p. 15 | The German Union Conference by Guy Dail

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 8, 1906

The German Union Conference

By Guy Dail

GUY DAIL

Our sixth annual session was held at Friedensau, near Magdeburg, July 19-29. The more than two hundred and sixty-nine million souls living within the borders of the eight conferences and nine mission fields composing the European, Asiatic, and African territory of this union conference were represented by ninety-four delegates and nine hundred of our own people, occupying the one hundred and thirty tents on the ground, or lodging in the school, the sanitarium, the three dwelling-houses, the two barns, the two workshops, the mill, and the food factory, which constitute the small settlement of Friedensau. Brethren from Germany, German Switzerland, Flemish Belgium, Holland, Austria-Hungary, the Balkans, and Russia were present, as well as visitors from the States, from Africa, from Brazil, and from Palestine. This was the largest and the best meeting the German Union has ever held.

Brother Spicer’s counsel and spiritual assistance were greatly blessed of God. The Lord helped Brother Conradi in his efforts to set before the people, the colporteurs, and the gospel and medical workers the principles of love and self-denial that should characterize our service for the Master. I never saw a more tender spirit manifested in the committee meetings of any field than was to be seen in the sessions of the German Union Committee. The business of the conference, the reports of the laborers concerning their fields, and the statistics rendered by the various union institutions, did not appear as a lifeless, spiritless recitation of dry facts, but the power of God was mercifully granted to his servants as they witnessed to what he had done for them the past year. So far as I was able to learn, there was no discordant note struck during the whole ten days we were together; but true to its name, the union conference was a conference where all were able to work together in unity and harmony and brotherly love. Drs. Leadsworth and Byington, who happened to be on the grounds, expressed their appreciation of the work that God is doing here.

A rich harvest of souls was gathered, forty-one being baptized. Two men were ordained to the gospel ministry—Brother Sprohge, who labors among the Lettonians in Russia, and Brother Hinter, who has nearly mastered the Rumanian language, and is working in Bucharest.

“Forward, advance,” seemed to be the watchword in all reports, and in laying plans for the future. It was decided to erect an old people’s home at a cost of about fifteen thousand dollars, ten thousand dollars of which is already in hand; the work will go forward at once, and ere the building can be completed, we expect to have the remaining five thousand dollars needed. The maintenance of the home has also been carefully provided for. This building will help still more in the improvement of Friedensau, with the progress of which every one seems pleased. Toward the material fund for the German ‘Ministry of Healing,’ which is to be off the press this fall, two thousand dollars was raised. Our Sabbath-school collection amounted to one hundred and fifty dollars, the First-day offerings to one hundred and thirty-five dollars, and one hundred and fifty-seven dollars was given toward the tent fund. It was voted to organize two new conferences in Germany by the first of next year. We selected an additional missionary to join the six laborers in the German East African Mission the beginning of next September; we plan to secure further help for Asiatic Russia; so great is the dearth for workers that each of the twelve young people who had completed their training at Friedensau was needed in three or four places. The Friedensau School showed a good year, with a gain of about twenty-five hundred dollars. Fifty new students were accepted for admission the coming year. The school must soon be somewhat enlarged. The sanitarium has had by far its best year; it, too, needs additional room. The Hamburg House is also outgrowing its quarters. It gained about eleven thousand dollars last year, and printed 35,499,248 pages of literature in thirteen languages; besides that, it put out 1,131,115 periodicals in the German, Hollandish, Hungarian, and Russian languages; the first number of the new Bohemian paper appeared during the meeting. Sister White’s new book, “Education,” has recently appeared in German, and it found great favor with the people; they also took a deep interest in the plans formulated to clear out the remaining forty-five hundred copies of German “Christ’s Object Lessons.”

There was a marked change in some of the field reports, if compared with former years. Most noticeable in this respect were the cheering words spoken by our brethren from Russia, showing how wonderfully God has at last heard the prayers of his children, and granted religious liberty to the one hundred and thirty million living in that mighty empire. For three days the decree carrying the glad news of liberty of conscience was duplicated and scattered, and read from police headquarters and from pulpits. Universal joy was caused by the act of the czar, April 30, 1905, and he is looked upon as having conferred a greater boon upon the Russians than was granted by the beloved Alexander II, in freeing the serfs. In God’s hands, this decree has been of great benefit to our people.

In Bavaria, Germany, we are still troubled some, as we are not recognized or tolerated. We have again filed a new petition for recognition, and we hope this time it may be successful. However, the work continues to grow, in spite of the difficulties. Many of the particulars reported at the meeting will appear in later issues of the REVIEW, as they have been written out for publication.

Practically the same officers were

chosen as for the previous year. Credentials and licenses were granted to fifteen ministers, eleven licentiates, twenty-three Bible workers, three ship missionaries, five missionaries, two missionary teachers, and two missionary nurses, who are employed in the German Union mission fields.

The special children’s meetings, and workers’ meetings, and meetings with the canvassers and with the candidates for baptism, together with the business sessions and the devotional services and sermons, kept the people busy from six in the morning until half-past nine at night.

With the exception of quite a severe storm the first day, the weather in general was fair, and it was the universal testimony of all who I heard comment in any way upon the meeting, that God had been with us in a special manner, and we could return to our homes and to our work with a better preparation for the severe conflicts before us than ever before. May God grant us his continual blessing, and give us fruits for our labors.

Hamburg.