A SURPRISING revelation of the insecurity of individual rights under the provisions of the highest legislative and judicial departments of the government, is afforded by a recent decision of the United States Supreme Court. A Chinaman who was born in this country, and is therefore, according to the Constitution, a citizen of the United States, having made a visit to his relatives in China, was debarred from returning to America by an immigration officer acting under the provisions of the Chinese exclusion law. The Chinaman appealed his case to the Supreme Court, and that body rendered a decision declaring that by act of Congress passed in 1894 the decision of an immigration officer excluding an alien from admission to this country is final, and can not be reviewed by the courts. The petitioner in this case was, as stated, not an alien, but a citizen of this country by birth.
Ex-Secretary-of-State John W. Foster, in an article contributed to The Independent, calls this “a decision of most profound importance,” and quotes a statement by three dissenting justices of the Supreme Court, that “such a decision is appalling.” In his review of the case Ex-Secretary Foster says:—
If this is to stand as the law in the United States, punishment by banishment may be inflicted upon a citizen of the United States in violation of what have heretofore been held to be inestimable guarantees of the Constitution. Article III, section 2, provides that “the trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury;” and by the Fifth Amendment no person can “be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law;” and further, “no person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment of a grand jury.” The highest court of our country has decided that due process of law is granted by the hearing before the immigration official; that trial by jury may be in the same way superseded; that a citizen may suffer the infamous punishment of perpetual banishment from the land of his birth by the same procedure, and that the writ of habeas corpus, so dearly prized as “the remedy which the law gives for the enforcement of the civil right of personal liberty,” is ineffective against the decision of an obscure immigration officer.
The dissenting opinion filed by the minority of the Supreme Court (Justices Brewer, Peckham, and Day) says:—
The rules of the department declare that the statutes do not apply to citizens, and yet in the face of all this we are told that they may be enforced against citizens, and that Congress so intended. Banishment of a citizen not merely removes him from the limits of his native land, but puts him beyond reach of any of the protecting clauses of the Constitution. In other words, it strips him of the rights which are given to a citizen. I can not believe that Congress intended to provide that a citizen, simply because he belongs to an obnoxious race, can be deprived of all liberty and protection which the Constitution guarantees.
If an immigration officer can exclude a citizen of this country on such an interpretation of law as he may see fit to make, and his decision in the matter is final and can not be reviewed by any court, it would seem that not merely a citizen of an obnoxious race may be banished by decision of an immigration official, but one belonging to any class deemed obnoxious is not beyond the possibility of sharing a similar fate. From an “obnoxious” race to an “obnoxious” class is not an impossible step, nor one requiring great length of time to take.
L. A. S.
More Good Testimony
By Editor
In our issue of April 27, under the heading “A False Argument Answered,” we quoted from the January number of The Bible Record a letter from Dr. Walter Quincy Scott to the editor of the Record, in which Dr. Scott gave a clear and emphatic testimony concerning the proper translation of Matt. 28: 1.
In the May number of the Record there appeared another letter upon this subject, from which we take the following:—
Editor of the Bible Record.
DEAR SIR: The query in the issue of January, 1905, as to “Sabbath or Sabbaths” seems to call for a further warning. The querist asks if in Matt. 28: 1, Opse de sabbaton, te epiphōskouse eis mian sabbaton, may not be rendered: At the end of the [Jewish seventh-day] Sabbaths, as it began to dawn toward the first of the [Christian first-day] Sabbaths. The superb negative answer given should be heralded far and wide. People of excellent intention and deep piety, but with little knowledge, are making such an interpretation in fortifying themselves against “Saturday keepers.” I own two books, and have read two others, in which each writer claims to have made the great discovery of said translation, and has based his book thereon.
These good men had only a rusted smattering of classical Greek, and in their zeal without knowledge they stumbled upon this rendering, with a carelessness that few students of a month would make. “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” And more than that, acquaintance with classical Greek is not enough for the reading of the New Testament Greek. One must have large acquaintance with the grammar and the lexicon of the Greek Old Testament, and behind that, as the key to many of its peculiarities and mysteries, of the Hebrew Old Testament also.
