General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7

Conference Proceedings. THIRD MEETING

L. R. CONRADI

May 16, 10 A. M.

O. A. Olsen offered prayer. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.7

A number of delegates not present at the first day’s session responded to the roll-call. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.8

By action of the Southwestern Union committee, the following names were added to the list of Southwestern Union delegates: J. W. Dancer, C. S. Lightner. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.9

By vote of the Conference, J. Vuilleumier, of the French Canadian work, was seated as a delegate. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.10

W. T. Knox was called upon to render his report as treasurer, which appears on pages twenty-three to thirty. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.11

Following the reading of the written report, the treasurer led the session in a study of the financial statements which are a part of the report, these tables appearing in this number. Many amens were heard as the splendid figures were read, showing how the believers are standing by the cause of God with their means. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.12

The treasurer also presented the financial statements of the General Conference Corporation and the General Conference Association. The report of the auditor, R. T. Dowsett, was read. It was voted that the reports be adopted. As supplementary to the regular financial statements, the treasurer presented the figures of tithes and offerings in all the world by decades since 1863. He stated that the amount of tithes for each of the five decades, has been as follows:— GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.13

First decade	$176,826.03
Second decade	505,136.60
Third decade	1,837,915.94
Fourth decade	4,342,193.08
Fifth decade	11,086,438.41
Total	$17,948,510.06
The amount of offerings has been as follows:—
First decade	$ 8,552,57
Second decade	56,700.86
Third decade	496,467.01
Fourth decade	1,271,527.24
Fifth decade	5,936,924.82
Total	$7,770,172.50

The grand total of both tithes and offerings amounts to $25,718,682.56. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.14

Following the report, the congregation united in singing, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.” GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.15

I. H. Evans was then called to the chair, and L. R. Conradi, vice-president for the European Division, was asked to present his report, which is as follows:— GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.16

REPORT OF THE EUROPEAN DIVISION, 1909-13

WASe

Not the expiration of certain prophetic dates, nor extraordinary phenomena in nature, nor great events in political and social life, should constitute the most striking signs of the second advent of Christ, though they are all to be associated with it, by the finished gospel work in all the world. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” The same thing was true concerning the first advent of Christ: there were prophetic dates, to be sure; there were political and social events, as signs of the first advent; but the telling sign was the powerful preaching of John the Baptist and then of Jesus and his coworkers. Of the coming Mesiah, God spoke as follows through his prophet: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect; ... he will bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.... He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor the discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” “It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.17

In full accordance with these prophecies, the first advent of Christ not only marked a wonderful revival among the honest in heart of ancient Israel, but, above all, set on foot the great missionary movement among the Gentiles. This movement shook the world’s empire, pagan Rome, to its very foundations, and gathered out a strong and united body of Christians, who kept the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.18

When the Gentiles longed to see the promised Messiah, then Jesus knew that the hour of his glorification in all the earth had come. When his soul had travailed for years unceasingly, then he prayed: “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” And while he was dying on the cruel cross, he exclaimed, “It is finished.” So shall the mystery of God be finished in the last days by the preaching of the everlasting gospel “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” as “a witness unto all nations,” and gathering out from all nations even unto the ends of the earth a strong body of believers through its ministry, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of of Jesus, and who, by hard, earnest missionary toil, prepare the way of the Lord. From this divine standpoint, let us review the work in the European Division: What has God’s power wrought in the last four years? How far has the message gone? What needs to be done yet ere the glorious advent of our Lord might be truly expected? GCB May 18, 1913, page 18.19

