The Orange Free State Conference, South Africa
By HERBERT J. EDMED
The second annual meeting of the Orange Free State Conference was held at Kroonstad, April 3-12, under specially favorable auspices. It being the first meeting of the kind since the organization of the conference last year, there was a great deal of interest shown in it. The location chosen was a beautiful one; the river banks, shaded with willow and wild mimosa trees, afforded privacy for seeking God. From the start, a spirit to seek the Lord was manifest. Kroonstad being a pleasure resort, the conference made good use of the canvas bungalows built by the city; and with a good supply of tents, lent by the Cape Colony Conference, and hired rooms, the eighty or more delegates found very acceptable accommodation. The day the meeting opened, when the camp was about ready, a terrific storm arose, threatening destruction to the large pavilion. The stakes were forced out of the ground, and one side of the tent stood only by being held up. In the meantime the fury of the storm resolved itself into a bombardment of hail. The hailstones were very large, some of them being almost as large as ordinary hen’s eggs. There was no damage, however, and we began the first meeting on time. Besides the ministers and workers connected with the conference, there were present Pastors W. B. White and O. K. Butler, Brother G. H. Clark, Brother and Sister Silsbee, and the writer. All the races in the conference were well represented, but no racial questions arose. Perfect harmony characterized the camp. Young people’s meetings and children’s meetings were carried on simultaneously with the other devotional services. Very thorough work was done in seeking the Lord for personal victory over besetments of long and strong standing. The first meetings gave a demonstration of the mighty movings of the Holy Spirit, and the camp seemed daily to build up, until every one was rejoicing in the consciousness of complete surrender to God. The mayor and the town clerk visited the camp, and dined with us, expressing their appreciation of the plans, as well as of the vegetarian repast. The reports showed encouraging progress the past year, the finances being in a healthy condition. Plans were laid for a stronger aggressive campaign the coming year. Pastor O. K. Butler was elected president; Pastor David Groenewald,17secretary and treasurer; Arthur Shone was voted to take the State missionary secretaryship; and Mrs. A. P. Tarr, with Miss C. Cloete as assistant, is to care for the Sabbath school interests. Mrs. O. K. Butler is young people’s and educational secretary. Pastor D. F. Tarr was released for work in the Cape Colony Conference, and Pastor George Shone joined the work in the Free State Conference. Among the specific items reported, we might mention that their tithe receipts for the year amounted to $5,136; weekly offerings, $175; Sabbath school offerings, $220; Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings, $75; besides several liberal offerings toward local enterprises. The sum of $70 was taken up at the two Sabbath school sessions held at the meeting, and over $350 was raised toward the expense of the camp. The writer has never attended a more spiritual and heart-searching meeting than this, and the victorious and united spirit in which the delegates returned to their homes gives us confidence that the coming year is full of hope and happiness for the Orange Free State Conference.