The Southwestern Union Conference
By C. N. Woodward
THE second biennial session of the Southwestern Union Conference (the first under its present organization) was held at Keene, Tex., February 25 to March 2. The three conferences composing this union conference were represented by the full number of delegates to which they were entitled, besides many visitors. Delegates to represent the institutions, such as the Keene Academy and the Keene Sanitarium, were also seated. Elders A. G. Daniells and E. T. Russell, also Elder S. N. Haskell and wife, were present during nearly the whole meeting. The instruction they gave, and their help as counselors, were fully appreciated by the conference, and did much to make the meeting a decided success. The presidents of the Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas Conferences rendered reports of the work done in their fields during the past two years. In the ten years since its organization the Oklahoma Conference has grown to a membership of about 1,400; last year it received a tithe of $13,353, and supported thirty-one workers in the field, besides having as many as forty canvassers in the field last summer. The report of the Arkansas Conference shows that by reason of removals and other causes their18membership is hardly as large as it was at the time of the organization of the conference about fifteen years ago. Notwithstanding this, the prospects for the work in that field are brighter than for some time. The workers under the direction of Elder Sommerville are some of them young, and all energetic, and some new churches are being brought out and additions made to old ones. Their tithe showed an increase last year over the previous year of almost $200, and their book sales increased one half, amounting to about $3,300. Crop failures for two years have made the work move slowly in the Texas Conference. In large sections of the State the workers have been obliged to labor under the disadvantage of seeing the people struggle for the bare necessities of life, and in many places not even these were had. In these sections nothing could be done by the canvassers. Notwithstanding this the tithe has shown a small increase each year for the past two years. During 1903 there were twenty-six canvassers in the field, who disposed of literature to the value of $8,377, and for the two years the sales amounted to about $19,000. The treasurer of the union conference rendered a detailed report, to the correctness of which the auditors certified, showing that for the two years there had been paid into his hands $12,003.12. Of this amount $7,279.34 had been for the work in the union conference, and the remainder had been passed on to the work outside of this union conference. Professor Hughes, principal of the Keene Academy, made a brief but interesting report of that institution. As has been the case with others of our schools, which have at times reached a crisis in their existence, this institution seemed to have passed such a period during the past year, but after a hard struggle by the management, light came in. The attendance and the work being done by the school are both quite satisfactory. Among many resolutions concerning the work, which were considered and passed by the conference, may be mentioned one establishing the medical missionary work as a department of the union conference, authorizing suitable committees to have charge of the same, and outlining the scope and plans to be followed by them; in a word, adapting to our situation the plans for this work which had been adopted by other union conferences. While our work is not outlined upon the scale of some of the others, yet we believe a good foundation has been laid for this branch of the truth in the Southwest. One resolution asked assistance in a financial way from the Central Union Conference, which it was held had been promised at the time of the division of the territory into the present form. Another one heartily indorsed the work of the union conference paper, The Southwestern Union Record, and recommended its continuance, and that all the workers give it their cordial support. The publishing committee of the General Conference was asked to negotiate with the publishing houses to secure the forgiveness of an old debt owed by the Arkansas Tract Society, which they were utterly unable to pay. The church-school work and the sale of our literature were each emphasized by appropriate resolutions. The plain, practical preaching of Elders Daniells, Russell, and Haskell had much to do with the spirit of unity and harmony which characterized the whole conference. The business was considered calmly, and carried through without contention. The social meetings and other services were feasts to those in attendance, and will long be remembered. Elder N. P. Nelson was again chosen president unanimously; C. N. Woodward, secretary and treasurer; Prof. H. T. Curtis, auditor; W. L. Manfull, traveling missionary, and the committee composed of those named above, except Professor Curtis, and the heads of the three conferences, the Keene Academy, the Keene Sanitarium, and the Little Rock (Ark.) Sanitarium. The other boards and committees called for were composed of strong men who are on the ground with the institutions, and fully in sympathy with them. If the laborers maintain their hold on the source of wisdom and strength, success for the work of the Lord in this union conference would seem to be certain. C. N. WOODWARD,
Secretary.