Chapter 5—The General Conference of 1901

A feeling of exhilaration and excitement filled the air on Tuesday morning, April 2, as workers and church members began to assemble in the Battle Creek Tabernacle a little before nine o'clock. This would be the largest General Conference session ever held. What is more, Ellen White would be there, and it would be the first session she had attended in ten years. The 267 delegates represented a church of 75,000 members. Four fifths of these members resided in the United States. 5BIO 70.1

Many of the workers came with feelings of apprehension. It was very clear that the church had outgrown its organization. While at the sessions of 1897 and 1899 there was a recognition that some changes should be made, no one knew just what to do. At this juncture it would be well to review the overall picture and reconstruct the stage, as it were, for what took place. 5BIO 70.2