Elder Floyd A. Hunt
                                                                                                                  Hafford Village Church
                                                                                                                  P. O. Box 874
                                                                                                                  Centerburg, Ohio 43011

To whom it my concern:
 

Very sad days have come to America a country which prides its self on freedom of religion and freedom of speech are in very grave danger of being lost forever.
 

Please accept this picture of our little church in Ohio, notice the empty sign in the front of the church, we cannot put the name of our church on the front for fear of being sued for trade mark infringement, by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Silver Springs Maryland. We used to call our church The Hartford Village Church of Seventh-day Adventists, with the Law suit which is presently before the courts. We are afraid to call our church by it's rightful name for fear of being taken to court and we are but a small church with little funds.
 

My step grand daughter (age 14) is a fifth generation Seventh-day Adventist. We can trace our heritage back to some of the very first Seventh-day Adventists in Germany. Over the past several years The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist has changed from our fundamental beliefs and no longer follow the council which was given to us by our Pioneers and Ellen G. White. They have denied the message which brought us into the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
 

We feel that we are the true Seventh-day Adventist church and should be allowed to rightfully use that name. The General Conference has become an embarrassment to us in the manner in which they conduct themselves. Testimonies for the Church volume one page 201, (written by Ellen G. White) states "Brethren should not go to law if it can be possibly avoided; for they thus give the enemy great advantage to entangle and perplex them. It would be better to make a settlement at some loss." "Let us take our position as Seventh-day Adventists. The name is a true expression of our faith. I am instructed to call upon God's people to bring their actions into harmony with their name, of which they have no need to be ashamed. The Seventh-day Adventist faith will bless whenever it is brought into the character-building." (Additional quotes from Ellen G. White.)
 

I know that I speak in behalf of more than 60 people that attend church here. They were baptized in the Seventh-day Adventist church who can no longer support the General Conference due to the changes within the church which they have imposed upon us. Many are still trying to make changes within the church but without any success.
 

Rafel Perez is a fine Seventh-day Adventist minister and is very much a credit to the organization. We had the privilege of having him come to Ohio and speak to our church a few months ago, we heard the same message that, that we have become accustomed to over many years. Many of our people drive over 125 miles (one-way) to church every week, to hear the message preached the way it should be.
 

I wish that I could fully express to you, all of our concerns and feelings about this trial. We pray for Justice in this matter, the question before us is, Can a religion be trade-marked? I think not.
 
 

                                                                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                                                                    (Signed)

                                                                                                                                    Elder Floyd A. Hunt
 
 
 
 

Cc: file

Enclosures: 2