CHICAGO is the second largest city of our nation, and has become a great center of traffic and business. It is also important from the standpoint of the immigration idea. According to late statistics, it has just as large a foreign population in proportion as New York City. This makes it a great foreign mission field. We have here in Chicago more than 800,000 Germans, 300,000 Scandinavians, 600,000 Poles, 300,000 Bohemians, 120,000 Italians, and thousands and thousands of Hungarians, Russians, Servians, Croatians, Lithuanians, French, and many others. Thus we have right here in the very center of our nation a great and unique foreign mission field.
A good work has been begun and is progressing favorably among the Germans and the Scandinavians. It was in 1870 that Elder Matteson began labor among the Scandinavians of Chicago, and in 1871 they put up the first church building, located at 1244 West Erie St. As the years passed, the Scandinavian population moved farther to the north and west, and our brethren found it necessary to move their center of work to 1653 North Rockwell St. Last year that meeting place was sold, and they have now built a commodious house of worship at 2914 North Ave., opposite Humboldt Park. We rejoice in this growth and advancement. This church includes the Danes and Norwegians.
The Swedes are located on 213 West Oak St., where they have not only a neat meetinghouse, but connected with it a health restaurant and treatment rooms, and the Lord is blessing the work. During the past year a number of persons have been added to their membership.
The Germans entered the work here later, but they now have a commodious church building on Roscoe Street, near Western Avenue. There is also a small German church on the South Side, and we rejoice in the progress of the work among the Germans.
In 1912 Brother Rosario Calderone came to Chicago to begin work among the Italians. He began all alone, the only Italian believer in the city, but the Lord has been with him. Sept. 20, 1913, a church of ten Italians was organized. The Italian church was accepted as a member of the conference at the Northern Illinois camp meeting last year. At that time it numbered fifteen. Three were added during the latter part of the year, and four others have recently been baptized. Thus the work has made a good beginning among the Italians.
When the Scandinavians decided to sell the Erie Street church, as the locality where the church is located had been filled up with Italians, Slovaks, Poles, and others, the conference bought it for use among the foreign nationalities, and so this church is now being occupied and used by the Italians. In the basement an Italian church school is conducted. At the present time the attendance is twenty-three, and there is an excellent interest. The first full year of its existence the church has given its quota of twenty cents a week per member to the mission funds. It also has a good record in the payment of tithe.
LOPE S. NICOLAS
While we are glad for these beginnings among the Scandinavians, Germans, and Italians, here are all these other hundreds of thousands of foreigners, and thus far we can hardly speak of a beginning among them. Some canvassing has been done among the Hungarians, and we are also just making a start among the Bohemians. The great need is for workers. We have long been anxious to see a training mission started for the development of workers among these foreign nationalities, and are glad to report that arrangements are now being made to open such a mission about the first of February.
Brother and Sister E. W. Webster, of the North Michigan Conference, have accepted the call to this work. The North Michigan Conference has kindly given its consent to release them that they may fill this important call in this needy foreign field at-home. We regard this as a very important forward movement in the work among the foreigners in this country. We do sincerely ask the prayers of our people for God's blessing upon this undertaking.
To begin with, there will be Italians, Hungarians, Bohemians, Roumanians, and Poles in our mission. Our plan will be to study the underlying principles of the message in regular class work, and also give instruction in Bible work, holding Bible readings and cottage meetings. Then a part of every day will be spent in actual work in the circulation of literature, visiting families, and interesting the people. We are glad that we are able to secure such experienced helpers as Brother and Sister Webster. They both have had a large experience not only in work in this country, but also in foreign fields. We shall begin in a small way, but it is a work that is destined to grow in importance and extent. We shall want to rent suitable rooms for the mission work and the family.
Above all, we desire your sympathy and your prayers that the special blessing of the Lord may attend this important movement, and that it shall be the means of gathering many souls from among these many foreign nationalities for the kingdom of God.
O. A. OLSEN.
Cedar Lake Academy
By J. G. LAMSON
THE week of prayer at Cedar Lake proved to be one of special blessing. Early in the week, even before the meetings began, earnest members of the church began to pray for the outpouring of the Spirit of God. The readings were held in the afternoon, and regular services in the evening. As a result of these meetings there was formed a class of fifteen who are awaiting baptism, and18ten or twelve backsliders were reclaimed, who will join the church by letter or profession of faith. The meetings were discontinued during the holidays, but were resumed Friday, January 8, and have been continuing ever since.