The Best Harvest of Souls

The great aim of all gospel work is to win an untold number of precious souls, every one of which is worth more than all the treasures of this world. It is not only for a warning that the everlasting gospel is to be preached, but that a rich harvest of souls may be reaped out of all nations, tongues, and peoples, to walk by living faith in the commandments of God. On looking at the development of the work in the European Division during the last four years from this point of view, we can truly praise the Lord, as during this time there has been yielded the best harvest of souls we have ever had. A short retrospect might elucidate this. Nearly twenty years passed after 1844 before a General Conference could be organized with a membership of 3,500 and an annual income of $8,000. Six conferences in the free Protestant country of the United States constituted this whole General Conference. Twenty years passed, and this number had increased, chiefly in the same country, to 17,000 with an income of $100,000. Only 800 members, or but one-twentieth part of the total number in the world, were now to be found in the most favorable Protestant countries of Europe, and they contributed $1,800, or one sixtieth of the entire means. In 1902, or about 60 years after the commencement, the denomination numbered altogether 73,000 believers, with an income of $800,000. It was at this time that the European Division first took shape having 8,200 members, or one ninth of the entire number in the world, and an income of $65,000, or one twelfth of the total. Ten years more elapsed; the members have in this short period increased from 8,200 to 28,300; the tithe, from $59,000 to $325,000; the offerings, from $8,500 to $85,000. The members have more than tripled, the tithe more than quintupled, and the offerings decupled. The European Division now constitutes one fourth of the total membership and finances. If we compare the three quadrennial periods, the result is as follows: The net gain from 1900-04 was 4,000 souls; from 1904-08, was 6,300 souls; from 1908-12, 11,000 souls. At the close of 1908 our total membership was 17,360, but our gross gain during the last four years alone amounted to 17,870. More were gained since the last General Conference than our membership of the previous thirty years amounted to. Our finances increased in like proportion. The total tithes and offerings from 1900-04 amounted to $295,000; from 1904-08, to $633,000; and from 1908-12, $1,246,000; they doubled every fourth year. The present membership of the European Division equals that of the total General Conference in 1889, and our present-day finances are the same as the whole General Conference reported as late as 1895. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.1

Increase of Organizations

With the growth and extension of the work, the organization must keep pace. The first conference in Europe was organized in 1880; in 1887 there were four; in 1898, only five; and when the German and British Unions were organized, in 1902, there were only ten conferences in Europe. Since 1908 the unions have increased from five to eight; the union missions, from one to two; the conferences, from twenty-four to thirty-nine; the mission fields, from twenty-eight to forty-five, and the total organizations, from fifty-eight to ninety-four, or a total of thirty-six in four years. The East and West German, Central European, and Danube Unions, and the Siberian and Levant Union Missions, have been organized since our last session, as well as fifteen new conferences and seventeen mission fields. These ninety-four organizations not only bind together the believers of one strong nation speaking the same language, but many stronger and weaker nations, who are more or less hostile to each other, and therefore need frequent general meetings, where a large representation of all can meet and consolidate. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.2

Again, some twenty of these organizations, on account of diverse circumstances, cannot have regular meetings, and should by all means benefit by such a general meeting just outside of their own border. To have such a meeting in North America alone deprives most people of its privileges, on account of the expense, distance, and difference in language. The divisional committee therefore appreciates it all the more that plans have already been considered by the General Conference Committee to fully perfect the European divisional organization, and thus secure a representative meeting for Europe. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.3

Gathered Out of All Nations, Tongues, and Peoples

It was comparatively easy to gain a firm hold in the freer Protestant countries of Europe, and yet years passed by ere this object was gained. As our work extended to intolerant Catholic and Mohammedan countries, stringent laws against all sorts of propaganda were met. Religious prejudice of the worst kind, lack of native workers and suitable literature, were difficulties that towered up before us like the walls of Jericho. But strange to say, the countries where the difficulties seemed greatest, the outlook the worst, and where the work was commenced the latest, have outstripped the more favorable countries, such as Great Britain, Scandinavia, and Switzerland, where the work was begun first. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.4

The largest membership in the European Division is found in the German Empire. This empire is now divided into 17 conferences, belonging to three unions, with a membership of 12,100. The mighty Russian Empire, with its great Asiatic possessions, comes next. It has 5,500 members, 17 organizations, 2 unions, and 1 union mission held. Then follow the three Scandinavian kingdoms, with 8 organizations and 3,100 members. Great Britain has 6 organizations and 2,350 believers. Strange to say, Austria-Hungary, where the work is of so recent growth, has already 3 unions, 11 organizations, and 1,970 members. Switzerland follows, with 2 conferences and 1,300 members. It has two separate unions, on account of the different languages. Holland and Belgium come as the seventh, with 410 believers; the four Balkan States, with 400; the French Republic, with Algeria, having 390 members; Turkey, 340; Spain, Italy, and Portugal, 280; and East Africa, 220. In the Protestant sections of the European Division, there are about 16,000 believers; in the Roman Catholic, 6,100; in the Greek Catholic, 5,800; in the Mohammedan, 340; pagan, 220. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.5

