The Biennial Council in Friedensau, Germany by William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 3, 1911

The Biennial Council in Friedensau, Germany

By William Ambrose Spicer

Second Report

THIS second report will be lengthy enough if it covers but one day's further proceedings of the council, and the services of the first Sabbath in the camp at Friedensau.

The following actions of the General Conference Committee were taken:—

That we comply with the request of the Australasian Union Conference, and transfer the East Indies (except British New Guinea) to the mission territory of the General Conference, from Jan. 1, 1912.

That the East Indies (except British New Guinea) be a mission field of the Asiatic Division of the General Conference, with the understanding that it be associated with the Malay Peninsula, the whole constituting the Malay Mission, with Singapore as the headquarters.

That the appropriations for the mission fields be made each year at the autumn council rather than in the spring, as heretofore, in order that the fields may know as early as possible what appropriations they have to work upon.

That one thousand dollars be granted as an appropriation to the Loma Linda Medical College, the same to be paid out of the first money that may be available.

That in response to the request of the board of the Loma Linda Medical College and the Pacific Union Conference the General Conference Committee release Dr. D. H. Kress from his position as General Medical Secretary, in order that he and Dr. Lauretta Kress may accept the call from the Pacific Coast to unite with the medical work there, Mrs. Kress to teach in the faculty of the College, of Medical Evangelists, and Dr. D. H. Kress to act as medical secretary of the Pacific Union Conference.

That the winter union conference sessions in America be held as follows:—

Southeastern ............ January 10-18 Southern ............... January 18-28 Southwestern ........... February 1-11 Columbia ............... February 14-22 Atlantic ............... February 28 to March 7 Central ................ January 18-28 Pacific ................ January 25 to February 3 North Pacific .......... February 8-18 West Canadian, February 22 to March 2 Northern ............... March 5-20 Lake ................... May 23 to June 1

That the question of general help to attend these union conferences be left to the officers of the General Conference.

A Blessed Sabbath—July 6

It was a vast congregation that gathered in the large tent for singing and prayer at the beginning of the Sabbath. Elder G. B. Thompson spoke, by interpreter, at the Friday evening preaching service. At the close, the announcements were made concerning the Sabbath-school arrangements for the morrow. A list of nearly three hundred teachers was read, the teachers themselves forming a good congregation.

It was a vast concourse that one looked over when the Sabbath-school gathered, and many languages were represented. The day was bright, and many classes were led out onto grassy plots in the meadow in which the big tent is pitched. The class records showed a membership of 2,423. There were two hundred forty classes formed, twenty-seven of these being conducted in other languages than the German. The children's division numbered two hundred sixty. The contributions were $343.

The class records indicate very closely the number in attendance at this meeting; but naturally in such a gathering several hundred more were in the camp and in the institutions who did not get into the Sabbath-school classes. The congregation was still further enlarged as the morning preaching hour came. Elder Daniells spoke from Rev. 3:11. The invitation at the close to those who had special need of help in making full surrender to God, brought about two hundred fifty souls to the front seats for an after-meeting, and precious victories were gained.

For the three o'clock service, the congregation was seated by unions, conferences, mission fields, and languages. Elder L. R. Conradi spoke for a few moments, calling attention to Scripture prophecies which predicted the gathering of a Sabbath-observing, commandment-keeping people from all parts of the world in the last days (Isaiah 56; Revelation 14, etc.). The Lord's house was to be called a house of prayer for all people.

Then as living witnesses to the fact that the prophecy is fulfilling, the representatives

of the various fields were called upon one after another to rise. The meeting was a wonderful witness to the swift progress of the message. Elder Conradi called attention to the fact that in Germany we have one sister, still living, who began to keep the Sabbath in 1844, from her own study of the Bible. In the sixties a number in the Rheinland began to keep the Sabbath, from the study of the Bible alone, and here in the meeting a dozen or more stood up as children of those early believers. The same date saw the gathering of a company of Sabbath-keepers in Switzerland, and four or five were here present as the children of those Swiss pioneers. And all through the meetings, active and vigorous, we have had with us Elder J. Erzberger, who came over to America in 1869 to attend a General Conference as a representative from Swiss Sabbath-keepers who appealed to the American believers to send teachers to Europe.

In response to this call, Elder J. N. Andrews crossed to Europe in 1874. And now, under the great tent and around its edges, were gathered living witnesses to the progress of the message in all the four quarters of the earth.

From the Four Winds

Elder Conradi first called for witnesses from the four quarters of the earth. From the farthest South, South Africa, six or eight stood up. From the farthest North, Scandinavia, stretching within the arctic circle, about thirty stood up. Four stood for the far East, China and Russian Manchuria; and several were present representing the farthest West, California and Peru.

