THE camp for the Central European Union meeting and the annual Swiss conference was pitched in a field just outside the city of Zurich, Switzerland. The first business session opened with the German song “Die Sach’ ist Dein, Herr Jesu Christ” (The cause is thine, Lord Jesus Christ). After this song the president read the sixty-sixth psalm. When the delegates were seated, the Moravian-Silesian Conference was received into the union. This conference was organized Sept. 12, 1913, and began operations Jan. 1, 1914. The president of this conference reported 350 members, one half of whom speak the Polish language.
The Central European Union Conference began its existence as a separate union, Jan. 1, 1913, so the president’s report covered a period of eighteen months. At the time of its organization there was a membership of 2,928, with 130 churches. At the end of July, 1914, the membership was 3,727, with 150 churches, making a gain of 799 members and 20 churches.
The tithe for 1913 was $48,560, a gain of $7,500 over the previous year. The offerings for 1913 showed a gain over the previous year of $5,500, an average per member of eleven cents a week. At the end of June, 1914, the Sabbath school membership was 3,824, with 144 schools, a gain of 20 schools and 755 members over the previous year. There are in the union 29 young people’s societies, with a total membership of 378, a gain of 5 societies and 39 members over 1912.
As Brother Boex, the general agent of the publishing houses, and six field agents were present at this meeting, some very interesting and profitable colporteurs’ meetings were held. In the German fields in Europe comparatively few of our books are sold on the regular subscription book plan; but when these leaders heard of the good work that is being done in Scandinavia, Spain, and other countries where the subscription book methods are being followed, they decided to give this method a good trial. At the present time they sell the most of their books for cash from house to house.
GROUP OF COLPORTEURS AT THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNION MEETING
Notwithstanding the very rainy weather which we had during several days of this meeting, from 350 to 400 of our people camped on the ground, and on the last Sabbath over 700 were present. The Sabbath school offerings amounted to over $117, and the special offerings in the afternoon reached the total of more than $604.50. Brethren O. Schildhauer and J. Frei were ordained to the gospel ministry; four church elders were also ordained.
