An Inspiring Meeting by Frederick Griggs

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 4, 1907

An Inspiring Meeting

By Frederick Griggs

ONE evidence that we have reached the stage in this closing work in which there will be a mighty work accomplished is found in the fact that our schools are assuming that relation to the work which the spirit of prophecy has indicated they should take. When we find our schools filled with students whose only object is to devote their lives to the finishing of this world message, we may well take courage.

This meeting was held at 3 P. M., Sabbath, May 4, in the chapel of the Friedensau school, at Friedensau, Germany. It was composed of the students of the school, and of the representatives of the conferences in America and of Scandinavia, who were en route to the General Conference council to be held at Gland, Switzerland, May 10-25. Elder L. R. Conradi made a few opening remarks, as follows:—

“You can not all visit the different countries of Europe and see the churches already raised up, and the work now in progress; but we wish to present to you some living representatives from these countries. You will see from the representatives who are here to testify to the power of God’s message, what God has been doing. It seemed to me that the best way that you could understand what has been done in the German Union Conference is to look into the faces of these different nationalities represented in the different students. We have in this union three hundred millions of people, and our territory extends seven thousand miles from east to west. We had no self-supporting organization in this field until the year 1898, when the German Conference was organized. Our membership at the present time is 8,568.”

Elder Conradi then pointed out on the map the boundaries of the various local conferences composing the union. He asked for the students in the school who were from the various countries comprising these to rise to their feet, with the result that the following number arose: Germans, nearly 100; Russians, 13—three regular Russians, one Esthonian, three Lettonians, one Polander, one Russian Jew, and four from the German colonies of Russia; Austria-Hungarians, 7—five Austrians, two Hungarians; Bohemians, 2; Slavonians, 2; Rumanians, 3; Bulgarians, 1; German Swiss, 4; Hollander, 1.

The number present from the conferences were as follows: Prussian, 8; Silesian, 10; East German, 16; North German, 12; German Union District, 2; Rhenish, 14; South German, 19; Bavarian, 3; West German, 12; North Russian Mission, 7; South Russian Mission, 2; Middle Russian Mission, 5. Others were from different fields, so that the entire membership of the school is 130.

Those who were taking various courses were then grouped, as follows: Biblical course, about ninety, nearly all young men; the nurses’ course, about twenty-five, all young women. Those who had offered themselves as volunteers for mission work in German East Africa were asked to arise, and fifty-two young persons arose to their feet. Of the 130 students in the school, only one does not expect to enter the work, and she had not been in the school very long, and was not of our faith when she came. It was stated that one hundred per cent of the students were counted as workers for the field.

The class which will finish its work in July, having been in the school two years, numbers eighteen, fourteen of whom will go out as Bible workers under the direction of the union conference. The union conference committee meets twice each year, and assigns workers from the school. In February they sent out eleven, so that with the fourteen to be sent out in July, there will be twenty-five workers sent out from this school during the present school year. There have been nurses also sent out from time to time, so that at present there are fifty nurses at work in different parts of Germany, Hungary, Palestine, and other places. The nurses’ class which will finish their work in July numbers fifteen. The nurses’ course covers a period of two years. There will be seventeen men who will finish their work next February, and of the nurses who finish next February, thirteen.

Elder Conradi said that he had just received a letter stating that some one was needed to take up the work of a nurse in Jerusalem. Sister Gregorius being sick and unable to continue her duties in connection with the treatment rooms being operated there. Five young persons at once arose, and thus signified their desire to take up work in that field.

The students then arose in a body to convey their greetings to all the schools represented by the visiting brethren. After this it was stated that the school had trained and sent out into the field two hundred and thirty workers during the seven years it has been operating.

It was felt by all that this meeting was indeed a good evidence of the forward missionary movement of our young people, and of the relation which our schools should sustain to this great movement. Stirring expressions of appreciation of what was found in the school were given by Elders A. G. Daniells, I. H. Evans, and others. No sermon that could have been preached could have spoken more loudly of the force and vigor which this great world-wide movement has assumed among the nations of the world than did this meeting. It testifies most loudly to the fact that our young people are organizing for service.

FREDERICK GRIGGS.