MANY a Christian asserts that he could do more for Christ if only his opportunity were wider. The little round of humdrum life, and cramped environment, he says, offers little if any opening for direct service for the Master, such as winning souls to Christ. How fortunate that Paul did not seek refuge behind such an excuse! When he was in the midst of rather embarrassing limitations, he proudly said, “I am an ambassador in chains,”—and he thought more of his ambassadorship than he did of his chains. Which part of our life are we thinking of most? — Selected.
The Sixth Annual Session of the Scandinavian Union Conference
By Guy Dail
GUY DAIL
The twenty-seven delegates of the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish conferences, and of the Northland and Finland mission fields, met together in Orebro (population thirty thousand) in connection with the Swedish conference, June 22-26. Elders L. R. Conradi and W. J. Fitzgerald were present from abroad.
This has been a union meeting indeed. It is the most important meeting we have yet had in Scandinavia. The weather and the outside surroundings were all that could be desired. The perfect sunshine, the clear northern skies, which preserve the rays of the setting sun until the chariots of dawn begin to set fire to the eastern firmament by ushering in his return, the magic and the spell of a Scandinavian summer, have all done their best to teach us that God is love, and that his children are to prove their discipleship to the world by loving one another,—and I believe we are beginning to learn the lesson.
There have been two leading questions that needed consideration, along with many others that group themselves around them,—a union conference president, and the establishment of a permanent union school.
A few of our readers may remember that several years ago there was not much of a demand for a Scandinavian union conference among some of the brethren up here. But the beginning at a union was made by securing first a union council, which was afterward changed into a union conference. Mission fields sprang up, as the Finnish, the Icelandic, and the Northland mission. Last of all came the Abyssinian mission, which was opened by Scandinavian union conference money, just as the German and the British-East African missions were entered by men from Germany and Great Britain. There are also our union institutions, calling for encouragement and help from the union management and treasury. Under the blessing of God, the union thus far has worked only good. It has helped to break down nationality, and to establish oneness of purpose. It is not surprising that in these small countries the question of nationality should play an important rôle. Under existing conditions, nationality is all right to a certain degree: the Norwegian should feel a burden to give the gospel to his fellow countrymen, and the same ought to be true of the Finn, or of the Swede, or of the Dane; but if one can see only his nationality, then he is standing in the way of the advancement of the message; for the spirit of Christ is to give, and the real Christian sees, not only his family, or his province, or his state, or his country, or his nation—he sees that the Son of man came to save the world.
Now as to the business of this session: The constitution was altered to provide for (a) a vice-president; (b) that the Sabbath-school, First-day, and annual offerings go direct to the General Conference, instead of to the union conference, as heretofore; and (c) that the sessions of the union conference be biennial in the future.
HAMMERFEST, NORWAY, THE NORTHERNMOST CITY IN EUROPE
It was voted: (1) That the non-tithe payer should be given no position of trust in the union conference work; (2) that the number of members leaving Scandinavia for America be accurately reported, and that each person moving from one church to another be requested to transfer his membership, and that all church clerks keep in close touch with their absent members through correspondence, to encourage them, and to help them to be faithful to their church duties; (3) that the management of the Abyssinian mission be turned over to the General Conference, while the property be held by the most suitable Scandinavian legal association we have; (4) that one missionary canvasser go to the Faroe Islands, and that a missionary licentiate be sent to the Northland mission; (5) that hearty thanks be extended to God for his watch-care the past year, to the American brethren for the valuable help they have sent in men and means, and for the promise that young men will be enabled to come here and be educated into successful workers for this field at America's expense, also for the promise of a liberal donation to the Scandinavian Educational Fund; and (6) that we express our appreciation of the entertainment provided the union conference delegates by the Swedish brethren.
The election of officers took place the second morning of the conference. Elder J. C. Raft was unanimously chosen president; Elder S. F. Svenssen, vice-president; Erik Arnesen, secretary; Jens Olsen, treasurer; and A. C. Christensen and E. Lind, auditors. The union conference committee is composed of the heads of the Scandinavian conferences and missions, and Dr. J. C. Ottosen, Erik Arnesen, and E. Lind.
Brother C. C. Jensen was appointed to the presidency of Denmark in the place of Brother J. C. Raft, and Brother N. C. Bergersen took Brother C. C. Jensen's place in Norway. These changes were brought about in the union committee in a few moments, in the most brotherly and cordial manner.
