Western New York Camp-Meeting by H. W. Carr

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 8, 1908

Western New York Camp-Meeting

By H. W. Carr

The meeting was held on the old driving park, East Ferry St., Buffalo, N. Y., September 3-13. Six large tents and about fifty family tents made a nice-looking camp, especially as twenty-seven of the latter were fresh from the factory. Over two hundred camped on the grounds, and quite a number had rooms near by.

The pavilion seats five hundred, and at a number of the meetings, besides the Sabbath meetings, it was filled to overflowing, with many listening outside.

At the close of the morning sermon on Sabbath about one hundred came forward for prayers, many of them acknowledging with deep sorrow their sin in withholding the Lord's tithe, in unkindness,

and impatience. A goodly number gave their hearts to the Lord for the first time. Many victories resulted from this precious day. The Sabbath-school offerings for foreign missions on the two Sabbaths amounted to $704.

On the first Sunday afternoon there was a general temperance rally. The president of the Erie County W. C. T. U., Mrs. Lottie Coburn, Pastor Morrell of the Grace Universalist church, and Elder K. C. Russell gave stirring addresses. Dr. D. H. Kress also gave two important and timely talks, which were greatly appreciated. Appropriate music was rendered by the choir, and by Prof. F. Miller's family, of Tonawanda.

Besides the conference ministers, Elders E. W. Farnsworth, K. C. Russell, and C. S. Longacre were present; also a part of the time Dr. D. H. Kress, Brethren R. J. Bryant, L. W. Graham, and F. M. Dana, Profs. B. F. Machlan, M. E. Kern, and W. J. Blake. A donation of $110 was made for the Oakwood School at Huntsville, Ala. About twelve hundred dollars in cash and pledges was raised the last day of the meeting for the Tunesassa School, and for the tent- and camp-meeting funds.

Twenty-nine persons were baptized, nearly all of them new converts. An excellent interest was shown in the religious liberty work, the home and school work, and the plan for work during Thanksgiving week. Two sisters asked for two thousand each of the special REVIEW, one brother, fifteen hundred, and others made up the number to nine thousand to be used in the conference.

Brother T. B. Westbrook, who has been laboring in our conference, was ordained to the sacred calling of the gospel ministry on the last Sunday of the meeting.

It was decided that in the future the business meeting would be held apart from the regular camp-meeting. The election of officers resulted as follows: President, H. W. Carr; vice-president, J. W. Raymond; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. H. W. Carr; assistant secretary and treasurer, Delight M. Landon; Sabbath-school secretary, Effa Gilbert; Missionary Volunteer Secretary, Mrs. Addie V. Clapp; missionary secretary, R. B. Clapp; religious liberty secretary, T. B. Westbrook; educational secretary, A. E. Manry. Conference committee: H. W. Carr, J. W. Raymond, E. J. Dryer, F. H. Hicks, and T. B. Westbrook.

Credentials were given to H. W. Carr, J. W. Raymond, F. Peabody, E. J. Dryer, and T. B. Westbrook. Ministerial license was given to E. C. Townsend, F. H. Hicks, R. B. Clapp; and missionary license to Mrs. H. W. Carr, Mrs. Eva Jenks, Delight Landon, Effa Gilbert, and Wilhelmina Miller.

Six of the leading papers of the city of Buffalo published liberal advertisements of our meetings, and gave some of the prominent features of the doctrinal discourses. In this way our work was introduced wherever these papers were read. While the expense and responsibility of holding the camp-meeting in such a large city as Buffalo caused us to hesitate somewhat at the undertaking, we feel that the object of doing so has been largely reached.

The work in Buffalo has grown to such an extent that a place of worship seemed to us to be a necessity. The conference committee entered into consideration of this matter with the Buffalo church, which resulted in the purchase of a church and parsonage, at the corner of Gray and Cayuga streets. The church building is in excellent condition, and to build one like it would cost more than we paid for the entire property. It was secured for $4,500. We believe the Lord directed in this step.

The weather was exceptionally fine, and there was a general expression of gratitude for this good meeting, the first one ever held during the forty years of camp-meetings in the Empire State.

H. W. CARR.