The North England and Welsh Conferences by Ludwig Richard Conradi

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 25, 1909

The North England and Welsh Conferences

By Ludwig Richard Conradi

L. R. CONRADI

DURING the latter part of September, the writer attended these two annual meetings. At the large city of Manchester, about one hundred eighty of our people in north England met, representing quite fully the twenty-six churches and companies in this conference. The little tabernacle, where the meeting was held, was quite crowded. Two new churches were admitted—Spark Hill, with twenty-one members, and Rushden, with seventeen. Four tent companies had been in the field this summer,—at Darlington, Sheffield, Coventry, and Worcester,—and about fifty persons had taken their stand for the truth, in consequence.

At the opening of the conference, Elder S. G. Haughey gave an interesting account of the vastness of the work yet to be done; of the twenty towns of over one hundred thousand souls, and the three hundred eighty of between five thousand and one hundred thousand. Thus far only twenty-five towns have been entered.

Elder J. N. Loughborough gave a number of talks on the spirit of prophecy. Prof. H. C. Lacey, Dr. A. B. Olsen, Elder W. J. Fitzgerald, and the writer filled in the rest of the time. It was a practical and blessed conference. Although the financial depression has been felt keenly in these industrial districts, yet when our people learned of the great need of a tent fund, to supply the equipment for 1910, seventy-five pounds was subscribed, also ten pounds for the Watford school fund. About two hundred seventy-five copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons” were disposed of for this last-mentioned object, and nearly five pounds was given in mission offerings. One of their promising young men was transferred to the south, to fill up the gap there, while three ordained ministers, four licentiates, and three Bible workers remain to carry on the work among sixteen million people. But among sixteen million people. There are fifty book and paper canvassers sowing the precious seeds of truth from house to house. The business of the conference passed off very harmoniously.

Our party went next to Porth, a small mining town of four thousand, in southern Wales, where the Welsh Conference had its second annual session in a hall belonging to the Y. M. C. A. Our opponents tried hard to get this hall closed down on us at the last moment, but failed. We were pleased to see such a good representation of our brethren and sisters in this field, and also the deep interest they took in all the meetings. Besides Elders Loughborough and Fitzgerald, Professor Lacey, and the writer, Elder W. T. Bartlett assisted in the meetings. Sabbath was indeed a good day. Good reports came from the northern part of Wales, where for the first time a tent effort had been put forth, the South and North England conferences having furnished financial aid. In view of other pressing appointments the writer had to leave early on Sunday.

God’s work in the British Union Conference is onward, and brighter days are ahead for this great field. The tithe is steadily growing, and Great Britain, with forty-five million people, is trying hard to cut down its appropriation to two thousand dollars for 1910, which will give scarcely thirty thousand dollars for the whole union. Their new college building was up one story, several new cottages for the workers were completed, and our publishing house and food factory are prosperous. The same can be said of our sanitariums. Seventy promising students are attending the school. The canvassing work is also doing well. A few years more, and the British Union Conference will not only be strong within itself, but will be an important factor in supplying help for the many British colonies.