North American Foreign Department

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 27, 1909

North American Foreign Department

First Meeting

May 14, 8 A. M.

The department held its first meeting Friday morning, May 14, at 8 A. M. G. A. Irwin, chairman, called the meeting to order, and B. G. Wilkinson was chosen as secretary.

The chairman spoke of the work of the department during the four years, emphasizing the important work it has in hand in the effort to reach the populations speaking foreign tongues in the United States. W. C. White suggested a careful study of the relation of this department to the work in Europe, that close co-operation between this country and Europe may help in reaching European peoples in America.

Second Meeting

May 16, 8 A. M.

Elder L. H. Christian presented the first report of the program committee. To this committee were added the names of S. F. Svensson, F. C. Gilbert, H. H. Dexter, L. Zecchetto, G. W. Schubert, D. P. Boresena, and H. Shultz.

Reports of Leaders in the Foreign Work

Elder G. F. Haffner spoke of the good progress of the German work west of the Mississippi River, especially in North Dakota. There two churches and many scattered members have been raised up for the truth. In all there are now about three thousand believers representing the German language west of the Mississippi River. There has also been growth in the publishing work. Last year there were 87 German students at Union College, 20 at Walla Walla, and very great growth in the North Dakota school.

Elder O. E. Reinke, speaking for the German work in the East, gave some interesting statistics. Briefly speaking, the East may be summarized as follows: German population, 6,260,219; German churches, 14; membership, 418; scattered membership, 216; tithes per capita, $17.62; Sabbath-schools, 16; membership of Sabbath-schools, 471; Sabbath-school offerings per capita, $3.43; ordained ministers, 23. During the last four years, five churches have been organized, with a membership of 96.

Elder L. H. Christian, representing the Danish-Norwegian work in North America, spoke of the desire for a closer union with the same work in Europe. The Danes and Norwegians in North America are scattered from Maine to California, there being something like 1,200,000 Danes and 500,000 Norwegians in the United States. We have at present 48 Danish-Norwegian churches. Brother Christian gave the following suggestions drawn from his experience with the Danish-Norwegian work: (1) Let laborers in these languages stick to the language; (2) stronger and more efficient organization in this branch of the work; (3) better co-operation between the workers in the different languages, and between the work in this country and that abroad.

Elder S. Mortenson, representing the Swedish work in North America, spoke encouragingly of his work in connection with the Swedes. There are about 1,500 Swedish believers in the United States, one half of whom are strictly Swedish members, the other half being largely mingled with the American and Danish-Norwegian churches. There are 22 active conference workers in the field. The average per capita tithes of the Swedes rises as high as $19, and the per capita offerings to $11. The Swedish brethren are loyal to their work, and they endeavor always to extend a sympathetic co-operation to all the brethren in other languages.