The meeting on Monday night, January 18, was an excellent one. The convicting-power of God came into the services, and between twenty-five and thirty gave their hearts to the Lord and decided to identify themselves with God's people. The message given has been listened to with more than ordinary interest. Many church members are at work visiting neighbors for miles around. Several regular prayer services are held each week, and the spirit of labor for friends indicates an awakening of the church. Nearly all those who have recently started in the Lord's service had never professed religion. Some of the conversions are especially marked. The meetings will be continued for several weeks, and we believe there will be a rich harvest of souls. We are hoping and praying that God will continue to visit his people in this place, and to convict those who will listen to the word, until our resident church membership is at least doubled.
We have a younger class of students in the school this year than ever before, but in the hearts of some of these there has been born a sincere desire to be sober-minded and faithful. To the Lord be all the praise for his kindness extended toward this place.
The quarterly meeting for January, 1915, showed a church membership of 112. Of these, 95 reported in person, by letter, or by word of mouth through friends and relatives. This is the best record that I have ever seen in this church, because so large a proportion of our membership has heretofore been made up of students who were here a short time and then went away without taking their membership with them. Many times these students are forgetful of the duties they owe to the church, but this quarterly meeting proved an exception to the rule. It was certainly a pleasing sight when these young men still in their teens manfully went forward in the ordinance of humility. There were over fifty in the men's division, and fully as many if not more of the sisters took part. Such occasions will grow more precious as the perils of the last days thicken around us. Pray for the work in Cedar Lake. J. G. LAMSON,
Lope S. Nicolas
By Frank S. Bond
For a number of months our licentiate minister, Brother Lope S. Nicolas, had been suffering healthwise, and when my brother Walter was at Baeza holding meetings, it was decided that Brother Nicolas should soon come to Barcelona to undergo an operation. My brother died at the home of Brother Nicolas. Shortly after my brother’s death, Brother Nicolas, with his wife and daughter, came to Barcelona. Last Wednesday, December 9, he was operated on for cancer of the stomach and small intestine. Our brother did not awaken from the effects of the drug which put him to sleep. Early the next morning he passed away.
Brother Nicolas accepted present truth in Barcelona about nine years ago, and most of his time since was spent in active missionary work. The first years were spent in canvassing and Bible work, and one year ago last summer he was taken on our list as a licentiate preacher. His efforts were blessed of the Lord. He was a great help in developing the work in Barcelona, and also in Murcia. Three of our faithful canvassers are from Murcia, and came to a knowledge of the truth under his labors.
He was a native of Yimena, in southern Spain, and was fifty-three years of age. He leaves to mourn a wife and a daughter in Spain, two sons in Mexico, and one son in Gland, Switzerland. We accompanied him to his last resting place in the Barcelona cemetery, on the afternoon of December 11. There I had the privilege of speaking words of comfort from God’s Word to members of the family and a goodly number of brethren and friends. We hope to meet our brother in the morning of the resurrection.
Brother Nicolas loved dearly the message which we as a people are proclaiming to the world, and labored hard to make it known to others. Who will fill the places made vacant by our fallen brethren in Spain?
FRANK S. BOND.
West Michigan
By C. F. McVAGH
The work in West Michigan is onward. While it is one of the oldest fields, the laborers have always had this to encourage them, that the spirit of prophecy has said that even in the closing days “Michigan will be a very fruitful field.” Certainly the writer never labored in a field where the same effort put forth would bring more souls into the truth than in Michigan.
Our laboring force is reduced and our churches depleted by giving the strongest to other and newer fields, yet the Lord greatly blessed the work during 1914. As an evidence of this the laborers have reported 222 baptisms during the year. We have asked the Lord for 300 souls during 1915. Over $6,000 more mission funds were raised in 1914 than ever before in one year, and our churches are encouraged to believe that they can do still better this year. The increase of tithe was nearly $6,000 over any previous year. We are adding six young men to our laboring force this spring, besides giving the highest percentage of tithe asked by the North American Division from local conferences for the work in foreign lands. The increase in membership last year was over 150. The educational and the colporteur work show a healthy condition. We expect the Lord to come soon, but we are not expecting him to come and find the West Michigan Conference in debt.