Preaching is now being carried on in German, English, Russian, French, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Icelandic, Dutch, Flemish, Welsh, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Esthonian, Lettonian, Livonian, Bohemian, Hungarian, Slavonian, Croatian, Roumanian, Bulgarian, Servian, Turkish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek, Swaheli, Chassu, Kavirondo, Wasinaki, Majita, Tigrene, and Wasekuma, or nearly forty languages and dialects, while there are believers who speak many other tongues. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.6

Territorial Extent of the Work

From Iceland’s snowy mountains to Afric’s sunny fountains this gospel of the kingdom is being preached. A belt of churches and companies of believers stretches all around the Old World, from Lisbon on the Atlantic to Vladivostock on the Pacific. The truth is fast penetrating virgin pagan soil in equatorial Africa, and is forging its way into the Moslem centers of Samarkand and Tashkent, in the very heart of Asia. Every country in Europe has been entered, and this continent has now 76 organizations, with 26,700 members. Northern and Central Asia, with its immense territory, has been divided into 12 organizations, with 1,400 members. The greatest work, however, awaits us yet in the Dark Continent, where we have thus far in the north and east territories only 6 organizations, with 240 members. Our utmost border lines are more or less staked out, but if we glance over this vast territory, 8,000 miles from east to west and 6,000 from north to south, we find immense tracts of land which have never been entered. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.7

Increase of Workers

An interesting and encouraging omen is the steady growth of native workers, who speak most all of the many various tongues in our division. The ordained ministers have increased from 116 to 179; the licentiates, from 70 to 135; the Bible workers, from 194 to 324; or a total of those who devote their time to pure gospel work, from 380 to 680. Our other workers in conference employ have increased from 54 to 56. And yet, though our gospel workers have nearly doubled, how scarce is our ministerial help if compared with the United States. Among the 92,000,000 people and 65,000 believers in the States, they have 534 ordained ministers against our 179 among 550,000,000 people and 28,000 believers. Having 94 organizations to supply with ordained leaders, scarcely one additional ordained minister is left us for each field. In the entire European Division there are 680 gospel workers; in the United States, 1,400. The fact that in 1912 our 680 workers gained 5,486 new members, or an average of 8 per worker, and yet looked after the large membership scattered over an immense territory, speaks of the earnest work done by our ministry in general. It made us sad to see promising ministers return to fields so much better provided, and the sadder, because so many of our promising young people, rather than to face the difficult problem of military service by faith in the living God, emigrated, and are thus lost to our division. We need to pray more than ever to the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. GCB May 18, 1913, page 19.8

Difficulties to Surmount

War, rumors of war, great strikes, famines, earthquakes, and financial and political crises of all sorts, have darkened the horizon of the European Division during the last four years. But again and again the Lord of hosts has held the four winds to avoid a general outburst. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.1

The greatest empire, where laws for a while seemed to become less severe, has turned the wheel of progress more and more backward, and curtailed our privileges, so that, since the spring of 1910, no conference of any sort could be held there. Not only are our members deprived of all these benefits, but in a number of places, even their Sabbath meetings were forbidden. Our gospel workers were hindered, and in some cases their meeting-halls closed, and they placed on trial and imprisoned. For three years our people along the Volga have been suffering from continual droughts and famine. In many parts none but orthodox Christians can secure farm land, and thus quite a number of our people have almost been forced to emigrate. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.2

The Levant Union Mission has greatly suffered from the long war and its new military laws, enlisting now also Christians, who were hitherto exempt. Help must also be rendered there to some of our poorer people, many of whom are suffering on account of the war. In the Balkan States our workers meet with great difficulties, not only because of the late war, but on account of the intolerant attitude of these governments to the free preaching of the word. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.3

Preaching is still prohibited in Austria, and workers have had to flee from place to place, some even suffering imprisonment. The new military laws on the Continent throughout, exempting barely any, have their effect on our young people, and it takes much faith to persuade them to remain at their post, and, as brave soldiers of Christ, face all difficulties. If the patience of the saints is needed anywhere in our work, it is in the European Division, with its many perplexing issues. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.4

Gospel Support

The Lord has indeed been true to his promise, and increased the income of our division in keeping with our ever-growing needs. At our last General Conference our report stated that Europe, with its 450,000,000 of people, was self-supporting. Appropriations had still to be granted to the immense territories in Asia and Africa, which contain another 150,000,000. Two years ago, at Friedensau, the European Division attained its full age, and shouldered the financial responsibility of all its territory in Asia, Africa, and Europe. None of the ninety-four gospel organizations are in debt; most of them have sufficient means ahead to meet the necessary advances from their own treasury; about half have deposits for emergencies. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.5

