p. 14 | The Texas Camp-Meeting by GEO. A. IRWIN.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 27, 1908

The Texas Camp-Meeting

By GEO. A. IRWIN.

THIS meeting was held from July 30 to August 9 on the campus of Keene Academy. Owing to the fact that so many of the brethren live at Keene, the camp did not present so large an appearance as usual, there being only eighty-five dwelling tents pitched on the ground. It was estimated, however, that there were over one thousand persons in attendance at the meeting.

The annual conference was held in connection with the camp-meeting, it being the thirty-first session of the conference. The president's report revealed the fact that notwithstanding the setting apart of a hundred counties in the western part of the State as a mission field, in which there were two hundred Sabbath-keepers, the conference at present has the same number of members as before this division. Prosperity has attended the work of the conference the past year in a marked manner. Four new churches were added to the conference, one of which was entirely Mexican. Two new church buildings have been erected. There are thirteen unorganized companies, with an aggregate membership of one hundred eight. The present enrolment of Sabbath-keepers in the conference is seventeen hundred five. Although Texas suffered severely the past year from shortage of crops and from financial stringency, yet there was sufficient tithe paid in to support all the workers and leave a surplus of nearly fifteen hundred dollars in the treasury. During the year $4,026.28 was given in offerings.

A good spirit prevailed in the meeting from beginning to end. Elder L. W. Terry, formerly of Missouri, was elected president of the conference in place of Elder C. Santee, who has been called to the presidency of the Southwestern Union Conference.

The preaching and studies given during the conference were of a nature to call the people to a higher plane of Christian living, and to get them to cut out of their lives everything that would hinder the free intercourse of the Holy Spirit. Revival efforts were held at different times during the meeting, and especially with the young people. The last Sabbath was an especially good day. At the close of an earnest discourse given by Elder G. B. Thompson in the forenoon, over two hundred persons came forward to seek the Lord, and to have a deeper work of grace wrought upon their hearts. Many of these were young people, who were taking their stand for the first time. As a result of this and other revival efforts during the meeting, Elder Santee baptized thirty-two persons the same day. Before the meeting closed, others were added to this number, fifty-two persons in all going forward in the ordinance. Quite a good interest was manifested in the needs of the work in the regions beyond. The ten-cent-a-week plan was unanimously indorsed by the conference. Five hundred dollars was donated to the General Conference for mission purposes, two hundred fifty dollars of this coming from the conference, and two hundred fifty dollars from the surplus in the tract society. In addition to the two hundred fifty dollars given by the tract society to the General Conference, an appropriation was made from their funds of three hundred dollars for free tract and periodical distribution, and three hundred dollars appropriated from the proceeds of book sales to aid the canvassers. The three hundred dollars still due from the conference on the one hundred fifty thousand dollar fund was also raised. Eleven hundred sixty-one dollars in cash and pledges was raised for the Oakwood School for the colored. In addition to this, one hundred sixty dollars was raised to put treatment-rooms in the boys' dormitory, which was formerly the sanitarium building.

The interest among the young people and children was especially good, not only in a spiritual way but in the matter of donations. The children became interested in work for the colored people, and during the conference contributed fifteen dollars for this purpose. The kindergarten department also raised quite a little sum for the same purpose.

The laborers from abroad were Elders B. G. Wilkinson, G. B. Thompson, G. A. Grasser, and the writer. Elder Wilkinson was compelled to leave before the meeting closed, in order to make his appointment at the Louisiana camp-meeting, which lapped over the Texas meeting three days. While there he did acceptable work both in the general preaching and with the young people. Elder C. Sorenson, the principal of Keene Academy, was present during the entire meeting, and rendered good service in laboring for the young people.

The academy balance sheet shows a net gain for the past year of $3,686.03, which has largely gone into improvements. Another noteworthy fact was that $6,133.97 had been paid to students the past year for labor. The prospects are good for a full school the coming year. A large number of the students are now out canvassing for scholarships. One of the students reports four hundred dollars' worth of books sold in four weeks.

A live interest in foreign missions was revealed in the camp-meeting Sabbath-school. The first Sabbath the donation was $58.10. On the second Sabbath an extra appeal was made, which resulted in a donation of $101.75, making a total Sabbath-school donation during the meeting of $159.85. In the year 1907 the total donation was only forty-four dollars, the present donation being an increase of $115.85 over the preceding year.

The work in the Texas Conference is onward. Heretofore it has been somewhat of a struggle for them to maintain themselves and push the work in the large territory they have, but they are now coming to the point not only to carry the work in their own field, but are beginning to contribute largely to the work outside.

It was the general expression that, taken as a whole, this was the best camp-meeting ever held in the State.

With the exception of the president, little or no change was made in the conference officials. The attendance from the outside at the meeting was not large, but those who did attend became very much interested, and the brethren hope for accessions to their number as a result of the meeting.

Brother Thompson and I are now on our way to the Missouri meeting. GEO. A. IRWIN.