The work in Battle Creek has greatly prospered during the year, under the leadership of W. A. Westworth. The church has paid its part of the Tabernacle debt, and made repairs and improvements. There is a good attendance at the Sunday evening meetings, and the spiritual condition and the courage of the members are excellent. In fact, Battle Creek paid its full apportionment of mission funds, and has shared with the rest of the conference in the increase in tithe and baptisms reported.
For the continuation of the good work, we solicit the prayers of all, but especially of the many friends in all the world who have gone from West Michigan, and who know of the conflicts and victories of former days in this field.
C. F. McVAGH.
Michigan
By W. A. Westworth.
BATTLE CREEK.—As many months have passed since a report of the work in Battle Creek was made we are glad to testify to the leading of God in this church. We are continually impressed with the strong evidences of the guiding hand of God, and especially is this seen in the harmony of spirit which seems to be ever gaining among us, and in the desire to press forward with the message given to us, and to do our part in finishing the work. Despite the fact that for so many years the message has been represented here, we still see a growing interest to hear the truths we hold, and honest hearts are accepting the peculiar doctrines which are calling out a people to prepare for the soon coming of the Master.
For the past year Sunday evening meetings have been a regular part of our services, and we have an attendance of several hundred besides our own membership; and although our work is no new thing here, we constantly see honest souls stepping out to walk in the light. The week of prayer services, together with a special effort made for the young people, under the efficient leadership of Prof. W. E. Straw, the assistant pastor, proved a great blessing to us. A goodly number made a first start to serve the King, and have joined the church. Back-sliders have been reclaimed, wanderers19have returned, new converts have given themselves to their Saviour, and many hearts have been revived. January 23 was a precious day with us, for thirty-eight souls went forward in baptism and joined the church. Thus we see our attendance steadily gaining, and there are fully two hundred more in regular Sabbath attendance than there were a year ago.
Financially the blessing of God has been with us also. During 1914, for the first time since we as a people set ourselves to raise a regular sum each week for our full membership, the Battle Creek church has passed the mark. During 1914 the church raised for missions $2,283.73 more than the previous year. During the year $13,665.92 was paid in tithe, an increase of $3,308.42 over 1913. This means a yearly per capita tithe of $27.33.
God has blessed the school work this year. Under the direction of Prof. W. J. Blake, assisted by four other teachers, and with an attendance of 130, the school is doing good work both intellectually and spiritually.
The local expense for the church and school amounts to about $375 a month, which has been met, along with our other responsibilities. The total paid in by the Battle Creek church for 1914 amounted to $28,084.83, or a per capita income of about $50. The debt which for so long a time has been a burden, has been almost paid off, and there is sufficient pledged to care for the entire amount and leave a surplus of several hundred dollars. Electric lights have been installed, the baptistery remodeled, and other improvements effected. So in a material way as well as in a spiritual way has the hand of our God been with us for good.
As a church we are pressing forward to finish the work. We are praying for renewed grace ever to be found doing our Lord's bidding. We realize the great need of power from on high, for the allurements of sin are on every hand, but we are finding day by day that there is help in Israel's God. Pray for the work in Battle Creek.
W. A. WESTWORTH.
Pennsylvania
By Chas. F. Ulrich
PITTSBURGH.—As our first English church was unexpectedly left without a pastor, I was asked to conduct the tent effort in Pittsburgh for the summer. At first it seemed as if Satan was trying to hinder the work on every hand. He almost succeeded in preventing us from pitching our tent on the lot selected, but God gave the victory. I believed that there were honest persons in this place who would take their stand for the truth, and the summer's work demonstrated it.
The meetings were the best that I ever conducted or attended. The Lord was with us night after night by his Spirit. Men have told me that they felt the Spirit of God hovering over the tent. Hearts were softened by the messages of truth. The attendance was excellent throughout whether we advertised or not. The secret of the success was that it was an effort accompanied by much prayer.
Although this was the third time in four years that the tent was pitched on the same spot, yet I am told that it was the best attended and most fruitful effort of any. I have baptized into the church twenty persons, and there are four or more awaiting baptism. To God be all the glory.
