Earlier text: A Vision of the EveningHarvest Ingathering for Missions
By A. J. S. Bourdeau
“Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy power, in holy array.” Ps. 110:3, A. R. V. SISTER ETHEL HALFRICH, of Ohio, mailed eight of her ten copies of the REVIEW. The first two replies from her friends brought one dollar each. She writes: “I am glad to have a small part in this work.” On Tuesday, December 21, we received orders for five hundred twenty-five copies of the Missions REVIEW. Among the orders was a telegram from Elder C. A. Burman, of Alberta, Canada, calling for three hundred copies. A number of the workers are still actively engaged in the campaign. Brother D. K. Royer, secretary of the New Jersey Conference, is receiving some excellent reports from various workers who engaged in the campaign work. He writes: “This morning I received from Sister C. M. Crane, an aged, isolated Sabbath-keeper, a good letter in which she returns her solicitor’s card, and a check for $18.35. She received this amount from the distribution of twenty-four copies of the Missions REVIEW, her collections averaging seventy-seven cents a copy.” It often occurs that people not of our faith are deeply interested in the work being carried on by our denomination. For instance, a gentleman living in the city of Pittsburg, Pa., sends ten dollars for our foreign missions. In his letter he says: “I am not a member of your denomination; but I have taken the REVIEW for the past fifteen years, and the Signs of the Times for the last thirty years. I enjoy reading both of them. I recently received ten copies of the Missions number of the REVIEW. Enclosed you will find ten dollars for your foreign missions.” It is gratifying to note how many there are who, though not Seventh-day Adventists, are regular readers of our various periodicals. Thousands of intelligent men and women have read with interest the Missions number of the REVIEW. In it they have learned of the various enterprises carried on by our people. They have also learned for the first time, perhaps, concerning our distinctive beliefs. The reading of this paper will doubtless induce hundreds of earnest Christians to investigate further the truths of the message. It has been truly said that he that reads himself into the third angel’s message rarely surrenders the truth. Reading makes the stanchest believers. How important, therefore, the mission of the printed page of truth which leads men and women to deliberately change their belief in perfect calmness of spirit. Elder H. W. Carr, president of the Western New York Conference, writes that he is much encouraged over the prospects for a large harvest ingathering in that conference. He says: “Our German Bible worker in Buffalo has already collected over twenty dollars through the distribution of the REVIEW, and expects to use a number of the German papers. An agent called at our office the other day, and in less than one minute Miss D. M. Landon, secretary of our Missionary Volunteer Department, had given him a copy of the Missions REVIEW, and secured his donation. A lady physician called at our office, and while waiting for her train, Mrs. Carr presented her with the REVIEW, and received one dollar in return.” We mention these incidents not as being out of the ordinary, but simply to show how even busy people can do successful missionary work in odd moments. Mrs. Luke Roth, of California, is one of the many busy housewives whose home duties almost compel them to remain at home all the time. Like many others, however, she could not rest without doing something. Among some of her experiences she mentions the following: “We are having stormy weather here at present. I received $2.50 yesterday, and would have secured more had it not rained. With my home duties (besides teaching my children four hours each day), I find it rather difficult to get out, but by the help of the Lord I shall try again. In my canvass I met a Catholic who gave me a yearly subscription for the REVIEW, besides fifty cents. I find that in addition to receiving funds for the cause, one receives rich blessings in meeting the people and having talks with them.” Truly the chief requisite for acceptable service is “a willing mind.”16 As the result of her visits from door to door, one of our sisters in Salamanca, N. Y., has already secured eleven dollars for missions. A young brother in the State of New York took some copies of the REVIEW with him while calling on a number of friends in a business college. Nearly every student gave him fifty cents. Elder C. B. Stephenson, president of the Georgia Conference, says: “We are having some good experiences here. One of our sisters took twenty copies of the REVIEW with her to Ft. Scriven, a soldiers’ camp, and returned the same day with $5.30. We hear of good reports all around, and pray that a bountiful sum may be gathered in. We shall do our best.” Brother S. Rogers, of Michigan, is one of those who received the ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW. From their distribution he secured the