p. 5 | On the Tented Field by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 23, 1915

On the Tented Field

By F. M. W.

FROM the hot, enervating climate of Washington to the bracing atmosphere of the Green Mountain region of Vermont, was a most pleasing and agreeable change for a few days last month. It afforded us great pleasure to meet with our brethren and sisters in the Northern New England Conference during the first part of their annual convocation.

About three hundred were encamped on a little plateau overlooking the village of White River Junction, Vt., in the valley of the Connecticut River. It was a pleasure to greet some of the pioneers in the message, men and women whose hair has grown gray in their loyalty and adherence to this movement. Others were there also, who, as a result of the meetings which have been carried on by

the conference laborers, have recently found taken their stand with the people of God.

An excellent spirit was present in this meeting from the very first. One heart and one mind seemed to possess our brethren and sisters as they came from their homes, and that was to obtain God's richer and deeper blessing. For this blessing they eagerly sought, preparing their hearts, by the confession of sin and by the acknowledgment of every wrong, for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The attendance from the outside was very limited; hence the preaching for the most part was of an intensely practical character, dwelling upon the necessity of possessing the truth not alone in a theoretical way, but in its spirit and power.

Elder R. J. Bryant, who had recently come from New York State to connect with the city effort in Rutland, Vt., was elected president of the conference. Brother D. K. Royer, who has served the conference efficiently for several years as secretary and treasurer, was re-elected to this position.

Special emphasis was given at this meeting to the necessity of Bible study and the study of the Testimonies which have come to us through the spirit of prophecy, and a large number of the books of Sister White were sold.

Honorable mention should be made of the Northern New England Conference in the hearty support which it is giving the REVIEW AND HERALD. This conference lacks only two dozen subscriptions of meeting its full quota. It stands, we believe, at the head of our North American Conferences in the support which it is giving our church paper.

It was with regret that we were obliged to leave this meeting when it was about half over, in order to be present at the opening of the camp meeting at Schenectady, N. Y. We must leave to others a report of the fuller results of this most encouraging gathering.

The Eastern New York camp meeting was held at Schenectady, a town of about eighty thousand inhabitants. Elder W. R. Andrews, president of the conference, had held during the summer a tent meeting in this city, and the camp meeting followed his series of meetings, occupying the same grounds. We have never seen a camp ground utilized to better advantage than was done at this meeting. Considering the natural barriers afforded by the field in which the camp was located, an ideal arrangement of the camp was effected, presenting a very neat, inviting appearance from the prominent street of the city, upon which it was located.

This conference has a membership of about eight hundred, and from one third to one half of the members were in attendance at the camp meeting. Here we found the same earnest spirit of seeking the Lord which existed in the Northern New England meeting, and with the exception of the new faces which confronted us, and the changed surroundings, it seemed like a continuation of the meeting in Vermont.

New York was our home conference years ago, and we were pleased to meet at the camp meeting many whom we had known in earlier years, and who are still pressing faithfully onward in the Christian warfare.

The brethren and sisters at this meeting with one heart were led to seek earnestly for a greater measure of the blessing of God. His tender, melting Spirit was present in every gathering. Sins were confessed and put away, and differences between brethren were adjusted. All seemed to feel that we had reached a time in the history of the world when none could afford to longer dally with sin, but that God now required his people to make sure work for eternity.

We took great pleasure in meeting daily with the young people at this meeting. They constitute a valuable asset to this conference. The labors of Sister Bessie J. Rice in behalf of the young men and women in this field have been signally blessed.

The report of the president for the short time he had been in charge of the conference showed an excellent financial gain. Successful tent efforts had been conducted in Schenectady and at Syracuse. The interests of the latter detained Elder J. C. Stevens from attending the Schenectady meeting.

Here also the brethren and sisters heartily rallied to the support of our church paper. Many expressed their great appreciation of the blessings they had received through the years from the REVIEW. One sister reported that every member of the Rome church was either a subscriber to our church paper or had direct access to it from week to week.

We must leave to others the report of the final results of the Eastern New York camp meeting also, as we were privileged to remain only a few days. We were very glad, however, for the opportunity of meeting with our brethren and sisters in these two conferences. Their cordial greetings and fellowship brought courage to our heart, and we shall recall many times the pleasant associations which we enjoyed with them. Both these conferences have had much to discourage them in years gone by. Frequent changes in administration have brought a measure of uncertainty. The future, however, promises rich experiences in God, and with renewed courage and earnest consecration our brethren and sisters are determined to press forward in the work which has been committed to them.

F. M. W.