Arizona Annual Conference by E. E. Andross

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 4, 1912

Arizona Annual Conference

By E. E. Andross

ACCORDING to previous appointment, the annual meeting of the Arizona Conference was held at Phoenix, November 6-12. There was a goodly number of delegates from the various churches assembled at the first meeting of the conference, and these remained to the close of the meeting. All the services were held in the Seventh-day Adventist church in Phoenix. A spirit of unity and harmony prevailed throughout the meeting, and much of the blessing of God attended the laborers as they presented the various phases of the message day after day.

As the conference is small in numbers, the business sessions did not occupy a very large part of the time. Hence, opportunity was given each morning, afternoon, and evening for Bible studies. These were conducted by Elders G. A. Irwin and J. N. Loughborough during the day, the writer taking part in the evening service. The president presented a very encouraging report of the work for the past year. The prospect for the future growth of the conference is even better than at any time in its past history. Both the spiritual and the financial interests of the conference are in a prosperous condition.

The work is not confined to the English-speaking people, but quite an effort is being made to reach the Spanish-speaking people in this territory. A good beginning has been made, and two very faithful members of that nationality are spending their entire time in aggressive field work. Plans were laid for the establishment of a school among the Mexican people at an early date. Elder H. G. Thurston was reelected president of the conference, with practically the same committee, Elder G. W. Reaser being added.

While the work has moved rather slowly in Arizona since its beginning, this is not due to the fact that the people are hard to reach with the message, or to any lack of earnest effort on the part of the laborers; but it is due largely to the fact that a great many of those who have embraced the truth have moved on to other fields. Now it seems necessary to do something so to establish the work there that those who come into the truth will be held more firmly in that territory. Doubtless this will require the development of an intermediate school for the conference, which is already in its inception, and also the establishment at an early date of sanitarium work under conference management.

Arizona is a very promising country for the future. I had no idea of the extent of territory that gives promise of development into a rich farming and fruit-growing district, in the near future, as I found upon this visit. It has been already demonstrated that in quite a large territory oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and olives can be grown with great profit; and experiments are being made on the production of dates. A large amount of money is being expended in the development of the water system in this territory. I shall be greatly disappointed if we do not see a strong conference developed there very soon.

E. E. ANDROSS.