General Conference Bulletin, vol. 6
FIFTH MEETING
W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, I. H. Evans, C. M. Snow, T. E. Bowen
May 14, 3 P. M.
The fifth meeting of the Conference was called at 3 P. M., May 14, G. A. Irwin in the chair. Prayer was offered by J. H. Schilling. GCB May 16, 1909, page 23.12
The chairman stated that the General Conference Committee had not finished its work of nominating the standing committees of the Conference, as voted last evening, but that they were ready to submit a partial report. In studying the general needs of the Conference work, the committee had thought to suggest a large number of names to serve on these standing committees of the session; and instead of having separate committees on plans and resolutions and finance, as usually done, it was deemed advisable to merge these two in one representative committee on Plans and Finance. The reading of the partial report was called for, and presented as follows:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.1
“Your committee asked to nominate the standing committees for this session, respectfully make the following partial report:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.2
“Committee on Nominations: O. A. Olsen (chairman), M. L. Andreasen, E. K. Slade, E. E. Andross, Chas. Thompson, W. B. White, H. H. Burkholder, M. N. Campbell, H. F. Schuberth, Daniel Isaak, F. W. Spies, J. V. Willson, H. H. Dexter, S. F. Svensson, W. J. Fitzgerald, J. B. Beckner, W. A. Westworth, A. J. Haysmer, C. Santee, H. S. Shaw, Wm. Guthrie, J. N. Anderson. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.3
“Committee on Plans and Finance: I. H. Evans (chairman), J. E. Fulton, J. M. Johanson, F. W. Field, W. R. Smith, H. J. Edmed, A. C. Selmon, G. W. Caviness, W. Ising, H. H. Votaw, D. C. Babcock, F. Griggs, W. A. Ruble, M. E. Kern, E. R. Palmer, G. B. Thompson, G. A. Irwin, K. C. Russell, J. T. Boettcher, L. P. Tieche, J. C. Raft, W. C. Sisley, J. H. Schilling, J. W. Westphal, U. Bender, L. R. Conradi, C. F. McVagh, H. W. Cottrell, Allen Moon, R. A. Underwood, W. C. White, C. W. Irwin, E. T. Russell, G. W. Reaser, A. T. Robinson, J. H. Morrison.” GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.4
The report was adopted. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.5
Following the adoption of this partial report, the chairman called on the delegates from the German Union to speak for their great field. The union president, H. F. Schuberth, led, as follows:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.6
THE LAST FOUR YEARS IN THE GERMAN UNION
At the beginning of 1905 the German Union Conference consisted of the German, Russian, and Austria-Hungarian empires, together with the Balkan States, Holland and Flemish Belgium, German Switzerland, and German East Africa, with a population of something like 275,000,000. In Germany there are five conferences, with a membership of 3,434. One conference and three mission fields were in Russia, with 2,033 members. In the German-Swiss Conference there were 386 members. The Austrian and Hungarian missions contained 275 members. There were 99 members in the Holland and Flemish Belgium Mission. The Balkans contained 73 members. German East Africa, which we opened in 1903, but which is now operated by the General Conference, had five members. In all, there were 6,297 brethren and sisters in the German Union. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.7
Owing to the unmerited grace of God, who has blessed our efforts far beyond our sanguine hopes during the last four years, we have been able to baptize 6,508 and receive 1,138 by vote, giving us a total of 7,646 new members. Our tithe was $311,893; Sabbath-school offerings, all of which went to missions, $25,132; weekly donations, $12,240; annual offerings, $18,305; book sales, $400,431. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.8
Liberty was granted us in Russia, and the work so developed that we were able to set off the Russian Union Conference, with 2,500 members, in the autumn of 1907. We have also been able to organize five local conferences: The German Union District (1905), with 375 members; in 1907 the North German, Silesian, and Hungarian, with a membership of 450, 365, and 414, respectively; last year, the kingdom of Saxony was organized into a conference of 400 members. To-day each of the twelve local conferences in our union, with the exception of Hungary, pays a first and a second tithe to the support of the German Union mission fields—and that in spite of the burden resting upon them to carry the light to the millions within their own territory. Indeed, these local conferences were not satisfied to give only their first and second tithe to the union, but at their local sessions the past winter, they gave from their meager surplus, $2,500 toward opening the work in Galicia and Austria and Servia. We believe that the approval of God rests upon a cheerful giver, and that he blesses a liberal policy on the part of conferences as well as individual cases, and he has strengthened this faith on our part, by the success he has granted our labors. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.9
Dec. 31, 1908, our union membership was 8,521. Of these 7,040 were in Germany. As Russia was a part of the German Union for three fourths of the term, it might not be out of place to state that there were 11,598 believers in these two fields in 1908, showing for the two unions a net gain of 5,301 against 8,512 received in the four years. Thus we lost thirty-eight per cent of those who accepted the message during that time. In 1901 the German-Russian Union membership was 3,827, so that the last seven years have witnessed an annual average growth of 1,110 members, in these two great unions. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.10