The First Seventh-day Adventist Church is in a healthy, flourishing condition, and the prospects for further accessions to the church were never brighter. The brethren are alive and alert. The Young People's Missionary Volunteer Society is a credit to the conference. The future looks bright, and with God's help and earnest labor many souls will be brought to the knowledge of this message. May the Lord pour copious showers of blessing upon their earnest efforts, and make this church a light which cannot be hid, an instrumentality that shall minister to the saving of precious souls. CHAS. F. ULRICH.
Indiana
By O. S. Hadley
INDIANAPOLIS.—Our new church was dedicated January 11. Elders E. A. Bristol, W. J. Stone, and J. H. N. Tindall were present to participate in the services. We have a very commodious house of worship. One unique feature of the construction is panels painted on the walls, containing texts of Scripture. There is seating room for about three hundred and fifty persons. The Lord has signally blessed in the erection of this building, and we are indeed grateful to him for his goodness.
O. S. HADLEY.
Buena Vista Academy
By C. D. TERWILLEGAR
The week of prayer at the Buena Vista Academy was a season of refreshing for the church members and the students of our school. For some time previously the students and others were reminded of its approach, and our weekly Friday evening meetings became seasons of deeper and more earnest consecration.
Elder F. W. Johnston met with the school the first half of the period, and his labors were much appreciated because of the spiritual benefit received. One night of the week the students and faculty divided into bands and met at different homes in the neighborhood.
As the reading and preaching services continued, I think no heart remained untouched; and on the last Sabbath the interest of the students and faculty was manifested by an offering for the foreign fields amounting to $104.56. This was a source of encouragement to all who had been watching the growth of the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund for this part of the field the past year.
Since the special prayer season a number of new students have been enrolled, and they also have entered into the spirit of the work. C. D. TERWILLEGAR.
Battle Creek Church Report
By L. H. Christian
BATTLE CREEK.—On the last Sabbath and Sunday of the old year I had the privilege of meeting with our brethren in Battle Creek. I was greatly encouraged to note the good spirit pervading the church and to see the excellent work carried forward. Our church at Battle Creek now has a membership of about five hundred. These people are working faithfully for the Lord, and are loyal and devoted to his truth.
Elder W. A. Westworth, who was called to Battle Creek a year ago, is leading in a successful evangelistic effort. At the present time he is presenting the main features of our message in a series of Sunday night lectures in the Tabernacle. There is a very large attendance of our own people and of outsiders at these meetings. Professor Straw gives all his time to the young people's work, and is enjoying the special blessing of God in his labors. Professor Blake is principal of the academy. We have a good school in Battle Creek, and although it does not accept students from out of town, it has an enrollment of over one hundred and twenty. The work of these brethren is not without fruit. Many persons in Battle Creek have given their hearts to God and accepted the third angel's message the past few months. I have just received word that thirty-eight were baptized last Sabbath, January 23. Some of these are youth of Adventist parentage. Others have recently embraced the truth under Elder Westworth's labors.
In tithes and offerings the Battle Creek church is rendering faithful support to our organized work. It paid its full apportionment of the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund, raising $2,280 more on this fund than in 1913. Its tithe also shows for the year an increase of $3,308 over the previous year. The total amount of money raised by the Battle Creek church for the cause of God during the year was $28,084, or a little more than $56 a member. Of this sum $3,593 was used to pay off an old debt on the Tabernacle. Our laborers and all our brethren in Battle Creek are of good courage, and looking to the Lord for great things during the present year.
L. H. CHRISTIAN.
Have We Done Enough?
By E. M. Graham
“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
THERE is only one thing upon which the thoughts and energies of Seventh-day Adventists should be concentrated—the finishing of God’s work.
In the recent earthquake in Italy we have had another reminder that we are entering upon the time of trouble when God’s judgments are poured out upon a guilty world. As we read of thirty thousand persons being killed in thirty seconds, we wonder if every possible effort had been made to bring those persons to Christ. If thirty thousand persons were destroyed tomorrow in some section of this country, should we feel clear that everything had been done that could have been done to save their souls? If not, should we not make this one thing our aim, to give the message everywhere, to every one, as quickly as possible? We know not where the next judgment will fall.