sum of $2.13 for foreign missions,—an average of over twenty-one cents a copy. If every copy of the large edition of the Missions REVIEW yields returns equal to this, our collection will amount to nearly one hundred fifty thousand dollars. Sister M. E. French, of Ohio, an isolated Sabbath-keeper living twelve miles from one of our churches, sends one dollar as the result of her efforts with the Missions number of the REVIEW. She writes: “I am past eighty-three, and can not walk very far, but I tried to sell the ten papers that were sent me. I sold only nine. When we do the best we can, the Lord will take care of his own. I have been in the truth ever since 1896, and it grows brighter and brighter.” Brother C. D. Terwilleger, secretary of the Ontario Conference, took a personal part in the campaign work. He says: “We think that the right thing was done in sending out those ten copies of the REVIEW, to this place, at least. We used them all. Last Thursday six young ladies drove over to one of the neighboring towns with Mrs. Terwilleger and myself. We solicited funds, and all came home much encouraged. I collected $2.66, and the least that any of us received was seventy cents. In all, we distributed sixty copies of the REVIEW, and we felt well repaid for our effort.” Mrs. Henry Perry, of Vermont, is a subscriber to the REVIEW. She consequently received those ten extra copies of the Missions REVIEW. As soon as they arrived, she went to work with them. Her letter says: “Please find enclosed post-office money-order for $1.63 for the ten papers sent me. I am glad that I can do a little to help carry the message to those who do not know the truth. The people in my neighborhood are not Sabbath-keepers, but it did not make any difference to me. I presented the papers to them and told them what they contained, and they all gave a few pennies apiece.” Save the Blind
By L. N. Muck
In Matt. 24:14 we find these words: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Not until this gospel of the kingdom shall have been preached as a witness to the world can the second advent of Christ to this earth take place. The completion of that work is a sure sign of his soon coming. The evidences of the nearness of the end are so positive and so clear that none need be mistaken; for this gospel shall be preached for a witness, then shall the end come. Truly this gospel is being preached as never before. It is penetrating earth’s darkest lands; it is encircling the earth. The glorious sunlight of the gospel message is shining brighter and still brighter; yea, soon our fondest hopes will be realized. We are commissioned to go and “preach the gospel to every creature.” The gospel is the “power of God unto salvation,” and we are Christ’s light-bearers. As ambassadors of God, we are to bear the light to those in darkness. As we have passed from death unto life, we must give this life to those who are dying. This gospel of the kingdom is full of life and hope. Those who accept it, and believe it, and live it, and give it, are blessed of God. Striking evidences from every direction tell us that our redemption draweth nigh, and yet we who believe the three-fold message must awake and arouse ourselves to a full sense of what these things mean. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” The flying indicates rapidity. Those who bear the message must be shod with the gospel, and go with all haste. It is no time for idleness, for sleeping. The hour has struck for the last-day message to sound to a perishing world, and we are to make straight his paths; but we must first drink deep of the fountain, and then we shall be able to impart life to the dying. In Isaiah 43 we have the promise that the redeemed shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and that the blind shall see, and the deaf shall hear. What a precious promise is that! In the last call made to the world are included the blind. We are bidden to bring in the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind, that his house may be filled. This is an important call, because it seems that after these other classes have been warned, and multitudes have accepted the message of mercy, there is still room; and I fully believe that we have reached the point in the message when we are to go out and gather in the blind, and not only those who are deprived of sight, but those who are deaf as well as blind. May the Lord help us to see the importance of gathering these neglected ones. Our work is not complete, and can not be, until those in double darkness receive the last-day call. And this call must be given to the blind without delay. If the gospel of the kingdom is to be given for a witness to the world, and is to be preached to every creature, and if we are to sound an alarm, then in the name of our God let us throw out the life-line to the blind; let us place in their hands the message in their own language, and by so doing, we shall open their spiritual eyes, and, with Job, “be eyes to the blind.” As watchmen on the walls of Zion, we are to give the alarm to the world; and can we say that the blind are excluded?