Your ShelfYour Projects

A General Meeting in Uruguay

11%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 24, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 42.

Read the full edition

A General Meeting in Uruguay

By O. MONTGOMERY

THIS meeting was held from June 2 to 11, at the home of Sister Beskow, in Rincon del Cufre, a small place about thirty miles from San José, one of the principal railway stations of Uruguay. This is the first general meeting that has been held in the Uruguay Mission for about four years, and it was a season of great encouragement and spiritual uplift to the brethren and sisters in that part of the field. The weather was unusually cold. June is one of the winter months in this part of the world, and no stoves or fireplaces are provided in the homes. The attendance was not large, there being an average of about fifty throughout the meeting.
The Spirit of the Lord came in the first Sabbath, and there was an earnest consecration on the part of all. During the meetings some gave their hearts to the Lord for the first time, and those that had grown cold and careless renewed their covenant with the Lord. Some interest was developed as a result of the meetings, and it is hoped that with further labor some will accept the truth.
About $586 was paid in during the meeting, and $556 was raised to apply on the indebtedness of the mission building in Montevideo. The Sabbath school offering was $16.36. Uruguay has a gold basis for its currency, and a Uruguay peso is worth $1.03 U. S. gold. A resolution was passed adopting the plan of the Union Conference to raise eight cents gold a week per member.
The Uruguay Mission workers, Elder J. W. Westphal and Brother A. R. Sherman of the Austral Union, and the writer were in attendance at this meeting.
Besides the spiritual interests of the people, special attention was given to the church school, young people's, and colporteur work. A young people's society was organized, and officers were elected. It was arranged to start a good church school, and steps were taken for the securing of a teacher. Some rousing talks were given on the colporteur work, and Brother Sherman stayed a few days at the close of the meeting to encourage and help those who are engaged in this line of service.
For some years Uruguay was a self-supporting mission field. During the last year or two, however, owing to the droughts and the locusts, it has had to have a little help. We are very strongly impressed, however, that it will not be long before the brethren there will again be able to handle their work. The prospects for the future in this mission are good.
Elder J. W. Westphal, the president of the Union, is acting as superintendent of the mission. Brother J. T. Thompson is the secretary-treasurer and field agent, and is doing much of the detail work of the mission in Brother Westphal's absence. Elder Nicolas Hansen and Brother Gualterio Thomann are conducting a series of meetings in Colonia, with a good interest, and we are hopeful that they will be able to gather out a company in that place.
O. MONTGOMERY.