***The Union Conference Committee
By L. R. CONRADI
AFTER the German Union Committee meeting in Friedensau, the writer hastened immediately to Watford, England, where the British Union Committee held its session February 11-17. When I reached Stanborough Park, I was pleased9to see the new school building well under roof, and nearing completion. All the members of the committee were in council; and as their three legal associations had their annual meetings at that place, there were also a number of our other brethren present. The British Union added last year 263 members; but its membership — 1,811 — is about the same as it was in 1907. However, during this time the tithe has been increased by $2,500, so we have every reason to believe that we are on a better basis than we were then. The appropriations for 1909 were $3,500. As quite a number of workers had been returned to the States, and as they had sent a number of their delegates to the General Conference, the allowance proved a little short; but the South England Conference stepped nobly in to make up the remaining deficit. The appropriation for this year has been cut down to $2,000, and since the two German unions as well as the Scandinavian are now getting along without any outside appropriations, the British Union felt like doing its utmost to follow their example by 1911. We were pleased to notice the prosperity which had attended our institutional work. By the efficient help of Brother W. C. Sisley, the British Union has been able to erect a neat publishing plant, a food factory, a fine building for the school, with suitable dormitories, and some cottages for the employees. All that remains is to remodel the present mansion building into a well-equipped sanitarium. This last proposition received careful attention at the meeting, and it was unanimously voted to begin this work during the present year. The Leicester and Caterham sanitariums have had a prosperous year, and the latter has been able to make some substantial improvements, the cost of which it covered from its net earnings. If during 1910 there is a strong campaign throughout this union, and its sixty-six workers spend their energies in solid gospel work, there seems to be no reason why this union should not come up to two thousand members at the close of the year. England with its wealth,—the greatest of all the countries in Europe,—with its 45,000,000 people, with its wonderful liberty for the preaching of the gospel, with its great opportunities for the canvassing work, and with a fair number of workers and sufficient institutions, ought to make great strides in the near future. From there I went to Gland, where the Latin Union had their session February 18-22. As I drove into their beautiful place on Lake Geneva, I noticed that their new sanitarium building was up several stories; it is expected to have it ready for occupation by July. All the members of the committee were present except the members from Portugal and Africa — the most distant regions. Important changes were also made during this meeting. Elder H. H. Dexter, who had hitherto been the president of the Southern French Conference, was invited to take the French-Swiss Conference, Elder T. Nussbaum succeeding him in South France. Elder J. Curdy was transferred to the Northern French Mission field, where there are about 18,000,000 people who have never heard this message. In view of the fact that there are only a few hundred Sabbath-keepers now in France, and considering the important position which Paris occupies in all the Latin Union, it was decided that Elder L. P. Tieche remove the union headquarters to that city, making Paris a union district, and that a good additional business man be secured for Gland, thus freeing the union president for the important gospel work to be done among the millions of people. As the French-speaking members of Belgium desired to become united with the other Belgian Sabbath-keepers, the Latin Union voted unanimously to cede this portion to the West German Union, which has both means and men, and is now far better situated to work all of Belgium as a separate mission field. There were also some changes of workers. Elder H. Steiner, who was working in Lille, was changed to Paris, and Elder J. P. Badaut from Paris to Lyons. Elder L. Zechetto reported favorably about the future outlook for Italy, and the committee felt that everything should be done that this great kingdom should take its proper place among the nations of Europe in this message. We were also pleased to notice the progress of the work in Spain, Portugal, and Algeria. Last year $11,000 was appropriated for the Latin Union; however, in order to meet the increasing demands for this great field, and the extra expenses for the General Conference, we found that the deficit was somewhat larger; but the French-Swiss Conference stepped nobly forward, and voted $400, while the General Conference increased its appropriation over $800, thus covering all the deficit, and making it possible to do justice to the workers. The Latin Union added last year 159 members. Its membership passed the 1,000 mark during 1909, but as it now cedes fifty members to the West German Union, it starts out really with a membership of 985 at the beginning of 1910. During last year a separate building was set aside for the school, and there are now thirty students in attendance from all portions of the union. Their sanitarium, food factory, and publishing house had a fair year. But they need another good business man to do justice to their growing work. We shall be pleased when we can get the $5,000 from America to equip a little printing-plant on our place in Gland; then we can remove the publishing work from Geneva to Gland, and start a depository in Paris in connection with the union office. When we remember that there are only fifty workers now for 100,000,000 people, we can see that the great need of the hour is more workers. Let us all remember the Latin Union in our prayers and gifts. February 24-27 I spent with the Scandinavian Union Committee at Skodsborg, and we were pleased to meet all the members. The Scandinavian Union added 307 members last year, and it has passed the 3,000 mark in membership; while its tithe has come up to nearly $25,000. During last year we were able to organize a fourth conference in Finland. A good school building was erected in Skodsborg, and there are now over thirty promising young people from Denmark and Norway in attendance. A small Swedish school is also in operation in Nyhyttan. Denmark and Norway are fast increasing their membership and finances; and as Sweden has now been separated into two parts, we are sure that it will soon follow suit. The work among the Finns is very promising. We were also pleased to welcome here Brother G. S. Juhl, from Iowa. He has been selected as the business manager of the Skodsborg Sanitarium, while Brother A. C. Christensen is doing efficient work as head bookkeeper. This gives Elder J. C. Raft better opportunity to concentrate his efforts on the field, and he has already conducted a well-attended public effort in southern Sweden. During the past year Christiania was able to pay off the mortgages held by the Hamburg office. Scandinavia has about forty-seven workers for its 13,000,000 people. Now that proper attention is given the education of their youth, there is no reason why this field should not forge ahead. We are indeed thankful that this union not only supports itself, but that its conferences and the union had a surplus last year, and will soon be able to help, beyond their regular offerings, to push the work in far-off fields. The real work in all these fields is only just developing, and with the proper system and organization and development of workers, we shall see great things accomplished in a little while.