RIVER PLATE CONFERENCE.
By J. W. Westphal
DEAR SIGNS OF THE TIMES: I am glad to report progress in our work in the South American field. In the River Plate Conference, 1905 was the banner year in its history. The local funds, not including those for special purposes, increased about $2,000, while the membership increased more than one hundred. The special donations were also larger than before. The year 1906 starts with bright prospects. During the month of January forty were baptized, and still others are awaiting baptism. The message is becoming more firmly planted in Buenos Ayres, the largest city of the southern hemisphere, and it is taking root in Rosario, the second largest city in Argentine. New places and new provinces are being entered. In the West Coast Mission Field the work is also growing. The local funds as well as membership increased during the last year. The burning of their office and press, which threatened such a severe loss to this infant work, has been more than offset by the insurance and the liberal donations that it has called forth from the brethren in this and the River Plate field, and they will soon be in a condition to labor to better advantage. Since the beginning of 1906, ten have been baptized and twelve have united with the church, five at Santiago and seven at Iquiqui. We are thankful for the help the Upper Columbia and South Dakota Conferences have sent us for Ecuador and Peru in the persons of Brethren Casebeer and Perry, both of whom are supported by their respective home conferences. Letters from them breathe faith and courage, and we hope soon to see the Third Angel's Message firmly planted there. I can give no statistics as yet from Brazil. Letters of cheer and hope come from time to time, and reports of new converts receiving the truth and being baptized. Excepting that quite a goodly number have moved from that republic, I am sure that reports will give quite an increase. When the burned printing-press in the West Coast field is replaced by a new and better one, which we expect soon to be the case, each of the three South American fields will have a press of its own to publish this closing message. J. W. WESTPHAL. Nueva Imperial, Chile, Feb. 28, 1906.