All classes of society are coming to learn of our truth and principles. The manner in which the law of God has been honored by young men in the military service, where one true disciple of Christ has been condemned to imprisonment till 1914 because of his strict integrity in the observance of the fourth commandment, has done much to give publicity to the third angel’s message. Three of our members are countesses; one of our Bible workers was formerly a court musician; a sister is employed at the court in Rumania; the German Prime Minister recently purchased several of our books; the crown prince bought “Ministry of Healing;” and the German empress accepted as a gift a specially bound copy of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” several years ago. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.11
The message is accepted by all nationalities. For example, in Bucharest, there is a church of 106 members, representing 12 nationalities. Until we secure a foothold, much of the work in these mission fields must be done through an interpreter, and this hampers our movements greatly. We do our best to secure native young men, who speak these tongues, and educate them as laborers. In the union the following languages are represented; German, French, Dutch, Hungarian, Servian, Rumanian, Slovakian, Danish, Polish, Bohemian, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, and Wendic—fourteen in all. The special providence of God is opening the way for our work in Austria, and his intervention in behalf of liberty for our work in Bavaria will be related to you by the delegates from those fields. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.12
I would like to mention a new departure in our field efforts in the union; for a time it seemed rather a question as to whether it would be advisable for us to attempt holding tent-meetings in the German empire; but we made the attempt, and the experiment has proved successful. Eleven tents are in operation in our territory this summer. We thank the friends in America who have taken an active part in supplying tents for our fields. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.13
You will remember that the German Union is one of the youngest of our fields, and you will therefore not be surprised when I state that there is plenty of unentered territory before us. Last autumn we began labors in Croatia. We are now entering Servia and Galicia. We are especially anxious to see all our mission territory developed. As a union, we were willing to give our Sabbath-school, First day, and annual offerings to the General Conference, beginning with Jan. 1, 1908; but we thus cut down our annual income by over $15,000, although we do not ask any appropriation from American funds to assist in evangelizing the seventy-two and one-half millions in our dependent fields, to say nothing of the burden resting upon the 7,500 members dwelling in the organized self-supporting conferences to warn the sixty-three and one-half millions of people within their own borders, many hundreds of thousands of whom have not yet even heard of the speedy return of the Lord. This burden of responsibility does not rest lightly upon our shoulders; but we are very glad to have a part in carrying the load. We feel grateful that in years gone by God put it into the hearts of our American brethren to give of their men and money to start the work in the German empire, and we wish to do our part in passing the glad tidings along. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.14
In the union there are a number of institutions. The Hamburg Publishing House issues literature in eighteen languages. In Friedensau we have the Industrial School, with an enrollment of 140; the sanitarium, with a patronage of 340 patients a year; the Old People’s Home, which will accommodate 60 inmates. The food factory and mill enjoy sales amounting to $25,000 annually. We have invested in the German Union $371,555, of which $244,692 is paid-up capital. We are also conducting successful ship missions in Hamburg and Rotterdam. We are grateful for the help that has come to us through the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” and “Ministry of Healing.” GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.15
In the union 200 evangelical laborers and 300 canvassers are at work, doing what they can to push the triumphs of the gospel message among the 136,000,000 of people in the German Union territory. We are also called upon for workers to assist Russia, German East Africa, Brazil, the Levant field, and the Dutch East Indies. We take pleasure in answering these calls just as far as we can; for we earnestly wish to be accounted faithful, with you, in having done our part to speedily accomplish the work of carrying the glad news of Jesus’ soon coming to all the world in this generation. To that end we request you to pray for us, and to remember us in sympathy and true brotherly love in all time to come, as we shall you. When we think of the West, the East, the South, the North, the Middle-German and Prussian, the Rhenish, the Swiss German, and the Hungarian conferences, together with the German Union district, and the Austrian, the Holland and Flemish Belgium, the Balkan, the Galacian, and the Adriatic missions; and when we remember the great odds that confront us in many of these lands, we do feel our insufficiency, and our great need of the power of the Spirit of God, to do well what he expects of us. Therefore, our hope and desire at this meeting is to secure that outpouring of the Holy Spirit which will enable us to go forth to labor in these hard but promising fields with far greater success than we have ever realized before. GCB May 16, 1909, page 24.16
