p. 20 | The Minnesota Camp-Meeting by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 9, 1908

The Minnesota Camp-Meeting

By G. B. Thompson

THE Minnesota camp-meeting was held in Minneapolis, June 4-14. The annual conference was held in connection with this meeting. One hundred forty tents were pitched, and about seven hundred persons encamped on the ground. This, I am told, was the largest attendance seen at a camp-meeting in this State for a number of years. Services were held in three languages,—English, Scandinavian, and German.

One encouraging feature of the meeting was the large attendance from the city. When the weather was favorable, the large pavilion was filled each evening, and all listened with marked attention to the fundamental truths of the message. This large attendance was due to the excellent location of the meeting. It was held in a large residential section of the city, which had good street-car service. Some from the city took their stand to keep the Sabbath during the meeting, and a large number of others are interested. It is found necessary to follow the meeting with a tent effort to develop the interest created by the meeting. Instead of seeking especially our own comfort, the primary object we should keep in view in locating these large camp-meetings is that of reaching the people with the message.

An excellent spirit prevailed throughout the entire meeting. The utmost unity was manifested in all the business transactions. The officers chosen to fill the various offices were practically the same as last year. Elder S. E. Jackson was elected president for the ensuing year. A deep interest was manifested in the growth and development of the work outside their own conference. Two thousand dollars from their surplus tithe was voted to the Mission Board for the foreign work, and three hundred and fifty dollars for the German work in Baltimore, Md. The ten-cent-a-week plan was enthusiastically adopted, and in one of the morning meetings nearly fourteen hundred dollars was raised in cash and pledges for the foreign work. It was also recommended that the Sabbath-schools in the conference give all their donations to missions, securing the funds to purchase the necessary supplies from some other source than the donations. In addition to the money given to missions, over a thousand dollars was raised in cash and pledges for the purchasing of tents and other equipment needed for the work in the conference.

A splendid work was done during the meeting for the youth and children. Elders C. L. Benson, W. W. Ruble, and others labored earnestly for their salvation; and as a result, many gave their hearts to the Lord. General revival services were also held during the meeting, and on the last Sabbath fifty-five were baptized in the beautiful waters of Lake Harriet.

One encouraging feature of the meeting was the large corps of laborers ordained. At the early morning meeting on the last Sabbath, Brethren Geo. L. Budd, O. J. Nerlund, A. V. Olsen, A. D. Ewert, O. E. Johnson, and J. M. Comer were set apart to the sacred work of the gospel ministry.

All the conference laborers were present to share in the labors of the meeting. In addition to these, Elders R. A. Underwood, L. H. Christian, John Hoffman, Profs. F. Griggs, C. C. Lewis, August Anderson, and the writer were in attendance from outside the conference during some part of the meeting.

The blessing of God was manifest throughout the meeting, and the brethren and sisters left for their homes with good courage in the Lord, and with a determination to be more faithful than ever in carrying forward his work.

G. B. THOMPSON.