Northern Illinois Conference by W. A. Westworth

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 28, 1915

Northern Illinois Conference

By W. A. Westworth

THE work in the Northern Illinois Conference is making good progress. We have continued evidences of God's favor. Our tent companies, which numbered five during the past year, were blessed with a good fruitage, and the interests developed in these meetings are now being cared for, and some are accepting the message.

The work in Chicago is marked this autumn with the establishment of two training schools for Bible workers. Elder E. W. Webster and his wife are in charge of the work for the whites, including the foreign department as well as the English. Elder W. D. Forde, who has charge of the colored work in this city, has just formed a large and enthusiastic class, the members of which will operate among their own people in giving Bible readings and conducting other meetings. The work for the colored people in Chicago has been greatly stimulated by the addition of a splendid schoolroom, and one of the most encouraging of our schools is the one in connection with the colored church. Seventeen church schools are being operated in this conference, and the reports that come from them are most encouraging.

The financial outlook in the conference is good. A good, strong increase in tithes is being maintained, and we are far in excess of last year's record in our offerings to missions. Surely the Lord has blessed us financially as well as spiritually.

One of the great problems presented to this conference is the vast foreign population in Chicago, there being over two million people of foreign birth or parentage. When we think of three hundred and fifty thousand Poles in this one city, without a single worker to give them the message, our hearts faint within us. When we think of six hundred thousand Germans, and find ourselves unable to get a single German minister for the field, there is certainly laid a burden upon us which is hard to carry. When we realize that there are more Bohemians in Chicago than in any other city outside of Prague, and that we have not a single minister among them, we can only say, “How long, O Lord, how long?” On every side, we find whole settlements of foreign-speaking people right here among us, and yet we are unable to grapple with the situation. We cannot but feel that the Lord has many souls among these many nationalities who would accept the truth were they given the opportunity. The strong and consistent work of our little group of Italians has impressed us with the possibility of great fruitage in the work for these of different tongues.

The splendid church that has been erected and dedicated by the Danish-Norwegian brethren, and the solid and substantial work done by the Swedish brethren, are evidences that God is at work as we strive to bring the message to other nationalities; but there are so many peoples who have not had any work done for them, many of whom have come from their own homes to the United States, with hearts willing to receive whatever good they could find here, that it does seem as if we as a people are greatly remiss in our duty if we do not give the message to these hundreds and thousands within our own gates.

The Northern Illinois Conference is not a large or strong or wealthy organization, but we are making every effort to accomplish the work which the Lord has given us to do. Pray for the work in the Northern Illinois Conference.

W. A. WESTWORTH.