Elder Schuberth called upon the vice-president of the union, J. H. Schilling, to report for the local conference of which he has charge: GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.1
SOUTH GERMAN CONFERENCE
I bring greetings to the General Conference from Southern Germany. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.2
The South German Conference was organized in 1902, with a membership of about three hundred. The territory includes the kingdom of Bavaria and Wurtemberg, the grand duchies of Baden and Luxembourg, and the provinces of Alsace-Lorraine and Hohenzollern, a territory as large as Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with a population of over thirteen millions. Our present membership is 1,040 persons, ninety-one of whom were received last quarter. Had it not been that we have just turned Hessia over to the West German Conference, our membership would now be more than 1,100. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.3
The Tithe GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.4
The gain in tithe the past four years has been from $6,322 in 1905 to $11,500 in 1908, or an average gain of $1,300 annually. During this period we received a tithe of $37,000 and $6,800 in other offerings. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.5
Circulation of Literature GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.6
We are especially thankful for the blessing of the Lord granted to our faithful workers in the circulation of our literature. Our canvassers’ sales amounted to $20,000 last year. There has also been good progress made in the activity of our missionary societies, whose earnings were $9,300 in 1908. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.7
Religious Liberty GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.8
Until two years ago our brethren in Bavaria were fined from 25 to 50 marks each for attending our meetings, and we had to baptize our converts in secret. After repeated appeals to the government, religious liberty was granted us, and we became an acknowledged private church association, with the privilege of holding property, and of preaching freely everywhere in Bavaria, without even asking permission from the authorities. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.9
Although two years ago the conducting of meetings in Alsace-Lorraine, which is extremely Catholic, was accomplished under the greatest difficulties, yet now the Lord has so wonderfully cleared the way for us that our workers can open a series of lectures anywhere without hindrance. A company was started about a year and a half ago in Strassburg, the chief city in Alsace; and since then it has increased to a church of forty-four members. In addition to this we have organized a company in Muhlhausen, the second city in Alsace, and according to the last report of our worker, there seems to be an extraordinary interest existing, which fills us with hope for a good increase during this quarter. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.10
In Metz, Lorraine, the work was also started about a year and a half ago; and notwithstanding the fact that Catholicism reigns as supremely there as in many other cities in Europe, the Lord has prospered our work, and we have now a church of some thirty members in that place. This we consider remarkable, especially when we think of the darkness existing in the hearts of the people. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.11
In the small principality of Luxembourg, which is also a part of our conference but not a part of the German empire, we also succeeded in starting our work. At first we thought that an entrance into this territory was an impossibility, because our canvassing work is absolutely forbidden, and the existence of a new sect, as they say, is not tolerated. Notwithstanding this fact, our worker succeeded in receiving full permission from the highest government authorities to conduct meetings. In his last report he wrote that he expected to organize a company of believers in this quarter. This shows that God is going on before in these Catholic communities, and opens the darkest hearts to the bright light of our glorious message. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.12
In Wurzburg, a city of about 70,000 inhabitants, with, as one might say, an image in every house and on every important corner of the streets, our work has prospered in a marked manner. With only five months’ work we organized a church of 28 members. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.13
At present we have 6 ministers, 4 licentiates, 8 Bible workers, and 2 missionary colporteurs, with about 35 canvassers. Although we have entered most of the leading cities of our field, such as Nuremberg, Munich, Stuttgart, Mannheim, Augsburg, and Strassburg, and have well organized and large churches in them, yet we feel that we have but begun our efforts. We are determined to press forward with greater vigor and energy in the future. To the end that we may be able to carry out this resolution, we request our brethren and friends to remember our work and workers at the throne of grace. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.14
Next, Brother Oblander spoke for the German-speaking portion of Switzerland:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.15
THE GERMAN SWISS CONFERENCE
The field which I represent consists of the seventeen cantons of Switzerland where the German language is mostly spoken, with a population of 2,500,000. This field is the smallest in comparison with the other fields in the German Union; but we are glad to know that we can claim the precious promise in the book of Zechariah 13:7: “And I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.” GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.16
