Annual Meeting of the Swedish Conference
By E. Ahren
THE twenty-first annual meeting of the Swedish Conference was held at Nyhyttan, Järnboas, Sweden, June 18-24, 1902. Nyhyttan is a beautiful country place, where are located the conference school and school farm. The meetings were held in a new tent, which seats approximately five hundred persons. Most of the time the weather was favorable. Sixty-eight delegates represented the Swedish churches, and about two hundred brethren were present from various parts of the country. The public meetings were well attended by those not of our faith. The presence and valuable instruction of Brethren A. G. Daniells, L. R. Conradi, H. W. Cottrell, H. Shultz, N. P. Nelson, C. W. Flaiz, and Dr. Ottosen were much appreciated. An advisory committee of seventeen members was elected to discuss and prepare matters that were to come before the conference, and also to nominate the usually appointed standing committees. We give herewith a summary of the business of the conference:— “As Sister E. G. White has liberally donated the manuscript of the new book, ‘Christ’s Object Lessons,’ for the relief of the schools, and the General Conference in America has freely given us the plates of this book (for which we express our hearty thanks), therefore,— “1. We Recommend, (a) That the publishing house in Stockholm bear all the expenses connected with publishing and binding five thousand copies of said book, and (b) that we ask all our church members to assist in selling an average of seven copies per member, without receiving any percentage, and that all our conference workers do their best to see that this plan is carried out; and, further, (c) that all the money raised in this manner be expressly used in the school and medical missionary work in Sweden.” “As our foreign conferences in general have adopted the plan of settling with all workers in their respective fields, and of giving one tenth of the tithe, as well as the Sabbath-school collections and annual offerings, to the work in their respective mission fields, therefore,— “2. Resolved, That we as a conference adopt this same plan, asking the European General Conference kindly to support us in carrying out this plan, as long as such assistance may seem necessary.” “3. Voted, That the conference year begin with the month of January, and that the books be audited at the beginning of the year.” “As the medical missionary work is a part of the message that is to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord, therefore,— “4. Resolved, (a) That we, by our personal example and efforts, work for the furtherance of this branch of the cause, and (b) that plans be laid to open a health home or institution in Örebro, or some other suitable place, the first of next October; (c) that means be solicited for establishing a health-food factory in Sweden; and (d) that suitable health literature be published, and circulated throughout our field.” The circulation of our books, tracts, and papers, was further discussed in a profitable and practical manner, and it is to be hoped that Sweden will continue to take an active part in the distribution of our literature. The statistics at the close of the conference year (March 31, 1902) show 28 churches, with a membership of 744; an annual tithe of kroner 12,929.38, with kroner 1,473.75 in gifts, and book sales amounting to kroner 83,308.77. As a result of a unanimous vote, the following officers were elected for the coming year: President, O. Johnson; Vice-President, J. M. Erikson; Secretary, E. Ahren; Treasurer, J. R. Lindkvist; Secretary of Sabbath-school and Missionary Department, Ellen Niemann; Auditors, A. J. Settergren, E. Lind; General Agent, E. Lind; Executive Committee, O. Johnson, J. M. Erikson, J. R. Lindkvist, B. J. Karlson, C. Kahlström. Ministerial credentials were granted to O. Johnson, K. A. Färnström, F. R. Öberg, A. J. Settergren, L. Karlson, J. M. Erikson, E. Ahren. Brethren B. J. Karlson and Birger Anderson received ministerial licenses; and Nils Anderson, A. Lundgren, O. Lund, Mathilda Lundgren, and Mathilda Olsen received missionary licenses. Thankful to God for his loving care, and with a determination to press forward, we begin another year in the history of the Swedish Conference.