This letter is written by a professor in7a theological seminary, but his name is not given. Put with the letter from Dr. Scott it will serve to emphasize the fact that in the proper rendering of Matt. 28: 1 there can be found no shadow of an argument that there was a change of the Sabbath at the time mentioned, and that the resurrection marked the dividing line between the two sabbaths. It requires no display of ignorance, under the pretense of advanced scholarship, to bolster up the clear and convincing testimony of the Scriptures concerning the true Sabbath of the Lord. “Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.”
A Poverty Problem
By L. A. S.
A CONDITION of affairs which has an important bearing on the question of “race suicide,” is pointed out by a contributor to the New York Independent, Mr. John Spargo, who states facts and figures carefully gathered by him relative to “the underfed children in our public schools.” Such children are, Mr. Spargo shows, much more numerous than is generally supposed, and he quotes authority for the opinion that upon them the educational effort of the public schools is largely thrown away.
Chief among the causes of this evil in the public educational system, is poverty. “Our national complacency has received a severe shock, or a series of shocks,” he says, “in the form of the revelation of a growing and menacing poverty problem of vast dimensions. The terrible, sinister, challenging phrase, ‘ten millions in poverty,’ alarms us. Some phases of the poverty problem we have studied and familiarized ourselves with, but its relation to our future exigency, the children upon whom we lavish so much money and effort for their education, we have neglected.”
“Mr. Robert Hunter’s estimate that in New York City from sixty to seventy thousand school children suffer from underfeeding,” Mr. Spargo says, “has caused something of a sensation.” But “it is not,” he adds, “a question of sixty or seventy thousand underfed school children in New York, but of nearly three million children in the United States underfed, and suffering in consequence from under-development physically and mentally. Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, Jersey City, these and scores of other cities are, equally in proportion to their size, confronted by this grave problem.”
Mr. Spargo says that “few, if any, will disagree with Superintendent W. H. Maxwell of the New York public schools when he says: ‘Education, whether physical or mental, is seriously retarded, if not practically impossible, when the body is improperly or imperfectly nourished. That mental underdevelopment commonly attends physical underdevelopment is a physiological fact too firmly established and too obvious for argument.’”
In conclusion, Mr. Spargo observes that “it is trite to say that no nation can allow its children to go underfed. That means national peril and decay. There is no greater ‘race suicide’ than that.”
L. A. S.
A Prominent Sign of the Times
A PROMINENT sign of the times is the present unrest of the nations. The spirit of jealousy and strife rules in the political world, and the time has come to which the prophetic statement applies, “The nations were angry.” How true this is at the present time let the following paragraph testify. A dispatch from London to the Washington Post of June 25 says:—
It would be easy to fill several pages of the Post with views and rumors covering every possible range, from extreme alarm to the mildest conciliation, all dealing with one feature or another of the universal crisis through which Europe is passing. Let us record the developments of this eventful week in the fewest possible words. Spain has reorganized her domestic administration, and installed a complete new ministry. Sweden has consented to the peaceful secession of Norway, but Swedish public sentiment is showing such signs of resentment that the abdication of King Oscar is believed to be impending. Hungary openly threatens to follow Norway's example, and divorce herself from Austria. The emperor has been compelled to resort to the drastic expedient of attempting to govern his second kingdom without Parliament, which refuses to sanction his policy or appointments. Russia has become the scene of fresh bloodshed, rivaling in extent the massacres of last January. The czar’s promises of radical reforms, which were solemnly made to the people’s representatives on Monday, have already been repudiated. France and Germany are at loggerheads, with bayonets bristling in the background. England has made the French cause her own, and is prepared for all eventualities. What seven days in the world’s history can match such a record as this?
These are truly record-making days in the world’s history.
Note and Comment
For many years it has been the aim of the Russian orthodox church, which is the real ruling power in that country, to unify the Russian people. To accomplish this end the church authorities, at whose head stood the procurator of the “holy synod,” M. Pobiedonostzeff, sought to have all the people profess one religion,—that of the state church,—and to attain this result they employed all the force of the civil power. Present-day events in Russia have demonstrated the utter failure of this church-and-state program, and M. Pobiedonostzeff is ending his days with the bitter sight of the collapse of his cherished plan before his eyes. There is no unifying power in an enforced religion. There is no religious unity without the presence of the divine Spirit, and “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” There is a lesson here for all nations which maintain a church-and-state system.
The Cost of Colonial Expansion
In a recent editorial the Washington Post gives some quotations on the prospective financial cost of the colonial policy under which the United States has acquired and holds the Philippines and its other island possessions.
