The Work in Florida by R. W. Parmele

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 11, 1908

The Work in Florida

By R. W. Parmele

NOTWITHSTANDING the many difficulties we are having to encounter, the work is onward in this field. Our constituency is small, and our force of workers is correspondingly small, but the Lord is blessing our efforts. Since our last camp-meeting, over thirty persons have accepted the truth. Every preacher in the conference has had some fruit from his labor.

Our best time for tent work is in the winter. It is hardly feasible to run tents from June to October on account of the rains. But the winters are delightful, and generally very dry. During the winter months there are thousands of tourists in Florida, and the residents of the State are busy entertaining them, while the tourists are busy seeking amusement. So our congregations are largely made up of tourists. Thus it is readily seen that for many years the Florida Conference has been engaged in presenting the truth to people from the Northern States, and then sending them home to bless the conferences whence they came, while the membership of the Florida Conference has not materially increased.

The result of our work, as noted above, has not been attained without a battle. The first of this month I received word from one of our white ministers that his tents had been cut down, and he and his company had been ordered to leave town, or they would be carried out on rails. The opposition was so determined that it seemed the only thing for them to do. In a letter from our only colored preacher, dated May 22, occurs the following: “I have left—for a while. The white citizens first cut our tent-ropes, and later threatened to burn them down, and I was ordered to pull up and leave.” Enclosed with this letter were two threatening letters this brother had received, with no names signed to them, and one from the town council, ordering him to leave. The reason for this action, is, I believe, exactly as stated in the brother’s letter: “The people said the preaching was all right, but they could not have their negroes stopping work on the Sabbath.” (Some had begun the observance of the Sabbath.)

As a people, we expect this work soon to come to a close. We believe that the work will close, and Christ will come, “suddenly and unexpectedly.” And we profess to believe the Testimonies which have said repeatedly that the work will close first in the South. If this is really the case, should we not be putting forth our strongest endeavors in the South, that all may be warned before the work is stopped entirely? Such experiences as these should spur us on to greater activity, as they are but the first mutterings of the coming storm. Rowdy elements have often disturbed our meetings all through the history of this work; but this is the first instance that has come to my knowledge where the town council has ordered our meetings stopped.

I am glad to be able to report, also, an increased interest in the canvassing work. One of our ministers found it impossible for him to continue actively in the ministry on account of failing health, due to bronchial affection; but he is spending two days of each week in the canvassing work with excellent results. The Florida Conference now ranks the first in the reports of the canvassing work in the conferences composing the Southern and Southeastern union conferences.

R. W. PARMELE, President.