Eighteen conferences in the West and East German and the Central European Unions have paid a second tithe since Jan. 1, 1913, to the European subtreasury; eleven others pay it to their union treasury. All the German and Swiss conference organizations are pledged to turn their surplus into their union treasury, and they in turn to the subtreasury. Only such close cooperation in financial matters has enabled the European Division not only to shoulder existing responsibilities, but to push with vigor into new unopened fields and to constantly strengthen the work already begun. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.6

Our tithe has not only increased in proportion to our growing membership, but from an average of $9.38—which was paid annually per member in 1908—it has now advanced to an average of $12.61 for each member in 1912. The vast difference in the tithes paid by our several fields can be seen from the fact that, while the German unions give between $14 and $15 per member annually, and the British, $13.61, the Russian Union sinks as low as $6.57, and Siberia $3.96. The increase of tithes has enabled us to advance the standard of wages to meet the growing expenses of living. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.7

The offerings and the income of the subtreasury have been about doubled during the last four years. In 1909 our expenses amounted to $53,000, and we then had to receive appropriations amounting to $9,543; in 1910 our income had increased to $62,000, and the appropriations were $6,961; in 1911, with $81,000 income, we received $4,792 appropriations; and in 1912, with an income of about $100,000, no appropriations whatever were necessary from the Mission Board. Including the $10,000 appropriations in 1909 our income amounted to $53,000. Without any appropriation in 1912, it passed $100,000. All our conferences and unions are paying their five per cent toward the Sustentation Fund; a reserve fund of $5,000 has been created; and at present quite a sum can be turned annually into the regular mission funds. Our offerings per member have increased from $1.85 in 1909 to $3.15 in 1912. Here also the same diversity is seen as in the average tithe. The West German Union averages as high as $4.41; Siberia, as low as 90 cents. A few conferences and union districts are on the honor roll, having reached the 10-cent-a-week standard. But it will take quite an effort, in view of the smaller earnings in many portions of our division, to attain the 10-cent-a-week standard throughout. Comparing the average income of the European with the American, 10 cents a week in the European Division would more than equal 15 cents a week in North America. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.8

General Meetings

With the constant extension of our division and the multiplication of our organizations, the general work at the head office has greatly increased. All felt grateful for the visits of our American brethren, and the marked feature of all our European meetings was the biennial council at Friedensau in the summer of 1911, where about three thousand of our people, and most of our European workers, were in attendance. The help rendered by Elders Daniells, Spicer, Olsen, and others at some of the annual meetings has been greatly appreciated. Our union presidents, and the medical, educational, and publishing staffs of our institutions, have also rendered efficient help at the general meetings, but it is becoming very evident that the secretary and the general superintendent of the division do not suffice any longer to represent the General Conference interests throughout this enormous field, and another efficient helper ought to be secured. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.9

During the four years three tips had to be made to General Conference Committee sessions in North America, one four month’s trip to South America, one three months’ trip to Russia, Levant, and Abyssinia, a two months’ trip to eastern Russia and Persia, and a five months’ trip to eastern Africa. Several visits have been made annually to union meetings, winter union committee meetings, and many of the local meetings. Any spare time between has been more than filled up by urgent literary work. During the thousands of miles of travel by land and sea, fast and slow, through cold and heat, rain and sunshine, the Lord has upheld his servants by his strong arm, and made these trips fruitful to the work at large. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.10

The Institutions in the European Division

Union centers are located at Watford, Gland, Hamburg, Friedensau, Skodsborg, and Christiania. There are also institutions at Caterham, Copenhagen, and Nyhyttan. Of the twenty-nine conferences, only the three Scandinavian hold real estate. Friedensau and Hamburg serve at present five unions and one union mission, with a membership of 21,000. During the last four years no new institutional center has been created in Europe proper, but the existing ones were all enlarged and improved. New buildings have been erected at Watford, Gland, Hamburg, Friedensau, Skodsborg, and Nyhyttan, and an addition has been built at Christiania. In East Africa nine new stations were bought and built, making our completed stations thirteen. Ten more are in course of erection. Two good sailboats were also secured. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.11

