The Rhineland Conference
By Guy Dail
RHINELAND! What traveler has not heard of this, the richest and most populous province of the German empire, with its beautiful rivers and valleys, its hamlets and villages nestling here and there among the hills, its manufacturing cities of Essen, Elberfeld, Barmen, and Solingen, and Düsseldorf, its Bonn University, its Johannesberger, Hocheimer, or Steinberger wines, its Cologne waters and cathedral? and what schoolboy is unacquainted with the river from which this section of Germany takes its name—the world-renowned Rhine? Although this province is only one sixth as large as the State of Florida, yet it contains more than thirteen times as many people as does that State, according to the census of 1900. It was that they might consider the advisability of organizing a new conference in that province, that about one hundred and twenty delegates from Rhineland met in Essen, January 22-27. Brethren Conradi, Erz enberger, Pieper, and Boettcher, of the German Union Committee, were also present, and gave much valued counsel and assistance. No business session was held until after the spiritual refreshing granted the brethren and sisters on the Sabbath, and then, with Elder Conradi in the chair, the work of organization was begun. A committee of nineteen members was chosen, the duties of which should be the same as have fallen to similar committees in the other meetings of the season. These resolutions may be of general interest:— Whereas, God has so richly blessed us in Rhineland, that it is possible for us to form an independent conference, therefore,— 1. Resolved, That we hereby express to him our sincerest thanks, and reconsecrate ourselves more fully to his service in the future. 2. Resolved, That the name of this society shall be The Rhenish Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; its territory, the Rhine Province; and its constitution shall be molded after the other conferences in the German Union, to which we wish to belong. Whereas, We, as a part of the West German Conference, have heretofore paid a second tithe to the union, therefore,— 3. Resolved, That we, as an independent conference, do the same. Whereas, The Lord has prepared the way for the opening of the East African Mission, therefore,— 4. We recommend, That our First-day offerings be dedicated to this purpose, and that we increase these offerings to the extent of our ability, as has been voted by the other fields in the German Union. Whereas, The proceeds of the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” are greatly needed for the upbuilding of our mission school, therefore,— 5. Resolved, That we put forth our utmost effort to circulate this book, and raise our part of the material fund. Whereas, The Lord has said, “Ye have the poor always with you,” therefore,— 6. We recommend, That a general poor fund be established, and that it may have a permanent income, we would suggest that each local church send a tithe of its poor fund to the manager of the Conference Poor Fund. The following officers were chosen: President, G. W. Schubert; Secretary, J. Wolfgarten; Treasurer, B. Severin; Missionary and Sabbath-school Secretary, K. Laubhan; Canvassing Agent, W. Varlemann. Conference Committee: G. W. Schubert, A. Dörner, G. Heil, C. Kuller, W. Varlemann. One ordained minister, two licentiates, and two Bible workers are employed in this newly organized conference, also twenty-four canvassers are laboring here. We have reason to hope for a bright future for the work, and we wish our brethren in all parts of the great harvest field to pray for the success of this the sixth conference in the German Union.
GUY DAIL.