Switzerland is one of the most beautiful spots in our world. When we look at its majestic mountains, with their silvery heads, they seem to speak to us of the mighty power and the infinite love of God manifested in Christ Jesus. Switzerland is also the cradle of the work of the third angel’s message in Europe. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.17
This was originally a part of the French field, but, later, owing to its language relationship to the German Union, it was, after thorough consideration, joined to the German Union. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.18
We can not report such great figures, perhaps, as other conferences, but we are glad to know that the Lord does not look so much for quantity as he does for quality. During the year 1908, we had only three ordained ministers, one licentiate, and four Bible workers. Yet by the blessing of the Lord, we were able to add 182 members. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.19
We have now twelve churches and six companies, with a membership of 500. The first quarter of 1909 we baptized 32, twenty of whom accepted the truth at Zurich, where we held a series of lectures last winter. Our church at Basel has a membership of 100. In Zurich the church has grown from 70 to 132 in the last two years. The tithe in 1907 was $3,992, and in 1908, $5,041. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.20
The canvassing work is also doing very well, although our canvassers meet many difficulties. One brother was put in prison three days in Luzerne because he sold one little tract that he had not named in his list that was endorsed by the officials. Our canvassers have to have a license from the state or districts. The confederational license costs $32 a year, and the district license costs from $1 to $16 a month. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.21
The Lord has greatly blessed his work in this field, and we trust in his help for the future. We desire to consecrate ourselves anew to him. Remember us in your prayers. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.22
At this point a choir of the German delegates sang a hymn in German, entitled. “Honor to the Lord.” GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.23
The Conference next listened to the president of the East German field, G. W. Schubert, who begged to be excused for not speaking English plainly in this, his first report in that language. He presented, however, in good English, the following report:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.24
THE EAST GERMAN CONFERENCE
The field which I represent is the East German Conference. It includes the Prussian provinces of Brandenburg and Pomerania. In the province of Brandenburg is situated the city of Berlin, the capital of the kingdom of Prussia and of the German empire. The conference has a population of about 7,300,000 inhabitants, three millions of whom belong to Greater Berlin. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.25
This field was organized in 1901, at the time when the German Union Conference was organized. The East German Conference is, therefore, one of the oldest in the German Union Conference, and it is the mother of three other flourishing conferences; namely, the Prussian Conference, which was separated from it in 1903; the Silesian Conference, organized in 1907; and the Saxon Conference, organized in 1908. It is that part of the German Union Conference in which growth has been most marked, and the work has gone forward most rapidly. GCB May 16, 1909, page 25.26
The East German Conference now has thirty-seven churches and companies, with 1,073 members. Of these twenty-one are completely organized churches. During last year there were baptized and added three hundred souls. The tithe amounted to $12,962; and offerings to $1,904. We pay two tithes to the German Union Conference, and in 1908 we donated $500 for the Friedensau School building and to the Austrian missions. The total number of workers is twenty-three, four ordained ministers, four licentiates, and fifteen Bible workers. Last year twenty-eight canvassers sold $10,030 worth of publications. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.1
On the whole the lectures of our workers were well attended, and the message is progressing favorably in every way. Berlin, with its surrounding suburbs, is a large field of itself. We should have at least twenty workers here, but at present there are only eight workers in that city. Here we have seven churches, with a membership of about 600. The last new place we entered was Berlin-Schonenberg, where in one year and a half we baptized about one hundred persons. One hundred and sixty-eight were added to the Berlin churches last year,—the best results we ever achieved. Last winter we met rather bitter opposition from the state church in one of the Berlin suburbs; several large meetings were held, and they were attended by nearly one thousand people at one time. Our adversaries reproached us as being dangerous to the state, but they recalled this when an energetic reply and explanation of our principles had been made. The government watches the growth of the work with a keen interest, and we have been visited by an official of the police twice during the year. He inquired about our entire organization, and showed a lively interest in the meeting which our leading brethren held at Gland. On this occasion I learned that our church paper, Zions-Wachter, is being read by the government in Berlin, and the official requested me to give him some copies, in which the resolutions of the Gland meeting had been printed. We take pains to do our best to destroy the prejudice that comes up through the experiences we have in the military and school questions. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.2