The Washington correspondent of the New York Evening Post recently inquired of a naval officer: “How many battle-ships will eventually satisfy the navy?” The answer was: “Seventy;” and the authority consulted, proceeded to make the necessary disposition of seventy-two battle-ships,—sixteen on the Atlantic coast, twenty-four on the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, sixteen on the Pacific coast, and sixteen in the Philippines. The Springfield Republican, noting this highly suggestive estimate of the sea power that would “satisfy the navy,” says: “Seventy battle-ships would cost, at prevailing figures, about $550,000,000; more rather than less. It is interesting to note that before we went a-world-powering, a naval board laid down a comprehensive plan of our desirable naval strength, and placed our needs at just ten battle-ships. Times have changed since then, and the contrast is striking.”
The Post thinks there can be no occasion for such a great increase in the naval force as is here suggested; but it might be interesting and pertinent to inquire how great an increase in the size of armies and navies the nations of Europe thought would be sufficient when they began the program of armaments which has made Europe to-day a vast military camp. Did they expect to pay the price which they have paid since then to maintain their military standing? And who can count the cost that will follow when this nation enters the field of military rivalry with the world powers? A great navy now seems to be demanded to defend the nation’s colonial possessions. The creation of a large standing army will naturally follow; and with these must come a heavy and permanent increase in the burden of taxation. But this is of interest chiefly as showing how the “spirit of the times,” which Jefferson predicted would be altered, has changed and is changing at the present time.
The Ladder of Progress
By Ellen G. White
I KNOW of nothing better to present to teachers and students than the instruction found in the first chapter of Second Peter.
“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Let the young men and young women who come to our schools, and those who have been set as guardians over them, remember that God calls on them to move steadily forward, to advance step by step, because Christ is their Saviour. The youth are to be taught to consecrate themselves, body and soul, to the service of Christ. While in school they are to impart as well as receive. They will find that by imparting truth, they will increase in a knowledge of Christ. They can be channels of light. Said Christ, “Ye are the light of the world.” When you get a fresh thought from the Word of God or from your other studies, do not keep it to yourself. Give to some one else that which has helped you. Remember that as surely as you live out the principles of truth, you will help yourself, and in helping yourself to climb the ladder of progress, you will show others the way.
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.” Your faith is worthless without the virtue. Faith of the right kind brings virtue that is more valuable than gold or silver or precious stones.
“And to virtue knowledge.” We have some knowledge of God, but not a hundredth part of what it is our privilege to have, because we do not walk in the light that, day by day, God is giving us.
You are to work on the plan of addition, and as you do this, the promise will be fulfilled, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” As you live on the plan of addition, constantly adding to your fund of knowledge and seeking to carry out the instruction you receive, you will gain strength to overcome temptation, and will be enabled to stand on vantage-ground. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh unto you. He will lift up for you a standard against the enemy.
“And to knowledge temperance.” Each one must settle for himself the question of temperance. You are to put nothing into your lips that will overtax the digestive organs. This is necessary, if you would have a clear mind. Those who eat improper food are hindering themselves from making the advance steps that Christ expects them to make. Let not those who are older in years tempt the youth to eat anything but plain, simple food. When a great variety of rich food is eaten, a disturbance is created in the stomach, the thoughts are disturbed, and the intellect dulled. It is to be our study to make our eating and drinking such that we shall be enabled to offer to God the highest service.
“And to temperance patience.” Temperance always leads to patience. Students, if you will take yourselves in hand, if you will practise temperance in all things, you will find wonderful help in Christ. You will watch well your words. Speech is a precious talent. You can speak fretfully, or you can speak pleasantly. Remember that it will not hurt your influence to speak pleasantly, but that it will sweeten your influence. If provoking words are spoken to you, do not utter a word. The best rebuke you can give the one who has uttered the provoking words is to keep silent until you can speak in a calm, pleasant voice. Try to gain control over yourself. This will help you to stand on vantage-ground. Constantly keep God and his promises before your mind. Brace yourselves to habits of self-control.
“And to godliness brotherly kindness.” O how much we need to cultivate brotherly kindness!
“And to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” He can not see the influence of his harsh, angry words, and his unchristlike course of action.
