Montana Camp-Meeting by J. C. FOSTER

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

_Montana Camp-Meeting_

By J. C. FOSTER

THE work in Montana is onward; and while we have met with some reverses the present season, our work has gone steadily forward.

The first camp-meeting of the season was held at Helena, June 16-26. This was the State meeting, and was attended by Elders G. B. Thompson and E. W. Farnsworth from the General Conference, and Elders C. W. Flaiz and A. J. Breed from the union conference.

The attendance at this meeting was fair, but not so large as we have seen in former years. There was an excellent spirit throughout, and quite a number were converted. A number of soldiers from the fort near by attended, and three of them took a stand for the truth.

At the close of this meeting we went to the town of Kalispell, four hundred miles to the northwest, where Brethren C. J. Rider and C. H. Rittenhouse were holding a tent-meeting. Here we had a local camp-meeting, July 11-17. Though this meeting was not largely attended, and we had no outside help, the Lord was with us, and we had a good little meeting. A number have decided to obey the truth there, and the work is still going forward.

Our last camp-meeting for the summer, which was held at Darby, August 22-28, was an excellent meeting. The Lord was with us in converting power, and quite a number gave themselves anew to God. Elder J. M. Willoughby, of the Idaho Conference; Elder H. W. Decker, of Portland, Ore.; and Prof. M. E. Cady were with us.

One feature of our meetings this year was a “missionary field day,” when all gained some experience in actual missionary work by selling our papers and magazines to the people. We believe there is a great future before us in this work, and that all should take it up in earnest.

We have had two tent companies in the field this season,—Brethren Rider and Rittenhouse, as mentioned above; and Elder Paul Iverson, with Brethren Wikander and Brockman as assistants, in the eastern part of the State. These companies are at present nearly eight hundred miles apart. Brother Iverson and his company have met some bitter opposition, but by much seeking of God they have come off victorious, and some are being won to the truth.

We have met this year with some reverses. Early in the spring we had several weeks of very warm weather, which took a great deal of snow from the mountains; this resulted in a shortage of water during July and August, when it was so much needed. This has been the driest year Montana has seen in twenty-five years. Again, early in June we had a hard freeze, which killed most of our fruit. The school at Bozeman lost nearly one thousand dollars by this freeze, and to add still more to our reverses we have suffered severely by the recent terrible fires that have swept over our mountains, and destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of timber. The fire was all around us at the time of the Darby meeting, and at one time came within seven miles of our camp. The sun was obscured for days, and some days the smoke and ashes so filled the air that we could scarcely see, and it was hard to breathe. God in mercy sent a snow-storm, which checked the fire and saved many lives and much property.

These conditions have somewhat shortened our tithe and other funds, but our trust is in God; and as the cause is the Lord’s, we know that he will care for it. We are of good courage, and are pressing forward. J. C. FOSTER.