Comparing 1908 with 1912, we find that the investment of real estate and buildings has risen from $546,000 to $740,000 and the inventories from $251,000 to $410,000, or a total of $797,000 against $1,150,000, a gain of $353,000. On the other hand, the institutions show a marked advance in earning capacity. In 1909 the gain was 46,000; in 1910, $59,000; in 1911, $104,000; and in 1912, $123,000, or a total of $332,000. Besides these net earnings, legacies and donations have added another $194,000, increasing the total present worth from $609,000 to $1,135,000, or a gain of $526,000. Thus, though our institutions have invested $335,000 more in the four years, this has been covered, within $18,000, by the increased earnings, while the legacies and donations left a margin of $176,000 to lower the liabilities. In 1902, when the European Division worked up the first financial statement, our total liabilities were $240,000, against $290,000, the present worth. Then the Scandinavian Union had $138,000 liabilities and a present worth of only $59,000; today, their liabilities are $240,000 and their present worth $224,000. All considered, we have surely every reason to praise the Lord for the general prosperity he has granted our institutions, and that the last year has proved to be the best. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.12

Our Educational Interests

There are at present schools at Watford, Friedensau, Skodsborg, Gland, and Nyhyttan. The first two have nine months’ school, the others, only six months; but the shorter terms enable the smaller schools to rent their buildings to the sanitarium at a good rate, and thus meet their expenses. The students have also a better opportunity to earn sufficient means between the terms to pay for their schooling. Advanced students are employed in gospel work during the long vacations. The attendance has increased to 430 students, and 32 teachers are employed. This number looks indeed small if compared with the attendance of our American schools. But it only illustrates the fact that situations differ in the world. Yet the great question is not how many attend school, but how many enter the work from these schools and become efficient workers. Of the 200 students attending the German and Russian departments at Friedensau, from 95 to 100 per cent enter the work as gospel workers or nurses the moment they leave the school. This is more or less so with all our schools. The students are of ripe age, carefully selected, and they chiefly come with the intention of preparing for some branch of our work. As our people in general are not so well situated nor so independent, but few can afford to send their young people. Our school fees have to be small, about $2.25 to $3 per week. When the scholarship plan is workable, as in Great Britain, this is relied upon. Otherwise we have educational funds, amounting to about twenty thousand dollars, which advance help to students, with the expectation that these advances shall be returned. GCB May 18, 1913, page 20.13

The financial standing of our schools is improving constantly. Friedensau, which had to add a second building, stands clear of debt again. Its accounts payable are more than covered by good accounts receivable. The Latin Union school is two thirds paid for. Stanborough Park College is held by the British Union Limited, and it is also free of debt. The debt of our Skodsborg union school has been about wiped out, as the brethren have turned over the proceeds of Frydenstrand to apply on the remaining debt. Our excellence, however, in school work is in dark Africa. Among the 25,000 heathen Wapare, the whole school system is in the hands of Seventh-day Adventists. There are now 21 schools, taught by 33 teachers, and having 2,066 pupils. The whole east side of the Victoria Nyanza, with a million people, presents a still mightier school problem. On the German side, there are now 10 schools, with 1,214 pupils, taught by 24 teachers; on the British side, 11 schools, taught by 26 teachers, and with 500 pupils. Among the Abyssinians, there is a growing school at Asmara, with 23 students, taught by 3 teachers. Thus there are now 43 schools in East Africa, with 3,783 pupils, taught by 86 teachers, of whom 61 are native Christians. This number will undoubtedly fast increase. A number of these teachers, themselves but recently converted from heathenism, do not only teach the natives the elementary rudiments of learning, but they are real soul-winners among their pupils. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.1

Our Health and Philanthropic Work

In Europe proper there were sanitariums and treatment-rooms at Caterham, Gland, Friedensau, Skodsborg, Nyhyttan, Christiania, Frydenstrand, Rostrevor, and Leicester; the last three, however, have lately been dropped, and Watford added. During 1912 eight doctors and 150 nurses have been employed in these institutions, and 2,500 patients treated. All the sanitariums now operated manage to do so without loss. Skodsborg, where over 1,100 patients were treated in 1912, had not only the best gain at the end of the year, but also received several good donations from patients benefited by their treatment. The Gland sanitarium is also enjoying an increasing patronage. What rejoices our hearts the most, however, is the growing missionary spirit among our employees. At all these sanitariums, a ready response is being made to calls for nurses to Asia and Africa. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.2

