p. 18 | The Argentine Conference by John W. Westphal

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 24, 1907

The Argentine Conference

By John W. Westphal

Five years ago the River Plate Conference, embracing Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, was organized. At the organization of the South American Union Conference last March, Uruguay, and Paraguay, and Missiones were cut off and made into two separate mission fields. At the sixth annual meeting of the River Plate Conference, recently held at Alberdi, the name was changed to the Argentine Conference, which now more properly designates its territory.

Alberdi is the wealthy suburb of Rosario, in the Province of Santa Fé, the second largest city of Argentina, containing about one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. Work was begun in this place by Brother Arthur Fulton during the school vacation last summer, with the result that several souls were won for the truth, and others became interested. It was to help develop this interest and to plant more firmly the truth in this important center that the conference was appointed for this place.

To search out the interested ones, to personally invite all to attend the meeting, and to get the truth into as many homes as possible, a goodly number of the workers and brethren and sisters visited the homes of the people, selling our papers and tracts. About 1,350 copies of the paper and 315 thirty-two page tracts were sold, and thirty-six subscriptions were obtained. Some very interesting cases were found, and the evening attendance at the meetings was good. One woman who had never heard of the truth before attended nearly every meeting, fully accepted the message as far as she had opportunity to learn it, and was baptized. Others were deeply interested, and since the camp-meeting the work is being followed up by Brethren Maas and Rojas and some sisters. We hope soon to be able to organize a small church in this place.

On the last Sabbath about one hundred adults were present. The Lord blessed us throughout, but especially the last few days. All present consecrated themselves anew to God, and fourteen precious souls were baptized. At the close of the afternoon service Brother Jacob Mangold was ordained to the sacred work of the gospel ministry, to which the Spirit witnessed. The day

closed with an excellent social meeting.

Nearly six hundred dollars was donated to enlarge the school building, to obtain more land for the school farm, to secure a permanent place of worship in the city of Buenos Ayres, and to assist Chile on account of its loss in the recent earthquake. We expect our donation to this fund will be considerably augmented by our brethren who were not present. The officers of the conference were all re-elected. A spirit of harmony and good will was manifest throughout the entire meeting. The year has been the best in the history of the work in Argentina.

Since the previous conference one hundred and seven have been received into the churches or have been baptized. Although the harvest was not so good as the previous year, 1906 will probably show an increase in tithes and offerings. The message has been planted on new soil, and plans are shaping to enter permanently new provinces. Elder Mangold and a colporteur will make the province of Corrientes their future field of labor. Brother Arthur Fulton and his wife, after laboring a short time in Junin, in the province of Buenos Ayres, a large territory where nothing as yet has been done, will go to the province of Mendoza, at the foot of the Andes Mountains, to open up the work. The prospects for our work were never so bright as now. We see evidences that clearly indicate that the time for the increase and enlargement of God's people has surely come, and that there will be delay no longer.

J. W. WESTPHAL. Diamante, Entre Rios, Argentina.