We rejoice at having a part in the work of God in the last message, and our wish and desire is to assist in perfect harmony and closest union the advancement of the work of the great threefold message of God throughout the whole earth. We hope that this General Conference will contribute toward this, so that these wishes on the part of all may be realized. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.3
Next, the special district territory of the German Union was spoken for by O. Luepke, principal of the Friedensau Training College. This is the district around Friedensau, where several union institutions are located. He said:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.4
THE FRIEDENSAU INSTITUTIONS
Our Friedensau institutions have been built up one by one. We bought the land in the fall of 1899. At that time we built a food factory, and a school was opened in temporary quarters. In 1901 the sanitarium was opened, and in 1907 the Old People’s Home was finished. Of the necessary dwellings, business offices, power house, steam laundry, disinfector, farm houses, irrigation, sewerage, etc., I do not intend to give details, even though considerable capital is invested in them. The entire outfit is owned by the German Union. Since, as a denomination, we are not recognized in various states, especially in Prussia, we can not hold property. A society under the name Deutcher Verein fuer Gesundheitspflege (German Society for the Promulgation of Health-reform), has been organized, which is able to hold property for us. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.5
The value of the real estate has risen from the original purchasing price of $12,000 to nearly $250,000. The school has $30,000 invested, and the sanitarium $31,000. The annual sales in our food factory have grown from $17,000 in 1902 to $32,000 in 1908. Our income in the sanitarium rose from $9,000 to nearly $18,000. The annual net gain of the entire investment rose from $1,000 to $6,000. However, we do not consider the school to be a money-making concern, nor can the Old People’s Home be thus regarded. Looking at the financial development of our institutions, we can only say that the Lord has been with us. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.6
The Old People’s Home GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.7
A suitable building has been erected to accommodate sixty aged people. At present only one third of the rooms are occupied. Beds are reserved for any of our workers who are ill and in need of rest. The building was erected by the liberal contributions of all our conferences conferences to the German Union, which also assumed the financial responsibility of all the inmates whom they recommend to the institution. A part of the inmates have given legacies, the interest of which supports them as long as they live, and after their death, the money is to go to the institution. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.8
The Sanitarium GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.9
The patronage of the sanitarium has been on the increase from the start. We are especially pleased to see our winter patronage growing nicely. The Lord has favored us with some influential patrons, and this has made a good impression on the government officials. Hundreds have found physical help. About forty have accepted this precious truth at the sanitarium. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.10
The sanitarium has sent out workers to the various large cities to open up medical missionary work. These laborers have been under the immediate direction of the institution. Not only have they received their practical education there, but they have been paid from their own earnings. During the first seven years we had only one physician. Since 1907 we have had two, one who has completed his education in Germany, and a German lady physician trained in America. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.11
Our Industrial School GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.12
From the beginning it has been our aim to make this institution a missionary industrial school. Aside from the manual training in the garden, on the farm, in the factory, and in the domestic department, we especially educate our students for the ministry and medical missionary work. We have no normal department in Friedensau, because we are not permitted to conduct church-schools in the German Empire. All children are compelled by law to attend public or state schools until their fifteenth year. Nor do we have a commercial department, since the schools in Germany are of such a nature that we receive enough people educated in this line to supply the needs of the cause, or we can train them in our business offices. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.13
Our school had a very small beginning, starting with only seven students in 1899, this number has gradually increased, and last year our enrollment was 140. Often we have had to refuse scores of young people for lack of room. It can readily be seen that we can select from these applicants the very best. Almost without exception, these youth are members of our church. Our students have but one aim—to educate themselves for the work. I can not recall a case where a student who has finished his course has gone back to a wordly business. I do not wish to say by this that all students of our school have become missionaries. From the beginning of our school our entire enrollment has been 650. Of this number 350 graduated, and at once accepted a call to engage in the missionary work. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.14
