WITH Dec. 31, 1901, the first half-year of the German Union Conference since its reorganization in July, came to an end; and as we look back over the results, we are thankful for the Lord’s prospering hand. Before and at the time of our Friedensau meeting last summer, three Conferences and five mission fields were organized. Since that time two of the mission fields have been formed into Conferences, and one new union mission field has been added. Local conferences and general meetings have been held in seven of these fields, and all these gatherings were seasons of refreshment to those who attended. Ten years ago the general meeting for the whole mission field was not larger than the smallest of the seven meetings held this year.
The West German Conference
Of these fields, the strongest in membership is the West German Conference, which held its midwinter session, January 23–26, at Hannover, a city of about two hundred and sixty thousand inhabitants. Our work in this city began about a year and a half ago, under the labors of Elder G. Schubert. We now have a prosperous church of seventy-six members, and several others are awaiting baptism. In the territory of this Conference is included the most thrifty portion of Germany, the industrial part, Hamburg being the largest city, and the center of this field, the population of which is about twenty-three millions. About two hundred of our people from all parts of the Conference came together for this meeting. The regular business sessions were held in the church hall, and in the evening public services were conducted in large halls, from two to five hundred being in attendance.
During the last six months one hundred and fifteen members have been added to this Conference, which now has a membership of nine hundred and eighty-one. Elder H. F. Schuberth was again unanimously chosen president. As this field has within its borders our two union institutions, the Hamburg Publishing House and the Friedensau property, its tithe is naturally greater than that of any other of the German Union fields. In view of this, the West German Conference not only voted to pay a second tithe to the Union Conference, but it also appropriated five hundred dollars toward starting the work among the Abyssinians. Two ministers were ordained at this meeting. This Conference has about twenty-two ministers and Bible workers, besides seventy canvassers, and the prospects are bright for the future.
The East German Conference
The East German field held its annual meeting at Posen, a city of one hundred and seventeen thousand inhabitants, located in the midst of the three million Poles in Germany. Here about one hundred and twenty of our people had assembled, and a good spirit prevailed in the meetings. On the closing day ten persons were baptized. This Conference was able to pay all its workers, and still have a small surplus in the treasury. During the last half-year they added seventy-nine to their numbers, thereby increasing their membership to nine hundred and thirteen, in the midst of a population of twenty-one millions.
Returning from Posen, we had a pleasant meeting with the church at Berlin, where the membership is now over two hundred. When we consider that this city with its suburbs contains two and one-half millions of people, and that we have only small halls for the accommodation of our audiences, we can easily see that our work is not properly represented in this great center.
In the East German Conference we have two ministers holding Russian citizenship, who have recently been threatened with expulsion from the country if they continue to preach the message, and the teaching of one has been entirely forbidden.
We are now carrying forward a work among the Germans, the Poles, and the Livonians in this field. Elder J. Pieper was heartily re-elected to the presidency of this Conference.
The South German Mission
At Stuttgart, whose inhabitants number one hundred and seventy-six thousand, about ninety of our people from various parts of Southern Germany assembled for their conference, January 2–5. At the public meetings, from two to three hundred were present. The business was transacted very harmoniously. Seven persons were baptized.
The work in this part of the country has not made as rapid progress as in the north but the prospects for the future are better than hitherto. Although there are about fourteen millions of people in this field, yet up to date we have only thirteen workers and two hundred and two members. During the last six months eighteen have been added to our numbers. This field had a deficit of a little more than eight hundred dollars, which had to be supplied from the German Union treasury. Elder Weber’s work has been much appreciated by the brethren. Elder Frauchiger was again chosen leader of this field.
German-Swiss Conference
December 27–30 the German-Swiss Conference delegates met in Basel, where about eighty of our people were in attendance. All enjoyed having the meetings conducted in only one tongue, without the difficulties of translating. Brethren Boettcher and Voth have been holding meetings in this city with a good interest, nine persons having recently been baptized. One of the greatest needs is more experienced help. This Conference has a population of two and one-half millions. Elder J. T. Boettcher was again chosen president.
The Holland Field
Leaving Switzerland, we next attended the first annual meeting of the Holland Conference, which was held in Amsterdam. This is the largest city in that field, and contains over five hundred thousand inhabitants. We have a church here of forty members, and as many more came from different portions of the country. Although our present membership in Holland is only one hundred and seventy-three, yet the brethren there desired the organization of a Conference. Their finances had run behind about two hundred dollars during the last six months, but as they expressed a willingness to bear their financial responsibility for the future, we gladly granted their request. Elder O. A. Olsen was present, and assisted in the meetings. Elder Klingbeil was elected president. During the last six months twelve were added to the church membership in Holland. A canvassers’ institute preceded the general meeting, and we are glad that this part of the work is prospering.
Plans were laid for the proper persons to qualify themselves to open up a small depository in the Holland Conference. We have every reason to believe that the Third Angel’s Message will make more rapid progress here in the future.