—No, thanks be to God! He is no respecter of persons. This unfortunate class is precious in his sight, and he has demonstrated this fact by the all-wise provision he has made to bring the sightless into the fold. The Lord is not willing that a single soul should be lost, and for this reason he has established a printing-house where literature bearing the third angel’s message is prepared for the blind. For ten years this printing plant has been in operation, and the Christian Record, a monthly magazine full of the message, and a number of tracts on the vital points of the message, are being printed and circulated among the blind. As the result of this work in the past, scores have accepted the truth, and many others have been encouraged to live better lives, and we believe that hundreds yet will accept the message before the Lord comes. But listen. The class we are reaching and have reached are deprived of this world’s goods. They are not only denied the pleasure of beholding the beauties of nature, but they are poverty-stricken. Many of them are in poorhouses and in homes of charity. Not only are they poor, but they are groping their way in double darkness. Many of them, yes, hundreds of them, are isolated, cut off from society and all the pleasures of life, and yet the gospel of the kingdom must be given as a witness to this very class. How shall this work be done?—Through the avenue which God has given, the Christian Record. This magazine, though small, has borne the gospel message to many a sad heart who was on the very verge of despair, whose light was fast fading because of the terrible affliction; and to-day some of these men and women are full of hope and courage, and are actively engaged in giving the message to others. What a source of encouragement to know that though a man or woman is deprived of sight, a knowledge of the third angel’s message can change the life. It matters not what our circumstances may be, nor how great the affliction, this gospel of the kingdom is sufficient to clear away the dark clouds and to make the blind man see while he sees not, and the deaf man hear while he hears not. And the time is near when the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the dumb tongue shall be loosed, and the deaf ears unstopped, and the lame shall leap as an hart. No more sorrow then, no more disappointments, no more sin, no more tears, for God himself will wipe away all tears. Therefore I beg of you, in the name of Jehovah, to unite with us in bringing in the blind. As a majority of the blind have no means, they can not pay for literature. Those who are too poor—shall we turn them away to perish? I say, God forbid. We are especially interested in those too poor to pay for literature and who can not help themselves. Hundreds of this class appeal to us every year for something to read, and the question confronts us, What shall we do with them? Then comes the answer, clear and strong, “Preach the gospel to every creature.” My brother, my sister, this is a work of life and death. Many a heart is aching, many a soul is yearning and crying out for sympathy and charity which we are able to give. Will you who are strong and vigorous, will you who have all your faculties, who enjoy perfect sight, and are blessed with a portion of this world’s goods, give some of it to this branch of the Lord’s work in saving the blind? The Christian Record costs two dollars a year, but many of the blind are not able to pay it. How many of you, dear readers, are willing to send two dollars to apply on the subscription of some blind person? Thus you can be eyes to the blind. We ask you to help us strengthen the feeble knees and hold up the weak hands. We invite those who love the message to respond to this call. The work of saving the blind is a General Conference work, it is a union conference work, it is a local conference work, it is a part of the church work, it is a work which demands the attention of each individual. It appeals to the old and to the young; and because we love the message, and because Jesus died to redeem the world, and because we read, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be,” let us17 open our hearts of mercy and respond to the calls made on us by our friends in double darkness. The Christian Record, and all literature sent out from this office, is prepared and printed by those who can not see. The workers are of good courage, but the work is handicapped for lack of funds. We are sending out about two thousand magazines a month, and it ought to be five thousand, to say the least. Scores of encouraging letters are received every month, and many are in the valley of decision, and we believe that a much better work can be accomplished in the time allotted to us than has been accomplished in the past. While the Christian Record was started by the General Conference and is in reality a General Conference work, it is under the management of the Central Union Conference, with Elder E. T. Russell chairman of the board. Those wishing to co-operate with us in giving the message to the blind will send all donations and subscriptions to Miss Mettie E. Cornell, Christian Record secretary, College View, Neb., and all funds will be turned over to B. M. Emerson, Union College treasurer. May the Lord help us to see the need of giving the message of life and peace to the sightless. In the South