At the present time we have a school building with four class-rooms, dormitories for gentlemen and ladies, and a chapel, which is also rented by our local church. We are just erecting a second buildings, which will contain four classrooms, an assembly room, a library, a museum, and several dwellings for teachers. This can be enlarged if, as we expect, the number of students shall demand it. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.15
Only a part of the students support themselves. We have educational funds to assist in the support of worthy students. After they have received a position in the work, they return the money loaned to them as soon as they can. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.16
Instruction is given in six grades for forty-two weeks a year. We also have a Russian department. Ten teachers compose our faculty. The principal of the school, because of his ministerial work, is supported by the German Union, while the other teachers are paid by the school. GCB May 16, 1909, page 26.17
Our language garment is many-colored, like the feathers of the bird of paradise. I will here read a sentence from our school history: “Aside from the German Sabbath-school, there are two Russian classes, an English, a French, and a Hungarian class; and there are some Dutch, Danish, Estonian, Lettonian, Bohemian, Bulgarian, Slavonian, Rumanian, and Armenian students,—fourteen languages in all, to which recently the Servian, and the Norwegian have been added, and formerly, now and then the Swedish.” This quotation furnished a miniature example of the commingling of the nations under the peaceful scepter of one Shepherd. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.1
Still more variegated is the picture if we consider the peoples for whom these students are being trained. In the first place we must consider the entire territory of the German empire, together with Holland and German Switzerland. Aside from this must be remembered the Austrian, Hungarian, and Balkan mission fields, which are in need not only of the youth whom they have sent us for training, but must also have other young men to act a leading part in their work, after having gained some practical experience in the home field. Thus German students were sent to Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary, Austria, and Flemish Belgium, and, lately, even to Servia, Croatia, and Galicia. In these fields our nurses are also at work. Our Friedensau students and nurses also have a prominent part in the work in Palestine and German East Africa. An especially large field of labor is before the Russian department of our school, which has been organized as an independent part of our work since the autumn of 1906. The wide-extended fields of European and Asiatic Russia, where we must proclaim the message in dozens of languages which are as yet unknown to the third angel’s message, are open to them. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.2
Who can deny that in this picture there lies before us an immeasurably large mission field, in which, from a human standpoint, it would be impossible to finish the proclamation of the truth in this generation. It is necessary that we enter these fields with power from on high, and heed the prophetic call: “O Zion, that bringeth good tidings, get thee up into the high mountains; O Jerusalem, that bringeth good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!” Isaiah 40:9. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.3
The conference of the Rhineland region was then presented by its president, E. E. Frauchiger, who spoke as follows:— GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.4
THE RHENISH CONFERENCE
The Rhenish Conference, which I represent, is situated in the western part of the German Union Conference. The province has about seven million inhabitants, and is one of the most beautiful parts of Germany. Through it flows the River Rhine, on the shores of which are numberless castles, whose ruins remind us of the olden time of knighthood. The Catholic Church had very early interests in this province, as is evident from the hundreds of abbeys and cloisters on both sides of the Rhine. The great controversy between light and darkness was being waged in this region in the days long ago. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.5
In this province there also stands the cradle of the German Sabbath-keepers. A missionary by the name of Lindermann, at Elberfeld, began to observe the Sabbath; and when Brother Andrews with Brother Erzenberger visited that province in 1877, there were already 45 Sabbath-keepers in this place, though not fully in harmony with the message. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.6
In May, 1884, on an occasion of a conference at Biel, Switzerland, attended by Brethren Butler and Haskell, two churches were organized and incorporated into the Middle European Conference. In 1887 Sister White and Brother Conradi visited the province. The records of that year show that the two churches had a membership of seventeen souls. In 1900 the number of churches had increased to seven, with 198 members, who paid a tithe of about $1,500. In 1903 the field became a self-supporting conference, with 303 members and a tithe of $3,000. When I was called in 1907 from Berlin to the Rhenish Conference, the work had increased to 700 members, with a tithe of more than $10,000. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.7
At the close of the year 1908, we had an increase of 360 souls by baptism and 22 by vote. The total number of churches is 24, with a membership of 1,001, with a tithe of over $12,000. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.8
We have four ordained ministers, four licentiates, and 11 missionary licentiates. The Lord has greatly blessed this field. The workers are of good courage. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.9