By far the larger part of our time was taken up in considering the question of a permanent Scandinavian union school. All sides of the matter were thoroughly discussed. Even at the committee meeting in Skodsborg in February, Skodsborg was thought of as a possible location for such a school, seeing that the Swedish brethren had not felt free to go forward and select a site, as was suggested at the council at Gland, where they could erect a sanitarium, a food factory, and a school. No one attempted to use any coercive measures to bring about a unanimity of opinion. But the majority of the Swedish brethren could not see their way clear to join a union school project in Skodsborg, even if they were to be put to no financial expense, and were granted as full a Swedish department as possible under the circumstances. Therefore the following action was taken:—
“Whereas, The Scandinavian Union Committee, after much counsel with the leading brethren from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, find it impossible to agree to have a union school for all three countries; therefore,—
“Be it resolved, That a union school13for Denmark and Norway be started in connection with the Skodsborg Sanitarium, and that Sweden, for its part, hold a mission school at Nyhyttan.”
This motion was passed unanimously. Before leaving here, it was decided that Brother Erik Arnesen is to have charge of the union school, and that Elder L. Muderspach will be the Bible teacher. Much help is expected from the physicians at the Skodsborg Sanitarium.
Skodsborg itself, it will be remembered, is very anxious to have a chapel, and at the Danish Conference nearly three thousand kroner was raised toward providing one. It is now planned that in connection with the chapel, there shall be school and students' rooms under the same roof, and the cost is not to exceed sixty thousand kroner for building and furnishings. Already aggressive measures are on foot to raise money for this enterprise. It is one of the most worthy enterprises that we have ever had before us in Scandinavia. We believe that it will appeal even to some of our brethren in other lands.
It was also decided here that Denmark will continue to receive its literature from the Christiania Publishing House, notwithstanding the duty that will be placed on printed matter imported after Jan. 1, 1909.
Ministerial credentials were granted to Fred Andersson and F. R. Öberg, of Finland, to O. Johnson, J. Wallenkampf, and A. Sewaldsen, of the Northland mission, and to D. Ostlund, of Iceland; ministerial license to N. Anderson, of Iceland; missionary licenses to Vendla Erikson, of the Northland mission, and to Segridur Jonsdatter, of Iceland.
The membership of the Scandinavian Union, if we take it at the end of 1907, was 2,748,—one hundred eight more than at the close of the previous year, and seven hundred one more than at the close of 1901; tithe, $22,035 against $20,152 in 1906; donations, $4,271, and book sales, $51,029, against $3,374 and $44,215 respectively, for 1906.
Now that the union has a president who can devote his whole time to its upbuilding, now that the educational work is to take still another step in advance, now that there are some of our young people getting started in the work, and now that there seems to be a more united spirit present in our midst than ever in the past, we hope the future may show prosperous results to the work and to the thirty-eight evangelical workers in the Scandinavian Union Conference, with its 13,225,000 inhabitants.
Orebro, Sweden.
China’s Awakening Is China’s Appeal
By R. F. COTTRELL
R. F. COTTRELL
IN Hunan the anti-foreign feeling has been most intense. It was the last of China’s eighteen provinces to open her doors to commercial or missionary enterprises, this change in policy taking place only about ten years ago. As an evidence of the feeling engendered by this departure from the “beaten paths,” it may be stated that there is a former Chang-sha official of high rank, who is to-day lying imprisoned in this city because of his implacable hatred of everything foreign, and his determination to drive the alien from China.
Nevertheless, the new is steadily pushing the old aside. A substantial stone and cement structure almost entirely modern in architecture, together with a large quay, faces the river-front, thus greeting the new arrivals at Chang-sha. This is the imperial customs building. For political reasons foreigners are in charge, but the bulk of the business is transacted by the Chinese.
Outside the south gate is the provincial mint, which has but recently been established.
HALL IN NEW NORMAL SCHOOL, CHANG-SHA
Under the old régime, Chang-sha has been a great educational center, and the indications are strong that it will be no less such under the new. Schools adopting modern methods of education are being established in various parts of the city, and there seems to be a general desire to learn the languages of the West.