By D. T. Shireman
While spending a few days at Nashville, Tenn., I had the pleasure of visiting the Hillcrest school and farm. This institution has been brought into existence to educate young colored students to become teachers for their own race; and we believe that the Lord will bless this work if those in charge will seek him in humility. The work is an important one, and a great deal depends on the mold given the student that goes out to teach others. We were glad to see the great change made on the farm,—old dilapidated buildings torn down, and quite a number of good, plain, substantial buildings put up for the workers and students. As soon as a building is up, there are students ready to occupy it. Let us pray that the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon all connected with the school. On our way home we spent a half-day at Asheville, N. C., and found a good interest there in our work. I had spent five years in that city. During that time, Elder G. I. Butler held a four-months' tent-meeting there, and in my recent visit I found persons who heard the lectures at that time still deeply interested. Our workers now in Asheville have found favor with the people, and we look for a harvest of souls from this part of the vineyard. May the Lord bless those who have erected such comfortable church buildings, where the people of Asheville can meet and worship from Sabbath to Sabbath. South Carolina
By J. F. Crichlow
GREENVILLE.—The work among the colored people of this city is onward. Since my last report I have been very busy—preaching, visiting, and holding Bible readings. Our church is progressing well; their spiritual condition is good. In their Sabbath-school studies they are doing well. They love the truth, and some of them, though very poor, are paying a faithful tithe. Only those who are living in the South know of its stubborn conditions. We have many blind guides to meet on all sides. The workers in these Southern States need the prayers of all God's dear children; for indeed responsibility rests upon every one of us to do our part, and do it nobly. We believe the creation of the Negro Department will cause the work to go faster among the thousands of the South. Sabbath and Sunday, October 23 and 24, my wife and I visited Spartanburg, S. C., and found the company of good courage in the message. We observed their spiritual condition to be excellent. There we met Elder T. H. Jeys and Brother H. B. Gallion. The former preached a very encouraging and timely sermon to the colored believers; it was meat in due season to all. Elder Sydney Scott, by his tent effort, has added some new members to the Sumter church. We have isolated Sabbath-keepers in many parts of the State. The cloud is lifting, and the honest in heart are being drawn to the light of the glorious third angel's message. Surely we are receiving some drops of the latter rain, but we need its fulness; for the work is great. Our mission school here, which was operated by W. M. Jackson last year, was opened by my wife October 4, with six pupils. Since that time fifteen were added. More will be coming in as soon as harvest-time is over. We are pushing ahead with the Harvest Ingathering for missions. May the Lord shower down blessings upon the whole harvest-field. I believe the people have a mind to work. It is true we have many Sanballats and Tobiahs to contend with, but we are assured that no fox can go up on our wall to break it down. The Creator of the heavens and the earth is the great builder, and we are called to co-operate with him. I am very thankful to have a part among God's chosen people in this closing message. Williamsdale Academy, Nova Scotia
By J. L. STANSBURY
THE work of circulating the Missions REVIEW was postponed on account of a rush of building operations here on the school farm. As a result, our soliciting for missions had to be done during very unfavorable weather. However, on November 29, although the weather forecast was not favorable, we decided to close school; and after an early breakfast the teachers and all the students that could be spared for the day, started out in various directions. Brother Gault, the business manager, drove a three-seated vehicle to Oxford, fifteen miles distant. He took four students with him, and together they worked that village and the vicinity. Others were dropped off at different places en route to cover an assigned territory, and were met by the team on the homeward trip. Several of the young men tramped ten or fifteen miles during the day. Another team went to Thomson, eight miles from here, canvassed that village, and then worked the route back toward the school. About noon the weather