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The Roman-Swiss Conference

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 29, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 44.

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The Roman-Swiss Conference

By Guy Dail

GUY DAIL
The sixth annual session of the Roman-Swiss Conference (which is the twenty-fifth yearly meeting of the original Central European Conference) was held in Orbe, in the canton of Vaud, August 10-14.
Orbe, or as it was known to the Romans, Urba, contains about two thousand inhabitants. The chief industries of the town are the chocolate industry and tile manufacturing. The place is not without historical interest. In 613 A. D. Brunhilde was taken captive here; and in 1511 the reformer Viret was born in Orbe. It seems, also, that Rudolf III, of New Burgundy, had his residence at this place. An ancient church and two towers on a hill are still interesting monuments of the past.
About five minutes’ walk from the town our beautiful camp of more than fifty tents was located in an orchard on the left bank of the Orbe River. Of the fourteen churches in the Roman-Swiss Conference, thirteen were represented by forty-nine delegates. In all, about two hundred fifty of our own people attended; the outside interest was a little slow in developing, but the Sunday meeting was well visited, there being two hundred present from the town and surrounding neighborhood. All were well pleased with the meeting, as they felt that God had been with them, and had blessed them richly. The business of the conference interested all.
We were especially gratified to see the manner in which this little Roman-Swiss Conference views the work in the regions beyond. Not only do the brethren here plan to keep up their First-day and Sabbath and annual offerings, but they also voted to raise an extra fund, averaging twenty-five centimes a week for each member. In addition to a second tithe, and paying the teacher in the school, the Roman-Swiss Conference further decided to pay a worker in northern France for one year, and to bear the traveling expenses of two delegates to the next General Conference. Thus this small French-speaking field, with only five hundred twenty-five members, continues to share liberally its funds with the large and needy Latin Union Conference, with its one hundred ten million population. Not only is the Roman-Swiss Conference doing so well in supplying financial aid, but it is taking steps to organize Missionary Volunteer Societies, and we trust that in the future it will prove a still more efficient recruiting ground for workers for the needy fields beyond. For the time being, only one worker was voted to another field,—a student at Gland, who will go to Algeria. Not only are there French and Italian cantons in the territory of the Roman Conference, but there are also about one hundred thousand Germans. Heretofore we have had no workers here who could hold lectures for the German-speaking population of French Switzerland; but it has just been voted to employ a German- and French-speaking laborer. Thus we hope to get a good start among the German population of Roman-Switzerland, as well as to increase our strength among the other nationalities there.
The publishing department was also carefully considered at this time. The French health paper is increasing the size of its edition. By personal effort, the delegates promised to sell the paper, and there is to be a special edition of eight thousand (the regular circulation is five thousand monthly), nicely printed, with a cover illustrated in various colors. We feel sure that as the churches thus engage in the sale of this paper, it will prove a blessing to them as well as to the people who may purchase or subscribe for the periodicals containing instruction for these times. In the Roman-Swiss Conference the book sales for 1906 amounted to only about thirteen hundred francs, but for 1907 they were about ten thousand five hundred francs, a remarkable growth. This shows what can be done when books are to be had. But in these small countries we find it very difficult to secure the capital necessary to issue new publications as rapidly as we would like. However, during the coming year it is planned to get out two new books in the French—“Christ’s Object Lessons,” and a treatise on health. There is also another factor that seriously interferes with the best development of our colporteur work in the Latin Union Conference: the young people seem to regard canvassing as only a preparatory course to some other department of the message, and as soon as they have been engaged in selling our good publications for one or two years, they wish to do something else. The Latin Union Conference president stated the case in these words, as he was speaking in open conference about the canvassing work in this field: “Too many have regarded the canvassing work as the vestibule to the parlor of evangelization; however, in the third angel’s message there are no parlors, but only workrooms, and the colporteur’s work must be a distinct department of the message, and we must see to securing reliable men who will enter it and make it their life calling.” The sales of the union publishing house for 1907 amounted to thirty-six thousand two hundred francs, about nine thousand six hundred francs more than during 1906.
The Gland Sanitarium has had an excellent patronage, the number of guests varying from fifteen during the dull time in the winter season to fifty-five at the height of the summer season. The Philanthropic Society earned nearly twelve thousand francs last year. There is great need of additional room for guests at the sanitarium, and we hope the day may soon come when means can be provided for enlargement.
The union school at Gland will begin the first of October. Every field in the Latin Union Conference, save Algeria, plans to have representatives at the school. Portugal, which has heretofore sent no students, is planning to be represented the coming semester.
Harmony characterized the business meetings. The brethren were free to express their opinions as to the matters that were brought before the delegates, and the kindest feeling prevailed. Elder J. Curdy was again chosen president.
In connection with the Roman-Swiss meeting, there was a session of the Latin Union Committee. Brethren L. R. Conradi, L. P. Tieche, C. T. Everson, H. H. Dexter, W. Bond, and Gustaf Roth were present. It was recommended that, beginning with Jan. 1, 1909, northern France be cut off from the French Conference, and be under the direct supervision of the union conference committee. Brother U. Augsbourger is to go to Algeria, to take the place made vacant by the recall of Brother Paul Steiner to act as the German- and French-speaking worker in Roman-Switzerland.
During the year there has been an addition of forty-five to the list of workers in the Latin Union Conference. As to finances: In 1907 their tithe was 48,563 francs, against 42,099 in 1906; donations, 11,417 francs, a gain of 2,166 francs over the previous year.
The future of the union seems bright and hopeful. For the thirty-three evangelical laborers and the eighteen canvassers we wish much of God’s blessing and Spirit, that the work may grow more rapidly than ever in the past. In many ways it is a difficult field in which to operate; but God is greater than all the difficulties, and his Spirit, given in rich measure, will enable the laborer to have an abundant harvest. We trust all the friends of the message will pray often for this field and its workers.
Hamburg, Germany.