If students would read the Word of God more, and pray over it, the light of heaven would shine upon them. The Lord God does not want them to go round with long faces, unable to speak pleasant words. He wants them to be full of pleasantness. The youth and those who have charge of them need to have such a power of self-control that they will exert a cheerful, uplifting influence upon all with whom they come in contact. Then the angels of God can give them success in their work.
There are those whose characters are so frivolous that it seems impossible for them to keep their tongues from speaking evil; but notwithstanding this, maintain your self-control, and then, wherever you are, those who have charge over you will not have to control you, for you will control yourselves. Climb steadily upward on the ladder of progress, round by round, and at last you will step off the topmost round into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail.” Our eternal life insurance policy is found right in these words, and we want you to study them carefully. “Ye shall never fail.” Ought we not, then, to work right to the point?
“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Will you not pledge yourselves to God to serve him, and him alone? I do not ask you to pledge your word to one another. Pledge yourselves to God. Let him be the one who will hear the promise that you will press steadily forward in the way to heaven. Holy angels will watch over you, and the golden oil, which the two olive branches empty through the two golden pipes, for the perfection of the characters of God’s people, will be imparted to you.
Those who have the guardianship of the youth need to cling to the mighty One. Those who will continue in the faith will obtain the eternal life insurance policy, which will give them a right to enter in through the gates into the city of God, and a right to eat of the fruit of the tree of life. Let us hold fast to God. Let us consecrate ourselves to the service of Christ. He will give us power to overcome. Of yourselves you can not create this power. Place yourselves as humble seekers at the feet of Jesus, and he will give you the strength you need.
I feel so glad that we could hold our meeting in a place where there are so many quiet retreats in which to pray. O, I have longed for this when I have been on camp-grounds where there was no such opportunity! Get together in companies of two or three, and go off into some quiet place to seek the Lord. His promise is that where two or three are agreed together as touching anything, their prayer will be answered. Our God is close beside us. “Lo,” he declares, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Yoke up with Christ. Do not yoke up with human beings, and then think that because they are not perfect, you need not be. Link up with the One who is perfect, and who has power to sanctify you and give you a fitness to receive the life that measures with the life of God.9
“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice, which came from heaven, we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” To-day the voice of heaven will come to souls who are striving for the victory over sin.
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.” God would have us take hold of the rich promises of his Word. Come to his feet, and plead with him for power.
A school has been established here in Takoma Park. The students who come to us are to receive a preparation for service that will be full of marrow and fatness. Angels of God will help every one who endeavors to conform his life to the life of Christ. Just as surely as the students grasp the hand of infinite power, that hand will lift them up.
We all need to gain greater victories than we have yet gained, and we may do this if we will reach high enough and cling close enough. You may say, “I do not feel as if God is blessing me.” But what have your feelings to do with it? You have the promise. Move steadily forward, believing that God has heard your prayer, and that he will fulfil his word. Be determined that you will overcome, that you will not fail or be discouraged. Do not depend on feeling, but on God. Cast your helpless souls on Christ. Praise God with heart and voice, and glorify his name day by day.
Biennial Report of the Central Union Conference
By E. T. Russell
THERE is embraced in the Central Union Conference the States of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and the Territory of New Mexico, also five counties of South Dakota which are located in what is known as the Black Hills country. It covers an area of 616,531 square miles of territory, and is located west of the Mississippi River, mostly in what is termed the Great Basin. It has a total population of 9,000,000. About one third of this territory is well adapted to agriculture; one third is semi-arid, and abounds in good grazing lands, and is therefore known as a cattle country. The remaining one third is mountainous, and is only valuable for agriculture in such places as are subject to irrigation. It is a land of mountains, rivers, and fertile plains. In many places the mountains are rich in mineral wealth. In both the mineral and agricultural sections the financial condition of this territory is excellent, and prices are good.
The following are its organized conferences: Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Colorado; the Wyoming Mission field is also in this territory.
Number of churches, three hundred and fifty-five. Total membership 12,042. Number of companies not organized into churches, ninety-six, with a total membership of 1,099. Number of isolated Sabbath-keepers, nine hundred and ninety-five. Total number of Sabbath-keepers, 14,136.
At the Oakland Conference the total number of Sabbath-keepers reported was 13,794, which shows an increase in the union conference from Dec. 31, 1902, to Dec. 31, 1904, of only three hundred and forty-two church-members. This small increase is owing to the fact that many names have been dropped from the church records. In nearly all the conferences in the Central Union there is an inflated membership. Many individuals that have made no profession of religion for years, but whose names were still retained on the church roll, have been dropped.
