The West German and German Union Conference Committee Meetings
By Guy Dail
In Hamburg, the home of the first organized Seventh-day Adventist church in Germany, seventy delegates assembled January 14-18, to take part in the proceedings of the West German Conference, which was held in our own chapel, at Grindelberg 15a. Hamburg contains about 750,000 inhabitants. It is one of the three free cities in Germany (Bremen and Lübeck are the others). In this place is our German Union Publishing House, whose capital is about forty-six thousand dollars, with which it is doing a large amount of missionary printing and publishing. The school, sanitarium, and health food factory, located in Friedensau, are also within the limits of the territory of the West German Conference, so that this field derives a large share of the benefit of these two union institutions,—the Hamburg Publishing House and the Friedensau plant. The time was fully occupied with work. There were, daily, two Bible studies, two conference sessions, one preaching service for strangers, and an early morning meeting for workers. Much thought was given to the work in mission fields, especially in our home territory and in German East Africa, and to the education of workers, and the strengthening of the colporteur work. The same plan was followed here which has been mentioned in our reports of the other German meetings,—the choosing of a large general committee, which appointed the subcommittees. These actions of the conference may be of general interest:— 1. The Lord has richly blessed the West German Conference during the past year; especially are we thankful for the gratifying progress made by our union institutions in Hamburg and Friedensau, and we pray that the Lord may give us grace to serve him with all our ability and strength in the future, that the coming year may witness a still greater advance in his work through us. 2. We rejoice that the first edition of “Christ’s Object Lessons” is almost disposed of; and therewith a good beginning has been made; but we would encourage the brethren and sisters to take up with renewed energy the circulation of the second edition, that we may quickly free our school from its indebtedness, and that our young people may have an opportunity of preparing themselves for work in the field. 3. In consideration of the small corps of workers in our great field, we would ever remember the words of our Saviour, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest,” and our duty as members of the church. Let us remember the same during the coming year, and seek out promising young people of good report, who should attend the school at Friedensau. Whereas, We believe that our message should go to the ends of the world, therefore,— 4. We recommend, That the First-day offerings be dedicated to the opening of the work in German colonies, and that they be strengthened through free-will offerings. 5. Inasmuch as God is a God of order, we would recommend each colporteur to remain in the field assigned him until it is thoroughly worked, and the general canvassing agent assigns him other territory. 6. We would further recommend that we carry our part of the Material Fund for “Christ’s Object Lessons.” There were some very encouraging experiences reported with reference to the selling of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” In some cities, when the authorities were made acquainted with the end had in view through the distribution of this book, and learned that it was purely a missionary enterprise, and that the brethren received no money from the profits made on their sales, they willingly granted to all our church-members the right to circulate the work freely, without paying for the right to canvass. Four were baptized at this meeting. Elders Erzenberger, Conradi, and H. F. Schuberth were present, as well as Elders Boettcher, Frauchiger, and C. W. Weber. The conference officers for the ensuing year are as follows: President, J. Pieper; Secretary, O. Luepke; Treasurer, B. Severin; Sabbath-school and Missionary Secretary, K. Laubhan; Canvassing Agent, J. Lippert. There are now four ordained ministers, two licentiates, and seventeen Bible workers in this field. The report for the year 1902 shows 34 churches and companies, with a total membership of 1,093; 205 persons were baptized, and 27 received by vote. The tithe amounted to $9,978.76; Sabbath-school offerings to $728.29; First-day offerings to $162.84; annual offerings to $439.81. There were 60 canvassers, whose book sales amounted to $13,973.37; 32 Sabbath-schools, with 763 members. Three hundred and thirty-four dollars was voted toward the German East African Mission. In connection with, or rather, immediately at the close of, the West German Conference, the German Union Conference Committee spent three busy but happy days in planning for the work in the union, and especially in the proposed mission to be opened in German East Africa. We have now secured written permission of the government to enter that field, provided we open a mission where no other society is operating. Two young men have been selected to go, and, if no overruling providence forbids, we expect to begin the work next fall. This is certainly a worthy enterprise, and we believe that it will elicit the hearty co-operation and sympathy of our brethren in America, our German-speaking friends, especially, giving it their support. The report for the year shows that the German Union Conference had employed 22 ministers, 13 licentiates, 47 Bible workers, and that there were 160 churches and companies, with a total membership of 4,256; 725 persons were baptized, 186 received by vote; the tithe was nearly $27,000. Sabbath-school offerings, $2,423.24; First-day offerings, $449.42; annual offerings, $998.68. There are sixty students in the Friedensau school, and the sanitarium has had a successful year. We have no discouraging report to make concerning the work in this great field. The work is onward, for God is with it.