We have a church of 174 members in the city of Cologne. We have a large church in the well-known and celebrated city of Essen, where nearly 30,000 people are occupied in making guns for the coming kingdom of peace. In the industrial cities, Elberfeld and Barmen, we have two churches, with a membership of 90 and 70 each. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.10
In Aachen, and in Bonn, and other large cities, we also have churches. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.11
By the grace of God it was possible to baptize, in the first quarter of this year, nearly one hundred souls. We have yet in our field many districts where nothing is being done. In the past year we had our first experiences in this field with tent-meetings. In the course of this year we expect to enter different cities with our tent-meetings. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.12
Our canvassers have had good success in this province, notwithstanding the great difficulties which are sometimes created by the Catholic authorities, who often refuse the permission to sell books. I do not like to speak about difficulties, but we have many times had much difficulty in our colporteur work, and also in school and military matters. The number of our canvassers is now 68. They sold books in the last year to the value of $9,000. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.13
It is the desire of all our workers to devote themselves more fully to the Lord, that he may use them to complete his wonderful work in this field. All our workers show a deep and warm interest in the progress of the work in the United States, and expect that this Conference will be a blessing also for our field in Germany. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.14
I bring the heartiest greetings and regards of our brethren and sisters beyond the ocean. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.15
The manager of the Hamburg Publishing House, H. Hartkop, next presented the stirring story of the work with the literature in the fields served from this active publishing center. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.16
HAMBURG PUBLISHING HOUSE
In 1889 our brethren opened a branch in Hamburg for our books and publications, which we largely received from Basel. Because of the difficulties connected with the Sunday-closing in Basel, it was thought best to publish our foreign literature, except that in the Latin languages, in Hamburg. This was in 1895. From that time until 1900 we set the type for our papers and tracts, but had the printing done outside. Our larger works have always been printed in Leipsic. In 1900 we received an old press from the Basel house, on which we began to print our periodicals and tracts. At present we have three new large presses and two small presses, the necessary folding and stitching machines, paper-cutters, and about fifty-five employees. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.17
Up to the present time we have produced literature in eighteen languages; namely, German, Holland (Dutch), Lithuanian, Lettonian, Estonian, Bohemian, Polish, Wendic, Slovakian, Bohemian, Hungarian, Servian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Spanish, Portuguese, Yiddish, and Chassu. We are preparing literature in Croatian. Aside from this, we have undertaken to supply literature for the Arabian, Greek, Turkish, and Armenian languages. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.18
To give a brief sketch of the growth of some of our papers, we would state that in the year 1895-1896, we published 146,100 copies of the Herold der Wahrheit; in 1899-1900, 398,000; in 1904-1905, 711,600; in 1907-1908, 1,370,000. In 1897 we began the publication of the German Good Health, and in 1898, we first issued the German children’s paper. Both have grown well. In 1897 we began to publish the Holland (Dutch) missionary paper, and since 1904 we have a Holland church paper, a Hungarian missionary paper, and a Russian missionary paper. Since 1906 we have published a Bohemian, an Estonian, and a Lettonian missionary paper. In 1907 we began our Rumanian missionary paper, and last year we began a Hungarian church paper. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.19
Perhaps it would be well to state that it would cost $50.41 to secure a copy of each of the fourteen papers we publish for one year, and a single copy of our 50 larger books, 32 pamphlets, and 214 tracts. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.20
The retail value of our sales from 1891-1892 was about $6,000; 1895-1896, about 10,000; 1898-1899, $45,000; 1901-1902, $80,000; 1904-1905, about $94,000; 1907-1908, about $150,000. This means the business year, from July to July. Through the colporteurs alone there were sold about $70,000 worth of publications in the territory of the German Union last year. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.21
We have a branch office for our publications in Basel, Switzerland; and about a year ago we opened a branch office in Riga, Russia. The total amount invested in our German Union Publishing House is about $100,000. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.22
As we see so many languages in which as yet we have no publications, it is our ambition to create more literature in these various tongues. To this purpose we are continually dedicating a share of our gains; and God has so blessed our publishing house that we can annually vote greater or smaller sums toward other missionary enterprises. That God may continue his blessing, and even in greater measure, is our wish and prayer. GCB May 16, 1909, page 27.23
The facts of Brother Hartkop’s address drew many amens from the congregation. GCB May 16, 1909, page 28.1
(Concluded to-morrow.)