The Latin Union and Roman-Swiss Meetings
By Guy Dail
ON our delightful grounds at Gland, close to Lake of Geneva, where we have the sanitarium, school, and food factory for the Latin Union field, these two meetings were held conjointly, July 10-15. We are pleased that we can report the best meeting we have had in this field since the organization of the union, in 1902; it was the largest, and in many ways the most richly blessed of God by his presence. Harmony prevailed in the committee work, and in the proceedings in open conference. The proclamation of the Word was attended with power, and especially rich in blessing was the Sabbath day, when two thirds of the three hundred and fifty persons in the large pavilion made a forward move for a greater consecration to God and to his work. In the afternoon the Spirit was present at the ordination of Brother W. G. Bond to the gospel ministry, and in the baptismal service following, when nineteen were buried with their Lord, to arise again to walk in newness of life. We were pleased to see such a good representation from various parts of the union, as well as some from other lands; two were from Algeria and Portugal, respectively; four from Spain; twelve from France; and fifteen from Italy.15 From abroad were brethren representing Egypt, America, Hungary, Germany, Russia, British East Central Africa, and Syria. Of course the large majority of the campers were from Roman-Switzerland. The help of Brethren Spicer and Conradi was a blessing to the people. Brother Lüpke and Schwantes conducted German meetings. A few incidents that came to our attention on the ground may be of interest, as they show how God is working in some places: One of our brethren in Barcelona, Spain, formed the habit of taking with him to the barber shop, when he visited it, something to read. One of the barbers finally asked him what he was reading. The brother replied, “I have found the best thing in this world. You come with me and I will introduce you to a man who can teach you all about it.” The barber came. He was interested in the Scriptures from the very beginning, and continued coming every morning at half-past five for a Bible study. He accepted all that was shown him from the Word, and took his stand for the truth. He lost his employment because he would not work on the Sabbath, but God opened the way for him to sell our Spanish tracts. In the last two months and a half he has sold sixty-four thousand pages of the tract, “We Would See Jesus.” The first half year of 1905 our workers in Spain have given away seventeen thousand pages of literature, which we publish, and thirty-five hundred Gospels, and sold three hundred entire Bibles. The two Spanish students at Gland are doing well. We are glad Brother Frank Bond has returned from America to help carry forward the message in that land. In Belgium, where we are having some good experiences among the French-speaking people, an incident may be related: Our minister was called upon to preach the funeral sermon of a man who had given his heart to God on his deathbed. About two thousand people were present. At the close of the service, a young gentleman stepped up to him, and said that he had been pleased with the words he had heard, and that he was with us in heart, but had not yet courage to step out and fully obey. He had read a little of our literature. He was working as a shoemaker, but was doing some really earnest Christian work also. The more he studied, and learned of the message, the more he felt that he must take an open stand in obedience to God. Finally, he told his Christian associates that he desired them to pray for him to be true in obeying God's law, which he had not yet had strength to obey, for he was transgressing the Sabbath. Of course this caused quite a stir, and he was misunderstood. But he still insisted that so long as he was not keeping the Lord's command, he could not expect that fulness of blessing a Christian ought to have. At last they agreed to pray God to help him do his duty. Shortly afterward he stepped out fully into the light, and now he is doing all he can to proclaim the glad tidings. From Algeria we learn that five there have begun to obey, so our workers in that field are of good courage, and will return to their work more determined than ever to go forward. It has been decided to set apart about twenty dollars for literature for that country for the last half of 1906. A similar sum will also be devoted in the same manner for Italy, and for Portugal, and French Belgium. One hundred dollars was voted to assist in further equipping the treatment rooms we have in Algeria. This work has helped us in getting hold of the names of those who were susceptible to the message. We might add that there is now in process of preparation in the French language a new book on Daniel, to be finished in two months, a book on Revelation, in six months, and a volume of the Testimonies to be ready in four months (the same as in the German and Scandinavian languages), and a health book. The canvassing work received some attention at the meeting; this is one of the most important