In connection with the health institutions, one of a purely philanthropic nature ought also to be mentioned, and that is the Old People’s Home at Friedensau. This institution has sufficient room for at least 60 old people; thus far the number of inmates has been about 45. Some 6 of its inmates are blind; others are too feeble to look after themselves. The cost of building and inventories, amounting to $27,000, has not only been collected, but above this $12,000 has accrued from legacies. As to the current support, which amounts to $130 per inmate annually, the inmates themselves have contributed $2,410, while the rest of the deficit, amounting to 2,800, has been covered by the capital interest of our German conferences and unions, which they gladly dedicated to this noble purpose. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.3

Outside the regular sanitarium work, about fifty nurses have been working under conference and sanitarium management, in Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, Scandinavia, etc. In the Levant, our Jerusalem health home has been doing good work. Dr. Pampaian is trying to secure his Turkish diploma at Constantinople. Our Greek nurse, Sister Keanides, has been employed in the military hospital at Saloniki. In East Africa, Dr. Vasenius and Sister Mertke have been giving their attention to medical missionary work. As a number of our missionaries and their wives in Africa are trained nurses, they are able to do considerable medical mission work in connection with their ministry. Our sisters had such success in midwifery that in one place the heathen propose to put up a small building near the mission station for this purpose. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.4

Prospering food factories are located at Watford, Gland, Friedensau, Copenhagen, and Vesteras. Health food stores are successfully operated at Hamburg, Geneva, and Paris. Monthly health journals are now published in English, German, French, and Danish. Our health literature is being constantly enlarged and improved. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.5

Our Publishing Interests

Printing plants are locate at Hamburg, Watford, and Christiania. The Hamburg house has publishing centers also at Riga and Budapest and a depository at Basel. Publishing is being carried on at Gland, Barcelona, Stockholm, Helsingfors, Reykjavik, Florence, Lisbon, and Leipzig. The International Tract Society at Hamburg put up last year a four-story factory, but with the fast-increasing business this is already fully occupied. The printing and publishing work in Europe employs about two hundred. There are now 30 missionary journals, published in 17 languages: English, German, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Bohemian, Roumanian, Lettonian, Esthonian, Polish, Hungarian, Servian. The Herald der Wahrheit has the largest circulation, having a semimonthly edition of 110,000; next comes Present Truth, with 25,000 weekly. All our publishing houses are gaining, and they are not only using their gains to meet their own fast-increasing needs, but they are turning over thousands of dollars of their earnings to help to build up the institutional work in general. Thus the International Tract Society at Watford has turned over $60,000 to the British Union Limited toward the plant at Stanborough Park. Some of the difficulties our publishing work has to meet are best illustrated by what our Riga branch has had to pass through, it having been closed up twice. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.6

Our great pioneers, the canvassers, have also increased much in numbers and in efficiency. At the close of 1908, there were 490 canvassers; now there are 897. The sales have increased as follows; 1909, $312,000; 1910, $313,000; 1911, $332,000; 1912, $424,000, or a total of $1,381,000 against $935,000 the previous four years; a gain of $446,000. The faith of our leaders has not only been larger in the more favorable fields, but new and difficult fields have been entered with success. Thus, Brother Brown has done good work in Catholic Spain; Brother Box, in opening up the work in Austria and Hungary, and even in the Eastern Empire; Brother Voigt, in encouraging the workers in the difficult Moslem field. Untold obstacles, unknown in the New World, meet the canvasser in the Old World, among Catholics and Moslems, at every step. And yet, as never before, the printed page pushes ahead. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.7

Considerable pioneer work has also been done in the African languages. Brother Kotz and his associates have the whole Testament about ready for print in Chassu. Our brethren in British East Africa have been hard at work getting the primer, hymn-book, and part of the New Testament prepared in the Kavirondo. The hymn-book is now completed. In the German Victoria Nyanza field, they are now busy preparing primers and hymn-books in the three languages spoken there. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.8

The Young People’s Work

Although we cannot report large figures for this department of our work, yet it is not being neglected. We realize that the young people of today are our workers and supporters of tomorrow and feel that the very important work of educating them needs our special attention. Here, also, no comparison can be made between the European and North American Divisions. In the United States it is possible to send out literature, pamphlets, and blanks to all the societies, and thus assist them in their work and get complete reports of what has been done. We cannot do this in Europe—we would have to have literature especially for the young people printed in about a dozen different languages. Our General Conference office cannot send out circular letters in one language to all the societies as can the Young People’s Department in Washington. Our work in this department would be greatly simplified if that were possible. We must be content with instructing the union secretaries; they in turn write to their local secretaries, and these endeavor to inspire the young people in their fields. Thus the figures that we bring for this work are small. But we are making strenuous endeavors to get our young people in Europe thoroughly organized, and hope soon to be able to give a more complete report. GCB May 18, 1913, page 21.9

