THE sixth annual session of the Welsh Conference was held in Mountain Ash, a mining town in south Wales, March 13-15. During the twenty weeks previous to the conference, Brother M. J. Nicholls had been conducting an evangelical effort in the town, which had resulted in bringing out a company of about twenty new Sabbath keepers.
WORKERS AT THE MEETING IN WALES
Before the local annual meetings in Great Britain began, the union conference committee decided to give special attention in these conferences to the home missionary work, in fact, to make them home missionary conferences. In the Welsh conference, which was the first to be held, the home missionary note was struck in the very first meeting, and was sounded to its close. The determination of the Welsh brethren to unite in the world-wide home missionary movement which has been inaugurated, is expressed in the following recommendations, which were enthusiastically discussed and unanimously voted:—
"Resolved, 1. That we as a conference express our gratitude to God for all the blessings enjoyed during the past year, and reconsecrate ourselves anew to his service; and that we heartily accept the policy initiated by the General Conference, that each Seventh-day Adventist endeavor to win at least one soul for the truth during the year 1914.
"1. Whereas, We are told through the spirit of prophecy that 'the work of the Lord in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church membership rally to the work and unite their efforts with those of ministers and church officers,' and,—
"Whereas, A world home missionary movement has been inaugurated by the General Conference in response to God's plan for the speedy finishing of the work, therefore—
"Resolved, That we enter heartily into this movement by organizing every church and company, as well as our isolated members, for systematic aggressive work."
The delegates present also voted that each member of the conference take fifteen sets of the Family Bible Teacher, for missionary work.
In his annual address, Elder Alfred Bacon, the president, reported eight churches in Wales, with a membership of 273. During the last ten years the membership of the conference has doubled, also the tithe, while the Sabbath school donations were nine times greater in 1913 than in 1903. As several persons were waiting to be baptized, the president expressed the hope that the total membership would soon reach the three hundred mark. Up to the present the conference has received each year an appropriation from the union, but at this meeting it was planned definitely to become self-supporting not later than the beginning of 1916.
The report of the general agent showed that the literature sales during 1913 were more than double those of 1910, and several hundred dollars above those of 1912.
Elder J. T. Boettcher, vice-president of the European Division, attended this meeting, and his reports of the progress of the world-wide message were very much appreciated by the delegates.
About one hundred and fifty of our people were present at the conference, and there was also a fairly good outside attendance at the general services.
At the close of the conference, Brother S. Joyce, the general agent for Great Britain, and the writer conducted a four-day canvassers' institute, the first of the15kind ever held in Wales. Twelve young men were present at this institute, who will be engaged in the sale of our subscription books during this year. As these workers had never had the privilege of such an institute before, they appreciated very much the help received, and returned to their fields of labor determined to push forward in the work more vigorously than ever before.
It was very inspiring to hear the Welsh brethren and sisters sing some of the good old hymns to their native airs. If they work during the year as heartily as they sang during the conference, there is little doubt of their doubling their membership before the year closes.
N. Z. TOWN.
