THIS field is composed of the Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentine Republic. Its entire area is 1,376,680 square miles. The population, which is composed of Argentineans, Spaniards. Italians, French, Russians, Brazilians, Austrians, Germans, Swiss, Norwegians, Americans, Paraguayans, Uruguayans, and Indians, numbers 5,294,791. The soil is rich and productive. The climate varies somewhat in different places, but is generally mild, healthful, and agreeable. The country is in the main level, but having some rolling and mountainous parts. The larger portion is prairie, yet some timber land exists. The chief industries are cattle, sheep, fruit raising, and farming. The governments are federal republics. The laws are liberal, the people friendly and courteous to strangers. Much of the land is yet uncultivated, and is waiting for the enterprising farmer to make it blossom like the rose.GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.6

The past year was rather an eventful one, and in some respects an injury and drawback to business enterprises. The extraordinary heat in January, in which people died by the hundreds through sunstroke, brought on bubonic plague, which resulted in a quarantine between Argentine, Uruguay, Paraguay, and other nations, and even between cities in the same countries. The heavy rains that followed the heat made it very disagreeable for the cattle, as they had to dip their mouths into the water in order to eat the grass, and the mud in connection therewith brought on foot-and-mouth disease among the cattle, to such an extent that Argentine meat was excluded from European markets. Since cattle-raising is one of the principal industries of the Argentine Republic, this paralyzed business to an enormous extent. It may lead the people to develop the farming enterprise more, which is very much desired in order to build up the country.GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.7

Through the American and British Bible Societies the Bible has been circulated quite extensively in most of the South American Republics. To some extent Argentineans have accepted the Protestant faith. The Welsh, English, and German Protestants coming from Europe have erected Protestant churches in various parts of the Argentine mission field. These missions have, nevertheless, not been self-supporting so far.GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.8

In 1884 copies of the French Signs of the Times were sent to that country from Switzerland among the French Waldenses, and five families near Esperanza in the province of Santa Fe’ accepted the truth as far as they understood it, and some of these are faithful to-day. In 1890 the canvassing work was opened, and in the same year four German-Russian families keeping the Sabbath moved there from Kansas, and opened work among the German-Russians in the Province of Entre Rios. In 1894 ministerial work was begun, churches were organized, and the work was extended until we now have a total church membership of 386. We have eleven organized churches and four companies. There are now thirty-one Sabbath-schools, with a membership of 524.GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.9

Tithes paid in the field duringGCB April 15, 1901, page 245.10

1900	$1,712.97
Donations from the Sabbath-schools	304.55
Donations through laborers	30.48
General donations	142.86
Weekly offerings	64.19
Total	$2,255.05

This does not include the donation to the Entre Rios school, which amounts to about $1,250 more, making a total of $3,505.05.GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.11

A school building has been partly completed, which we desire to be a means of educating and training workers for the field. We have long felt the need of developing native talent, and the Lord has thrown into our midst young persons of moral worth and talent, who might, with the proper training, become useful workers. Already this work has been blessed of the Lord, and several young persons have been engaged during the past year in teaching church schools. The large number of children growing up among our people, and the necessity of a Christian education for them, demand the establishment of church schools. The house we now have is largely unfurnished, and means should be supplied at once to assist us in equipping the school for greater usefulness. If only five hundred dollars were furnished, it would help the school materially.GCB April 15, 1901, page 245.12

There are forty acres of land connected with the school, and the whole is deeded to the Foreign Mission Board of Seventh-day Adventists. We need for the school work also a trained school man to take a special interest in the educational line. In addition, a family is needed to take the oversight of the industrial department. These persons should understand German, and be capable of learning Spanish.GCB April 15, 1901, page 246.1

We desire the privilege of employing native talent to sell our books, and take orders for our periodicals and preach the message as the way opens before them. At times these workers will need financial aid, and therefore we desire the privilege of helping such faithful workers with means as we shall see that they may need. By assisting native workers in this way, we shall not only have canvassers, but ministers to present the truth to the people acceptably.GCB April 15, 1901, page 246.2

We believe that the larger part of those who will preach the truth in the Argentine mission field, will have to be developed there on the ground. The Lord is opening the way for this very thing, and we look for blessed success. We have seen the blessings of circulating our literature in advance of the minister, to prepare the way before him.GCB April 15, 1901, page 246.3

Since Argentine is a cosmopolitan country, we need ministers, to be able especially to preach in German, Spanish, French, English, and Italian. We may not find many persons who will be able to preach in all these languages, but we may find representative persons, so that the needs can eventually be supplied. At present the larger number of our Sabbath-keepers are of the German tongue.GCB April 15, 1901, page 246.4

At present there is nothing being done in medical work, only as our gospel workers are doing what they can in connection with their other work. The Lord has called this branch of work into life for a great and good purpose, and as it is so valuable in correcting the wrong habits of the people, we earnestly plead that something may be done to start this work in that far-away land. We plead for a doctor and several nurses, who are capable of learning the language, to take hold of the work and do what is so necessary to be done. In all the South American country we have no Sanitarium. This line of work has been sadly neglected in Argentina.GCB April 15, 1901, page 246.5

We are at present publishing a monthly paper in the Spanish language called El Faro (The Lighthouse). It is a twelve-page paper devoted to advocating the third angel’s message in a plain, simple way. Already some souls have accepted the truth through reading its pages, and the paper is generally received with thankfulness. In addition to El Faro, we are publishing a monthly letter for the benefit of our churches both in Spanish and German. In this way we are able to reach all our church members with information from time to time.GCB April 15, 1901, page 246.6

In conclusion I will say that we are thankful to the Lord for the degree of prosperity and blessing which has attended the work. We are thankful to the Foreign Mission Board for their hearty co-operation with us in our work. We have no complaints to offer, and expect to see the work move forward in the future much more rapidly than in the past, as the importance of the work demands, and we earnestly plead for a hearty co-operation and the prayers of all our brethren.GCB April 15, 1901, page 246.7

F. H. WESTPHAL, Supt.

SERMON

MISSIONARY SERVICE