Latin Union Conference

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 1, 1909

Latin Union Conference

[The following report was presented to the Conference May 25 by Elder L. P. Tieche, the superintendent of the Latin Union Conference.]

Latin Union Conference

I AM thankful for the privilege of presenting to this assembly the greetings of the brethren of the Latin Union Conference.

The territory of our conference is composed of France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Algeria, Tunis, French Belgium, and French Switzerland, with a population of 110,000,000 souls. This is certainly a respectable number, which ought to make an impression on our minds and on our hearts. I would also state that we have in our field only 1,000,000 Protestants, about 6,000,000 Mohammedans and Jews, and more than 100,000,000 Catholics.

Our working force is composed of 40 workers, including the canvassers. We have 24 organized churches, and the total membership is 964. We also have a sanitarium, a school, and a publishing house.

During the last four years the work in our union has progressed slowly but steadily. The statistical reports indicate a net increase of 280 members, and the tithe has increased from $5,802 in 1904 to $9,211 in 1908.

These figures will perhaps look small when compared with the many encouraging reports we have heard, and we feel that we have nothing to boast of. Nevertheless, when we consider everything, we have reason to be thankful even for this small result. These 280 souls have in reality been brought out of the hands of the prince of darkness, one by one, and we know that they are a subject of great joy in the heavenly courts.

We must not forget that some of the mission fields have been entered only lately, and that those who have started the work there had to learn the language, and also get used to the ways and manners of the people. Only a few years ago we had no workers in Spain, Portugal, or Algeria, but now we have workers and members in every field of our union.

In 1907, a conference of 250 members was organized in France. Since Jan. 1, 1909, the territory of this conference has been limited to the southern part of France, while the northern part is called the Northern France Mission Field. The reason of this division was to relieve the French Conference of the burden of a great mission field, and place it in a position soon to become self-supporting.

NORTHERN FRANCE MISSION

This field has a population of 23,000,000, with two workers, one in Paris, and one in Rouen. In Paris we have a church of 44 members. At first it was thought an impossibility to plant the flag of present truth in Paris, and the first efforts made seemed to confirm this idea. But we thank the Lord that by his help, and by the persevering effort of the workers sent there, the light of the third angel's message is shining in the midst of that great city. None except those who have passed through the experience can imagine what difficulties are to be met in a city like this. I wish Elder Augsbourger, who has worked there for four years, and Elder Badant, who is working there now, could be here to tell us something about it; for they would also tell us that difficulties are always a blessing to those who fear the Lord. Now that a good start has been made in Paris, we are encouraged to continue the work.

THE SPANISH MISSION

Spain has a population of 18,000,000. Public meetings have been held in Barcelona and Valencia by Elders Walter and Frank Bond, and have brought 35 souls to the truth. Four natives are at work selling our literature, and two are doing Bible work. We are thankful for this small beginning; but Brother Walter Bond thinks that he ought to have more help, and I wish to give you a paragraph of the letter I received here the other day:—

“I hope that you do not forget old Spain and her needs. We are indeed anxious that help should be sent. As you know, there are hundreds of cities waiting for some one to carry them the message. The silent call of 18,000,000 souls in the grossest of darkness is the strongest appeal we can send you. . . . You remember the parable of the unjust judge and the poor widow. Her request was at last granted because she continued to ask. So we perhaps almost weary you by our much asking. But we can not be silent when the need is so great, and the laborers are so few. Surely we would fail of doing our duty if we did not continue to sound the Macedonian plea for help.”

THE PORTUGUESE MISSION

We are glad to report that the standard of the last message has been planted in Portugal. Brother Rentfro is holding public meetings in the center of Lisbon, and the last time I was there, in February, 13 souls were rejoicing in the blessed light of the truth. I have also received a letter from Brother Rentfro, asking me not to forget to present the needs of Portugal. He wishes me to say that more workers are very much needed. No one will blame him for this, if we remember that he and a native canvasser are the only workers in this most difficult field. It is also well to say here that 80 per cent of the population can neither read nor write. Here is the place where a school could accomplish much good. The fact that so many people do not read in Portugal is a great hindrance to the advancement of the work in that field. The canvasser must knock at many doors before he can find a person who can read. I understand that 85 per cent of the population in India can not read. If that is an argument to show the necessity of sending help to that field, I hope we shall all agree that the same argument holds good for Portugal also. We should certainly have more workers in that field.

THE FRENCH-BELGIAN MISSION

This field has a population of over 3,000,000. One minister, a Bible worker, and 2 canvassers are at work in the mining centers. We have there one church and one company, with 40 members. The brethren intend to hold three tent-meetings during the summer. By this means they can reach hundreds of people, and thus sow the good seed. We hope that these efforts will bring a goodly number of souls to the truth.

ALGERIAN AND TUNIS MISSION

This field has a population of over 7,000,000. Here we are in direct contact with the Arabs, who form two thirds of the population. Thus far our work has been limited to the city of Algiers. Brother Jesperson has started the work there, doing medical missionary work; and now Brother Augsburger is holding public meetings. Six persons have already been baptized, and others will follow soon.

One great problem we have to face is to know how to reach the Arabs. Although these people live right at the door of civilization, they do not care to change their habits and customs, and above all, they are determined not to change their religion. It is a religious duty for them to hate the Christians, and it is difficult to make them believe that we love them. But we are convinced that the last message is also for the Arabs, and our desire is to do something, right away, for them in our field.

ITALIAN MISSION

I am not prepared to say much about this field, as I expected that Brother Everson would be here to speak for that work. I shall only state that we have there 44 members, 26 in Torre Pellice, and 18 in the rest of the kingdom. At present we have five workers—certainly not too great a number for a population of 33,000,000. We hope that this field will receive due attention at this Conference. Its needs are great, and never have the conditions been so favorable for the preaching of the last message.

Now I wish to close with a few words concerning our sanitarium and publishing house. Brother Vuilleumier will report on the school work.

THE SANITARIUM

The transfer of our sanitarium from Basel to Gland has proved a wise move in every respect. This was done in 1905. At that time we thought that our accommodations for 40 patients would suffice for many years; but we find ourselves already confronting the necessity of enlarging. We hope that by next spring we shall be able to accommodate at least 100 patients. Our institution enjoys a good reputation near and far, and is exercising a good moral influence in the country. A number of patients go away leaving the testimony that they have received not only physical benefit but also moral and spiritual help.

We have also had the privilege of seeing some patients accept the truth, among whom were two ladies from Egypt, who have been baptized in the blue waters of Lake Geneva.

THE PUBLISHING HOUSE

The publishing house is located in Geneva. Here is where all the business is done, while the editorial work is done in Gland and the printing in Basel. Since our trouble on the Sunday question at Basel, we discontinued printing for ourselves, and the machinery was scattered to the four corners of the earth. Now we think we ought to have a small printing plant in connection with our school, and we put this on the list of the many things we need in our field.

The amount of our book and periodical sales aggregates between $7,000 and $10,000 a year. We hope to do more in the future as more attention will be paid to the selling of larger books.

OUR NEEDS

First of all we wish to thank the General Conference for the help we have received in men and appropriations, and we sincerely hope that this help will be continued to us. Remember that we have 110,000,000 souls to care for, and only 40 workers. We hope that this Conference will seriously consider our needs, and give us one or more workers for Spain; one or more workers for Portugal; one or more workers for Italy, and $5,000 to start a printing plant.