The Southwestern Union Conference by R. C. Porter

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Nov 7, 1907

The Southwestern Union Conference

By R. C. Porter

It has now been about a year since I was called to the presidency of the Southwestern Union Conference. During a portion of this time I still continued work in the Kansas Conference, dividing my time between that conference and the Southwestern Union.

After the last session of the Kansas Conference, held during the Wichita camp-meeting, I was free to devote myself wholly to the Southwestern Union. I attended all the camp-meetings during the summer at which State conferences were held. Reports of these meetings have already appeared in the REVIEW. I will only add that the good spiritual influence of these meetings still continues to be felt throughout this union.

I attended most of the canvassers' institutes held last spring in this field. Although the past summer has been unusually dry, green bugs destroyed most of the wheat, cotton is only about half a crop, and frost killed much of the fruit, yet the canvassers have made as good deliveries as usual. They have sold many more books this year than last. Many of them have made their scholarships, and are now in school. The outlook for the canvassing work never was better in this field than now. We are planning to start a number of winter canvassers who will work through the entire year. Winter canvassing is no longer an experiment. It has proved a success wherever it is given a fair trial.

The academy at Keene has opened the most favorably of any year in its history. Over one hundred students were present at the opening, and we have reports from many others who will be there soon. Revival services in the village and with the students at the opening, resulted in almost every student in the academy professing faith in the third angel's message, and preparing to enter some place in the work.

In addition to the rooms formerly occupied by students, it has become necessary to rent the sanitarium building, for a boys' dormitory, and still more room will be required to accommodate the attendance this year. In view of the drought that has prevailed in this section during the past summer, we can but attribute this increase in attendance to the special openings of God's providence.

This was very evident from the testimonies of the students who had previously attended the academy and had spent the summer in the canvassing, Bible, and ministerial work. After the usual opening exercises, the first morning, they were invited to relate their experiences from the field during the vacation. Over twenty-five responded to this call, and each one had a testimony of God's special providence that made it possible for him to return the present year.

Following this, each professor, Bible worker, and minister present joined in a brief testimony of praise for such an institution in which our youth can be trained to become workers in the cause of God. The spiritual interest in the school is very good. The students enter upon their work with a determination to make this year the best in the history of the institution for practical educational work. Brother C. N. Woodward, secretary of this union conference, will give a report of the work among the colored people.

Faith, hope, charity, courage, and a determined purpose to do our part toward finishing the work in this generation, is the watchword of the hour from this field. R. C. PORTER.