The Espirito Santo General Meeting by F. W. Spies

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 22, 1914

The Espirito Santo General Meeting

By F. W. Spies

F. W. SPIES

According to previous appointment, the general meeting for the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, was held November 4-9, at Serro Pellado.

Elder Henry Meyer, Brother Jacob Peters and wife, and the writer reached Victoria, the capital of the state, as early as October 22. This gave sufficient time to move Brother Peters's baggage, which had to be done on muleback, to Serro Pellado, where he and Sister Peters went to take charge of the school. Arriving thus early also permitted us to visit the members of the Santa Maria church, as well as the Manteigo company and the believers scattered along the small stream Laranja da Terra.

At the beginning of the general meeting on November 4, a goodly number of brethren had arrived, and the tent, 20 x 45 ft., which the brethren had themselves made and nicely decorated for the occasion, was well filled.

During each day of the meeting a study on some important topic was given in the morning. In the afternoon, papers were read on various topics relating to church, Sabbath school, missionary, and young people's work, and after the reading of the papers the subject was given over to general discussion. In the evening a sermon setting forth some important feature of our truth closed the day's program.

The days of the meeting were certainly days of blessing to the brethren who were assembled at Serro Pellado, and especially was this true of the Sabbath. Many who had grown cold and indifferent consecrated themselves anew to the Master, and also a few who had given up the truth made a new start. Some confessed definite sins, and all seemed to desire to get nearer to the Lord and to be ready for his coming.

After the Sabbath afternoon meeting

Elder Meyer buried six persons with their Master in baptism, and these, with six or seven others who were already baptized, brought the membership of the Serro Pellado church up to eighty-four, which makes this church the largest one we have in Brazil at this time.

During our stay, Brother Peters, assisted by Elder Meyer, organized a church school with thirty-four pupils; and a number of the grown young people also planned to take special studies in order better to fit themselves for life's duties. A young people's society was organized. We trust Brother and Sister Peters's coming will be a source of strength to the work in the entire state of Espirito Santo, and especially to the youth.

During the general meeting we learned that a number of brethren had recently come to Espirito Santo from Germany, as immigrants. On my way back to Sao Paulo I passed through the section where they were said to reside. While yet four miles distant from where they lived, I met one of their number, and from him learned that there were nine families in the Guander district. I succeeded in getting all together for a meeting on the evening of November 11, and organized them into a church of twenty-two members. Brother Koppe, who was formerly elder of the Essen (Germany) church, was elected elder. And of the twenty-two members, thirteen had formerly been members of the Essen church. May the Lord bless these brethren as they come to a new country to make it their home.

My visit to Espirito Santo at this time was made after an absence of almost three years, and I was certainly glad to meet once more these dear brethren with whom I had spent many a blessed hour.

At Serro Pellado Elder Meyer and I separated, I returning to Sao Paulo, he, accompanied by Brother C. C. Specht, going on to the Theophilo Ottoni church, where Brother and Sister Specht are expected to do a work similar to what Brother and Sister Peters are doing in Serro Pellado. May the Lord abundantly bless them and make them a blessing is my prayer.

The missionaries who recently arrived in Brazil are of good courage, and are hard at work studying the language. They hope soon to be able to engage in active work. Looking at the prospect before us, we are of good courage, and expect great things for Brazil in the near future.