The Columbia Union for 1914
By B. G. Wilkinson
FROM every standpoint, the Columbia Union Conference reached the end of 1914 with the most encouraging year it has had since its organization. The reports which came from different conferences and different workers showed that the reviving Spirit of God has been among us. Many souls have come to the light of truth, and there were nearly 1,000 baptisms within the Columbia Union. Our present membership is practically 7,000. The number reported as accepting the truth through the18different tent and hall efforts was 521, and the net increase, the basis on which we compute the Twenty-cent-a-week work Fund, 276. There was not a larger net increase owing to the rectification of many church lists, which for some time had been neglected, and owing to the fact that a large number of those who accepted the truth in the East were attracted by the glowing possibilities of the West, and moved away. One church alone reported that about forty of its members moved West last year. The record of 1,000 baptisms, however, shows that God has witnessed to the efforts of the laborers. In one tent effort alone in the Chesapeake Conference about seventy-five persons accepted the truth. The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference reported three new companies organized as a result of three tent efforts, and the same conference also reported that three new church buildings were ready for dedication. As a result of one effort in Virginia, a Mennonite minister with forty of his flock accepted the truth. In another portion of that same State, a company of eleven believers was raised up through reading a copy of "The Great Controversy." Our large city efforts—in Philadelphia, Washington (D. C.), Mount Vernon (Ohio), Lynchburg (Va.), and other towns—sent in encouraging reports regarding the number of those accepting the truth, of baptisms, and of widespread interest. The outlook for 1915 is very bright, and we believe, under the blessing and guidance of God, that there will be a rich harvest of souls this coming season. The finances of the union were never in better condition. The tithe receipts have made an encouraging increase of $11,200. The District of Columbia Conference alone reports a very heavy increase of from $6,000 to $7,000. About $3,000 was given by one person upon his recognition of the claims of God upon him. On the twenty-cent-a-week plan the union raised its full quota and some extra, turning in to the General Conference $70,085.25. The removal of the debt from Mount Vernon Academy has already been reported, and is simply mentioned here as another financial item of great encouragement. There has also been a splendid work done in the union in the circulation of our publications. During 1914 we sold $96,007.82 worth as compared with $86,567.27 for 1913, or a gain of $9,440.55. Brother Richardson, returning from New Jersey, states that the recent colporteurs' institute in that State was the largest and most encouraging that he ever attended. Hence we look forward to a splendid gain in the near future in New Jersey, which has always been a very difficult conference for our book work, due to the fact that it has very little country territory, the population being largely in the cities. This is due, of course, to its proximity to that great commercial center, New York City. However, New Jersey has been putting forth excellent efforts in the circulation of periodicals. The conference president reports that they used 35,000 of the first REVIEW Extra, 70,000 English and 30,000 Bohemian of the second REVIEW Extra, and 18,270 of the Protestant Extra, besides each week circulating 776 copies of the Home Missionary Series of the Signs weekly. Over $740 more was spent for tracts during 1914 than during the previous year. Splendid gains in the book work are reported also in the Ohio, West Virginia, Chesapeake, and West Pennsylvania Conferences, where the gains for 1914 ranged from $3,500 to $5,600. If any one fears that the message is going to pieces, he will not find very great evidence of it in these Eastern conferences. I am glad to report that the educational department of the union has taken hold with a strong hand to revive the interests in our primary and normal schools. With the strong College at Washington, to which has been removed the normal department of the union, we expect to be able to answer the calls for church-school teachers, the demand for which thus far we have been unable to supply. There is a splendid spirit among our young people in the union in their desire to secure an education. The enrollment at Washington College is now about two hundred, the largest the institution has ever seen. In spite of the reduction of Mount Vernon from a college to an academy, the enrollment there this year is practically the same as it was last year, when it was operated as a college. The Shenandoah Valley Academy also reports a prosperous year both in attendance and in finances. All the brethren of the educational department are determined to make the year 1915 the best in the history of the union. And we believe that, with the blessing of God upon our young people, the different branches of the work will receive help and new recruits. There is a good spirit of earnestness on the part of the conference presidents and other leaders in this field, to make 1915 the best year in the history of the work in this territory.