The Work in the European Division by L. R. CONRADI

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Aug 12, 1909

The Work in the European Division

By L. R. CONRADI

L. R. CONRADI

THE first quarter's report of the European fields shows another advance step in the work in this part of the Master's vineyard. There were 807 members added by baptism and otherwise. Of this number, 543 were in the German Union Conference; 111 in Russia; 78 in Scandinavia; 66 in Great Britain; eight in the Latin Union Conference; and one in the Levant Union Mission. There were three conferences that had over 70 additions each—the South German Conference, 91; the Rhenish, 90; and the East German, 74. The total membership in Europe is now 17,845, against 17,362 at the end of 1908, or a net increase of 483 for the quarter.

There appear upon the list for the first time these new fields: In the German Union Conference, the Middle German Conference, and the Galician and Adriatic missions; in Great Britain, Wales and South Scotland as conferences, and the North Scotland Mission; in the Russian Union Conference, the Little Russian, the Siberian, and the Central Asiatic missions; and in the Latin Union Conference, northern France as a mission field, three new conferences and seven new missions.

As far as the tithe is concerned, we also see God's blessing in its increase. The German Union Conference heads the list, with $30,000—the largest sum of tithe this field ever gave in one quarter. The quarter's tithe for Europe is $47,600, or $11,200 more than for the first quarter of 1908. The offerings amount to $6,250, giving us a total income of about $53,850.

We have 124 ministers, and 260 other evangelical workers; and 491 canvassers reported their sales during the quarter, amounting to $50,130.

In April, Brother Rhode, the foreman in our Hamburg pressroom, went to assist the Brazil publishing plant, while Brother Raessler and wife of Germany, and Brother Morse of England, went to the Victoria Nyanza field in East Africa, and Brother Kunze of Germany connected with the work in the Pare tribal Mission, German East Africa. We have learned that these persons reached their destination safely. We have received the happy news that fifteen more (among whom are the first three native East African women to receive the rite at our hands) have been baptized in the German East African Mission, and that twenty others have offered themselves as baptismal candidates.

Our missionaries reached the Victoria Nyanza territory none too soon, as other societies were already sending their men there. We have secured two new sites for mission stations on the British side of the lake, and one on the German side, giving us a total of five new stations; but to man these we must send reinforcements this fall. Brother E. Kotz, who has faithfully labored in German East Africa more than four years, safely reached Hamburg on the fourteenth of May. During his stay, we hope to publish the Gospels in the Chassu, at the Hamburg House.

We hope erelong to secure a permanent site for the Abyssinian Mission, and if possible to do more to enter that country.

As to our institutions: The second school building at Friedensau is completed, and awaits its dedication in July. The Scandinavian Union School building at Skodsborg is nearing completion, and its dedication will probably be in September. In Stanborough Park a few new cottages have been erected, and our brethren there are now getting ready to put up the college building.

While we desire to see greater things accomplished in every way, yet we are grateful to God for his goodness in helping to extend the work in the European field, and hope that our brethren will remember its needs in their prayers and gifts.

Hamburg.