General Meetings in the West by I. H. EVANS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 18, 1915

General Meetings in the West

By I. H. EVANS

It was my privilege, in company with Professor Griggs, to spend January 12 and 13 with the Lake Union Conference Committee, in its meeting at Berrien Springs, Mich. The committee entered heartily into the consideration of many important topics, and laid definite plans for prosecuting the work in the future. Plans for raising the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund and a special fund for liquidating the indebtedness on the institutions of that union also received careful consideration.

I have never seen the Lake Union Conference Committee of better courage, nor have I seen men more determined to prosecute their work with diligence than at this time. Three of the conferences had already raised their full quota of twenty cents a week per member, and this brought great courage to the hearts of all. This will give the Lake Union Conference about $12,000 to apply on their institutional indebtedness. Had all the conferences done their full duty, there would have been $27,000 for distribution.

From Berrien Springs we went to Clinton, Mo., to visit our German school, and we greatly enjoyed our short stay. The school board met at this time, and arranged for the faculty for the coming school year. The school is in a prosperous condition. Under the earnest leadership of Brother Schilling, the courage and confidence of our German people in this enterprise have been greatly strengthened. The school has a fair attendance of strong, bright, active young people, many of whom are preparing to enter the Lord's work. The future success of our German work in America will largely depend upon the training that these young people receive in our German school.

In company with several of the brethren, I then went to College View, Neb., to attend meetings of the International Publishing Association, Union College, and the Central Union Conference Executive Committee.

At our late fall council it was decided to invite one of our publishing houses to take over the International Publishing Association. The Pacific Press Publishing Association volunteered to take this, becoming responsible for the liabilities of the International Publishing Association and receiving its entire assets. This arrangement was finally completed; and while the International Publishing Association will keep up its legal entity for some time, the Pacific Press Publishing Association will carry on the business hitherto conducted by the International Publishing Association.

In harmony with an act of the late fall council, the Central Union Conference Association, which owned the property known as Union College, both real and personal, created a new corporation, the constituents of which are provided for in the Central, Northern, and Southwestern Union Conferences. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, officers elected, and the new board will undertake to operate Union College and to provide for its liabilities. The Southwestern Union Conference, having Keene Academy on its hands, with considerable indebtedness, desired to be relieved of any financial obligation toward Union College. The indebtedness was, therefore, provided for by the Central and Northern Union Conferences assuming responsibility for the amounts that had already been agreed on, with the understanding that for the present Union College is to carry the remainder of the indebtedness, but that the respective unions will undertake to raise this amount as rapidly as possible, the Central Union Conference raising two dollars to the Northern Union Conference one dollar. Union College is well filled with students this year, and is doing splendid work.

The Central Union Conference Executive Committee held several meetings and planned future work. During these meetings all questions were discussed with freedom, a spirit of unity and cooperation prevailing throughout. I think I never attended meetings for the consideration of important questions where a greater effort to contribute to the constructive work in hand was made by every one present. We greatly enjoyed the meetings which we attended at this place, and surely the spirit of unity and cooperation manifested was most encouraging.

I. H. EVANS.