Southern California by E. E. ANDROSS.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 15, 1910

Southern California

By E. E. ANDROSS.

DURING the early part of the summer we had two tents pitched in different parts of the city of Los Angeles, one in San Diego, one in Orange, one in San Bernardino, and one in Lankershim. In planning for our summer’s work we endeavored to make the efforts in the cities as strong as possible under the circumstances; hence considerable thought was given to the tent companies. We endeavored in each case to secure the most prominent location possible. In each tent the interior arrangement was very inviting, and special effort was made to make the music attractive.

From the first service in each tent the attendance was unusually large, and composed of a superior class of hearers. The results thus far have been very gratifying. From one hundred fifty to one hundred seventy-five persons have begun the observance of the Sabbath, and to the present one hundred ten have been baptized. On the whole the ordinary operating expenses of the tents have been more than met by the contributions.

There seems to be a spirit of inquiry, such as I have never witnessed before, on the part of an increasingly large number of people. I am fully persuaded that we have come to a time when God will do great things for us as we respond to his oft-repeated and urgent appeals to give the message to the multitudes in our great cities, as well as to the towns and villages.

Our people have readily responded to every call we have made for help in aggressive work. We are endeavoring to educate the lay members in all kinds of missionary work. For some time an experienced Bible worker has been holding Bible classes in our churches in and about Los Angeles for the purpose of teaching our people how to conduct Bible studies with their neighbors on all points of the faith. Our missionary secretary is devoting his entire time to the work of training all in the art of placing our literature in the hands of the people by selling it, loaning it, giving it away, and sending it through the mails.

The conference committee has recently appointed an experienced man to lead out in the campaign with the relief books, devoting his entire time to that work.

Realizing the need of more experienced Bible workers last spring, we opened a Bible training-school in Los Angeles to meet this want. At one of the services during the week of prayer last autumn, a sister felt constrained to make an offering to God’s cause, and it occurred to her that the conference might have use for a house she had in a residential part of the city. The matter came to my attention, and at once I felt that it would make an excellent home for training Bible workers, and soon we had made all necessary arrangements for its transfer to the conference. While it was not given outright, it was sold to us at a greatly reduced price, and on very easy terms.

The school is now in operation, and we believe it will prove to be a blessing to our work.

We have recently erected a neat little chapel with a seating capacity of about one hundred seventy-five, very conveniently located for work among the various nationalities, especially the Spanish and Russian. Brother Blunt, who recently returned from Mexico, is giving his entire time to work for the Spanish. An effort will be made to bring the truth to the Russian population also; and later we hope to extend our efforts to the Italians, Japanese, and Chinese. We have one church for the colored people which is doing splendid work.

We are of good courage, and are looking forward to the early triumph of the message.

E. E. ANDROSS.