WE have just closed the largest and most important meeting ever held here in Friedensau. It has been in session since July 22. Fourteen hundred of our brethren have been in attendance, one hundred six of whom were delegates. This is the last session the German Union Conference in its present form will have. The large concourse of people who have been here, but who are now leaving this pleasant city of tents, pronounce this the best of the assemblies that have been convened at Friedensau. Indeed, it might properly be called a continuation of the General Conference in its missionary spirit and in the unanimity that characterized its business transactions. Revival services of much earnestness were conducted on both Sabbaths. The entire congregation repeatedly showed their desire to reconsecrate themselves more fully to God. The Lord blessed especially during the ordination of Brother E. Kotz and J. Seefried in the afternoon of the second Sabbath. Forty-three were baptized, a large proportion of whom made their final decision to follow Christ during their stay on these grounds.
COSTUME OF WELL-TO-DO BURMANS
Self-sacrifice and liberality to the work of God were evident every time the people were invited to give. Elders O. A. Olsen, L. R. Conradi, and J. C. Raft rendered much practical help in the proceedings of the committees, in the business of the open conference, and in the revival effort. The first Sunday was an ideal camp-meeting day, and about a thousand strangers visited the grounds.
The presence of Brother Kotz, who has been in faithful service among the heathen of the Dark Continent, encouraged the young people, and refreshed the hearts of those who had given so nobly toward establishing and supporting our German East African missions. Fifty-eight young men and women volunteered for service in “the regions beyond,”—offering themselves for the German possessions in Africa and in the Far East, for the Dutch East Indies, for the foreign-speaking people of the United States, for Brazil and other parts of South America, for the Levant, for Russia, and for the various mission fields of the German Union Conference.
The meetings for the youth were in charge of Elder O. Luepke, and they formed a new feature in the annual assemblies of the German field. They were successful. It has been decided to take advance steps and organize, wherever it is advisable, societies for the young where they may be further trained as missionaries in our various churches.
Practical attention was given the medical missionary work. Our laborers received instruction in the giving of simple treatments and in regard to the course to be pursued in emergency cases. The lectures on health reform were timely. The resolutions passed concerning this work ask for a reform in living up to the light we have on health principles, and yet urging that there be no impoverishment of the diet, and that all extremes be avoided which would in any way bring discredit upon the work. We were glad to know that thirty-two can trace their conversion to the message direct to the Friedensau Sanitarium, while the large number of nurses we have in the field are doing what they can to uphold our principles everywhere.
Elder G. A. Wantzlick, of the East Indies; Dr. F. W. Vasenius, en route to Abyssinia; Brother F. Oster, under appointment to Persia; also those selected at this meeting for work in other lands—Elder E. Frauchiger for the Turkish Mission; Brother Carl Voigt for the Hamburg House branch office that we hope to start in Constantinople; Brother F. Scior, to assist Elder R. S. Greaves in the Greek work at Smyrna; Brother Ernst Hartmann for Egypt; and Brother E. Dominick to re-enforce our laborers in German East Africa,—these all helped to give a strong missionary current to the proceedings of the conference. Sunday afternoons the weekly offerings were taken up after the rendering of a very acceptable missionary program by the little children, and thus seven hundred forty-nine marks were given to missions, while the Sabbath-school donations were fifteen hundred sixty-seven marks. A thanksgiving offering for the tent fund amounted to six hundred seventy-five marks. The new school building was dedicated on the second Friday afternoon of the conference. Eleven thousand six hundred eight marks in cash and pledges had been raised toward this enterprise the day before, during the consideration of a resolution to assist in the educational work.
A most evident sign of the progress of the cause in the German fields was the vote to divide the German Union Conference into two union conferences, beginning with Jan. 1, 1910. Not this alone, but the organization of the East German Union District, composed of Friedensau and Berlin and the intervening territory, and the recommendation that Bavaria (except the Palatinate) be cut off from southern Germany and formed into a conference, are omens of the advance the work is making.
The East German Union Conference will contain the following fields: The East German, the Saxon, the Middle German, the Silesian, the Prussian, and the Hungarian conferences, and the East German Union District, with the Galician, Adriatic, and the Balkan mission fields. Elder H. F. Schuberth was chosen president, and Elder J. F. Huenergardt vice-president of this union. The West German Union Conference13will consist of: The Rhenish, the North German, the West German, the German-Swiss, and the South German conferences, as well as the Union District of Hamburg-Altona, and the Holland-Flemish-Belgium and Austrian missions. Elder J. H. Schilling was elected to the presidency, and Elder J. G. Ohlander to the vice-presidency, of this union conference.
A large number of changes were made in the location of laborers. The committee on distribution made nearly forty recommendations. Among those that would be of most general interest we may mention: Elder Ohlander to take the presidency of the Rhenish Conference, made vacant by Elder Frauchiger’s appointment to the Turkish Mission; Elder O. E. Reinke to have oversight of the German-Swiss Conference; Elder H. F. Schuberth is to move his headquarters to Berlin; Elder L. Mathe was asked to take charge of the East German Conference; and Elder K. Sinz will take the presidency of the North German field in his stead, while Elder G. W. Schubert goes to act as president of the Saxon Conference in the place of Brother Sinz; Elder O. Schwenecke will act as superintendent of the Balkan Mission; and Elder D. P. Gaede, of West Russia, was invited to connect with the South German Conference.
Earnest consideration was given to the publishing work. We find that there has not been the growth in the sale of the larger books that we should see. This matter was very thoroughly dealt with, and several of our best canvassers have decided to try the plan we have been using in other parts of the field—to take just one book, and devote their whole energies to that—rather than to follow the plan we have been following in so many cases, and carry several books at the same time. Because of the increased activities of our tract and missionary societies, and the efforts of the canvassers to dispose of the smaller publications, there has been no falling off in the sales of the Hamburg House, as a whole, although the larger books are not being placed among the people as in former times. The very hard times in certain parts of the field may have had something to do with the falling off in the sale of the larger books, but we also believe that faith can conquer many a difficulty, and when we as children of God go out trusting absolutely in him, he will help. In addition to paying its tithe to the General Conference, the Hamburg House gave eight thousand marks toward the new school building in Friedensau.
During the first half of this year, there have been one thousand one hundred fourteen new members added by vote and baptism in the German Union Conference, making its membership now nine thousand one hundred eighty, so that we hope by the time of the division next January, there will be five thousand in each of the unions. The workers go out in courage and faith to carry the message to the waiting millions.
