The Council at Gland, Switzerland
By Arthur G. Daniells
For many years after the organization of the General Conference, its regular sessions were held annually. But when the believers had been multiplied, and conferences had been organized in Europe, Africa, and Australasia, it was decided that the general interests of the cause would be served better by holding the conference sessions every two years instead of annually. This arrangement was made, and followed until the Washington Conference in 1905, when it was decided to change the time from every two to every four years. It was also arranged that midway between these quadrennial sessions of the conference there should be held a special council of the General Conference Committee to review the work of the first two years of the quadrennial period, to lay plans for the remaining two years, to reappoint the various departmental committees, and to readjust affairs generally to harmonize with the changes and developments of a living, growing cause. This biennial council of the committee has just been held at Gland, Switzerland, the headquarters of our Latin Union field. The meeting opened May 10, and continued fifteen days. This was the first council of the General Conference Committee ever held outside of the United States, and it will undoubtedly take its place among the most important meetings of this kind that have thus far been held. There were present at this council seventeen members of the General Conference Committee, and two vice-presidents of union conferences to take the place of two other members of the committee, by special invitation the members of the German, British, and Scandinavian Union Conference committees, the members of the Latin Union Mission Board, a number of ministers, and several of the leading business men connected with our different European institutions. The French-Swiss Conference took advantage of this occasion to hold its annual conference and camp-meeting, which brought the workers of the conference and many of the brethren and sisters to the council. This was by far the largest and most representative gathering of our workers ever held outside of the United States. It was a privilege that can scarcely be expressed in words, to meet all these dear brethren who are carrying forward so earnestly and successfully our work in the European division of the field. We were glad to be permitted to look into their faces and to become better acquainted with them. Our hearts were thrilled and greatly encouraged by their accounts of the victories God has been giving them on the field of battle. We7were especially glad to meet those who came from the most distant and isolated outposts. Among these may be mentioned our dear Brethren Wildgrube, Gaede, Isaak, and Loebsack from Russia; Dr. Pampaian, from the Transcaucasus; Brother Huenergardt, from Hungary; Brother Everson, from Rome; the Brethren Bond from Spain; Brethren Rentfro and Schwantes, from Portugal; Brother Jespersson, from Algeria; Brother Fred Anderson, from Finland; and Brother David Ostlund, from Iceland. These workers are enjoying excellent health, and are full of courage in the Lord. They are facing great obstacles in their various fields, but they are witnessing glorious victories, for the Lord of hosts is with them. The main features of this meeting were the following: Bible studies, reports from the fields, committee work, and open council meetings. These lines of work were carried along from the opening till the close of the meeting. Much time was given to the presentation of reports from the union conferences, from the brethren who have recently visited our great mission fields, and from the heads of General Conference departments. It is doubtful whether there had ever been presented at any of our general meetings such interesting, instructive, and helpful reports as were given at this council. One significant and impressive feature in all the reports was that everywhere throughout the whole world the way seems prepared for the message we are to give, and the conditions press us most earnestly to send out more laborers. The committee, to whom various important matters were referred, worked early and late in preparing reports for the consideration of the general committee. These reports were presented, explained, and discussed in open meetings, so that all in attendance might understand the nature, importance, and extent of the many questions that grow out of the efforts we are making to give this message to the world. The most important decisions reached will appear in the reports which the secretary is putting through the REVIEW. Some of the plans laid are far-reaching, and if carried out, will do much to hasten the proclamation of this message to the world. The one thing that seemed to cast a shadow over this council was our inability to supply the help called for by our faithful, self-sacrificing workers already in the mission fields. True, we did something in this direction, but there was such a tremendous gap between what we were able to do and what was called for and urgently needed, that we were at times overwhelmed with perplexity and a sadness bordering on discouragement. Why, we were tempted to ask, does the Lord by his providence create such pressing demands without, at the same time, providing the supplies to meet them? But when we thought of the thousands of men and women all over the world who love this cause, we saw that God had provided the resources. As we recalled the fact that there are hundreds of young people whose hearts yearn to answer these calls from the distant mission fields, and thought of the treasures of means God has entrusted to his people, we gathered courage and resolution. We determined to make special arrangements for the speedy preparation of scores and hundreds of these young people for service in mission fields, and to appeal to our loyal people for the gifts necessary to send and support them. The plans here referred to will be fully explained in future numbers of the REVIEW. We have all returned to our posts of duty with renewed consecration, courage, and zeal, to press on with this work until it is finished.
A. G. DANIELLS.