As the roll of great cities was called, members stood up for London, Paris, Berlin (about two hundred fifty standing), Vienna, Constantinople, St. Petersburg; and here also was one believer from Jerusalem, also one each from Jaffa, Smyrna, and Luxor, Upper Egypt (the ancient Thebes, or No Amon of the Old Testament. Nahum 3:8, margin).

Levant Union Conference

When the union conferences were called upon, the Levant Union representatives, a little band of about fifteen, bore witness that the message is spreading in these last days in the lands of ancient Bible story. Believers from Turkey sang a Turkish song. Several of those who sang have been imprisoned again and again for the truth of God, but onward the message has gone. Elder A. Buzugherian, of Smyrna, told how once they wanted a Bible institute for the several workers. How to get permission for it was the question. Just then the government shut them all in prison together, with Elder Z. G. Baharian, their leader, and there behind the bars they had the longed-for opportunity to have a Bible institute.

Now an Arabic song was sung, and a brother whose home is in old Mesopotamia said he wanted to make a short speech; that if he told all in his heart, it would take as long as to come from Mesopotamia to Friedensau. Our time was short, and he was cautioned to make his talk brief. He stated that these remarks were only the preface, and that the speech itself would be but two words, needing no translation for any, of whatsoever tongue. Then, as the testimony of his heart, he cried out the words: “Halleluiah! Amen!” And all the great congregation answered with a loud “Amen!”

Other Unions

Now the Latin Union Conference representatives stood, first as a union, and then by fields, including Algeria, in northern Africa.

As Africa was touched, representatives rose from the south, west, east, and north of the Dark Continent. Then a brother (A. C. Enns) stood from the Victoria Nyanza, for the “heart of Africa,” and another (Elder J. Ebel) from Tashkend (Turkestan), for the “heart of Asia.” Then we heard a beautiful hymn in the Spanish (“Wonderful Words of Life”).

South America was represented by a number from that field, who are studying and working in Europe, and by two families soon to sail for Brazil, to bring at last two new ministerial laborers into the slender ranks of workers in that needy land. A Portuguese song was then sung by believers from Portugal and Brazil. The Russian Union Conference was represented by about seventy-five believers, and a Russian song was sung. Each conference and mission field of that vast empire responded—from the Baltic to Manchuria on the Pacific, and from the far North to the Caucasus. One brother (Elder Q. Wildgrube) of the Middle Russian Mission, is here after great difficulty and delay in securing his passport permission to attend this council, having to stand trial, on his return to Moscow, on the charge of perverting members of the Russian church. He faces the possibility of a long imprisonment. Pray that he may be delivered.

The Scandinavian fields followed, with about forty present, representing all divisions, including Finland and Iceland. The representative for the latter field was Brother Olaf J. Olsen (formerly of Union College, Nebraska), who expects to sail this month for that northern island. A Scandinavian hymn of praise was sung.

Then came the East German Union mission fields and conferences, the Hungarian, Transylvanian, Galician, Adriatic (the ten representatives mostly Servians), and Austrian, with the various conferences of eastern Germany.

As Elder Conradi said, it was a moving picture, rapidly passing before our eyes, of the fulfilling prophecies of the gathering time. Songs were sung, as this union reported, in the Hungarian, Rumanian, Servian, and Polish. Then the whole East German Union representation stood up, one thousand strong.

The British Union next bore testimony for each of its field divisions, and a quartet sang, “All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name.” Australia, India, the East Indies, Abyssinia, and Persia were represented. Two representatives from German East Africa, and two missionaries who are going to Africa this year, sang a song in the Suaheli language.

This report may seem monotonous with its record of geographical name after name; but it was a meeting that stirred the hearts of all who witnessed it. These songs were sung by those whose lives are devoted to proclaiming the last message among these peoples and tongues and tribes; and while we saw these few who are here in Europe, some as delegates, others on furlough, or in preparation for stronger service, we thought of our brethren and sisters working away in far places among the nations and languages and tribes, winning souls to God. Prophecy is fulfilling before our eyes, and the Lord has made bare his arm for the finishing of the work.

Then came the West German Union, with very nearly one thousand. About one hundred were in from Austria, where it is still against the law to baptize. Our Holland brethren sang a Dutch song. Over five hundred stood up to signify that they had received the message while in the Catholic Church.

The representatives from North America next stood up—a little band in the great gathering. Elder A. G. Daniells spoke of the joy the believers in America feel as they see the message spreading forth. Many of the American brethren remember the days when the work had never crossed the sea, and now they rejoice to see how rapidly the third angel's message is spreading out toward every land and nation. An English song was then sung, “Hover o'er Me, Holy Spirit,” and the great meeting was brought to a close by the heavy volume of praise from two thousand voices that filled the tent in the good old German song, “We Praise Thee, O God!”

Truly we may say, in the language of the prophecy, “From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.”

Never did we rejoice more earnestly in the surety of the triumph of the advent movement.

W. A. SPICER, Secretary.

Friedensau.