South African Union Conference by R. C. Porter

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 18, 1909

South African Union Conference

By R. C. Porter

THIS meeting convened at Claremont, Dec. 24, 1908, and continued ten days. It was not largely attended. We are passing through the worst financial strain ever experienced in Africa. As the government owns the railroads, the commercial crisis is felt by them as well as in the administration of governmental affairs. All missionary and clergy concessions have been discontinued. The holiday rate is still granted. It was the purpose in appointing the meeting at the above date to give the people the advantage of the holiday rate. This brought the meeting in the midst of harvest. Many could not leave home on this account. All those in charge of mission stations and nearly all of the laborers in the field were in attendance. The last Sabbath and Sunday representatives from several of the churches were present. There was a good attendance from the churches in the vicinity of the meeting.

In order to acquaint myself with the field in part, I visited Johannesburg and Vryheid before the meeting. I found the Johannesburg church in need of help. They had some differences with the conference , and on account of this had refused to send their tithe to the conference treasury. These misunderstandings were adjusted, and the church and conference were restored to harmony. This was taken by many as an indication of what the Lord would do for us in the union conference. At the close of the meeting at Johannesburg Elder L. R. Conradi joined me from his visit to mission stations in German and British East Africa. He gave some stirring missionary talks before leaving that church. His labor was well received. At Vryheid we met a member of the Natal Parliament, who, with his family, has accepted the message. We enjoyed our visit with this church. Our time was spent chiefly in considering the advisability of opening a mission station among the Zulus.

We returned to Cape Town in time for a two days’ rest and three days’ council before the opening of the union conference. The council, held in advance of the opening of the conference, was very profitable. Much time was given during the union conference to studying plans and policies that would put the work on a better basis. The trying financial crisis which has lasted for five years, and which is still severely felt, makes it necessary to study most carefully an economical plan of operation for the work in this field. All cheerfully took up this study, both in the conferences and institutions and in the mission fields. The Cape Colony Conference was found to be thirty-five hundred dollars behind, and the college was also running at a loss. The Natal Conference is running well. The sanitarium showed a gain. It has been successfully managed, and at the present time is running with its capacity so taxed that patients are requested to wait a little for others to make room for them before they can be received.

A number of canvassers had been employed by the Cape Colony Conference on part salary. These now undertake to make their work self-supporting, on account of the financial condition of the conference. Plans were laid to put the workers in the employ of the conference into the field in aggressive work. Two tent companies were organized, and other aggressive work was planned. Careful study was given to the Dutch work, and an aggressive movement was started on behalf of that people. Those at the head of missions engaged cheerfully in a study of plans by which we could lessen the operating expenses of mission stations. They confidently expect to be able to make all the old stations self-supporting.

It was planned to give more attention to the college work, to endeavor to make the school self-supporting, also to provide more facilities for giving suitable instruction in the Dutch language.

From the first, our councils and meetings of the union were marked by a spirit of earnest devotion. This spirit deepened as the meetings progressed. Daily Bible studies were conducted by Elder Conradi on the book of Acts, showing that the message must go to all nations, and national prejudices must be overcome through its teaching. The writer gave daily studies on principles that are fundamental to success in the giving of the message to the world, and the contrast between the principles underlying the message and those leading to apostasy. The evenings were devoted to reports from the mission stations. The workers readily received the word spoken, and all united in a spirit of harmony to study the one great theme which was the key-note of the meeting,—the finishing of the work in this generation.

On the last Sabbath of the meeting the Spirit of God came in with subduing power, and fifty persons arose for prayers for victory over temptations to which they had yielded in the past. At the close of the day, Brethren W. C. Walston and J. F. Olmstead were set apart to the work of the ministry. The workers’ meeting, the last morning of the conference, will be long remembered by those in attendance. The Holy Spirit came in as a comforter, in approval of the surrender of all to the Lord on the part of the workers. All hearts were made tender and greatly refreshed.

During the last meeting of the Cape Colony Conference, which was held in connection with the union conference, Brother H. Elffers and family, with a church now numbering nineteen, asked admission into the conference, and were received by a unanimous vote. On account of difference of plans they had decided some years ago to work independently of the denomination. When they saw the spirit of harmony that had come in among the workers, they desired to unite with the body for the finishing of the work. All were rejoiced to welcome them into fellowship.

The college and sanitarium management were placed under the union conference. This will make the management representative, and be more satisfactory to those living at a distance from the institutions.

The union conference committee chosen for the next biennial period consists of the following-named persons: R. C. Porter, W. S. Hyatt, H. J. Edmed, E. R. Williams, I. J. Hankins, Dr. Geo. Thomason, the principal of the college, M. C. Sturdevant, and J. H. de Beer. This committee constitutes the board of management of the college and sanitarium. J. V. Willson was chosen secretary and treasurer of the union, and Mrs. R. C. Porter corresponding secretary, and editor of the Missionary. Elder I. J. Hankins was chosen editor of the Sentinel, and J. R. Israel business manager of the publishing department. A Dutch paper, on the plan of the Missionary, was started, to be issued quarterly, and printed by the Elffers printing-house.

We gratefully acknowledge the goodness of God in the work he has accomplished during this meeting of the union conference. It is the Lord’s doings; we thank God and take courage.

R. C. PORTER.