Southern Russian Conference
This Conference was organized during our general meeting in Southern Russia, October 9–13. That meeting was the largest we ever held in that part of the field. Thus far the work in the Southern Russian Conference embraces only the one and a half millions of German colonists who have settled in that part of Russia. We now have a membership of seven hundred and fifty-five, seventy-five having been added during the last six months, the majority of whom were baptized and received into membership at the time of our general meeting. One minister was ordained, so they now have three ministers and Bible workers. Elder H. J. Loebsack was elected president. At the time of the meeting his health was so poor that he could take but little part in the services. We are glad to learn that he is improving.
Northern Russian Mission
The annual meeting of this field was held at Riga, all the churches and companies being represented. It was fully organized at that time, and its future prospects seemed very bright. Its149territory embraces the German population in the Baltic provinces and in Poland, and the work among the Esthonians and Lettonians—about six millions of people in all. Brother D. P. Gaede was re-elected director. Of late, Brother Gaede and another laborer have had excellent success in the western part of the field. The enemy could not see this interest increasing without an effort to stop the work, and the brethren were accused, and kept under bail by the authorities for more than four weeks; but a recent letter states that favorable action was taken in their cases, and Brother Gaede has been allowed to return home. During the last six months thirty-three persons have been added to their church membership. They need considerable financial help, as they have such large cities as St. Petersburg, Warsaw, Riga, etc., in their territory.
The Central Russian Mission
In addition to the two fields previously mentioned, we organized a third in Russia, including the native Russian population, etc., and it has been taken as an organized mission field under the direct care of the German Union Conference. A minister who was ordained for the native work is doing well, and thus far a membership of two hundred has been reported. Twenty-eight were baptized during the last six months. Generally, meetings must be held during the night. In one place six families have begun to obey, and in another place twelve families have accepted the message. To be sure, difficulties are not lacking. To escape trouble, one of our workers in this field had to travel twenty-five miles by night, in an unknown country, and as the roads were very poor, he was obliged to walk. When he reached his destination, his feet were much swollen. We should remember in our prayers those who are obliged to labor under such trying circumstances.
Hungarian Mission
The last field we will mention, but not the least one, is the Hungarian Mission, of which Brother J. F. Huenergardt is director. The work there is in its infancy, yet it is prospering; and during the last six months twenty-one have been added to their membership. In Hungary and the Balkan States, with a population of about thirty-five millions, we now have one hundred and eighty-eight members. Most of these are in Hungary, about sixty-five are in Rumania, and ten in Bulgaria. Although there are five missionary workers in this field, yet there is but one ordained minister. More laborers are much needed. As the people are poor, their tithe amounts to only three hundred dollars, and we must help them considerably from the Union Conference treasury. I expect to visit Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria in the early part of March, to attend their annual meetings.
Thus far the Austrian field has been united with this mission. We did not have a worker in Austria, with its twenty-six millions of people, until last September, when Elder Lorenz moved to Prague, where we had a company of six. Here he has found a good interest. Vienna, with one million seven hundred thousand inhabitants, has not been entered, and there are many provinces which have never been visited by any of our ministers. This seems indeed sad when we take into consideration the fact that it is impossible to secure permission for the carrying forward of the canvassing work. Surely, this is a country for true missionary work.
Summing up the results of our work since the reorganization of the German Union field in July, we find that three hundred and twenty-four persons have been received by baptism, and sixty by vote, bringing our membership up to three thousand eight hundred and eighteen. Our tithe for the last six months was about twelve thousand eight hundred dollars. We are indeed grateful for these results. There are about two hundred canvassers in this field, and about seventy-five Bible workers and ministers. Our publishing house in Hamburg never before had such prosperity as it now enjoys. We have had to increase our working force. Lately we have been accused of Sunday work by an apostate worker, and though months have gone by, and since the accusation was made we have had a hearing, yet no trial has been called, and we believe that, as the Lord has taken care of us in the past, He will protect the interests of His cause in the future.
At Friedensau the sanitarium, the school, and the food factory are just finishing their annual statement, and we are pleased that we can see the prospering hand of the Lord there. Although the sanitarium did not begin its work until the season was almost over, yet it has managed to get started, and has met its running expenses. The Union Conference paid the salaries of the physician and the manager, and the tuition paid the teacher’s salary. The food factory had about five hundred dollars’ gain. We are just completing a good building with four apartments and some single rooms, for our Friedensau workers, and we hope to enter the house by the first of April. Nearly all the lodgings are already advantageously rented.
In the school itself there are about forty students, from different parts of the German Union field, and they are a far better class of young people than we have had hitherto. During the winter our lady students roomed in the sanitarium, but it is not probable that they can remain there much longer, as there is every prospect that the sanitarium will be full by spring. We have plans under consideration for the building of a dormitory in which about forty students may be accommodated. We believe that the Lord will help us to obtain the means needed for the erection of this building from the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” The plates for the German edition were not received in time to get the book out before Christmas, but our brethren are engaging in the work, and thus far one thousand copies have been sold.
God has been good to us in the past; but as we consider that within the territory of our organized Conferences there are about fifty-five millions of people, while two hundred millions are in mission field territory, which must be supported from the Union Conference treasury, we can see what an enormous field still needs help, both financially and otherwise. May the Lord grant His blessing to the workers in this great harvest field, and put it into the hearts of our brethren everywhere to assist in every way they can.
