Reunion Committee Meeting's Minutes March 27, 1981 pg 7

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NOTE: COMMENTS IN BLUE ARE MINE - J.B. SCARAMASTRO

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1981

F. Haughton called upon Dick Stone to open in prayer. Afterwards he read the proposition upon which we had voted in our regions on the previous night. It said, '"We move to accept the North American Unity Proposal and commend it to the ecclesias as a basis for reunion."

GEORGE CARRICK: In the regional caucus we took the view that only the delegates should vote and that it was unethical to let observers vote. We figure that in that manner the vote could be weighted in favor of an opinion.

H. BARTHOLOMEW: There is a question as to what is a delegate. We had regional as well as ecclesial delegates that voted.

F. HAUGHTON: Only the regional delegates and the continental committee members should have voted.

D. STONE: It is over and it remains according to what was decided.

F. HAUGHTON: He called for the regional votes.

TO ACCEPT TO REJECT ACCEPT TOTAL REJECT TOTAL

New England 2 0

West Coast 2 0 9 1

Mid-Atlantic 1 1 \

Ontario 1-1/3 2/3 2 1

Midwest
1-1/2 (1.4)
7.83

1/2 (.6)
2.17
5 2

It is pointed out that some of the people voted having in mind that the word "possible" would be substituted by a word such as "susceptible."

D. STYLES: Presented a discussion of Implementation.

1. A joint implementation committee made up of both Amended and Unamended would be appointed.

2. The working out of wording changes with the Unamended:

a. First sentence of nature of man clause.
b. First sentence of the Preamble.
c. Drop Appendices.
d. Revision in the responsibility section and putting it into a narrative form which is better.

3. The revised document would go out to the ecclesias accompanied by a covering letter.

4. The Implementation Committee would workout how brethren would go out to explain this document and to answer questions.

5. More than likely there would be a series of letters put out by the Implementation Committee.

6. Implementation Committee would be responsible to be sensitive to the problems of the Unamended.

7. If there was a favorable vote from the eccesias, then implementation would have to be worked out.

8. There will be an awkward period where some ecclesias have accepted and some have rejected.

9. A great attempt must be made to keep people from panicking.

10. The magazines (The Tidings and The Advocate) would have to work out the problem of dealing with the situation. The Advocate might stay with the Andrewites and then there would be no problem.

11. We need a time limit. (This point was suggested to Don by Dick).

R. STYLES: A vote for it is a vote for reunion.

D. STYLES: The Unamended Committee voted sixteen to one for this document.

BOB BRINKERHOFF: This vote was a vote for a basis and not for reunion. (An artificial distinction really for if you vote for it as a basis, then you have accepted reunion!)

A. NICHOLLS: He read the letter that went out at this point in the reunion effort between Central and Suffolk Street. (It is found in the October 1955 Christadelphian Magazine pages 389-390.)

F. HAUGHTON: He reminded us that we are not talking about the document now, but about implementation. He stated that we will have to form a committee for implementation.

B. PEARSE: He read a letter directed to the Continental Committee, from Bro. Andrew Webb, in which it was asked that they would not send circular letters against the document. It was not against personal opinion when asked, but against circular letters.

JOHN BREWIS: He would be able to go along as long as the door wasn't closed to further discussions in order to arrive at a better document. He was of the opinion that you accept this or else.

DICK STONE: He asked are we going to send the vote out as is, or would John like to change his vote?

JOHN BREWIS: He would not vote differently because he voted scripturally. He will listen to reason if he can be shown.

W. SCOTT: He suggested adjourning the meeting and having just the Continental Committee meet.

F. HAUGHTON: He stated that he was resigning. He felt a younger individual more in line with the present trend should replace him. He stated that we owe a great deal of thanks to D. Styles.

R. STYLES: He stated that F. Haughton had done a very good job the past three days and that others felt the same way.

F. HAUGHTON: He thanked A. Nicholls and H. Tennant for their part. He stated that he believes the good hand of God has brought us to this point we are at now. (How could God be responsible for a possible reunion on an erroneous basis? The Scriptures indicate that the Latter Days will be a period that will see the demise of The Truth because of lukewarmness, apathy, toleration, affluence, and unwillingness to contend for the Truth! Is God responsible for this situation when it develops? Obviously not! Therefore a reunion on a basis which all acknowledge is not what they would like, but is the best that they can get, and which reduces a first principle to secondary status seems to clearly indicate that the good hand of God has not done it.)

F. Haughton asks H. Tennant to close in prayer.

Introductory Note and Text (supplied by Paul Schlicker)
Follow-up To Paul Schlicker by J.S. Scaramastro
List of Suggested Reading Materials