The Southeastern Union Conference by William T. Knox

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 15, 1912

The Southeastern Union Conference

By William T. Knox

THE Southeastern Union conference session was held at Graysville, Tenn., Jan. 8-18, 1912, with quite a full delegation present from all the conferences. The conference proper was preceded by a bookmen’s convention, attended by almost all the colporteurs of the conference, the meetings being in charge of Elder E. R. Palmer, assisted by Brother V. O. Cole, the field missionary agent of the union.

This part of the meeting was intensely interesting not only to the bookmen in attendance, but to all the delegates at the conference, the meetings being quite as well attended as any of the conference meetings following. The reports and discussions of the various topics under consideration were animated and very helpful, while a deep spiritual tone pervaded all the meetings, and without doubt helped in giving character to the conference session following.

Reports were presented during the conference from the various presidents and department heads. The reports showed a very satisfactory progress in all lines of the work and in every conference. Space will not permit even a brief reproduction of these reports, but the following general summary of all will give some idea of the success that has been attending the work in this union.

During the biennial term closing with December, 1911, there were added to the various conferences composing the union, 21 churches, with an increase in membership of 417. Eleven new church buildings have been added to the number possessed at the close of the previous year. The force of laborers has been increased by 10 ministers and licentiates, and 44 colporteurs. The total amount of tithe paid in during the biennial term ending with 1909 amounted to $39,393; for the term ending with 1911, there was paid in $63,546, a gain of over $24,000. During the same periods there was received for foreign missions $12,221.54 and $27,275.79, respectively, making a gain of over $15,000 for foreign missions for the biennial term just closed.

During the years 1908 and 1909, the total book sales in the conference amounted to $50,920, while for the years 1910 and 1911, there was sold $78,650 worth, a gain of almost $28,000.

The above figures show a very satisfactory development of this the youngest union conference in the United States. The Southeastern Union Conference was organized in 1908, and was supposed to contain some of the most unpromising territory of the South from the standpoint of natural resources; but it is evident that the blessing of God has been resting upon the work of the laborers. There has been a steady advancement from the very first, and while the conference has thus been developing its territory, it has been among the most helpful conferences in the support of the foreign mission work.

The spiritual conditions of the conference session were very gratifying, an earnest purpose to draw near to God being manifested throughout all the meetings. The assistance of Elder K. C. Russell in this feature of the conference was very helpful. Not only in the conference meetings was this so, but also in his ministration in the Graysville school, almost all the students taking advance steps in their spiritual experience, while a number gave themselves to the Lord for the first time.

In the election of officers there were but few changes, and these only in the minor offices. The brethren from the various local conferences expressed themselves as very hopeful of the outcome in the development of their work the coming year. W. T. KNOX.