Florida by R. W. Parmele

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 15, 1909

Florida

By R. W. Parmele

Since our camp-meeting, which closed October 12, meetings have been held for the white people at Hastings, Orange Mills, Daytona, and Port Orange; and Elder E. W. Webster has been constantly at work in Tampa, and Brother W. K. Achenbach in Jacksonville. These brethren have both seen some fruit as the result of their labor.

Hastings and Orange Mills are only five miles apart. The fruit of these two efforts makes a nice company of twelve or fourteen, who, we hope, may erelong be organized into a church. They are now raising money for a church building.

At Port Orange, Elders Clark and C. B. Stephenson held a series of meetings in our church building. As a result, seven were added to the membership, and three others are keeping the Sabbath.

At Daytona, where Brethren Wm. H. Branson and C. P. Whitford and I have been laboring, eleven new ones are keeping the Sabbath. Several others promised to obey, but being tourists, we do not know whether or not they are faithful.

On Sunday, March 21, a church of fourteen members was organized. The membership is more than half composed of old Sabbath-keepers; we hope soon to see the membership greatly increased.

Nearly half of the entire expense of this meeting (including salaries of laborers), has been borne by voluntary contributions. Two new converts (sisters) donated fifty dollars at one time, and they have since offered to donate a lot worth two hundred fifty dollars on which to erect a church building. At this writing, two hundred twenty-five dollars in cash has been subscribed, and we are sure a sufficient amount will yet come for the erection of the building.

There have also been a number of accessions to the churches visited this year.

Meetings have been held by our colored laborers this year at Palatka, Jacksonville, and Fernandina. Four accepted the truth at Palatka, four at Jacksonville, and thus far three have taken their stand at Fernandina.

Brethren Stephenson and Branson will soon begin a meeting with the new church at Morriston, in their new church building. At the close of this meeting, the building will be dedicated. I start in a few days for Miami and Key West, where are a number of Sabbath-keepers, some of whom have never heard the message preached.

Though this is a difficult field, yet I believe it to be the most fruitful one in which it has ever been my privilege to labor.

R. W. Parmele.