German Union Committee Meeting
By Guy Dail
The third midwinter session of the German Union Committee was held in the new school building, Friedensau, Germany, Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, 1905. Elders L. R. Conradi, H. F. Schuberth, J. Erzenberger, O. Lupke, G. W. Schubert, E. Frauchiger, C. W. Weber, J. T. Boettcher, J. Pieper, and J. G. Oblander, with Brethren W. Kruml, H. Hartkop, Dr. A. J. Hoenes, and, by invitation, B. Severin, W. Ising, and the writer, were present. The meeting was very interesting, for it closed up the most successful series of winter conferences we have yet had in the German field. The questions to be considered were many, and some of them are of general interest. It is always a difficult question to know how best to deal with the scattered members in a conference. Up to this time, no very definite arrangements had been in general operation in our field; but it was voted at this time to recommend the formation of a conference church in each local conference, with the president of the field as church elder, and the conference secretary and treasurer as church treasurer and secretary. In this manner it is to be hoped that the isolated Sabbath-keepers can be more carefully cared for in each field. A new district, to be known as the German Union District, was formed, which contains the Hamburg-Altona and the Friedensau churches, and the German East African and the Transcaucasian missions. The reasons for this action have been referred to in the report of the West German Conference. It was decided that, in case the circumstances permit, we shall re-enforce the corps of laborers in German East Africa, by the sending of a teacher, Brother Kotz, and two nurses, Brother Ohme and his wife, who are preparing to sail in May. We are sorry to report that our workers, notwithstanding they thought they had secured a place above the fever limit, have been suffering with the fever during the rainy season, and at least one of them has been so ill that he will probably have to leave that climate. There was a gain of one thousand dollars in the operation of the school, on rent, board, and tuition. The teachers largely receive their wages from conference funds. The question of the delegation to the General Conference was considered, and it was voted that Brethren L. R. Conradi and J. G. Oblander, and Dr. A. J. Hoenes represent the German field as delegates at the Washington meeting, in May. One of the most important themes discussed at the meeting was the educational work in the German Union. Formerly, we have been so pressed for laborers that we have urged men and women into the service without allowing them to spend the necessary time in thorough preparation. Our methods at Friedensau have been in keeping with the great demand for workers in the field at large. We have refused admittance to a number of promising young people who were able to pay their way, but who, upon completing their course in school, would not be old enough to engage in evangelical work; and, further, we did not have room for their accommodation. Thanks to the blessing of the Lord, we now have school and boarding room for about one hundred and forty-five students. We are increasing our teaching force, in order to give a more general education. It was decided at this session of the German Union Conference Committee, to prepare a course of three years, and to require close examinations before entering the school, and also during the school year, so that a better grade of scholarship shall be attained on the part of those who visit the institution for the purpose of preparing themselves to labor in the cause of God. Of course it is understood that such as can pass the required examinations will not need to take the first year's work, which is, properly speaking, preparatory. A laboratory, a piano, and an addition to the library was provided for, by a grant of seventeen hundred marks. It was also thought best that greater care should be exercised in accepting prospective students, that the condition of their health be first carefully ascertained, and that all students who do not make the right use of their opportunities be advised to complete their education elsewhere. The number of youth now offering themselves, makes it possible for us to have a great deal better opportunity to make a choice than we could have in the earlier part of our experience in this field. We are now erecting a laundry and17power-house at Friedensau. This, and the new school dormitory have been erected without in the least increasing the indebtedness on the plant. We are very thankful for the liberality of our people which has enabled us to accomplish this. The food factory had only a fairly good year, owing to its having to carry a loss of about one thousand dollars in the Rotterdam branch. However, there was a net gain in the sales amounting to about one thousand dollars. As to book sales, the German Union colporteurs reported $48,260 in sales, as against $46,159 for 1903; German Union tithe in 1904 was $43,597, while it was $35,640 for 1903; the offerings in 1904 were $8,434, showing an increase of $2,300 over the previous year; and as to the additions, for the twelve months ending last December, we had received 1,089 by baptism, and 458 by vote, making a total of 229 more received than during the previous year. Our membership was raised from 5,156 at the beginning of 1904 to 6,297 at its close. The work among the native Russians made the most rapid progress, as here we received 321 new members, bringing up their membership to 646. The demand for our literature has so increased that it was voted to provide yet another press for the Hamburg Publishing House, at a cost of about fifteen hundred dollars. This gives us two good, fast presses for paper and small book work, and two good job-presses. Our larger books will still be published in Leipsic, as heretofore, but we now issue quite a number of copies of our regular papers. We print thirty thousand copies of our missionary paper, Herold der Wahrheit; ten thousand of Gute Gesundheit; five thousand of Kleiner Freund; two hundred and fifty copies of our Hungarian paper, and four hundred copies of the Russian paper, and twelve hundred copies of the Dutch paper. We are glad to announce, also, that we have just received a sample copy of “Steps to Christ,” printed for us in Helsingfors, in the Russian language. This has been allowed by the censor. It, as well as our Russian paper, will be a great help to our Russian work. The auditing of our mission fields was done at the meeting in February. We had enough money to audit all our workers, and received only fifteen hundred dollars appropriations from America. We feel very thankful to our brethren in the States for the way in which they have remembered our European fields, the German Union with the others. Brother W. Ising, who has had a number of years' experience in America, knows English, as well as German, and is somewhat acquainted with the French, was chosen as secretary, and is to give his whole time to the work of the German Union. It was recommended that Elder J. Erzenberger change his home from Switzerland to some part of the South German Conference, that he might help especially in that field, as well as in other parts of the union conference. All in all, there was a harmonious spirit present. Principles concerning the economy of workers, and carefulness in management of conference funds, and the necessity of co-operation on the part of all members of the German Union, received special attention. God met with us, and helped us. We were all very glad to see the new Friedensau chapel, which, to our mind, is the neatest chapel in the denomination, so plain, so simple, and yet so very attractive. We left the meeting, thankful for what God had done, and more encouraged to press forward in the future. We enjoyed the hospitality shown us by the students and teachers, and they seemed to appreciate the lessons the brethren present were able to give them from the Word of God. May God continue to give us greater supplies of his grace, is our fervent wish and prayer.