What may doubtless be considered one of the most epochal assemblages of evangelists ever brought together in council during the years of this movement (to the time of this writing, December 24), has just become history in the Municipal Auditorium at St. Louis, Missouri. Three hundred evangelists and pastors from twenty-six Central and Southern States, embracing the Central, Lake, Southern, and Southwestern Unions of North America, together with their union and local executives, Bible workers, and a few Bible teachers, gathered there for a seven-day convocation, from December 17-23.
A similar gathering for the Eastern States is about to take place, and will be reported in the next issue of the Ministry, designated the medium for recording the proceedings of these councils. A second thirty-two-page "evangelism special" of this journal will appear soon after the conclusion of the Philadelphia council, so as to combine the choicest contributions of both round-table discussions in one permanent report. And the many supplemental features which cannot be crowded into this second "special" will be spread over the remaining issues of the year.
The council just ended was unique in purpose and objective, differing materially from any ministerial gathering before held. The special studies were so clear and vital, the topics on the agenda were so comprehensive and essential, the vision of our world task was so vivid and compelling, the secret and source of power for its accomplishment were so forcefully and practically presented, the technique and method of advancement were so plain and practical, and so consistent with both the spirit of the movement and the character of the times, that we may rightfully expect this council to mark the dawn of a new era in the expansion and consummation of the advent movement.
A new vision of the central place of evangelism in all ministerial endeavor was brought before us. A new understanding of the indispensability and the relationship of the Holy Spirit to all true soul winning, was borne home to our hearts. A new confidence in the divine origin, leading, and early development of this advent message was begotten by inescapable factual and documentary evidence. A better technique was disclosed by the rehearsal of the experiences and conclusions of our most fruitful evangelists. That the council was a pronounced success was the consensus of conviction.
The St. Louis council was, moreover, one of the most spiritual gatherings we have ever attended, blending the spiritual with the practical in application to our great ministerial task. And there was conspicuous freedom of expression throughout the sessions. The different conceptions and experiences reflected were each given considerate and respectful hearing. But such ultimate unity characterized the deliberations in all essentials that it may be said without reservation that, after discussion, the participants went forth as one man to face afresh the great challenge of a perishing world with lives dedicated anew to make the consummation of this message the central purpose of all life and labor through ceaseless, aggressive evangelism.
W. H. Branson, vice-president of the General Conference for North America, gave the opening address, "Why Are We Here?" and then presided at all sessions. C. H. Watson, president of the General Conference, after the special first morning study, led in a series on the power and provision of the Holy Spirit for personal preparation and for all true and successful public soul-winning achievement. L. E. Froom, of the Ministerial Association, gave a series of lectures on the rise and development of the advent message as disclosed through the matchless collection of our 4,000 advent source documents gathered and now housed in the General Conference vault. H. M. S. Richards, of the Pacific Union, and J. L. Slimier, of the Carolinas, served ably as visiting instructors in methods of evangelism, contributing vitally to the central objective of the council. W. L. Burgan, of the Press Bureau, gave much-appreciated instruction on the place and possibilities of the public press in evangelism. The roundtable discussions, in which all participated, focalized on the unified expression of a vote or, occasionally, in more formal recommendations brought in by appointed committees, and adopted by the body acting in the capacity of a representative group of ministers in non-legislative assemblage. The more important of these will appear subsequently.
On the last day of the feast there was a two-hour question box conducted by the chairman that was most helpful in clarifying principles and problems projected, and in summarizing the methods studied. The gist of this will likewise appear in a later issue. In this number the opening address by the chairman, the introductory Bible study in Elder Watson's daily series, the responsive symposium by the territorial leaders at this first (or St. Louis) council, appear in the order named. The symposial response from the Philadelphia council will appear in March. The extempore spoken form of the addresses is largely retained, that our readers may share both spirit and letter of these blessed gatherings.
L. E. F.