EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
By Editor
BEAUTIFUL, clear, and cold was the weather; the great storm was over, the railways open; and most of the delegates were here the first day of the General Conference. The conference opened a day late on account of impeded railway travel. For instance, New York is distant from South Lancaster but six hours by rail, yet one company were two days and two nights in making the trip. But there was never a conference held of its magnitude since pentecostal days where more union and brotherly love existed, and where more of the Spirit of God was present than the first meeting of the delegates to the thirty-third General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists. It opened in a different way,—a devotional hymn, a few opening words by President G. A. Irwin, the reading of the blessed 107th psalm, a hearty welcome to the General Conference by President H. W. Cottrell, of the New England Conference, in behalf of his conference and the people in South Lancaster, a response on the part of President Irwin, and prayer by J. N. Loughborough, the oldest active pioneer minister among us. Following this came stirring, feeling testimonies from the witnesses of God from all parts of the world. The formal organization of the conference was completed in a remarkably short space of time, at 3 P. M. February 15. About 150 delegates are enrolled, most of whom were present at the first meeting. These represent thirty-six organized conferences, from European, Australasian, and American fields. But few conferences sent full delegations, and several conferences and important mission fields are not represented. Three new conferences were admitted, namely: The British Conference, with a membership of 800, 5 ordained ministers, 18 licensed ministers and Bible workers. The tithe for 1898 amounted to $8,536.42; tithes and donations, $9,611.56; average tithe per member, $10.67; average donation per member, $1.65; total average per member, $12.32—a remarkably good showing. Prof. W. W. Prescott was received as its delegate. The German Conference was received (delegate, L. R. Conradi), with 48 churches, 1,534 members, 8 ordained ministers, 8 licentiates, 16 Bible workers, and 50 colporters. The tithe amounts to $12,034.04; donations, $3,383; total, $15,417.04; total donations and tithe per member, a little over $10. This conference7includes Germany, Holland, Austria-Hungary, Roumania, Servia, Bulgaria, with a population of 13,000,000, and a territory of 613,000 square miles. Montana was admitted as a conference, with 13 churches, a membership of 308, 3 ordained ministers, 3 licentiates, and 3 Bible workers. The tithe is about $3,000 a year, and donations $400. The address of the president was brief, earnest, eloquent, and stirring. Attention was called to the beginning of the work, "when, May 20, 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, the destiny of the republic trembling in the balance," less than a score of earnest men, unknown to the world, without rank or fortune which the world could give, met in Battle Creek, Mich., and organized the first conference. Their annual income then was but little more than $1,000. But these men had a message and a mission, God-given, to which they were true; and, despite opposition and unpopularity, God has brought the work to its present proportions. The gain of the last year has been 110 ordained ministers, 23 licentiates, 215 churches, 7,245 members, and $90,179.71 in tithes. But there has been far greater gain in work and workers which are not reported. Forty-two general and 24 local camp-meetings were held last year, besides more than 400 tent-meetings. Reference was made to the organization of the Union European Conference, of which O. A. Olsen is president, and the general meetings held in various parts of the field, all of which have been characterized by much of the Spirit of God and increasing manifestation of His power. The progress in publishing, educational, sanitarium, and missionary work was briefly considered. All branches showed marked progress, and a powerful and touching appeal was made for missionary work among the negroes. In closing, the following, among other recommendations, were made by the president:— The use of means to prosecute the work among the colored people of the Southern States; plans for a more extended sale of our literature; the creation of an interest among young men for the ministry; a uniform plan for weekly contributions to foreign missions; and the advisability of quadrennial sessions of the General Conference instead of biennial. Up to the present time preliminary meetings of most of the organizations have been held, but no general action in any of these has as yet been taken. The delegates are studying the principles of God’s truth, and precious light is shining from the throne of God through His Word. In this also this conference is unlike any other. Humility before God has been a marked trait; confession and putting away of sin is followed by glad hearts and shining faces. We believe that this conference will demonstrate that a knowledge of the right principles of God’s truth and work, apart from human resolution, is of more importance than one hundred resolutions without the principles. Then God makes of His church living resolutions, demonstrating in the life of His people His power over all the nations of earth.