became quite blustery, and considerable snow fell, not enough, however, to hinder the work to any extent. At intervals from 4 to 9 P. M., the various parties returned home, tired and cold, but happy in the consciousness of having had a real missionary experience. One hundred five copies of the REVIEW were distributed, and $18.75 for foreign missions was collected. This is not a large amount, it is true, but the day's experience is not measured in dollars and cents, or in the number of copies distributed; for the taking of an active part in this missionary campaign, and the coming in actual contact with the public in this manner, made this day rich in character-building experience to those who were engaged in it. The students manifested an excellent spirit in taking hold of this work and in carrying it out, although to several it was a new and rather trying experience. In one report, which in general voiced the sentiments of each one, was this expression, “I have had some experience in canvassing, but this was the sweetest bit of experience I have ever enjoyed.” Not a note of discouragement was sounded in the experience meeting which we held the next day. Nearly every one had found individuals who showed an interest in our work, and our plan is to follow up this interest by missionary visits and literature. Our territory was rather poor from a financial standpoint. The income of the people of this section is small, and naturally their contributions correspond in size. I am fully persuaded that the enlisting of the students of our schools in these18 missionary enterprises is an entirely practical plan. Their success in bringing back a little of the “wealth of the Gentiles” can not be denied, and the training and the experience gained in meeting people in this way are most valuable. Personally, I derived a rich blessing from the day's work, which I could have gained in no other way. The Michigan Home for Girls
By W. H. McKee
For the last six years Mrs. McKee and I have been engaged in the establishment and promotion of a “home for girls,” and have been so intensely occupied as to have written very rarely for any of our publications. Perhaps but few of our brethren, with whom we were formerly so closely in touch, have any knowledge of what we have been doing, or indeed that we were in the work at all. We have the greatest reason for thankfulness to our Heavenly Father that he has so mercifully continued us in his service, and has maintained in us full sympathy with every line of truth for these last days. He has also kindly provided us with a field of labor wherein we can effectively make known the third angel’s message in all its phases. The Home of which Mrs. McKee is matron and I superintendent is situated on an eighty-acre farm, ten miles south of Grand Rapids, Mich. It was established in the spring of 1903, under the initiative of Mrs. McKee, Mrs. Nellie H. Richmond, and myself, and organized under the State law, with a board of trustees of seven persons. Its first title was The Grand Rapids Home for Friendless Girls. The following year it was reorganized, with a shorter name, Michigan Home for Girls, and a board of five trustees. The articles of association of the Home, duly filed in the county clerk’s office and with the Michigan department of state, mention in its formal preamble, that the Home is established under an act of the legislature “for the incorporation of associations not for pecuniary profit.” The second article states that “the purpose of this organization is to provide a home for needy or unfortunate girls and women who may be committed to its care from various sources, or who make application personally for reception. This Home is to be established and developed on the industrial or cottage plan, and its intent is to provide for the material needs of those who are the recipients of its privileges, and to furnish for them all possible uplifting and beneficial influences, physical, intellectual, and spiritual.” The eighth article of the by-laws reads thus:— “All profits accruing to the association from the different industries which it may carry on, or funds received from any other source, shall be used for the support of the Home or turned in to its general fund.” The superintendent, matron, farmer and his family, nurses, and teacher—with one exception—have so far all given their services without return, and to ask our leading workers to do the same. It is this fact which has made it possible to develop the work. A charity can not be carried on upon a commercial basis, and remain a charity. It necessarily becomes a business. The realization of this fact led us to give our services The Home started with forty acres of land, an old house of four rooms, a barn, and twenty-five cents in cash. It has now eighty acres of land, a house of twenty-three rooms, heated with steam and lighted by an acetylene gas-plant, and piped for water in kitchen, treatment-rooms, and bath-rooms; there is also barn, ice-house, corn-crib, workshop, farmhouse of eight rooms, with a good barn which was enlarged