The First Conference in Austria by Ludwig Richard Conradi

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 27, 1913

The First Conference in Austria

By Ludwig Richard Conradi

L. R. CONRADI

Of all the larger European states where the threefold message has taken root, Austria-Hungary, with its 52,000,000 inhabitants, was the last to be permanently entered. Providence first led to Hungary, where the laws are more lenient, and here we have now two organized conferences and three mission fields, with over a thousand members, forming the principal part of the Danube Union. Austria, with its 20,000,000 people, formed part of the two unions. Galicia and Bukowina, being almost entirely separated from the main portion and lying close to the East German Union, had been joined to this union, forming two mission fields and containing 50 members. The main portion of Austria, with about 20,000,000 people, belongs to the Central European Union, and has been divided into three mission fields, the Austrian, Bohemian, and the Moravian-Silesian. About eight different languages are spoken in this territory.

The Austrian field had its annual conference at Vienna, from September 3-7. Elder A. G. Daniells, of the General Conference, Elder G. W. Schubert, the union president, Brother Boex, the general agent, and the writer attended this meeting. Brethren Bischof and Werner were ordained to the ministry. The Austrian field had, at the beginning of the third quarter, 442 members. It has an excellent tithe, and the donations come up to ten cents a week. Elder Wolfgarten was again put in charge of the field.

From here Elder Daniells went to Scandinavia. On the seventh Elder Schubert and the writer reached Reichenberg, where the Bohemian meeting had begun the day previous. Most of the 180 members of this field were present, and when I spoke on Africa the first night the hall, which holds over 500 people, was crowded to overflowing. Though the majority of the 7,000,000 people in this field speak the Bohemian language, our work has thus far prospered the best in the German-speaking portion. Brother F. Gruber was again elected superintendent of this mission.

A twelve hours' run on the cars brought us to Teschen in Silesia, where the Moravian-Silesian conference was held from September 11-14. Brother Wolfgarten also rendered assistance here. Of the three fields, this has prospered the most numerically. Last year over 100 souls were added. Three languages are spoken, the Moravian, akin to the Bohemian, the Polish, and the German. Of the 335 members, not less than 300 live in Silesia, which province has only about 800 people; the rest live in Moravia, which portion has 2,700,000 people. As a good many of our people were Polish, both the conference sessions and the public work had to be carried on in German and Polish. Our hall was so crowded by our own people, who had nearly all turned out, that we could not invite outsiders. In view of the fact that this field has already over 300 members, and is entirely self-supporting, it was unanimously decided to organize it into a conference. Elder J. Muth, who has so faithfully looked after its interests, was elected president, while Brother P. Niedoba, who had been instrumental in building up the Polish work, was ordained to the ministry. In all these fields wonderful experiences were told of God's providences in opening up the way and overruling difficulties.

It is truly wonderful that in so short a time the Lord has given us some 800 souls in Austria, most of whom have come out from the Roman Catholic Church. Had we full liberty, undoubtedly we should see greater growth. Our canvassing work seemed at first almost an impossibility. A number of our workers had been imprisoned, but still they press on, and the Lord shows them new ways and gives them favor with the people. As the native workers increase, there is surely every hope that in a little while there will be a strong work in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Let us remember both workers and people in our prayers.