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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 3, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 38.

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Under South American Skies — No. 5

By W. W. Prescott

Brother Montgomery and I, accompanied by Brother Arthur L. Westphal, who was returning to Argentina, arrived at Valparaiso on Wednesday, May 10, after an uneventful voyage from Lima. We were met by Elder F. L. Perry, the newly elected president of the Chile Conference, and other brethren, and found that appointments had already been made for public services. That same evening we spoke to the believers in Valparaiso in their usual place of meeting, where about fifty came together. The next day we went to Santiago, where we were hospitably entertained at the home of Brother Perry. We held four meetings in the hall occupied by the church in Santiago. The attendance was good, and the interest was excellent. There are about seventy members of the church in Santiago, and plans have been made for a public effort, when it is hoped that this number will be largely increased.
On the following Monday we left Santiago for Buenos Aires, and as we were obliged to stop overnight at Los Andes, the last place of any importance before crossing the Andes, an appointment had been made for an evening service there. There is no organized church at Los Andes, but about twenty-five believers and interested persons gathered at the home of one of the brethren, and we had a profitable meeting with them. Brethren Perry and Soto accompanied us to this place.
An important meeting of the executive committee of the South American Division Conference had been appointed to be held as soon as we arrived in Buenos Aires, and Brethren F. W. Spies and H. Meyer, of the Brazilian Union Conference, reached the city a few hours in advance of us, to attend this meeting. Five out of the seven members of the committee were present, the absent members being Elder E. L. Maxwell, the superintendent of the Inca Union Mission, and Brother W. H. Williams, the secretary-treasurer, who was then making preparations to leave the United States for his new field.
The committee continued its sessions ten days, and the occasion was a very profitable one. We all felt the need of a special blessing from God as a preparation for the work before us, and we earnestly sought for that blessing. An hour or more was spent each morning in studying the Bible and reading the Testimonies and in prayer. The provision which the Lord has made for us in order that we may have a rich Christian experience was dwelt upon, and how this same experience may be ministered to others was also considered. We felt a deep conviction that all the workers in South America ought to join with us in a special consecration to the work in giving this closing message in this great field, and as a means to this end Brother Montgomery was requested to prepare in behalf of the committee a letter to be sent to each worker, setting forth the need of a real revival throughout the field, and inviting all to join in a concert of prayer to bring about such a result. This letter has since been forwarded to the laborers, and so far as we have learned, it has called out an encouraging response. We confidently look for greater results in this field as the fruit of this special consecration on the part of the workers.
One of the most important matters before the committee was the preparation of the statement of the needs of the field for 1917, to be submitted to the Mission Board in the United States as a basis for the annual appropriation to South America. This involved a careful study of the work now being carried forward in every mission and how it ought to be developed. It was because I desired to cooperate intelligently with the committee in this work and in presenting the requirements to the Mission Board that I felt the necessity of visiting the west coast and then returning to Buenos Aires for a final meeting with the committee before sailing for the United States. I am thoroughly satisfied that the results fully justified this change in my program. After having the opportunity to observe for myself the conditions under which the work must be carried forward, I was much better prepared to counsel with the brethren as to plans for the future. We spent several days in going over these matters in the most careful way, developing plans for the advancement of the work in all parts of the field.
One especially encouraging feature of the situation in South America is the number of South Americans who are ready to enter the work. There are now about fifteen such persons, some of whom have already had some experience in the field, and their names were placed on the list for the consideration of the Mission Board. One great advantage which these young people have over those who come from the United States is the fact that the language of the country is their own language. What this means is best appreciated by those who are obliged to pray and preach in an acquired language.
Among the important actions of the committee was the organization of the Lake Titicaca Indian Mission. Brother F. A. Stahl was appointed superintendent, and Brethren C. V. Achenbach and J. M. Howell were associated with him on the committee. The definite territory included in this mission consists of the departments of Puno, Cuzco, and Madre de Dios, in Peru, and that part of the basin of Lake Titicaca which is in Bolivia. At present there are more Sabbath keepers within the borders of this mission than in all the remaining portion of Peru and Bolivia, and the number is steadily increasing. I have spoken in a former report of the many openings and calls for additional workers around Lake Titicaca, and the South American Division Conference Committee approved the requests suggested by the local committee for further help.
The budget for 1917 as finally adopted indicated clearly the desire and the purpose of the leaders in this South American field to do all in their power to bring the work in this country to a speedy conclusion. They will wait with much interest to see whether their suggestions to the Mission Board can be adopted.
I fully expected to sail for the United States June 8, but an accident to the ship caused a delay of two weeks. All arrangements have now been made to sail on the steamship "Vauban," of the Lamport and Holt line, June 25. We left New York in midwinter and arrived in Brazil in midsummer. We leave Buenos Aires in midwinter and shall arrive in New York in midsummer.
On reviewing the work of the six months which I have spent in South America, I find that I have attended two union conferences and two local conferences, and that I have visited every mission field and the most of the places where any special work is being carried forward. I have spoken 87 times, besides attending a very large number of other meetings. We have had manifest tokens of the working of the Holy Spirit on many occasions, for which I have been very thankful. In every part of the field we have been cordially welcomed by the workers, and they have made our stay among them most pleasant. Homes have been freely opened to us, and the real spirit of Christian hospitality has been shown toward us. This we have thoroughly appreciated. We leave the field with a deep interest in the success of the work here, and we shall continue to pray and labor for the advancement of the third angel's message in South America.
W. W. Prescott.