The River Plate Conference
By J. W. Westphal
THE fifth session of the Rio de la Plata Conference was held in connection with the annual camp-meeting at Rosario Tala, Entre Rios Province, Argentina, October 12-22. About one hundred and twenty-five of our brethren were present, including representatives from Paraguay, Missiones, Uruguay, and other distant places. The presidents’ address showed a growth in the work during the year. More than one hundred accepted the truth during the year. Four churches were organized and received into the conference. The work was opened up in at least one new province, and the truth was planted in several new places. During the few months Brother Louis Ernst labored in Paraguay, his labors were blessed with nine new souls. A new tract from our press has received a fair circulation, while our Spanish paper, La Verdad Presente, printed on our own press, has greatly increased its circulation. The subscription list has doubled, and the number of copies printed is more than threefold what it was. A special number of five thousand copies was not sufficient to supply the demand. A number, especially the teachers and students from our school, and other laborers, have had good success in selling single copies and in securing subscriptions. The tithe report showed an encouraging increase. During the first nine months of this year it was eight hundred dollars more than during the entire previous year, and during the first ten months of this year it was double what it was in 1903. While other donations had increased, several hundred dollars was given toward a printing-press, and the report showed that we had a surplus of twenty dollars with which to improve the plant. At this meeting over five hundred dollars was pledged or paid toward providing a building for the plant, and two hundred dollars toward a new meeting tent. These donations seemed to come spontaneously, and were given cheerfully. From a spiritual standpoint, the meeting was a good one. The Lord was manifestly present. Hearts were moved to consecrate themselves anew and more fully to the Lord’s service. On the last Sabbath afternoon Brother Louis Ernst was, under the melting influence of the Spirit of God, consecrated to the sacred work of the gospel ministry, Elder Town offering the prayer, and the writer giving the charge. The meeting was held in new territory, and several manifested an interest in the truth, and one man promised to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. The work is being followed up by Dr. Habenicht and Brethren Block and Rojos. The conference officers of last year were re-elected. The prospects for another year’s work are very encouraging. Special efforts17for our paper will be continued, and we have planned for at least one special issue. Three sisters who have had success in smaller places go to Buenos Ayres to take up the paper work there. Brother Ignacio Kalbermatten will go to Paraguay to assist Elder Ernst. Elder Juan McCarthy will make Uruguay his field of labor, a field in which very little has been done for some years. Several additional laborers have been employed. The spirit of courage seems general. Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina.