p. 409 | The Missionary by L. R. Conradi

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 8, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 26.

The Missionary.

By L. R. Conradi

THE HAMBURG MISSION.

THE Hamburg Mission has become, with God's help and blessing, an established fact, and our brethren everywhere are undoubtedly interested to learn something about the city and the commencement of the work here. Already for several years the necessity has been felt of establishing a mission in Hamburg, as it is the most important seaport of the continent, and the greatest commercial center of the German Empire. While we have in our great Central European mission field, with its three hundred millions of souls, several larger cities, such as Paris, Berlin, Vienna, etc., yet Hamburg, being a seaport, has the most commerce, and is the fourth in importance in all the world, standing next to London, New York and Liverpool. Over 8,000 sea-going vessels go in and out each year and some 10,000 riverboats. The merchants of the city themselves own a fleet of over 500 vessels. There are direct steamboat lines to North and South America, to the West Indies, to Africa and to all parts of Europe, while sailing vessels go everywhere.

It is also an important point as to emigration. In 1886, 88,633 emigrants departed from this place, of whom 83,500 went to the United States. Over 250,000 strangers are reported in the different hotels and boarding-houses of the city. The American consul informed me that at least 10,000 English sailors were discharged here annually. In order to accommodate the sailors, the city has erected a fine building, on a prominent elevation near the harbor, called "The Seamen's Home;" in connection with this is a fine reading-room and library, and we have the permission to place our periodicals and publications there. Near this is the fine observatory, also the Imperial German marine observatory and school.

Until last October the city was a free port, outside of the German Custom Union. But for some years a change has been contemplated, and in order to bring about this without too much damage to the commercial interests of the city, the German Government and the city jointly bought a large tract of land round certain parts of the harbor, tore down all the houses, inhabited by some 30,000 people, and erected instead, at a cost of some five million pounds, fine warehouses and offices, built new harbors, landings, piers, etc., and declared this territory a free port. Here goods can be received, stored, and shipped again to any part of the world outside of the Custom Union without duty. In order to facilitate the loading and unloading, they have here a huge crane, which is able to lift 150 tons at once; it is said to be the largest in the world.

The city itself lies on the river Elbe, about 70 miles from its mouth in the North Sea, but the greatest steamers can reach the city. While the city proper has 300,000 inhabitants, yet with the suburbs, which are in fact one with the city and under one Government, there are 500,000.

The largest and finest of these suburbs is St. Pauli, with a population of 65,000, the promenade and great pleasure resort of Hamburg. Here our mission is located, in the very heart, so to say, in a nice corner building opposite the post-office, within four blocks of the harbor and one block of the main thoroughfare and tram-car lines. The whole street is a new one, and while near enough to the harbor and the great resorts to be reached easily, it is yet far enough away to be in quiet and respectable quarters. We occupy the lower story, and are fitting the corner room, which has two nice large windows, well adapted for show windows, for our book depository.

Adjoining St. Pauli, and practically one with the rest, is the city of Altona, or in English, "All Too Near," being called thus from its close proximity to Hamburg. It has 105,000 inhabitants and is also on the river. Nearly all of these 600,000 people are nominally Protestants, but a large share are indeed but infidels, and Hamburg, as are all the seaports, is noted for its share of wickedness. Yet there are many earnest souls here. The German Baptists have their headquarters here. There are two large English churches near the harbor, and also a French chapel.

Thus far we are well pleased with our location, but it is hard to tell what will be the best until we get once fairly started. As soon as our company arrived, and we had our lodging secured and the necessary permission, they went at once to work, Brother Perk joining and aiding them, in canvassing the city.

While the field is a hard one, and it seems hard to get into the houses, yet they have taken 150 orders for our new book "From Eden to Eden," and they have found some interested persons.

I arrived here with my family a week ago, from Basel, and we are getting fairly settled and everything arranged for our large mission family, the depository, and the coming Institute. We hope also to take steps to commence the ship missionary work. For about $5 we received permission to open up a book business, and at the same time employ as many canvassers as we wished inside of the little republic of Hamburg. Hamburg is a free city, and is governed by eighteen senators and a large committee of citizens. Several towns and villages, and some islands in the North Sea belong to it; but Altona belongs to the kingdom of Prussia.

We do business in the name of International Tract Society, and as there are people living and coming here from nearly every nation, our work is indeed an international work. So many different nationalities being represented here will also prove a help to our Institute. While we have already workers here from Russia, Holland, and America, and are expecting others, each one can gain an experience in the work and a better knowledge of the truth, and at the same time labor right among his own countrymen.

Besides the many English-speaking people, also Scandinavians, we had last year some 30,000 emigrants from Russia, Poland, and some 25,000 from Austria, besides the thousands of sailors from all parts of the world. A great field has been opened, an important mission started, and in view of our own weakness and the greatness of the work, we hope to be remembered in the prayers of God's people; and while we sow the seeds of truth beside all waters, our ardent wish is that we may soon see seeds springing up, which will bear fruit through all eternity.

Our address is, International Tract Society, Sophienstr. 41, Hamburg, Germany.—L. R. Conradi, in Present Truth, May 22, 1889.