In the General European Field
By L. R. Conradi
KNOWING the interest our people feel in the growth of the work of God, we would be pleased to refer to the report of the European field for the third quarter, 1905, and also to a comparison between the first nine months of 1904 and the first three quarters of 1905. During the third quarter, there were 397 baptisms, and 92 additions by vote; the tithe was $23,883, and the donations, $2,700. A comparison of January 1 to September 30, of last year, with the corresponding time this year, is encouraging. In respect to the number received, there is a falling off of about one hundred this year, as the number is sixteen hundred now against seventeen hundred then; but our tithe during that period of 1904 was $57,000, while it has been $71,700 in 1905; the Sabbath-school donations rose from $4,700 to $5,550, the First-day offerings from $1,400 to $1,980, and the annual offerings from $1,250 to $1,350; this gives us an increase of over $16,000 in our income the first three quarters of 1905 as compared with the same period in 1904. Our net increase in membership since the beginning of the year is about 1,050—not a bad increase if we remember the large number of our converts who go to America, and also keep in mind the fact that we try to have a thoroughly revised membership list all the time. There are other encouraging items to which we might refer. While the newspapers in general are describing the perilous times into which we are entering, and there have been revolutions and insurrections, and massacres and violence, and political and religious strife, yet God is caring for his own, and his cause goes right ahead in the midst of all these difficulties. We learn that in Iceland the brethren have been so blessed that they were able to erect a house of worship, mostly on their own resources, and that the meetings there are well attended. There come good tidings from Elder Wakeham, who has been able to hold a profitable institute with the Armenian workers in Asia Minor, in spite of the difficulties that seemed before him. Elder Fred Anderson, of Finland, reports that we never had better attended meetings there than have been in progress during the revolutionary times through which they have been passing. Our canvassers in that field have been selling their books even faster than ever before. Dr. George writes that they are now completing the treatment rooms in Constantinople. Dr. Yeram, of Macedonia, reports some interested inquirers there. We receive good news from the land of Palestine, where several Germans are to be baptized when Brother Wakeham visits that field. Elder D. Isaac, who lately went to the South Russian field, refers encouragingly to his visit to several churches there; he states that a number of our brethren have very profitable employment as stone-cutters in that field, and that more might be so employed. During my recent visit to Gland, I found in the school there about twelve students, from the Latin Union. Our buildings are now in good shape, and we hope by spring to have a good patronage; we have lately opened a health-food store and a bookstore in Geneva. Our work in Friedensau is prospering, and we are constantly put to our wits' ends to provide more room. We are now laboring hard to get out the book, “Ministry of Healing,” in the German language, and are raising our “material fund” for it. When we visited our paper dealer, and told him that the book would be ready by spring, and asked whether he would like to assist us on it, he said, “Yes, surely; but why should I wait until spring; can I not help you sooner?” And within a week he sent us a check for sixty dollars. I received the same promise from our printer and from our binder in Leipzig. Our institutions have to be constantly enlarged, and it naturally puts quite a strain upon us to provide the necessary facilities with the small constituencies we have to assist us. Our brethren in Great Britain are between hope and fear as to the possibility of securing a suitable place for their institutions; but they write very encouragingly with regard to their book and field work, and they are anxiously waiting for the help of the men promised from the States. In Germany the press is constantly advertising us and our work, to a greater or less degree. We read of a young Seventh-day Adventist in Bavaria who refused to serve in the army on the Sabbath, and suffered imprisonment in consequence; we read of a similar case in Hessia; and as the number of the young men who are faithful and loyal to their Master is constantly increasing, of course our people are brought more and more to the front. In the city of Nurnberg, where Elder J. T. Boettcher recently celebrated the Lord's supper with our church,—about fifty were present, and among them some strangers,—the congregation was suddenly surprised by four policemen, who took the name of every person present, and all are now subject to a fine of $12.50 each; but we shall again appeal to the government, and protest against this injustice. From the East African Mission we learn that the buildings are now nearly finished, and we expect them to be done before the rainy season. They have sent us some nice views. We have two stations, one in the mountains, and the other at Kuihiro. While the workers suffer more or less from the climate, still their work is slowly onward. Thus, whether the news comes from the cold arctic regions or from the hot torrid zone of Africa, whether we hear from troubled Russia or from the “pleasant land,” yet we have cheering tidings of salvation. We have every reason to be of good cheer, knowing that in every condition God is our strength and salvation, our fortress and deliverer.