COURTYARD, MILITARY SCHOOL, CHANG-SHA
Several acres in the city of Chang-sha were occupied by the old examination halls. These were low brick cells, over five thousand in all, each large enough for one person. As the examinations usually continued for two or three days at a time, it frequently occurred that some of the candidates died either from exposure or exhaustion. This “barbarous thing”—a term used by a young Chinese who has spent some time at our mission—is now relegated to the past; the halls are being torn down, and on the same site a fine normal school is being erected. An outside view that would give anything like a correct idea could hardly be obtained, as the buildings are mostly one story in height, and built close together, the whole being surrounded by a high wall. The accompanying cut represents a hall about two hundred feet in length, with well-equipped class-rooms of suitable size on both sides.
To the northeast of the city, stretching for nearly a mile, are the buildings and grounds of the military school and the soldiers’ barracks. These, likewise, are of recent construction and foreign appearance. At first drill-masters were secured from other countries, but at present these have nearly all been replaced by Chinese. As we see these thousands being drilled in the art of modern warfare, and consider that this is in the very heart of the greatest heathen nation on earth, there can be no evasion of the fact that this is a direct fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy given twenty-seven centuries ago: “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be awakened.” Joel 3:9-12. China is marshaling her forces for “the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
Then follows the divine mandate, “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.” While the Chinese are doing their part in fulfilling the rôle of prophetic history, there is a small people likewise specified by Inspiration, who, with the help of a Power omnipotent, will cause the world to pulsate with their heaven-born message.14China’s intellectual awakening is marvelous; but spiritually her darkness is most dense. To-day idol processions, several miles in length, at once dazzling, ludicrous, and repulsive parade the streets; and the city authorities warned foreigners to remain in their houses, lest their presence on so sacred an occasion be considered sacrilegious, and excite the Chinese to do them injury.
Now that China’s hands are extended for that which will bring worldly greatness and prosperity, is it not time to place the eternal riches within her reach? Harvest-time will soon be past. Church of Laodicea, what is thy response?
Chang-sha, Hunan.
The Texas Camp-Meeting
By GEO. A. IRWIN.
THIS meeting was held from July 30 to August 9 on the campus of Keene Academy. Owing to the fact that so many of the brethren live at Keene, the camp did not present so large an appearance as usual, there being only eighty-five dwelling tents pitched on the ground. It was estimated, however, that there were over one thousand persons in attendance at the meeting.
The annual conference was held in connection with the camp-meeting, it being the thirty-first session of the conference. The president's report revealed the fact that notwithstanding the setting apart of a hundred counties in the western part of the State as a mission field, in which there were two hundred Sabbath-keepers, the conference at present has the same number of members as before this division. Prosperity has attended the work of the conference the past year in a marked manner. Four new churches were added to the conference, one of which was entirely Mexican. Two new church buildings have been erected. There are thirteen unorganized companies, with an aggregate membership of one hundred eight. The present enrolment of Sabbath-keepers in the conference is seventeen hundred five. Although Texas suffered severely the past year from shortage of crops and from financial stringency, yet there was sufficient tithe paid in to support all the workers and leave a surplus of nearly fifteen hundred dollars in the treasury. During the year $4,026.28 was given in offerings.
A good spirit prevailed in the meeting from beginning to end. Elder L. W. Terry, formerly of Missouri, was elected president of the conference in place of Elder C. Santee, who has been called to the presidency of the Southwestern Union Conference.
The preaching and studies given during the conference were of a nature to call the people to a higher plane of Christian living, and to get them to cut out of their lives everything that would hinder the free intercourse of the Holy Spirit. Revival efforts were held at different times during the meeting, and especially with the young people. The last Sabbath was an especially good day. At the close of an earnest discourse given by Elder G. B. Thompson in the forenoon, over two hundred persons came forward to seek the Lord, and to have a deeper work of grace wrought upon their hearts. Many of these were young people, who were taking their stand for the first time. As a result of this and other revival efforts during the meeting, Elder Santee baptized thirty-two persons the same day. Before the meeting closed, others were added to this number, fifty-two persons in all going forward in the ordinance. Quite a good interest was manifested in the needs of the work in the regions beyond. The ten-cent-a-week plan was unanimously indorsed by the conference. Five hundred dollars was donated to the General Conference for mission purposes, two hundred fifty dollars of this coming from the conference, and two hundred fifty dollars from the surplus in the tract society. In addition to the two hundred fifty dollars given by the tract society to the General Conference, an appropriation was made from their funds of three hundred dollars for free tract and periodical distribution, and three hundred dollars appropriated from the proceeds of book sales to aid the canvassers. The three hundred dollars still due from the conference on the one hundred fifty thousand dollar fund was also raised. Eleven hundred sixty-one dollars in cash and pledges was raised for the Oakwood School for the colored. In addition to this, one hundred sixty dollars was raised to put treatment-rooms in the boys' dormitory, which was formerly the sanitarium building.
