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

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 24, 1908

The Work in the European Fields

By L. R. CONRADI

L. R. CONRADI

God's threefold message moves steadily onward throughout all the European fields. Although over a decade passed before the first thousand Sabbath-keepers were gathered out in Europe, yet God has given such wonderful success to his work that during the last three months there were 1,104 additions in the German and Russian union conferences alone. For this we are truly thankful to him.

At the end of 1905, there were twelve thousand members in Europe. By the first of July, 1908, the membership increased to about sixteen thousand six hundred, showing a growth of forty-six hundred in two and one-half years. The total number received during that time was about seventy-five hundred.

Not only is our membership thus growing, but the cause is steadily spreading over every country in Europe, and into the very heart of Asia and Africa. We receive interesting letters as to how God's truth is going in Siberia, in Tarshkent, in Samarkand close to the border of India, from the regions round about Mount Ararat and along the Persian border. News comes of the openings for God's truth in the interior of Asia Minor, and Mesopotamia, as well as near the borders of Abyssinia, in Uganda, and in German East Africa.

This season we have just held four large meetings in Scandinavia, including the Scandinavian Union Conference, and we have had three meetings in the German Union Conference, including the German Union Conference camp-meeting at Friedensau. These have been most excellent and refreshing seasons. Not only do we now have in Europe the five union conferences, but each of these unions has its own local president: Elder W. J. Fitzgerald in Great Britain; Elder J. C. Raft in Scandinavia; Elder H. F. Schuberth in the German Union Conference; Elder J. T. Boettcher in Russia; and Elder L. P. Tieche in the Latin Union Conference. These brethren, with Brother W. C. Sisley and the vice-president of the General Conference, make the seven members of the General Conference Committee in the European field.

The three divisions of the Levant field are each supplied with a local director, and the East African missions have their own local committees. We are beginning to do effectual work among the heathen, as we have received our first-fruits already in the East African mission.

The vice-president of the General Conference is now in a position to give his attention more fully to the mission fields that are in Africa, outside of the European unions. Thus far both the German and Scandinavian union conferences have placed their East African missions under the direct charge of the General Conference Committee in Europe. That this has in no way lessened the interest of these union conferences in their African work, is best seen by their increased gifts, and by the additional force of laborers they are ready to send to these parts. While during 1907 the German Union Conference used its offerings and surplus tithe in Russia, East Africa, and other mission territories, yet, since Jan. 1, 1908, it turns over all these offerings and the tithe of its tithe to the General Conference; and since it has placed the management of the German East African mission in the hands of the General Conference Committee, it has been able to look after its large population of about one hundred thirty-five million on its income of seventy thousand dollars a year. As the result of investing the half of this during the first six months of 1908, there were 1,125 additions, and the tithe during this time has been higher than it was for the corresponding six months of 1907, while the Russian Union Conference was still a part of the German Union Conference territory. Germany proper, with German-Switzerland, has ten conferences, and it is now giving special attention to developing the great Austria-Hungarian and Balkan, and Holland and Flemish-Belgium missions.

Austria-Hungary, with fifty million people, has thus far only one conference, the Hungarian, with four hundred seventy-three members and one mission, the Austrian mission field, with one hundred ten members. But in the German Union Conference, recently held in Friedensau, several workers were selected for these fields. Two are to open up the work in Croatia; the first worker is being sent to Galicia; and plans are being formulated to send a worker to the southern part of Austria, near Triest, where Italian is spoken. We have also placed an additional minister in the Balkans, to assist in developing the work in Rumania and Bulgaria. We are thankful that the work in Holland and Flemish Belgium has now developed until we have about two hundred twenty-five Sabbath-keepers there, and over thirty canvassers.

In the Scandinavian Union Conference there are three prosperous conferences. Elder J. C. Raft is visiting the Northlands and Iceland mission fields, so that these two missions, as well as Finland, may receive special help from the union conference president.

(Concluded next week)