[The following was taken word for word from the Adventist Review of July 3, 1985 at the General Conference Session in New Orleans. It is quoting the comments of Elder Neal Wilson, General Conference President]:“There are more vice presidents of the General Conference who represent other parts of the world than North America. If you compare vice presidents to “Cardinals,” we already have a “Cardinal” from Africa, and before this session ends, I predict we will have two African “Cardinals” among our 15 vice presidents (ten division presidents and five headquarters vice presidents). This church has never tried to carry on its work entirely and completely from the office in Washington. The General Conference operates through its divisions, and their decisions are final as long as they are in harmony with the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws. General Conference leadership is scattered throughout the divisions, and when the composition of division committees is studied it is obvious that this is not a North American church, but a world church. Many of you will be General Conference leaders in your divisions. You will not necessarily have to be in Washington to be a General Conference leader. This needs to be understood. Five years ago there were eight general vice presidents in Washington. For five years now there have been six. We are recommending at this meeting that only five be elected, plus, of course, the ten who are vice presidents by virtue of division presidencies. Brother Diaz could have made a far greater argument because there is no “Cardinal” from all the countries of the Far East, while there will probably be two “Cardinals” from Africa. We have been blessed in so many ways. But I want you to know that on my heart rests a very heavy burden for this sensitive, delicate, critical group of brothers and sisters who live in countries referred to as Socialist. The Lord will help us through. My great appeal is that we not divide our family here. Your Nominating Committee is examining every point. An enormous amount of time has already been taken to reflect the opinions we have heard in the past few minutes. Your Nominating Committee is not rushing through its work. In fact, it is far behind because it has taken time to discuss many of the issues that have been presented here. A question was asked about Elder Kloosterhuis. He represents no geographical segment of the world work. He does have the qualification of having worked in two different divisions.”Five (5) times our world leader referred to the Vice Presidents as “Cardinals”. This repeated attempt to call the General Conference Vice Presidents “Cardinal”, could only lead us to believe that the President himself would be “Pope”.ST, Feb. 19, 1894 – “The church that holds to the word of God is irreconcilably separated from Rome. Protestants were once thus apart from this great church of apostasy, but they have approached more nearly to her, and are still in the path of reconciliation to the Church of Rome. Rome never changes. Her principles have not altered in the least. She has not lessened the breach between herself and Protestants; they have done all the advancing. But what does this argue for the Protestantism of this day? It is the rejection of Bible truth which makes men approach to infidelity.It is a backsliding church that lessens the distance between itself and the Papacy.”