The interest among the young people and children was especially good, not only in a spiritual way but in the matter of donations. The children became interested in work for the colored people, and during the conference contributed fifteen dollars for this purpose. The kindergarten department also raised quite a little sum for the same purpose.
The laborers from abroad were Elders B. G. Wilkinson, G. B. Thompson, G. A. Grasser, and the writer. Elder Wilkinson was compelled to leave before the meeting closed, in order to make his appointment at the Louisiana camp-meeting, which lapped over the Texas meeting three days. While there he did acceptable work both in the general preaching and with the young people. Elder C. Sorenson, the principal of Keene Academy, was present during the entire meeting, and rendered good service in laboring for the young people.
The academy balance sheet shows a net gain for the past year of $3,686.03, which has largely gone into improvements. Another noteworthy fact was that $6,133.97 had been paid to students the past year for labor. The prospects are good for a full school the coming year. A large number of the students are now out canvassing for scholarships. One of the students reports four hundred dollars' worth of books sold in four weeks.
A live interest in foreign missions was revealed in the camp-meeting Sabbath-school. The first Sabbath the donation was $58.10. On the second Sabbath an extra appeal was made, which resulted in a donation of $101.75, making a total Sabbath-school donation during the meeting of $159.85. In the year 1907 the total donation was only forty-four dollars, the present donation being an increase of $115.85 over the preceding year.
The work in the Texas Conference is onward. Heretofore it has been somewhat of a struggle for them to maintain themselves and push the work in the large territory they have, but they are now coming to the point not only to carry the work in their own field, but are beginning to contribute largely to the work outside.15It was the general expression that, taken as a whole, this was the best camp-meeting ever held in the State.
With the exception of the president, little or no change was made in the conference officials. The attendance from the outside at the meeting was not large, but those who did attend became very much interested, and the brethren hope for accessions to their number as a result of the meeting.
Brother Thompson and I are now on our way to the Missouri meeting. GEO. A. IRWIN.
“A Lion in the Way”
By K. C. RUSSELL
K. C. RUSSELL
IN the REVIEW of July 16, 1908, there appeared a report of a thrilling experience that Elder W. H. Anderson recently had in Barotseland, South Africa, in actually meeting “a lion in the way.” The experience shows some of the dangers to which those are subjected who leave friends and native land to carry this closing message to those in darkness. We all rejoice that the Lord so wonderfully delivered his servant from the jaws of the lion. It is rarely that our missionaries, who are laboring in these countries infested with wild beasts, report “a lion in the way.”
However, in America, it is a common thing to meet people who see lions in the way. This is especially true with some when they are asked to contribute of their means to carry this message to those who know it not, or when they are called to engage in some line of work in the Lord’s cause. How often the minister of the gospel has heard those who are convinced of the claims of God’s law in respect to the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath tell of the lions they saw in the way, perhaps in a possible loss of a lucrative position, in social ostracism, etc. The one who is called to enter some department of the Lord’s work, it may be in the sale of literature, sees lions in the form of a dread in meeting the rebuffs incident to this work, or weather too hot, too cold, or too stormy, poor crops, financial panic, etc., etc. So we might continue to illustrate by showing the various kinds of “lions” that are seen by people in all the walks of life.
This familiar saying, “There is a lion in the way,” is one of the inspired proverbs spoken by Solomon. Prov. 26: 13. “The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way.” Let all note that it is the slothful man that makes that statement. The expression is a figurative one, illustrating the classes already indicated who see obstacles along the pathway of duty. Let the reader who sees a “lion in the way,” even in America, move forward by faith in God; and he will experience a deliverance equal to Brother Anderson’s in Barotseland.
Takoma Park, D. C.
