July 9-19 was the time officially appointed for the German Union Conference this season, but as there were so many people on the grounds, the first meeting was held on the evening of the 8th. The annual gatherings in Germany remind one of the summer meetings in the States. Some of our brethren save up their meager earnings during the entire year that they may enjoy the blessings and responsibilities of these convocations, while there are others living in easier circumstances who look forward with happy anticipation to these spiritual feasts. For ten days we lived in a cosmopolitan tented village, where Austria, Hungaria, Bulgaria, Rumania, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, America, and Australia were represented. People of these nationalities met together as fellow-citizens and heirs of that better country which Abraham saw, loyal subjects of the God that Moses obeyed when “he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”
THE FIRST GERMAN CAMP-MEETING AT FRIEDENSAU
In Friedensau itself there were noticeable changes for the better. First of all, is the sanitarium cottage, newly built, with accommodations for twenty-four first-class patients. It is connected with the main building by a veranda. The use of electricity in the sanitarium for lighting and medical purposes has also been introduced since last summer. In the health food factory, too, there is noteworthy growth, and its capacity for manufacturing and caring for the foods is greatly increased. Our brethren were all pleased with the improvements in the little settlement, and, while such outward tokens of prosperity may sometimes be accompanied by a decay within, yet we believe that God’s hand has been with us in enlarging the German union institution in Friedensau, and that the growth which we see here is in no sense abnormal or built upon an unsafe foundation, for the value and the earning power of the property have been increased, and its capital has grown, without any additional indebtedness.
Within a few miles of the camp were the parade grounds of the German artillery. In the distance faintly we heard the firing of guns and the booming of cannon. As we thought of these men training for war, and observed the amount of time and energy such a training requires, and took into consideration the end sought, we could the more earnestly commend ourselves to the glorious task God has committed to his people—the carrying of the word of life to those who sit in the shadow of death. While the whole world is training that men may the better destroy human life, and advances in naval and war equipments are of almost daily recurrence, let us be faithful to improve every opportunity of strengthening our spiritual manhood, as the great struggle before us will try every man’s moral nerve.
Aside from the regularly employed German union ministry, who took an active part in the work for those not of our faith, Elder Irwin conducted valuable studies on the spirit of prophecy, Dr. Paulson gave a series of health talks which were practical and timely and highly appreciated, and Elder Conradi’s instruction on church organization and government, designed especially for the church elders and workers, was beneficial to all, and will bear fruit in solidifying the work of the gospel ministry by giving us a better and more effective corps of church officers, who will urge upon our people the necessity of becoming thoroughly rooted and grounded in the great principles of truth God has committed to us for these days. On the second Sunday, there were about three hundred strangers on the grounds. About eight hundred of our own people attended15.
There were two baptisms, forty-eight believers, representing Germany, Holland, Austria, Hungaria, and Russia, thus openly signifying to the world that they had renounced its customs and practises, and entered into covenant relation with the God of Abraham. The second baptism was held the afternoon of the last Sabbath, and as forty-six candidates were at that time buried with their Lord, this was the largest baptism that we have ever had in Europe.
An important step taken at this meeting was that of deciding definitely to enter the mission field in German East Africa. Brother J. Ehlers, a man who has a splendid record as a practical gardener, genuine missionary, and all-round worker, was ordained as church elder for this mission, and he, with one or two others, will probably leave for Africa about the first of October. It is expected that this little company will act as a scouting and locating party, to spy out the land and ascertain the missionary openings it offers. We believe that our friends in America, especially the German brethren, will take a deep interest in this work, and we hope those who may feel a burden to give toward the enterprise will freely do so: it may be that some not of our faith would be glad to help us, were their attention called to the German East Africa Mission. The German Union Conference has collected two thousand dollars toward the work. At several of the local conferences last winter it was decided to devote the First-day offerings to the mission, and since then these offerings have nearly doubled. As Elder Conradi is to be in Germany a few weeks before leaving for Finland, Russia, and the Balkan States, he will again visit the government officials in the capital city, and arrange as far as possible for the success and comfort of those who will go out as pioneers this fall. We would especially commend this movement to the prayers of our friends in all parts of the great harvest field. It is another attempt to carry the gospel to those who sit in the darkness of heathenism, to Ethiopia, whose needs cry out mightily to the everlasting God.
Encouraging growth is still seen in the German Union Conference. The last quarterly report shows that 463 were added during the three months ending June 30, 1903; and the membership is 4,750, showing a net gain of 721 for the twelve months. There are now over one hundred gospel workers in the field, and between one hundred and seventy and two hundred canvassers. The tithe for the year 1902 was $26,947.51; Sabbath-school gifts amounted to $2,423.24; First-day offerings to $449.42; annual offerings to $998.68; book sales to $39,149.11. At the meeting over one thousand dollars was raised toward the educational and sanitarium fund.
It is expected that the East German Conference will be divided this winter, and that a new conference to be known as the East Prussian Conference will be organized, with about four hundred and seventy members.
The work of disposing of ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ is going forward steadily. About fifty-five hundred copies have already been sold in our territory, and we have a new edition of eleven thousand now ready for circulation. The conference presidents and mission directors pledged themselves to do still more for this branch of the work.
Brethren Westland and Enns, who had arrived from America, were heartily welcomed, and will find plenty to do. The former has begun gospel work in Carlsruhe, and the latter is at the Friedensau Sanitarium for the time being, as he is an experienced nurse. It is expected that he will be one of the party for East Africa the coming autumn. Additional workers are to be employed in the Balkan States, and in Austria and Hungaria. Brother D. Voss, of Russia, was ordained to the ministry.
Elder Conradi was re-elected president of the union, and H. F. Schuberth, vice-president. The other officers are as follows: Secretary, O. Luepke; Missionary and Sabbath-school Secretary, K. Laubhan; Treasurer, B. Severin; Union Committee, L. R. Conradi, H. F. Schuberth, J. Erzenberger, J. Pieper, E. Frauchiger, J. T. Boettcher, G. W. Schubert, C. W. Weber, L. Mathe, J. F. Huenegardt, G. Perk, D. P. Gaede, H. J. Loebsack, J. Perk, H. Hartkop, A. Pages, A. J. Hoenes, O. Luepke, and W. Krumm.
In the Friedensau Sanitarium there are about fifty patients, and there are more than seventy students enrolled in the school for the coming year. A number of the patients belong to the refined and educated classes, and the school is sending out quite a corps of workers. It is the education of the native workers which builds up a field, and in this respect the German Union Conference has been especially blessed of God, for about ninety per cent of all our workers are native born.
The Hamburg publishing house has just had the very best year of its history. Our book sales and the circulation of the German papers are increasing steadily. The Herold der Wahrheit has a semimonthly circulation of 25,000; the health paper, a monthly, has a list of 6,000; Zions-Wachter, 3,200; the Dutch paper, Zions-Wachter, 2,000; and the children’s paper, 2,500. The last two papers are monthlies, and the Zions-Wachter, our worker in the German field, is a semimonthly. The Hamburg house had a gain of $6,500 for the year: $2,500 of this will be used in purchasing a much-needed press, and $2,500 will be given to Friedensau, while the rest will be used in increasing our foreign book stock.
While education is needed, while we have plenty of calls for men of ability, while there are demands for means, and while there are many difficulties with which our workers must contend, yet we realize that without the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, nothing can be accomplished. For more spiritual power, and a closer walk with our God, must we seek. This is true of those who labor in these fields. This is true of those who second the efforts of the soldiers in the front line of battle. We are of good courage. The times show that Christ is soon to come. The Scriptures show that he will quickly return.
“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
