From America to England by Arthur Grosvenor Daniells

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1902

From America to England

By Arthur Grosvenor Daniells

Our party of thirty sailed from New York, Wednesday, April 30. Six traveled by the steamship “St. Louis,” and twenty-four by the “Oceanic.” It is now Tuesday afternoon, May 6, and the “Oceanic” is nearing Queenstown, Ireland, where this letter will be posted. We are due at Liverpool early to-morrow.

So far our voyage has been about all that we could desire. The boat is clean and well ventilated; the officers, stewards, and sailors are pleasant and obliging; the weather has been pleasant, and the sea very smooth; and we have had a good class of fellow passengers. But very few of our party have experienced any unpleasantness from the motion of the vessel. Nearly all have taken their meals regularly, and have really enjoyed the voyage. For all these blessings our hearts have daily gone up to our kind Father for his loving care. We hope that those of our company who sailed on the “St. Louis” an hour before we left port have had as good an experience as we have. While we would not complain nor turn back if our voyage had been hard, yet we are thankful for the sunshine and the good cheer that have been ours.

Six of our company are delegates to the European Union Conference, which is to be held in London, May 15–25. These delegates are Brethren H. W. Cottrell, C. W. Flaiz, N. P. Nelson, H. Schultz, and E. R. Palmer, and myself. Brother Cottrell, president of the Atlantic Union Conference, attends in behalf of that conference. Brother Flaiz goes by request of the Northern Union Conference, of which he is president. Brother Nelson is a representative of the Central Union Conference, and the Scandinavians generally. Brother Schultz goes by vote of the Southwestern Union Conference, and especially represents the German brethren in America. Brother Palmer will give special attention to the book work.

I am glad that these brethren are visiting our European conferences as delegates from sister conferences in America. For many years our European conferences have been sending delegates to the General Conference in America. These delegates have come to tell us of their great fields and pressing needs. They have done their best to place the situation before us as it is, and thus to arouse us to provide more help to give this last message to the millions in their fields. They have been successful to some degree. But the response from America has been feeble compared with the needs of Europe and our ability to send them laborers and funds.

This step on the part of the Union conferences in sending delegates to Europe means a change in the order of things. These delegates are going to see the situation for themselves, and for those whom they represent. They will visit the different conferences, and join the committees in a thorough study of their fields, their needs, and the opening providences of God for the extension of the cause. As they sit down with their European brethren and seriously look into the very problems they are facing year after year, they will be able to understand the field as they could not by any verbal report given at the General Conference. This will enable them to give our brethren in Europe the counsel they so much desire regarding a forward policy. And when they have united with these brethren in planning for the advancement of the work, they can return to their fields in America to work earnestly to secure the help that must be provided to carry out these plans.

Again I must express my joy that it has seemed good to our union conferences in America to send brethren to inquire into the needs of the great European field. Each union conference pays the expenses of its delegate, and, better still, sends its delegate that on his return he may help all the people in the conference to do more for Europe than ever before.

But will not this move greatly increase the already large traveling expenses of delegates?—I think not. For many years our foreign conferences have been sending many delegates to the General Conference. But if our American delegates do thorough work while in Europe and on their return to America, the European delegation can be smaller hereafter. Thus this expense of sending delegates from America can be saved by making the delegation from Europe smaller. This will place a part of the burden of expense on our American conferences, and will give our brethren in America an opportunity to become better acquainted with the work in Europe. There will be gain from every standpoint.

In this company we have nine canvassers who have been appointed to the English field. Our brethren in the various State and union conferences have united heartily with us in selecting the best available men in response to this call. The names of these canvassers, and the places from which they have been sent, are as follows:— G. W. Bailey, New England; H. E. Holmes, his wife and child, California; W. B. Scott, his wife and two children, North Pacific; Wm. Olmstead and his wife, Oklahoma; Arthur Carscallan, Dakota; L. A. Hartford, Kansas; Earnest Taylor, Texas; W. O. James, Nebraska; and Joseph Brandt, his wife and daughter, Wisconsin.

As the traveling expenses of these workers will be quite heavy, and as the funds of the Mission Board are needed for the support of the missions, we decided to call upon some of the stronger States for donations toward paying the traveling expenses of these canvassers. We have already received the following amounts:— California, $250; North Pacific, $250; Oklahoma, $200; Dakota, $75; Nebraska, $75; Minnesota, $175; Michigan, $100; and New York, $75. Total, $1,200. The States of Wisconsin and Kansas also expect to contribute something toward the expenses, but the definite amount has not yet been reported.

Letters recently received from England indicate that our brethren there are rejoiced with the prospect of securing such a good corps of experienced workers.

May those who read these lines pray that the Lord will so guide these workers that a good work will be done.

A. G. DANIELLS.