We felt that a reform should be carried forward in this respect, or else the Lord could not say, “Well and faithfully done,” to us as churches and as conferences. One church alone during the past two years has dropped from its roll of membership one hundred and thirty-two names.
Since the last biennial report there have been organized forty-three new churches, and several have been dropped from the conference records. There are 427 Sabbath-schools, with a total membership of 11,799. There are seventy-six church-schools, with an enrolment of 1,107.
During the past two years three intermediate schools and two intermediate industrial schools have been established, and all are doing good work. We have two hundred and ten church buildings, seventy-five ordained ministers, sixty-two licentiates, one hundred missionary licentiates, and fifty-five canvassers. Total number of laborers, two hundred and ninety-two. Total amount of tithe paid in 1903, $114,523.19; in 1904, $112,242.98. Amount appropriated to fields outside the Central Union Conference, $29,804.71.
Annual offerings to foreign missions, $18,398.18. Weekly offerings to foreign missions, $12,017.54. Miscellaneous offerings to foreign missions, $27,533.09. Sabbath-school offerings, $18,356.77. Sabbath-school offerings to foreign missions, $12,486.31. Total amount of book sales, $78,708.82.
Union College
Union College is one of the most important institutions in the Central Union Conference. It is being recognized by leading educational institutions, and also by State educational societies, as an institution which requires of its students a high grade of work. It has connected with its faculty about twenty instructors, and has an average enrolment of from three hundred and fifty to four hundred students. It represents a total value of $163,834.36. Nearly all the industrial departments connected with the institution are more than self-supporting; thus it is enabled from its earnings to meet its operating expenses.
The college has enjoyed many tokens of the blessing of the Lord during the past year. The regular meetings have been well attended, and numbers of conversions have been witnessed. Twelve students have been baptized. Brother G. Phillips spent two weeks with the school at the close of the winter term, in behalf of the canvassing work, and was greatly encouraged by the interest which he found.
Elder R. D. Quinn held a series of meetings for the benefit of the students, which resulted in a great spiritual awakening. The exact results can not yet be told, but they expect a large baptism soon. The word of God was preached in demonstration of the Spirit and with power. On four or five different occasions the chapel exercises continued from 9:45 to 12:30, all recitations being suspended. The message was complete surrender to God, absolute deliverance from all known sin, and the reception of the Holy Spirit in preparation for service. One result is the desire of many to enter some branch of the work during the vacation. This has led to the organization of a labor bureau among the teachers to find places for those who want to work.
Industrial Intermediate Schools
The Iowa Conference has an industrial intermediate school located at Stuart, with an average attendance of sixty-five students. For the short period of time in which it has been in operation, much progress has been made in industrial lines.
At the opening of the school this year more than half of the pupils made no profession of religion, and it had more than the usual proportion of students of the so-called undesirable class. By the middle of the year, they did not have a single student who did not make a profession, and, with the exception of two, the professions made seemed genuine. It was amazing in some instances to see wild, reckless boys settling into quiet, God-fearing students in only a few weeks’ time, and this without any revival effort. At the closing service of the year but three students failed to take part.10
Another industrial school has been established at Palisades, Colo., and a good work is being accomplished there. Palisades is located in one of the best fruit-growing sections of that State, therefore is well adapted for industrial school work. During the summer the Colorado Conference expects to establish another industrial school at Berthoud, near Loveland.
Intermediate schools are located at the following places: Thayer, Kan.; Hemingford, Neb.; Hygiene, Colo.; and College View, Neb.
Sanitariums
The following-named sanitariums are located in this union conference: the Colorado Sanitarium at Boulder; the Nebraska Sanitarium at College View, the Iowa Sanitarium at Des Moines, and the Kansas Sanitarium at Wichita.
The Colorado Sanitarium is the third largest medical institution in the denomination. It was established nearly nine years ago, being dedicated and opened to the public in July, 1896. Its history for the past eight years has been the history of similar institutions which have had to build up a constituency in an entirely new field. It has always had a large summer trade, sometimes being obliged to turn patients away. During the winter months, however, the trade has been very light, entailing a heavy loss in one season in the operation of the institution. Slowly but gradually the general patronage of the institution has been increasing, and the year 1904 was by far the best in its history.