subjects to be considered and planned for in the Latin Union, and it is here that there is yet much progress to be made in this department of the cause. We are pleased to be able to report that there is a good class of patients at Gland, and that the sanitarium is full. Some remarkable cures have been wrought here, through the blessing of God, and the workers are of good cheer. Our school is also bearing fruit, as it is now turning out workers for the great Latin field. It will be continued again the coming autumn. It is a small school, but it has come to stay, and will grow. As its work bears fruit, we believe that many others will be encouraged to attend. Certainly in a field with over one hundred million inhabitants, as has the Latin Union, there is plenty of demand for means and workers. The plan of devoting the First-day offerings to Algeria will be continued. The afternoon meeting Sunday, in which the subject of missions was presented, awakened still deeper interest in what we are trying to do among the heathen, and the collection was about thirty-three dollars, and the Sabbath-school donations were about thirty-nine dollars, making seventy-two dollars for missions. It was decided to make some advance into new territory. In the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland we have as yet done no work. A worker will be sent there in the near future, by the Roman-Swiss Conference. In Italy there will also be another city entered—Turin. Two workers are to go there, and we hope this may prove a fruitful field. The efforts in Rome, where there are about fifteen deeply interested, will be continued. More aggressive work will be done in the Waldensian Valleys, also. As a result of the suggestions that were made by the committee on nominations, these union officers were elected: President, L. R. Conradi; Vice-President, L. P. Tièche; Secretary, J. Vuilleumier; Treasurer, J. Robert; other members of committee, H. H. Dexter, J. Curdy, C. T. Everson, P. A. De Forest, E. Schwantes, and W. G. Bond. The following were given Latin Union papers for the coming year: In France, ministerial credentials to H. H. Dexter and G. Roth; ministerial licenses to T. Nussbaum, J. P. Badaut, U. Augsbourger, A. Jaques, Jules Rey; Bible workers' licenses to F. Blanzat, C. Guenin, P. Steiner, Sisters Amélia Eva, Herminie Passebois, and Juliette Puech; canvassers' licenses to A. Mathy and M. Raspal; in Italy, ministerial credentials to C. T. Everson; ministerial licenses to L. Bénézet and P. A. Fant; missionary credentials to A. Vaucher and Mrs. J. R. Schell; in French-Belgium, ministerial credentials to J. Curdy; missionary canvassers' license to E. Delhove; in Spain, ministerial credentials to W. G. Bond; ministerial license to Frank Bond in Portugal, ministerial credentials to E. Schwantes; ministerial license to C. E. Rentfro; in Algeria, ministerial license to S. Jespersson. The Board of Directors chosen for the Société Philanthropique de la Lignière consists of the following-named persons: L. R. Conradi (President), L. P. Tièche, A. Guenin, P. A. De Forest, J. Robert (Secretary and Treasurer). For the Roman-Swiss Conference, the following officers were unanimously elected: President, L. P. Tièche; Secretary, E. Robert; Treasurer, International Tract Society (Geneva); other members of committee, P. Schild, A. Guenin, A. Borle, A. Beguelin. Roman-Swiss ministerial credentials were granted to L. P. Tièche, J. Vuilleumier; ministerial licenses to P. Badaut, H. Provin, D. Lecoultre; missionary credentials to J. Bourquin, M. Hanhardt, E. Fawer. We are glad that every church in Roman-Switzerland was represented at the meeting. One of the important actions taken in the sessions of this conference was with reference to the systematic distribution of foreign literature to the tourists constantly visiting Switzerland. We hope that our publishing houses in America and England may be willing to render some assistance in this work, as there are so many English-speaking people here from various parts of the world; there are hundreds of thousands of visitors to Switzerland every season. The Hamburg House will take an interest in supplying German literature, and the Latin Union Publishing House will furnish French periodicals. As to finances: The Latin Union for 1905 showed a tithe of $9,210, a gain of $3,407 over the previous year; gifts, $1,758; previous year, $1,723; book sales, $3,653, against $3,322 for 1904; members received, 72, four more than in 1904. The Roman-Swiss Conference had a tithe of $7,157 in 1905, and $3,808 in 1904; gifts, $1,415 in 1905, and $1,100 the previous twelve months; book sales, $3,222 against $2,605 in 1904. Number received, 30, or nine less than in 1904.16 All told, we feel glad that God has been with these two fields,—the Roman-Swiss and the Latin Union,—and we ask all to remember the work and workers here, that many souls may be converted. All at the meeting seemed to have a deeper desire for God's power and Spirit than before. To this end let believers everywhere work and pray, remembering Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Algeria.