At the end of 1912 we had about 60 reporting societies in the German unions, with 1,200 members; 6 societies in Scandinavia, with 161 members; 2 in the Latin Union, with 60 members; 10 in Great Britain, with 180 members; and several societies in Russia. These figures by no means represent the real number of young people who are doing active missionary work, as many do not report. We hope, however, that the next report we give will contain more accurate figures. If we take our work in the African missions into consideration, we might call our members there one large young people’s society, as most all of the church-members in those fields are not yet out of the twenties. There we have the best-organized societies, and our young people are doing splendid work. The societies at home also remember their black brothers in the heathen fields, and many large donations have been given for the work in Africa and elsewhere. Some societies have been trying to support a worker in one of the missions; others have started Sunday-schools in the large cities, invited children to attend, and in this way became acquainted with people and interested them in the truth. We are thankful to God that he has put the missionary spirit into the hearts of our youth, and shall as a divisional committee to do our best to support them in their efforts. GCB May 18, 1913, page 22.1

Our Fallen Workers

It is always necessary when a bridge is being built that some stones be below the water. In order to obtain fruit, the seed must be buried in the ground. So in achieving results in our mission work, some one must lay down his or her life for God’s cause. It pains us deeply to have to report the deaths of nine noble workers in our division—five in Africa, one in Scandinavia, one in the Latin Union, one in the West German Union, and one in the Danube Union. Sister Drangmeister of the Pare Mission, died in December, 1909; Brother E. Rassler, of the Victoria Nyanza Mission, on April 8, 1911; Sister Kaltenhauser, of the same mission, on July 19, 1911; Brother P. Creanzo, of Italy, Oct. 27, 1911; Brother F. Anderson, of Scandinavia, Jan. 22, 1912; Sister J. Mertke, of the Victoria Nyanza Mission, Dec. 29, 1912; Sister Vasenius, of the Victoria Nyanza Mission, passed away Jan. 22, 1913; Brother Luchtenberg, of Holland, Jan. 24, 1913; and Brother Todor Peter, of Hungary, Jan. 26, 1913. GCB May 18, 1913, page 22.2

Our Needs

A solid foundation has been laid. In Europe proper, with its 450,000,000, there is now an ever-growing constituency, and the workers are gradually increasing. Some of these unions, however, with 40,000,000 to 110,000,000, have only from 60 to 70 gospel workers. Northern Europe is better provided than southern Europe. Italy, with 35,000,000 people, has one ordained minister; Spain, with 20,000,000, has 2 and yet when the calls from fields beyond are presented to them, they willingly respond, even beyond their power. Urgent calls for help come from Mesopotamia, Mauritius, Asiatic Russia, and East and Central Africa. GCB May 18, 1913, page 22.3

We are glad that good, strong ministers are now under appointment for Mesopotamia, Madagascar, and Siberia, and a number of young men and lady nurses for Africa. Our young men in East Africa are willing to heed calls for the Kongo and other portions of central and western Africa, as the way may open. Their experience in African mission fields fits them far better to lead out in new fields again than men direct from the home field. GCB May 18, 1913, page 22.4

Never were our needs greater and our prospects brighter. The Lord is not only opening the doors and restoring “the preserved in Israel” in Christian lands, but he is demonstrating his great spiritual power in Mohammedan lands and on virgin pagan soil. This threefold message is doing a great work there. It is becoming indeed a light unto the heathen Gentiles. Young men among them are not only being converted by the hundreds, but, as they are enlisting and swelling the band of workers in the Dark Continent, we can truly see the greatest of all signs nearing its fulfillment. “This gospel of the kingdom” is reaching out to one nation after another, is penetrating the darkest regions of Africa and Asia, is encircling the globe with its sturdy band of workers, and the glory of its truth is enlightening the earth. Yet a little more labor of love, a few more works of faith, a little more patience of hope, and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, to place his divine seal upon a finished world-wide work. GCB May 18, 1913, page 22.5

L. R. CONRADI, President.
The meeting adjourned.
L. R. CONRADI, Chairmen.
I. H. EVANS, W. A. SPICER, Secretary.