An effort has been made to keep the missionary idea prominently before the helpers, so that their income should not be consumed upon themselves, nor upon the institution and the work there, but that other needy fields and other departments of the work, just as far as possible, should share in their prosperity.
The past summer was one of the most successful in its whole history. Heretofore they have had to borrow money to carry them through the winter months, but last year their income was such that they paid all their bills when due, and none of their accounts were in arrears.
The Lord gives the members of the sanitarium family encouragement from time to time by impressing the guests with the truth for these last days, and in leading some to take their stand for the same. Several during the last few months have begun the observance of the Sabbath, and a deeper interest has been manifested in Bible study and in the Bible lectures which have been given each week.
Iowa Sanitarium
The Iowa Sanitarium has been doing a good work. Twenty-two nurses have been graduated from the institution since our last biennial session, and at present they have twenty-five in training. Several patients have been converted.
The work of the institution has grown until the present accommodations are not sufficient to care for the many calls. The physicians of Iowa have recognized in the Iowa Sanitarium a place where they can send their patients with full confidence that they will receive scientific and rational treatment.
The nurses’ training-school is conducted on a strictly denominational basis. None but Seventh-day Adventists in good standing are admitted. Some of the graduates are in foreign fields, and others in the home field. The applications for admission far exceed the number that can be accommodated.
The sanitarium property is owned and controlled by the Iowa Conference, the Conference Association holding a deed to all property.
Nebraska Sanitarium
During the past two years the Nebraska Sanitarium has enjoyed a reasonable degree of prosperity, and much of the blessing of the Lord. The number of patients averages from thirty to forty. The religious interest has been good, and while we do not know that many have accepted the truth, yet we know that many have gone away from the institution with an interest awakened which will sooner or later bear fruit.
The sanitarium employs continuously about fifty nurses, either trained or in training, and opens new classes for nurses the first of April and the first of October each year. During the past two years about twenty-five have been graduated from this school. A number of these are engaged in missionary work in foreign lands, while some of them are engaged in private nursing.
The action of the Central Union Conference in advising that the Nebraska Sanitarium connect more closely with the Nebraska Conference has recently been carried out, and the Nebraska Sanitarium and Benevolent Association is now inseparably connected with the Nebraska Conference.
Wichita Sanitarium
The Wichita Sanitarium is not quite fully completed, but the institution is now enabled to receive patients. It is a good plant, so built that it is well adapted to the work for which it is designed. In connection with the institution they have about twenty acres of fine agricultural land. We bespeak for this sanitarium a bright future.
Health Food Factories, Restaurants, etc.
There are four health food factories, located in the Central Union Conference, as follows: one at Des Moines, Iowa; one at Boulder, Colo.; and two at College View, Neb. These plants are all doing a good business. We also have seven treatment rooms, two private sanitariums, and four or five vegetarian restaurants.
Miscellaneous
While the World’s Fair was in session during the summer of 1904, the Central Union Conference, in connection with the Missouri Conference, carried forward aggressive missionary work in the city of St. Louis. Several workers were located there who did house-to-house work, scattering copies of The Family Bible Teacher. This work was followed up systematically, and, as the result, an interest was created which demanded the labor of nearly a score of Bible workers.
At its last annual meeting the Iowa Conference voted to place one half of its tithe and one half of its workers at the disposal of the General Conference. At present it is supporting about twelve workers in other fields.
The Nebraska Conference voted to place five of its laborers at the disposal of the Mission Board, and to support them for three years in needy fields.
The Kansas Conference voted to give two of its workers for the foreign work, and to support them in the same.
Colorado is at present supporting two laborers in Africa, and at its last camp-meeting voted to support two more in other fields.
The Missouri Conference also voted to give two of its workers to the foreign work, and to support them for one year.
I realize that as a union conference we have not accomplished what the Lord would have us accomplish, as our conference is located in rich agricultural territory, which gives us the advantage of quite abundant resources as compared with many other fields throughout the world. But we do praise God for what he has done for us, and for what we know he is willing to do. And above all we praise him that he has put it into the hearts of the brethren in our conference to respond so liberally to the appeals that have been made for means with which to carry on the work in other lands. Also we are very thankful that God has put it into the hearts of our brethren and sisters to assist the work in the Southern field, and to aid in building up the different enterprises at Washington.