One means of doing this is within the reach of practically all our members. It is through the circulation of our literature. At the beginning of the winter our members were asked to make a general effort to circulate the Signs of the Times weekly, and arrangements were made to have the six months’ series of the paper cover all the leading points of our faith, as well as to deal with the striking fulfillments of prophecy now taking place. The aim set was an average of two copies a member. It will be seen by the following figures that the response made by our people has been far below the aim.
For the week ending Jan. 1, 1915, the number of papers mailed to each union conference is as follows:—
UNION
PAPERS
NO. OF MEM. TO EACH COPY
Atlantic
1,976
3
Central
3,270
2½
Columbia
3,789
2
Eastern Canadian
679
1½
Lake
4,949
2½
Northern
2,623
2½
North Pacific
3,418
2½
Pacific
4,485
2½
Southeastern
1,259
2½
Southwestern
1,818
2½
Southern
634
4
Western Canadian
712
2½
It will be seen by these figures that on an average it has taken five members to take two copies, instead of each member taking two. It is therefore evident that a great many of our people, considerably more than a majority of them, are doing nothing with this paper; for we know that many are taking more than the two copies a week.
It is true that we now have many lines of literature,—tracts, papers, magazines, and books,—and some like to work with one kind of literature, and others with another. But making allowance for all these things, it would be well for our members to ask themselves if they are satisfied with the circulation they are giving this missionary paper.
It is said by some that they find the paper too expensive for free distribution, and this is no doubt true of some members, though all cannot truly make this excuse, not by any means. This, however, need not keep members from circulating the paper, for it may be readily sold. The minds of the people are troubled because of the war and other calamities that are abroad in the world, and they will buy and read those papers which show what these things mean.
We therefore come back to the question, Is the present circulation of this paper as large as we believe the Lord would have it? If not, should not every member consider whether he can do more in this work? It is an individual matter between each Sabbath keeper and the Lord. The call is, “Go work today in my vineyard.” Matt. 21: 28.
E. M. GRAHAM.
Power Divine
By C. P. BOLLMAN
C. P. BOLLMAN
I look to thee, thou mighty God,
Thou Lord of earth and heaven;
Prostrate I fall before thy face,
And ask to be forgiven.
Thou fillest all the universe;
All wisdom dwells with thee;
And yet thou deignest to look down
Thy humble child to see.
Thou hast created all things, Lord,
By power all divine;
I will to know thee, blessed Lord,
And make thy power mine.
Transform, transform me, by thy grace;
Break, break the power of sin!
Clothed with thy might, my blessed Lord,
Eternal life I’d win.
An Honorable Defeat Better Than Victory
“An honorable defeat is better than a mean victory.”
God Never Sent Any Man on a Fool’s Errand
“God never sent any man on a fool’s errand.”
Home Missionary Department
E. M. GRAHAM General Secretary
F. W. PAAP N. Am. Div. Secretary
Will the War Cloud Cross the Atlantic?
This is a question that has had no small place in the minds of Americans ever since the outbreak of the European war. And as time goes by, this question is still holding a place in the minds of the American people. The longer the war lasts the greater will21be the technicalities of our neutral position.
This situation is fully commented upon in an interesting article in the March Watchman, and is illustrated by a most striking cover design in three colors, picturing Uncle Sam standing on his own territory anxiously watching the war cloud hanging over Europe.
While many are wondering how long the war will continue and just what will result before it ends, there are a large number who are calling for peace and endeavoring to work out plans for international peace. From a worldly standpoint it seems that there is only one way in which international peace can be established, and that is by a world federation of nations. But the question arises, Who will stand at the head of this great peace federation?
An excellent article in the March Watchman, by Elder Carlyle B. Haynes, on “World Federation” gives some most interesting and vital facts that all thinking persons should know. It tells what a world federation of nations would result in.
Some other interesting articles in the March number are: “The Time of the End;” “Did God Create the Devil?” “The Eastern Question and the European War;” “Secretary Bryan and the Peace Plowshares.”
Every Seventh-day Adventist should have at least one copy of the March Watchman, and see that his neighbors and friends receive a copy, for it contains just the matter he wants them to know, told in a most pleasing and convincing way. The Watchman helps to break down prejudice. Give the March number a trial. 5 to 40 copies, 5 cents each; 50 or more, 4 cents each.
