New Union Conference in the Field by William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 31, 1906

New Union Conference in the Field

By William Ambrose Spicer

The cause of truth is stronger for the organization of the South American Union Conference. The organizing of the union added no new believers to the ranks, it is true. But it brought new courage and inspiration into the hearts of workers and believers, and this means stronger work and more rapid progress.

The new time has dawned in South America also. All the workers at our general meeting bore testimony that during the last two years a new interest has been awakened, particularly among the Spanish-speaking peoples. Once the openings were few, and depressing indifference abounded among the native peoples. Now a spirit of inquiry has sprung up, and calls come in for help. This greatly cheers our brethren. With the vast and varied field before them, and the duty of quickly evangelizing it, the workers felt that the time was fully come for a more thorough organization of their forces.

The union conference organization was effected at a general meeting held in Parana, the capital of the State of Entre Rios, about four hundred miles northwest of Buenos Ayres.

Brethren Graf and Spies were delegates from Brazil, Brethren F. H. Westphal and E. W. Thomann came from Chile, Brethren J. McCarthy and J. Ernst came from Uruguay, practically the whole force of the Argentine workers was present, and Paraguay was represented by Elder Louis Ernst. Altogether about one hundred and fifty believers were in attendance.

The Lord greatly blessed the brethren as they studied their field and work, and considered the meaning of the union conference organization. Among the first resolutions discussed was one thanking the brethren in North America for the help already sent in men and means, and assuring them that those who have received the truth here will endeavor to show the same earnest consecration in sending the message to others.

Formerly their field was operated in three divisions, but these were so vast that the growing work in each could no longer be properly administered together. For instance, the West Coast Mission stretched its length along nearly five thousand miles of coast, and included four countries.

Now Chile and Bolivia are made an organized mission field under a director (F. H. Westphal) and an advisory committee, while Peru (F. L. Perry, director) and Ecuador (Geo. Casebeer, director) constitute two unorganized mission fields.

Formerly the River Plate Conference included Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Now the conference is restricted to Argentina (J. W. Westphal, president), while Uruguay becomes an organized mission field (J. McCarthy, director), and Paraguay becomes a mission field under the direction of Louis Ernst.

The Brazilian Conference covered the whole country, nearly as large in area as all the United States, with a population of twenty-two millions. Yet nearly all the believers were in the two States at the extreme southern part of the country.

It was decided to organize in this southern strip the two conferences of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catharina (Elders Graf and Ehlers doubtless to act as presidents) while the vast territory northward along the coast will constitute two unorganized mission fields under Brethren Spies and Hoelzle, the division to be made as may be decided in the Brazilian general meeting to follow.

It was interesting to watch the earnest spirit of the conference as the believers here studied their territory and planned its division, realizing that the time and the work called upon them to get more thoroughly under the burden. They have a vast field to warn, and these two thousand Sabbath-keepers here still need our help in their task. We are a long way behind in taking up the work for this great Catholic field. We all must help now to make up for the late beginning in South America. But nothing stirred the hearts of these believers more than the knowledge that they were assuming heavier responsibilities which involved a deeper consecration and a call to greater faithfulness in tithes and offerings.

The union conference voted recommending four of its fields to plan their work from this organization on a self-supporting basis; namely, Argentina, Uruguay, and the two Brazilian conferences of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catharina. These will do their utmost to reach the point aimed at, although it is a hard year on our farming brethren, the crops having been eaten up by locusts, and now the long-continued drought is endangering the lives of their stock.

However, the South American Union swings into line with our other union organizations, and means to do its duty as God helps. No one can go through a camp-meeting with these believers without recognizing that the truth is doing for them what it does for us all. They are true brothers of ours, in the faith of the third angel's message.

The union conference office is in Buenos Ayres, where Elder N. Z. Town acts as secretary and treasurer. Elder J. W. Westphal, the president, has the confidence and loyal co-operation of workers and people.

The German-speaking brethren and sisters formed the larger proportion of the believers present. Therefore the proceedings were carried forward in two languages. The forty-foot tent was pitched in a spacious enclosure, surrounded by buildings and a wall, located within two squares of the central plaza of the city.

A vast open shed along one side sheltered five or six family tents, and made it easy for the rest of the people to curtain off living-rooms under shelter. Brother and Sister Lude successfully conducted a camp-meeting restaurant at one end of the shed also.

The evening services were in Spanish, and were attended by a goodly number of people from the city. These Catholic hearers developed more than one earnest seeker after truth, and the interest aroused must yet be followed up. Earnest requests were made at the close for more help and instruction. Brethren McCarthy, Thomann, Habenicht, and Town conducted the evening services.

Dr. Habenicht hopes soon to take his examinations and secure a right to practise medicine on the usual professional basis anywhere in the Argentine republic. But in the meantime he is just as much at home preaching the doctrines of the third angel's message and raising up Sabbath-keepers as he is in ministering to the sick.

I have mentioned the names of most of the laborers present who are known in North America, save Elder J. Maas, who is a vigorous laborer in German and Spanish, and Brother Fulton, who is in charge of the training-school in Camarera. This school has sent into the field a fine little band of workers, whose labors are bringing souls into the truth. It is a great encouragement to a field when it can see its own young people growing into successful workers in the field.

One great and crying need now is a better supply of Spanish literature so that the canvassing work may be developed. But this must quickly come. The Lord is blessing our brethren in South America, and all feel that the organization of the new union marks a new era in their work.

W. A. S.

Rosario Oriental, Uruguay.