It was on the chilly shores of the Baltic, in Danzig, a city of about one hundred and forty thousand inhabitants, that the East German Conference was held, Jan. 7-11, 1903. Elders H. F. Schuberth and J. Erzenberger were present at the beginning of the meeting; as Elder Conradi had been obliged to meet with the French-Latin Committee at the close of the Carlsruhe meeting, his arrival was delayed a day or so. The French-Latin Committee met in Chaux-de-Fonds, did their auditing, and planned for their work the coming season. They enjoyed a profitable season together.
S. D. A. CHURCH BUILDING, CHAUX-DE-FONDS
During the year ending Dec. 31, 1902, there were sixty-five baptisms in the French-Latin field, and twenty-eight persons were received by vote. Of these, twenty-seven were baptized, and eighteen received by vote, during the first half of the year. I do not have the data to show in what countries the additions occurred, as the numbers were reported for the whole field during that time; but after the more perfect organization and division of the field at the Geneva meeting last July, we have these figures: in the original Central European (or what is now known as the French-Swiss) Conference, 34 baptisms, and 7 received by vote; tithe, $1,553; Sabbath-school offerings, $137; First-day offerings, $33; general gifts, $408; present membership, 405. In the French Mission: 3 baptisms, 3 received by vote; membership, 132; tithe, $419; Sabbath-school offerings, $47; First-day offerings, $9; general offerings, $19. In the Italian Mission we have 38 members, whose tithe for the last half-year amounted to $42, and their Sabbath-school offerings to $3. The receipts of the French-Latin field before the division effected in July were: tithe, $3,170; Sabbath-school donations, $357; First-day offerings, $82; annual offerings, $640; general gifts, $91. It may not be amiss to give the exact figures, as they occur in the yearly report of the European General Conference, which we are preparing for the year 1902. For the French-Latin Union: ministers, 4; licentiates, 5; Bible workers, 6; number of churches and companies, 22; total membership of field, 575; baptisms, 65; received by vote, 28; tithe, $5,186.18; Sabbath-school offerings, $545.34; First-day offerings, $125.03; annual offerings, $640.64; general gifts, $519.71.
The outlook in this field is very encouraging. There is much hard work to be done; but the power of God will be revealed here, as in other parts of the great vineyard. We should not forget the laborers who have many a hard battle to fight, but must uphold them by our united prayers, and heartfelt sympathy.
But to return to the East German Conference: the forty-two churches in this conference, whose membership had increased from 913 to 1,037 during the year, were represented by fifty-six delegates. To accelerate the transaction of the business to be done, a general committee of twenty-one members was chosen, and this appointed the Auditing Committee, the Committee on Resolutions, the Committee on Credentials, and the Nominating Committee.
The following formal actions were passed by the conference in session:—
1. We hereby express our thankfulness to our Heavenly Father for his rich blessings during the past year, as seen in the increase of our membership and tithe, and in the revival of our canvassing work, notwithstanding our faulty efforts.
2. We would urge our brethren to take part in the sale of "Christ's Object Lessons," as recommended by the German Union Conference.
3. We hereby express our determination to give our part toward the material fund for "Christ's Object Lessons."
4. In looking over the ripe harvest field and seeing the lack of all-round workers, we recommend that promising, trustworthy young people be encouraged to attend the school in Friedensau.
Whereas, The third angel's message is to go to all peoples, therefore,—
5. We recommend, That our First-day offerings (strengthened by free-will gifts) be devoted to opening the work in German East Africa.
Inasmuch as God is a God of order, therefore,—
6. We recommend, That each colporteur remain in and thoroughly work the territory given him, until he is assigned another field by the general agent.
7. Voted, that, beginning with Jan. 1, 1903, the East German, following the example of the West German, Conference, pay a second tithe to assist in forwarding the work in our mission territory.
Four offered themselves as prospective students for the Friedensau Industrial School; $57 was raised for the material fund; and $500 was voted from the conference funds toward the East African Mission. Two new churches were received, one at Görlitz, Silesia, with fifteen members; and the other in Plauen, Saxony, with eleven members.
These figures give an idea of the work of the past year: received by baptism, 189; by vote, 34; tithe, $7,209.52; Sabbath-school offerings, $807.70; First-day offerings, $167.74; annual offerings, $266.33; there are 75 canvassers in the field, and the sales amounted to $14,453.04 during 1902; the 45 Sabbath-schools contain 935 members; and at the meeting, ministerial credentials were given to E. Frauchiger, G. Oblaender, and G. Wagner; three were granted license to preach, and ten were given missionary credentials; three general canvassing agents were chosen; three were baptized at this meeting.
The officers chosen are: President, E. Frauchiger; Secretary, C. Reihlen; Treasurer, F. Rockel; Supt. Tract and Missionary Department, K. Laubhan.
The average attendance of our people was eighty; during the lectures for the public, about two hundred were present. Elder Frauchiger remained in the city another week, to follow up the interest, and the Lord came very near, and every honest heart experienced the blessedness of yielding more fully to God. Our brethren here have only courage for the work in the future. They look forward to a prosperous year, and expect that God will do still more for them than in the past.