The Florida Sanitarium
By R. W. PARMELE
THE FLORIDA SANITARIUM
We are glad to be able to present herewith some views of this new institution. The building shown in the accompanying cut contains twenty-one rooms. With the expenditure of about one hundred dollars we shall be able to equip this building with a complete treatment-room outfit, which we already have. With this building and the five cottages, we shall be prepared to accommodate twenty patients, which no doubt will be ample room for the first year.
The landscape view, with the lake in the distance, was taken from the upper front balcony of the sanitarium building, looking eastward. We mean, as far as possible, to go on a strictly cash basis; and while the building we now have is not all that we would like, we expect to make it answer until such time as we are financially able to construct a better one. When that time comes, we expect to build fronting on the beautiful lake, and use the present building for a helpers' dormitory.
The two lakes on the premises are fed by springs, and the water is pure and soft. The smaller one is reserved for our water-supply, but the one of which a view is given will be used for boating and bathing.
To the rear of the main building is a plat of twenty acres, fronting on the hard road-bed from Orlando to Winter Park. A trolley line was surveyed along this road from Orlando to Sandford some time ago. We are platting this twenty acres, and will sell it out in building lots. A number of these lots are already spoken for, and we are sure they will all soon be sold. In view of the very low price at which we secured this property, the money realized from the sale of the lots will go a long way toward liquidating the original cost of the whole.
One hundred sixty acres of land has been donated to us, to be sold, and the proceeds used in building up this institution. Two very fine orange groves are also offered for sale to help the institution.
We shall open for patients on October 15, and shall appreciate it if our brethren will call the attention of their neighbors to this institution. We expect also to have some cottages to rent to tourists coming here to spend the winter. All communications relating to the institution and its work should be addressed to the Florida Sanitarium, Orlando, Fla.
Brethren, remember this, the youngest sanitarium among us, and pray that God may make it efficient in spreading this last message of mercy.
R. W. PARMELE.
A Good Word From the South
By B. G. WILKINSON
A VIEW NEAR THE FLORIDA SANITARIUM
It was my privilege to be present at the Louisiana camp-meeting the first five days of the gathering. The results achieved during those days spoke volumes of promise for the South. Though Brother E. L. Maxwell, the president of the conference, was incapacitated from a leading part in the services by the fever, nevertheless the people responded freely to the calls of the Spirit.
The first Sabbath of the camp, the donation of the Sabbath-school was more than ten times the donation of the same Sabbath in the camp the preceding year. In the revival service which followed, all those in attendance, with only one exception, fully surrendered to God. Among these was a Methodist minister, who had resisted for years the conviction of the Spirit to observe the seventh day as the Sabbath. Also another brother, who had for over five years withstood the prayers of a wife and a mother, decided fully to give himself to God, and keep holy his Sabbath day.
The Sunday following was another good day. After the presentation of the spread of the message in foreign fields, and the calls for means to help needy places, the camp responded by a donation of three hundred dollars. When it is considered that there were, including youth and children, only about seventy-five in attendance at the camp-meeting, the size of the gift was certainly liberal for this struggling conference.
In the afternoon of the same day a grand temperance rally was held. One of the leading Methodist ministers of Lake Charles, who is also president of the anti-saloon league, participated. The State president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union came down from Jennings, La., in order to speak on this occasion; while the local president of the same organization joined in the program.
The following day, Monday, the good work which had been begun, continued. The great needs of the conference, laboring under large financial embarrassment were presented. In deep thankfulness for the spiritual blessing of the camp, the brethren replied in the spirit of sacrifice. Nearly four hundred twenty-five dollars was laid on the altar, accompanied by promises which we are reasonably certain will carry the gift beyond the five-hundred-dollar mark.
In the afternoon the young people responded to an earnest appeal urging them to secure an education for a part16in this great closing work. The majority of the youth were on their feet to signify their intention to secure, by God's help, just such an education. Truly the forward move of the brethren in this conference, young and old, conference officers and laborers at this camp-meeting, was an omen of coming good. It acted like good medicine on their consecrated president, who arose from his bed of sickness to take part in the services.
The South is a field of great opportunity. No discouraged, no unbelieving, no worn-out laborer, ought to come here or be sent here. But for men who have understanding of the times, here are splendid chances for the missionary. South Louisiana alone could, right at this present moment, use twenty ministers.