and remodeled this last summer, and an eight-room house in the city, which has been used heretofore as a city cottage. This is now to be sold and the proceeds devoted to the development of the Home proper. Up to this time the Home has been built up and supported from direct donations solicited principally by Mrs. McKee from the general public. The continual concentration and close communion development of charitable organizations and interests, parallel with the growth of corporate trusts, is making it rapidly more and more difficult to obtain sufficient funds for the support and development of the Home through solicitation. We are told that religious and denominational prejudices have much to do with this also,—in fact, a gentleman prominent in business and religious circles said directly to Mrs. McKee, “Now, if you could only be persuaded to give up this Saturday business, you wouldn’t need to go out of Grand Rapids to get all the money you want for that Home.” But whether this be so or not, it has become necessary to take different measures, in a wider field, to obtain sufficient money to fully establish the plant and put the Home upon a self-supporting basis. This is proved to be entirely possible by the experiences of the past two years. In order to obtain the foundation for this in a sufficient industrial plant, and to finish paying for the property, it is necessary to curtail the work and take but a few girls for some time, while Mrs. McKee and I, with such assistants as will undertake the effort with us, go out to earn the money necessary. In doing this we shall not hesitate to seek the good will and good offices of our own people wherever we go. In representing the Home we carry the whole message. In her work so far Mrs. McKee has brought the truth to great numbers in all walks of life, and especially to business and professional men and society women, who would not, otherwise, have found an opportunity of hearing it. One day while interviewing a bank president in his private office at the bank, he said to her, “Mrs. McKee, I understand you are a Seventh-day Adventist.” She replied that she was. “Well,” he continued, “that 1844 movement was the biggest piece of tomfoolery I ever heard of.” She answered, “Pardon me, sir! Perhaps you never heard the other side of the story.” “I didn’t know there was any other side to it,” he said. “There certainly was,” she replied. “So,” he said, “if that is true, I should certainly be glad to hear it.” “If you have time, sir,” said Mrs. McKee, “I would be pleased to sit down here right now and explain that to you.” He handed her a chair, and leaning back at ease in his seat, listened intently for half an hour to an explicit detailed statement of William Miller’s experience, the prophecy of the 2300 days, and the judgment. When she closed, he remarked: “That presents the matter in a very different light; I thank you for explaining it to me.” A professional man once said to Mrs. McKee: “Such a praiseworthy effort as yours ought to command immediate and generous support, and yet”—thoughtfully—“perhaps it is in the purpose of Providence that you are sent to the many instead of to the few; that which you have to say is needed. I am myself a better man because you have come into my office to-day.” It is true that it has been possible, in the providence of God, to establish in this Home a work that is unique. We have been told that it has a wider scope and a deeper influence than any other charity anywhere established. This is true only because it teaches the gospel in its entirety, and is an object-lesson of the practise of the precepts of the Bible and the Testimonies. Isaiah 58 is eminently a chapter for Seventh-day Adventists, for in it the Lord exhorts that we “break every yoke” and “let the oppressed go free,” and that we “bring the poor that are cast out” to our house, and combines with these works of mercy and charity the observance of the Sabbath. This chapter is the text for this Home. Some have been inclined to belittle the necessity for such a Home as this, but experiences among our own people, where even camp-meetings have been entered by agents of the evil one to deceive, delude, and entice, not to mention the condition of society in general—the “white slave traffic” which receives such frequent mention in the public prints, and the facts of which are actually alarming the nation and commanding the attention even of the chief executive,—all these things, and many more, corroborating the prophetic word that in these last days deceivers shall “wax worse and worse,” make advisable and essential the establishment of such homes, where the sinned against may seek a refuge, and the sinning may find opportunity for repentance, regeneration, and the renewal of their womanhood, in the strength of which they may “go and sin no more.” W. H. McKEE. Missouri and Kansas
By M. G. HUFFMAN
