Your ShelfYour Projects

Australia

10%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 10, 1913

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 28.

Read the full edition

Australia

By MORRIS LUKENS

The Victoria-Tasmania Conference camp-meeting was held at Thornbury, a suburb of Melbourne, February 10-23. About one hundred ten tents were neatly arranged, and made an imposing spectacle as one stepped out of the railway station right onto the camp-ground.
With the exception of the early morning meeting and the evening preaching service, the first three days were entirely devoted to the business of the conference. Following this the time was fully occupied in devotional and evangelistic meetings and in timely instructions for our people.
A spirit of unity and brotherly love pervaded the encampment, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was clearly indicated by the ready response to calls for consecration, and also by the liberality manifested as opportunity afforded. The conference proceedings passed off with the utmost harmony, and a good spirit prevailed. E. H. Gates was reelected president and J. H. Woods vice-president.
An impressive ordination service was conducted the last Sabbath morning, when Brother R. C. Stewart was set apart to the work of the gospel ministry. Mention should also be made of the wonderful interest that was shown by the general public at the evening meetings. Night after night the large pavilion was filled, while on both Sunday afternoons and evenings it was wholly inadequate to accommodate the people, hundreds of whom were forced to remain outside, where they listened attentively.
From this meeting Elders J. E. Fulton and E. H. Gates, Brother J. M. Johanson, Dr. Eulalia Richards, and the writer went to the South Australia camp-meeting. This meeting was held near the city of Adelaide. About two hundred fifty of our people were present, representing all the churches in the conference. The key-note of the meeting was "Our great need as individuals and churches of a closer walk with God." From the very beginning, there was a ready response on the part of the people to the appeal for a higher standard of personal experience in the work of Christ. A spirit of harmony prevailed in all the business sessions of the conference. W. W. Fletcher was elected president and R. Hare vice-president. The past year showed an increase in tithes and offerings. As at the other camp-meetings, both Sabbath days were seasons of refreshing. On each occasion there was a ready response to the appeal for consecration. Many steppedforward to indicate their intention of seeking the Lord more earnestly.
The closing camp-meeting of this union was held near Perth, West Australia. Elder Hare, Dr. Richards, and the writer attended as union conference workers. Leaving the Adelaide camp, we took boat, and after a voyage of five days reached the camp in West Australia. The meetings began March 18 and continued until March 30. Harmony and good feeling prevailed throughout the entire meeting. There was a large attendance at all the evening services to listen to the stirring discourses which were given on doctrinal subjects. Elder Hare also gave some studies on the book of Zechariah, and the writer on the subject of the Holy Spirit. Forty-four were baptized on the closing day of the meeting, making two hundred seventy who were baptized at the camp-meetings in the six conferences of the union this season. The reports of the different branches of the conference work told of progress. The finances were in a prosperous condition. W. L. H. Baker was reelected president and C. P. Michaels vice-president.
The health lectures given by Dr. Richards at all these camp-meetings were well attended and much appreciated. Her talks to mothers and also to young women were very profitable. Some came long distances to attend the camp-meetings, but the sweet communion with God's Spirit and God's people more than repaid them.
One of the interesting features of some of the camp-meetings held in Australia this year has been a separate tent near the large tent (preferably between the large tent and the exit from the camp-ground) to which we invited those who desired to ask questions or who wished to talk about their souls' salvation. Some remarkable conversions and experiences were the result. Especially was this true at the New Zealand camp-meeting. Another feature was the plan for securing the names of hundreds of people who attended the services. This plan was to give tracts dealing on the subject presented. We would ask the people to kindly give the one who handed them the tracts their names and addresses. We told them this would enable them to get all the reading-matter that we were giving away. We would then have some one call on them to give them any tracts that they failed to get at the meetings. In this way we secured hundreds of names with which we shall do missionary work. This plan was especially successful in West Australia.
MORRIS LUKENS.