p. 16 | The Argentine Annual Conference

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 23, 1908

The Argentine Annual Conference

N. Z. TOWN

Two years ago at the close of our general meeting there came a very heavy rain which washed out the railway in some places, and compelled several of our workers to remain for some time in the vicinity where the meeting was held. Three young ladies who were to go to Buenos Ayres to canvass during vacation with La Verdad Presente went to Gualeguay, the only town to be reached on account of the floods. They met with remarkable success selling the paper and taking subscriptions, and were these also able to interest several persons in the truth.

Later, other workers were sent there, and a few began to keep the Sabbath. As there still seemed to be considerable interest to hear, this year we held the annual meeting in that place. An Italian brother who recently began to keep the Sabbath gave us the free use of a beautiful place for the tents just on the outskirts of the town. We pitched our tents in a nice grove of tala trees, the shade of which added much to the comfort of the meeting. Not only did this grove serve as a protection from the sun and winds, but it also served as a sanctuary where those assembled could go and pour out their souls to God and seek his blessing upon the meeting. The Lord heard these supplications. From the very beginning of the meeting there came in a spirit of heart searching and consecration which brought rich blessings to us, and we had one of the best meetings ever held in Argentina.

GROUP OF BELIEVERS ATTENDING ARGENTINE CONFERENCE

The attendance from the town was slightly good. Some evenings our large forty-by-sixty foot tent was filled to overflowing with orderly, attentive listeners. The cash book sales during the meeting amounted to about two hundred dollars paper.

Aside from the regular laborers of the Argentine Conference, Brother J. V. Maas and Brother Schimpf from the Uruguay Mission, and Brother Luis Ernst, from Alta Parana, were present throughout the meeting.

Recommendations were unanimously passed in favor of increasing our tent fund, of finishing at once the new school building which is already begun, and also the building in which are the offices of the conference, and the printing office. It was also voted that steps be taken toward the erection of a small sanitarium in connection with our school in Entre Rios. The brethren supported these measures not only with words, but with liberal donations and pledges. The pledges made to help the sanitarium enterprise amounted to about four thousand dollars paper. Neither was the $150,000 fund forgotten. About fifty dollars gold were given and promised for this fund.

The following recommendation was freely discussed and heartily indorsed by all present:—

“In view of the present movement in the different parts of the world, against our organized work and against the Testimonies,—

“We recommend, That we as a conference, as workers, and as individuals, declare our loyalty to the General Conference and to the Testimonies, and that we pledge ourselves to uphold the General Conference by our prayers, and to put in practise the precious light that the Lord gives us by means of the Testimonies.”

In the discussion of this and other recommendations it was cheering to see the loyalty of the brethren to the message.

The increase in members in Argentina during the past year has not been large, but there has been a substantial increase in the tithe. During the first nine months of this year the tithe received has been three thousand dollars paper more than during the entire year of 1906.

We have now entered upon another year’s campaign. What its record will be we do not know, but we ask the readers of the REVIEW to unite their prayers with ours to the end that it may be a year of progress.

Buenos Ayres.