The Lake Union Conference
By E. R. Palmer
THE first session of the Lake Union Conference convened according to appointment, March 27, in the South Side Church, Chicago. The five States included within this union were well represented by delegates, as follows: Michigan, 19; Ohio, 11; Indiana, 16; Illinois, 18; Wisconsin, 23; and there were seven delegates at large, making a total of 94. Elders A. G. Daniels, A. T. Jones, W. A. Spicer, and S. H. Lane, and the writer, were present as representatives of the general field. Elder Moon, president of the Illinois Conference, assisted by the members of his committee, and the brethren and sisters of the Chicago churches, with much care and hard work, made convenient and comfortable arrangements for the entertainment of the large number of delegates and visitors who were present. At the time of writing this report, the conference is still in progress; and it is proving to be one of the most encouraging meetings of the union conferences held thus far. While there have been some difficult questions to deal with, the Lord has given complete victory, and strong, aggressive decisions have been reached. From the opening day, the meetings have been given an educational rather than a business mold, and the work has been positive and progressive, rather than negative or conservative. Thus far, only the States of Wisconsin and Ohio have presented their reports. Elder William Covert reported for Wisconsin. During the past year, eighty-five persons have been employed in that State, fifty of whom were paid from the tithes, and thirty-five were paid salaries from their earnings as teachers, physicians, etc. In the ministerial work, five churches have been raised up and organized, and there are three unorganized companies. Five hundred students have been enrolled during the year in the denominational schools of the State. Nine of their workers were sent to Berrien Springs College during the winter term. The sanitariums at Madison and West Superior have done excellent work. The conference has been enriched both in spirit and in store as the result of a strong missionary policy. The following paragraphs from Elder Covert’s report tell the story of their liberalities and the results:— “A number of workers have gone from Wisconsin to other fields of labor since the last General Conference. Of these Elder Reinke and his wife have gone to New York; Dr. Godsmark to Louisville; Elder J. N. Anderson and his wife, and Sister Ida Thompson, to China; Brother and Sister J. V. Maas to Argentina, to engage in school work; Sister Anna Nelson to Tahiti, as teacher; Brother and Sister Pearl Moon to Honolulu, as teachers; Prof. J. E. Tenney, Professor Rowe, and Sister Winkler to Graysville, Tenn.; Miss Starks to Indianapolis, Ind., as teacher; Miss Edwards to Bowling Green, Ky., as teacher; Miss Stevens to Minnesota, as teacher; Miss Snow to the Haskell Home, Battle Creek, Mich., as teacher; Miss Cook to Berrien Springs, as teacher; Brother J. W. Beardslee to Walla Walla College, as teacher of music; Miss Grace Kellogg to India, as self-supporting Bible worker. Just now Brother Hartwell, by invitation of the General Conference, is going from our tract society department to fill the office of secretary and treasurer for the Canadian Union Conference, and Brother John Isaac goes to Ontario to labor in the German language. Brother Brandt, of Milwaukee, is going to England to engage in the canvassing work. A number of students who went from Bethel Academy with Professor Tenney to the South, have been placed in the work: Brother George Crawford, as teacher at Hatley, Miss.; Miss Phynia Smith, as teacher at Birmingham, Ala.; Miss Minnie Hall, as teacher at Elkwood, Ala.; Miss Horning, as teacher at Louisville, Ky.; Brother Andrew Mikkelsen has connected in labor with the publishing house in Nashville, Tenn.; the Grobe sisters have been sent to Florida. Our school is again filled with young people who are in training for the harvest work in the wide, wide field. “We have paid from the tithe the traveling expenses of Miss Thompson to China, and of Miss Nelson to Tahiti, and are paying their salaries in these fields one year. By donation we have raised between $400 and $500 to help in the work in Tahiti, a like sum for Brazil, have $110 for Argentina, to help in the school work, and $150 for China, besides the regular donations which will be reported through the tract society. “Our tithe is $3,780.70 more than last year’s; and the tithe of our tithe has been paid to the Lake Union Conference, and the second tithe to the General Conference was $2,320.22. We have paid $500 to the Foreign Mission Board, and $500 to Emmanuel Missionary College for salaries of teachers, and $425 traveling expenses and salary of Miss Thompson to China and Miss Nelson to Tahiti, making a total of $3,745.22 paid out of the tithe for work abroad, in addition to the tithe to the Lake Union Conference. This leaves a balance of $35.48 more than last year’s tithe, besides what has been sent outside the State. Our workers have had a small increase in their salary, and all are paid up to date, and some money is left in the bank.” Elder A. G. Haughey, president of the Ohio Conference, reported an addition of five new churches, and three unorganized companies with a membership of two hundred. Four of these new churches have sold their quota of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” Ohio has sent seven laborers to needy fields, and has paid their traveling expenses and their salary for the year. The tithes have increased three thousand dollars, and their offerings one thousand dollars. One full day was devoted to the publishing and tract society interests, and the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” These important lines of work were considered with a spirit of courage and determination which denotes a better future in the Lake Union Conference. The attitude of the delegates toward the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” was such as to lead every one to feel that that battle has actually been fought, and the victory won. Many of the leading ministers who had never sold a large book before, and who had previously been able to convince themselves that they could not, told how the Lord had blessed them personally, and enabled them to sell from twenty to two hundred copies. The following resolution was unanimously adopted by a rising vote:— “Whereas, The Lord has given us a great and good plan in the sale of ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ whereby all the people of this denomination may be enlisted in personal service; and— “Whereas, We have abundant evidence that God is fulfilling to us his promise of a fourfold blessing; namely, a blessing to all who take part in the service; a blessing to the cause as a whole; a grand deliverance to all our schools from debt; and an opportunity to render a great and blessed service in behalf of the world; therefore— “Resolved, That we express our thankfulness to God for the revival of this good work, and for the success thus far attained; and that we proceed immediately to perfect our organized effort, and press on with renewed energy until every book has been sold; and that we endeavor to complete the work by the first of June.” A full day was devoted to the Medical Missionary Department. Dr. Paulson, with a fine corps of the Chicago workers, also Drs. Edwards and Farnsworth, and others, presented before the17delegates a graphic picture of the practical work of love being done by the consecrated, self-denying laborers in this department. Reports were presented, covering the work and business management of the medical college, the Life Boat, the Life Boat Mission, the Life Boat Rest, and the Working Men’s Home. The financial policy of these missions and institutions was tersely stated by Dr. Paulson in the remark that they raise their money by three means: saving, earning, and begging. He said, “The easiest way to get a dollar is to save it, the next easiest way is to earn it, and the next is to beg for it. All three means are legitimate, but the third is fitting only after the first and second have been practiced.” The reports of all the medical workers were inspiring, and revealed a self-sacrifice and devotion on the part of the laborers, which we have evidently not fully understood or appreciated. The results of this conference will surely be felt. The laborers in different departments will be able to grasp hands more warmly and assist one another more effectively than in the past.