General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7
FROM FORMER SESSIONS
W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, C. C. Crisler, T. E. Bowen, H. E. Rogers, J. N. Anderson
REPORT OF THE LAKE UNION CONFERENCE
(Read during seventeenth meeting of Conference session, May 25, 10 A. M.)
During the last quadrennial period, Providence has truly smiled upon the people of the Lake Union Conference. God has indeed blessed them in basket and in store. The Lord is full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. Eternity will reveal how fully we manifested our gratitude to God for his bountiful gifts. GCB May 29, 1913, page 187.14
As is well known, perhaps, the Lake Union Conference, as its name indicates, is situated in the Great Lake region. It has a population of something more than 13,000,000. Within its boundary is located the second city in size in North America, with a population approximating 2,500,000, comprising almost every nationality under heaven. GCB May 29, 1913, page 187.15
Work has been done for comparatively few of the nationalities, and there is a vast field yet to be opened up among the mixed population found in this great city. For some years past very little has been done in the city of Chicago in the way of opening up new centers, although there were large areas that had never been entered. The cause for this seeming neglect was the utter want of efficient laborers, and means for carrying on the work. During the year 1912 a beginning was made in a section of the city where little had been done in the past. GCB May 29, 1913, page 187.16
K. C. Russell came to the assistance of the local conference, and during the summer conducted a tent effort, which was in every way a success. Not a very large number of people were brought to a decision, but those who did accept present truth were of a very substantial class. This effort awakened inquiry over a large unentered area, and during the winter a large church was rented in an adjoining locality to that in which the tent work was conducted; and a considerable number were added to those already in the faith. The influence was widened, and the interest deepened, and the way is now open for an extended work to be carried on. We are hopeful that men and means will be provided to follow up the splendid interest created in the large and growing section on the west side of the city of Chicago, which, in the near future, may extend from that locality to others, until the city is completely warned. The growth of the city of Chicago exceeds one hundred thousand annually, so that this in itself is a vast mission field in which individuals of all nations may have an opportunity to learn of the last message to the world. GCB May 29, 1913, page 187.17
Of the membership of the union, the major portion may be reckoned as true, loyal, faithful souls ready for every good work. Although hundreds have embraced the truth in four years, yet the union, as a whole, has not maintained its past record as to membership, owing to death, apostasy, and removals, especially the latter. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.1
PHOTO-TRI-CITY SANITARIUM, MOLINE, ILL.
The tithe receipts have steadily increased throughout the union, until at present they amount to $15.75 per capita. The offerings to missions have not correspondingly increased, although some advancement has been recorded. The total sum sent to the General Conference treasury during the period since the last General Conference, in tithes, and offerings for mission purposes, is $256,562.91, besides $18,500.95 to the Sustentation Fund. Also during the first two years of the quadrennial period, the churches of our union contributed several thousand dollars toward the support of work among the colored people, and to the religious liberty and other funds not then recorded as mission funds. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.2
There has been a gradual increase in the receipts from the sale of our literature in the union, although the receipts have not been large at any time. In 1909 the receipts were $44,735.61; in 1910, $49,387.15; in 1911, $64,628.07; and in 1912, $65,654.78; a total of $224,405.61, which represents literature placed in thousands of homes of the people of the union. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.3
The schools of the Lake Union have been fairly prosperous, and in most cases have had a growing patronage. The enrollment the past year was 229 at Emmanuel Missionary College, 555 in the academies and the intermediate schools, and 1,150 in the church-schools; making a total enrollment of 1,934 in the schools of the union. Our schools have not increased their liabilities to any great extent, with one exception. In the main, they are not carrying very heavy liabilities. Some are practically free from debt. Emmanuel Missionary College has expended several thousand dollars in much-needed improvement, but at the same time has decreased its liabilities to some extent. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.4
PHOTO-EMMANUEL MISSIONARY COLLEGE
A word further regarding Emmanuel Missionary College financially. During the last four years the plant has been put in a good state of repair. Much in the way of improvement has been done, but at the same time the financial condition of the college has also improved. Each year of the last period has shown a substantial gain in receipts over expenditures in operating, as follows: in 1909, $1,500; in 1910, $2,700; in 1911, $500; in 1912, $5,400, after allowing for $700 depreciation that year. Two years or more ago, the managing board became convinced that insufficient depreciation of the plant had been recorded in the early years. Arrangements were made for a complete estimate of values, which, when executed, resulted in cutting down the value of the entire plant ten thousand dollars. This, of course, should be spread over the entire history of the school up to, and including, 1911. As already stated, the year 1912 showed a gain, in operating, of $5,400. The school year which has just closed will show a gain more than sufficient to cover the balance of the ten thousand dollars’ depreciation that appeared in the one large sum. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.5
At present, the Lake Union Conference has no secretary of the Sabbath-school department; consequently, no statistics have been obtained of the work done. However, we have secured the following: There are 425 Sabbath-schools in the Lake Union Conference, with a membership of 10,525. The contributions to missions, during the year 1912, were $27,197,—a little less than one half of the total contributions to missions in the union for that year. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.6
The work of the medical department of the union has not had the attention it deserved since the last General Conference, for want of an active man to devote his time and attention to it. Our sanitariums, three in number, have all enjoyed an excellent degree of patronage each year, and their annual reports reveal the fact that success has attended the work of physicians in these institutions. Many people are rejoicing in the blessing of health restored as the result of their labors, and many more have received material benefit from treatment received. The spiritual atmosphere in these sanitariums is excellent. The Lord has put his blessing upon our sanitariums, burdened, as they are, with heavy liabilities financially. In fact, so heavy is the burden as to render it impossible for them to meet the annual interest and at the same time render very much help to those in need of charitable treatment. Each of these enterprises was undertaken by an individual conference that soon found itself unable to meet the demands for means necessary for its maintenance, and pay the original cost of construction and equipment. It is very evident that relief finally must come by enlarging the sphere of responsibility in nearly every case. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.7
One of the conferences responsible for one of these sanitariums has within its borders the second largest city in North America. The membership of this conference is about twelve hundred, and it is therefore too feeble to properly care for the work of the great city, and give the message to its millions, to say nothing of relieving the sanitarium of its heavy indebtedness. The other conferences of this union having sanitariums are somewhat more fortunately situated, having within their limits a larger membership, and no cities with so vast a population. And yet these conferences experience great difficulty in providing sufficient means to supplement the earnings of the sanitariums in order to meet the interest on their indebtedness, and to make necessary repairs and extensions. Our sanitariums are a valuable aid in carrying forward the work of God in the earth. May the time come when they will be free to do their God-appointed work unhindered by debt. GCB May 29, 1913, page 188.8
ALLEN MOON, President.