It was voted by the General Conference Committee last June that I make the North Missouri Conference my field of labor, and it was also recommended by the North Missouri Conference Committee that I take up work in Kansas City, Mo., and at the same time act as pastor of the First Church. I found in that great city a neat church building, located in a good neighborhood, and gathering there from Sabbath to Sabbath a band of loyal worshipers. The Lord blessed the efforts put forth there, and as a result, some dear souls took their stand for the truth. Nine were baptized and united with the First Church, and some united with the Second Church. I was able by God's help to awaken an interest in two places in the city. These interests are now looked after by Dr. A. E. Field. I closed my work in Kansas City, Sabbath and Sunday, November 13 and 14, preparatory to leaving for my new field of labor in the Kansas Conference,19 having been called by the Kansas Conference Committee to take the superintendency of the Northwest District, made vacant by the removal of Elder C. E. Peckover to Jamaica. I have been in my new district since November 17, and the Lord is blessing in this part of his vineyard to the salvation of souls. We are now in the midst of the week of prayer, and as far as I have heard, all the Sabbath-keepers in the Northwest District are receiving great blessings from the Lord. The only legitimate reason that any one can give for being a Seventh-day Adventist, is to help give the third angel's message to the world, and thus prepare a people for translation in this generation. On Returning to South America
By J. W. Westphal
My return journey from the General Conference, after some labor in the States, on the whole was very pleasant. I had some opportunities for missionary work on the way, in fact the best I ever had on any journey, and I hope that some day it may result in fruit. My wife was at Buenos Aires to meet me. After remaining there a few days, I went home, and found all well. The school has had a most prosperous year. It has been filled to overflowing, over one hundred twenty names having been registered during the year, and the regular attendance having been about one hundred. As I saw how poorly equipped we are to receive students and to prepare for a future increase, I could but wish that we might soon have the five thousand dollars promised us for this enterprise. We will, however, do what we can, and perhaps in the end it will be better for us, and for the students also, to learn the cost of institutions. The school is well organized, but the funds will not be sufficient to carry it. The conferences will have to help out very materially. We are somewhat perplexed about the future. We need now a Bible teacher. Dr. R. H. Habenicht has been the Bible teacher heretofore, but conditions now make it necessary for him to devote his whole time to the medical work. We greatly need more workers. The sanitarium had been closed by the authorities, but before I arrived, it was reopened. Patients are again coming, and as rapidly as we have a room completed in the new building, it is filled. We are offering the people very inferior accommodations, but I hope in time this may be improved. After all, I believe that our sanitariums will not do their work in the great material advantages they offer the people, but in the help they give the needy. If this is done, they will prosper. Comparatively little has been done in the Argentine Conference during the year; there have been so few field laborers. Some have been stationed in Buenos Aires. The work seems to be opening up in that great city. Of course the fruit comes slowly. But a good foundation is being laid, interests are being awakened, and there are prospective converts. Several have been baptized during the year. Brother Trummer is enthusiastic in preparing canvassers for the field. Quite a number have volunteered, and I hope to see good results during the season. With reference to the other South American countries, I can not say much, since I have had but few letters; but what I learn is favorable. Peru especially seems to be doing well. Brother F. A. Stahl, of Bolivia, calls for a teacher. Brother J. V. Maas, of Uruguay, asks for two more nurses. I believe that in all cases where new missionaries are requested, there is the promise of self-support from the time the field is reached. On my way here I stopped over in Brazil one day, and had a profitable council with the brethren there. The Lord's blessing is with them. There are perplexities to meet, but I believe they will readily overcome these. They were anxiously awaiting the return of Brother F. W. Spies. Brother John Lipke, of Brazil, is here at our Argentine conference, and will remain with us for a short time, in the interests of the young people's work. He has a special gift and burden for this, and it is something which needs attention. Later on he will do something in this line in Brazil; in fact, he has already begun. Brother Hartman has reached the union conference office in Buenos Aires, and is of good courage. We have just learned that Brother Novak, of Mexico, will reach Buenos Aires in a day or two, and we have written the brethren there to meet him.