The Central Union Conference by R. A. Underwood

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 26, 1916

The Central Union Conference

By R. A. Underwood

There are five conferences in the Central Union, and its membership is a little over eight thousand. Owing to the fact that the Western Colorado Conference was transferred last January to the Pacific Union, our Union does not show much gain in membership.

We have in our conference about one hundred workers, including the Union laborers, stenographers, and all who are on the pay roll. This number was for the summer campaign. Probably during the winter months this number of laborers will be lessened by twenty or more.

Institutions

A large number of institutions are located in our territory; namely, four sanitariums, Union College, the Clinton German Seminary, and four academies, including the two colleges and the academies, has increased about twenty per cent on the average during the past two years. Last year Union College had an increase in attendance of more than ten per cent over the previous year, showing the best attendance that we have had since the separation of the foreign department. The present year shows a larger increase than last year. The Clinton German Seminary has also opened with a large increase over last year, and there is an excellent spirit in both schools. Union College has prepared more than fifteen hundred workers for positions in the cause of present truth. These are now scattered in almost every country in the world. The present year is the twenty-sixth year of its operation. For twenty-five years of its history it carried a burden of debt. Two years ago it had an indebtedness of more than seventy-one thousand dollars, but at the present time Union College is free from any encumbrance of debt. The Northern Union Conference paid a little over eighteen thousand dollars of the indebtedness of the college, and the remainder was met by the Central Union Conference. Owing to the increase in the cost of living and the price of materials necessary to maintain a family of over three hundred, it will require very careful management to keep the school from running behind on our present basis of tuition.

The college is doing excellent work. The first Sabbath after school opened, about two hundred and fifty of the students united in a definite consecration to service. A large part of the College View church joined with the faculty and students in this definite surrender and consecration.

During the present year we have made some necessary repairs and improvements on the premises of Union College. The buildings have been repainted, and other necessary repairs have been made. We have erected a much-needed barn, at a cost of a little over four thousand dollars, and are now about to put up a milk house. We have raised $2,775 in cash to pay on the barn, and have pledges enough to cover the rest of its cost; so there will be no indebtedness upon that building. This barn will be sanitary, and up to date in every respect. We hope to improve the herd of cattle, and to make them a real asset to the college.

During the past year over eight thousand dollars has been paid to students for labor in various industries conducted by the college. There is a printing plant, a farm and dairy, a laundry, and a bakery. The latter the college owns jointly with the sanitarium. The new bakery is perhaps equal to any in the denomination at the present time, and is doing quite a large business.

Camp Meetings

We have conducted six camp meetings during the season, and these have been occasions where much of the Spirit of God was present. Two hundred and thirty-one have been baptized at these meetings, and about twenty-five thousand dollars has been raised in pledges to missions and other enterprises. Six young men have been ordained to the gospel ministry.

The first of August we were about twenty thousand dollars behind on our Twenty-cent-a-week Fund, but the conferences have been organized thoroughly for the Harvest Ingathering campaign. They are taking hold of this feature of missionary work with great vigor, and

we hope to come out with fully twenty cents a week per capita on the mission funds of our Union. Thirty-one tent efforts have been held during the summer, with fair results in most cases. More than one thousand believers have been added during the year.

Financial

A little over two years ago the indebtedness of the conference institutions in this Union had reached $385,000. The last two years and a half this has been reduced to about $160,000. The present indebtedness is divided among our various institutions, largely among the sanitariums. Debts to the amount of $225,000 have been canceled. Union College has been freed from debt. Clinton German Seminary has paid about half of its indebtedness. The Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium has had its debt reduced materially, and other institutions have made good headway in lessening their obligations.

A little over two years ago we had $118,000 indebtedness against the Central Union Conference Association. This has been reduced to less than ten thousand dollars. We are truly thankful for the progress that has been made in freeing our work from indebtedness, and we hope to see every dollar of encumbrance cleared from the Union at no distant day.

The Christian Record Publishing Company

This institution, doing printing for the blind, is located in College View, at the headquarters of the Central Union Conference, and it falls to our lot to have considerable to do with this printing plant, which is operated wholly in the interests of the blind. About nineteen tons of reading matter was sent from this office to the blind people of the United States and Canada last year. This is all sent free of cost to the blind, and the United States government, in view of this, permits us to send out this reading matter without postage.

A number have embraced the truth during the past year as a result of this effort for the blind. This year we have been compelled to purchase a new printing press, at a cost of about $2,200. During the year 1915 the cost of operating the plant was only $5,280. The North American Division assisted in this to the amount of $1,694, and the remaining amount, with the exception of about $900, was collected by solicitors. The first nine months of the present year, from January 1 to October 1, the expenses of the Christian Record Company were $10,011.27. This increase of expense comes from increased cost of material, the purchase of a press, and additional work done for the blind. We have received in donations, including what the North American Division has appropriated to meet this, $8,756.17, which leaves a deficit of about $1,255.

Sanitariums

Our sanitariums have enjoyed a good patronage. Especially the Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium, which has had the best patronage it has had since it was founded. We have secured release from paying the taxes on this institution, which amounted to nearly $1,400 annually. Some necessary equipment has been added during the year, including a good X ray and other needed appliances. We are hopeful, with the blessing of God, to see the work of the sanitarium at Boulder accomplishing what the Lord designs it should, as a factor in giving the message of Christ to the world. Our other sanitariums have made valuable improvements and repairs during the past year.

Our Book Work

Through God's blessing the Central Union has sold $66,941 worth more books in the past two years and eight months than were sold in the three years preceding 1914. It is also encouraging to note that notwithstanding the big record of last year, the first eight months of this year show a gain of forty-six per cent over the previous year. If we reach the goal of one hundred thousand dollars, which we have set, we shall have made a gain of $99,767 over the corresponding three-year period. This we have good reason to believe will be reached.

There is a revival of missionary effort in the Union. Every conference has its missionary secretary, and the churches are awakening to their opportunity of reaching those about them. Our workers are full of courage, and are anxious to see the work finished and Christ come, which will put an end to the long battle with the foe, and bring the triumphs of the King of peace.

R. A. Underwood.