McElhany, J. L., 1880-1959
Person
James Lamar McElhany (1880-1959) was born in Santa Maria, California and educated in public schools and Healdsburg College. He became a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church in 1895, and a Bible and tract worker for the California Conference in 1901. McElhany was ordained to the ministry in 1904 while engaged in his first overseas appointment to the mission fields of Australia. On returning to the United States in 1910, he briefly chaplained the sanitarium and pastored the church in Boulder, Colorado, before accepting the chaplaincy of the W ashington Sanitarium and Hospital.
His appointment in 1913 to the presidency of the Greater New York Conference was the beginning of an uninterrupted series of administrative positions that culminated with the presidency of the General Conference. Between 1913 and 1926, McElhany was president, successively, of the New York, California, Southeastern California, Southern Union, and Pacific Union Conferences. He became vice-president for the North American Division in 1926, again president of the Pacific Union Conference in 1932, general vice-president of the General Conference in 1933, and president of the General Conference in 1936, a post he held until 1950. From 1950 until his death at the Glendale Sanitarium, he served as a field secretary for the General Conference.
As General Conference President, McElhany led the Seventh-day Adventist Church through a period of national and international stress. Limited funds made the financing of the church work difficult during the years of America's recovery from economic depression. He presided over a significant session of the General Conference Committee which decided the position the church took regarding war service of Seventh-day Adventist youth, and later the organization of regional conferences. Toward the close of his administration, Elder McElhany drew from his rich background of administrative experience to steer the work of church reorganization and rehabilitation in many parts of the world. In the words of Everett D. Dick, he was a "conservative but courageous" administrator, "farsighted and well balanced" but "not impetuous in judgement." Above all, Elder McElhany was "kind and courteous and sympathetic to all at all times."
His appointment in 1913 to the presidency of the Greater New York Conference was the beginning of an uninterrupted series of administrative positions that culminated with the presidency of the General Conference. Between 1913 and 1926, McElhany was president, successively, of the New York, California, Southeastern California, Southern Union, and Pacific Union Conferences. He became vice-president for the North American Division in 1926, again president of the Pacific Union Conference in 1932, general vice-president of the General Conference in 1933, and president of the General Conference in 1936, a post he held until 1950. From 1950 until his death at the Glendale Sanitarium, he served as a field secretary for the General Conference.
As General Conference President, McElhany led the Seventh-day Adventist Church through a period of national and international stress. Limited funds made the financing of the church work difficult during the years of America's recovery from economic depression. He presided over a significant session of the General Conference Committee which decided the position the church took regarding war service of Seventh-day Adventist youth, and later the organization of regional conferences. Toward the close of his administration, Elder McElhany drew from his rich background of administrative experience to steer the work of church reorganization and rehabilitation in many parts of the world. In the words of Everett D. Dick, he was a "conservative but courageous" administrator, "farsighted and well balanced" but "not impetuous in judgement." Above all, Elder McElhany was "kind and courteous and sympathetic to all at all times."
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
J. L. McElhany Papers
Accession
Identifier: Collection 001