p. 13 | The Latin Union Conference

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 16, 1910

The Latin Union Conference

This union, which includes Algeria and Tunis, in Africa, represents our work for one hundred ten millions of souls. “We have in our field,” says Elder L. P. Tieche, president of the union, “only one million Protestants, while there are six million Mohammedans and Jews, and more than one hundred million Catholics.” The laborers are few indeed for such a field.

France

Northern France constitutes the Northern France Mission, with Paris as its headquarters, that city being as fruitful a field as we have in France.

The French Conference, which means southern France, is the field where our work for France began in 1876, by Elder D. T. Bourdeau. Elder H. H. Dexter, president of the conference, reports these experiences:—

Last winter with the help of a lady Bible worker, I held a series of meetings in a small hall, on a side street, of the great city of Lyons. The average attendance was but thirty, yet ten of these

are now baptized believers. Among our regular attendants was a man, accompanied by his wife and son. They were indifferent Catholics. Soon they decided to keep the Sabbath. On going to their home, we were surprised to find that they kept a small wholesale liquor business, with a few groceries. “What a strange combination,” thought we, “Sabbath-keeping and liquor selling!” For a while it seemed to us that it was to be seed-sowing on stony ground; that they would not accept the full message. But to our joy, they willingly sacrificed their chief business in order to be in harmony with the Word of God.

For thirteen years the only Sabbath-keeper in this city of five hundred thousand inhabitants was an old gentleman who styled himself “the Solitary of Lyons.” He had prayed during these years for the conversion of his wife, son, and daughter-in-law. The devoted old brother has had the pleasure of seeing his children baptized into Christ. Their store is closed every Sabbath, and though they have sustained temporal losses, their hearts are filled with the love of the truth.

Elder Dexter says that they are now endeavoring to work more in the cities. Elder T. Nussbaum is beginning in Toulouse, selling publications, and holding Bible readings. He writes: “I am meeting with some remarkable cases of Catholics who are anxious to shake off the yoke of Rome.” Lectures are being given in halls in the cities of Grenoble and Bourg, where the people are almost entirely Catholic.

Spanish Mission

The report of Elder Walter G. Bond, of Barcelona, superintendent of this mission, shows that the laborers are few and the work great in the land of the Spanish Inquisition:—

My brother Frank and I are the only ministerial laborers in this field. To help in our work we have two Bible workers, a lady and a gentleman, both Spaniards. Of the thousands of towns and cities in this country, meetings have been held in only four or five. During this year my brother has been working

near Valencia. He has also held some meetings in the mountain town of Rubielos, province of Teruel. It was in this town that the people stoned the house where the workers were stopping on their first visit, and threatened to stone the workers should they again visit the town; but in October, when I visited the town, in company with my brother, we went about unmolested. Four men united with us, and several others profess to keep the Sabbath, who as yet have not discarded wine and pork; but we believe that in time they will fully accept the message.

Here in Barcelona, in spite of uprisings, revolutions, and opposition, the work has also made some progress. We are now holding meetings in three different parts of the city.

In January we published 10,000 copies of the first number of our Spanish paper. The edition of the next number was 15,000 copies, and of the third 25,000. Since Elder N. Z. Town held the canvassers’ institute in Barcelona, in September, during the riots, some of our six canvassers have had special success with the paper.

DELIVERED FROM STONING

Two weeks ago, in the province of Tarragona, two of our colporteurs were arrested and taken before the alcalde of the town, who threatened to burn all their literature if they did not leave at once. When given their liberty, they were surrounded by a great mob, who evidently expected to stone them. But they committed their keeping into the care of our Heavenly Father, and not a hand was raised against them. They believe it to be a special deliverance. Nineteen good members have been added to the list of believers this year, and several others are awaiting baptism. Five of our young people have gone to the school in Switzerland.

Portuguese Mission

Our Year Book shows only Elder C. E. Rentfro and his wife, of Lisbon, as experienced workers in Portugal. No wonder Brother Rentfro writes, “Many times I have wished for a fellow worker with whom I could counsel and plan.” From Elder Rentfro’s report we give these interesting items:—

Previous to this year we had held only cottage meetings; but with the transfer of meetings to a small hall, the interest has increased. Thirteen have been baptized during the year. I would it were possible to say that all our members had been able to endure the tests that come severely in this land; but a number have faltered and fallen out, so that our year ends with only twenty-three members. Six others have only lately accepted the Sabbath and are being further instructed. The custom of wearing jewelry is a difficult one to abandon here.

ONE FAMILY, GRANDPARENTS AND CHILDREN, ALL SABBATH-KEEPERS, IN ATTENDANCE AT THE FRENCH CAMP-MEETING

Three brethren have gone to Africa to gain a livelihood, and expect to hold up the light there.

In June I visited interested persons in Oporto, and made a trip into the mountains, by stage and “burro,” in the extreme north of Portugal, where a family of three are holding up the light. They suffer persecution, and if the brother was not a native of the place, he would be driven out of the village. This brother has his family Sabbath-school,

and pays his tithe, seeking to walk in all the light.

Following the earthquake of April 23, we began a paper called Os Signaes dos Tempos (Signs of the Times). It was a risk to begin with four thousand copies, for generally books and papers here have but a small circulation, and the majority do their selling in Brazil. But the colporteur can find readers by going to them. The canvassing work has been represented by one young man of eighteen years. He is beset by many temptations, but clings to the work.

C. E. RENTRO AND FAMILY, A COLPORTEUR AT RIGHT, LISBON, PORTUGAL.