where responsibility of leadership has been placed upon colored men. I believe that more will be ac-