p. 14 | The North German Conference by GUY DAIL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 5, 1908

The North German Conference

By GUY DAIL

GUY DAIL

One year ago this field was cut off from the West German Conference. It has a population of 5,162,600. Its territory is composed of Hannover, save the extreme southern end of the province; Schleswig-Holstein, except Altona Wandsbek; the grand duchies of Oldenburg and Mecklenburg-Schwerin; and the free cities of Bremen and Luebeck.

January 15-19 the nearly fifty delegates representing the four hundred ninety members of the North German Conference assembled for their second annual meeting at Kiel, one of the oldest cities of Holstein. This town has one hundred seventy thousand inhabitants. It stands at the head of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, which was finished in 1895, at a cost of thirty-nine million dollars; it is the center of a brisk trade between Denmark and the Continent; and it has a university, a naval academy, and the chief war harbor of the empire.

On Sabbath about eighty or eighty-five of our people were in attendance at the service of special consecration, after an earnest sermon by Elder Conradi. A fair and continually increasing outside interest was manifested in the public lectures. Brethren J. Erzberger, H. F. Schuberth, and Dr. Petersohn gave valuable assistance and counsel to those who came to hear the word. The workers’ meetings were of especial value.

The reports rendered by the local field laborers plainly showed that God is at work in this part of his vineyard. One hundred eight new members have been received; the net gain was thirty. The tithe for 1907 was $5,450, the offerings amounted to $838, and the book sales to $8,500.

Some claim that the people here are more conservative than in other parts of Germany. Prejudice against our message is certainly increasing. One of the small grand duchies (which is entirely Protestant) has refused to renew our canvassers’ permits for 1908, as the authorities maintain that our literature is of such a nature as to be likely to give offense to the religious feelings of the people.

However, there is one thing in which this part of the German field takes the lead: it was in the province of Schleswig-Holstein that the first permission to hold tent-meetings was granted to us in the German empire. The police were so well pleased with the general tone of these services that our brethren secured a written statement from the mayor, expressing satisfaction at the manner in which the tent effort had been conducted. This took place in the early nineties. Last summer another tent was purchased, and the Danish-American brethren who assisted in raising the means for this enterprise, received a hearty vote of thanks from the delegates at this meeting.

North Germany, as well as the other German Conferences, pays two tithes to the union, for carrying the gospel into the union mission fields. After deducting this from its income, the conference lacked about seven hundred fifty dollars of paying its expenses for 1907, and had to draw that much on its capital. Plans were laid to guard against such a shortage in the future. About seventy-five dollars was raised in cash and pledges toward the North German tent fund. The Sabbath-school donations amounted to fifteen dollars. The collections taken during the session of the conference more than paid the hall rent.

Elder L. Mathe was again chosen president. He will be assisted by one ordained minister, six licentiates, and three Bible workers. They rejoiced that three new companies could be received into the conference at this meeting,—one at Schwerin, another at Norden, and a third at Sonderburg. At the good closing meeting the laborers were of excellent courage, and expressed their determination to put forth more consecrated and untiring efforts to win souls for the Master than ever before. We feel sure our readers will wish them God’s rich blessings, and many souls for their hire the present year, both among the Germans and among the Danes, for many Danes live in Holstein. To this end let the work and workers of the North German Conference be remembered in prayer.

Hamburg, Germany.