Attending Camp-Meetings by O. A. Olsen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 28, 1910

Attending Camp-Meetings

By O. A. Olsen

I HAVE recently attended camp-meetings at Hutchinson, Minn., Chamberlain, S. D., Jamestown, N. D., and Kenosha, Wis. These were all interesting and profitable meetings. In the States named we have a large foreign constituency, and a goodly number of Germans and Scandinavians were at each gathering. Meetings were held each day in these languages as well as the English with a good attendance and interest. The Kenosha meeting was wholly Scandinavian. In North Dakota we had Russian brethren in addition to the three nationalities already mentioned. I was much pleased to make the acquaintance of these brethren, and to see their interest and love for the truth.

There was one feature in these camp-meetings this year, especially among the foreign brethren, that was more prominent than at any former meeting I have attended; namely, the educational question. Much was said about our schools, and a great interest was manifested in them. The importance of having our young people attend these schools, and thus gain a preparation for such a place in the work as the providence of God may have in store for them, was especially dwelt upon.

This increased interest has no doubt come about through the movement on the part of the General Conference to establish three foreign schools,—the German, the Swedish, and the Danish-Norwegian. The establishment of these schools should mark the beginning of a decided forward movement in the development of the educational work among these nationalities, and a rapid increase of laborers to meet the urgent call for workers among the foreigners of the United States. From the increasing interest manifested, we have every reason to believe that this will be so.

At the North Dakota meeting the Russian brethren made an earnest plea that steps be taken to provide educational facilities for the children and youth of our Russian believers. This is a matter that will need to be taken under careful advisement. Certainly something should be done as quickly as possible to provide for this need. These brethren are already calling for Russian church-school teachers. We are glad to see this interest; for its development will be an important feature in the extension of the message among these different nationalities.

Much more importance attaches to this foreign educational move than many of us appreciate at present, but this will become more and more manifest as the days go by. The agitation on this question that has taken place in connection with locating these foreign schools, and raising funds for them, is already bearing good fruit, as is seen in the increased interest among both young and old in the matter of education and a desire for a training for the work.

May the signal blessing of the Lord be more and more manifest in the Foreign Department of our work in this country, that the many millions of foreign nationalities in the United States may soon hear the message.

O. A. OLSEN.