The Colorado Camp Meeting by G. B. THOMPSON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 17, 1914

The Colorado Camp Meeting

By G. B. THOMPSON

THE recent camp meeting, held in Denver, August 13-23, was indeed a spiritual feast. It was conceded by all who attended it to be the best meeting ever held in Colorado. The camp was located in the beautiful Rocky Mountain Lake Park, which has been used for the same purpose on other occasions. About one hundred and seventy tents were pitched, and the attendance of our own people was about nine hundred. The churches of the conference were represented by about one hundred and fifty delegates. Meetings were conducted daily in the German and English languages.

The camp was well arranged. The organization of the meeting was excellent, and was kept well in hand throughout. Workers’ meetings were held daily, and all planned together with the view of maintaining a spiritual uplift in the meeting until the close. From the first a most earnest spirit was manifest. All meetings were well attended, there being comparatively few strollers about the grounds during the services.

The terrible war being waged in Europe, drenching these populous countries in blood, and spreading indescribable carnage, sorrow, and desolation among millions, together with the distress which this calamitous contest brings upon our work and our brethren and sisters living in the theater of war, greatly stirs the hearts of our people.

The keynote of the meeting was sounded the first evening in a stirring sermon by Elder A. T. Robinson, on the finishing of our work and the preparation necessary for this great event. During the entire meeting the great and solemn truths of the message were kept well to the front, and took hold upon the hearts of our own people as well as those not of our faith.

The attendance from the city was excellent, the large pavilion being well filled each evening. Many made urgent inquiry for light concerning the contest being waged by the strong nations of the world. It is evident that the minds of the people are being turned to those who represent this message for an interpretation of events hitherto unparalleled in the history of the

world. This is indeed a most favorable time in which to present the truths of this message in this country, and should be taken advantage of to the fullest extent by us as a people.

The annual conference was held in connection with the meeting. All plans were carefully considered, and great unity of action marked the proceedings. Elder A. T. Robinson has the confidence of all his brethren, and was unanimously re-elected to the office of president. Brother R. T. Emery was reelected secretary and treasurer.

The home missionary branch of this work struck a responsive chord in the hearts of all, and plans were laid for aggressive work in every church to enlist all in the great work of scattering our literature everywhere, to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth. In one meeting over one hundred sets of the Berean Library were sold, besides much other literature. We believe that this home missionary work will result in bringing many to a knowledge of the truth.

A liberal spirit was manifested throughout the meeting, over two thousand dollars being given in cash and pledges for the local conference work. The Sabbath school donations received during the meeting amounted to $354.41, and the contributions for the Union College equipment fund to $71.75. On the last Sabbath of the meeting consideration was given to our foreign mission work. After a sermon on the rise and progress of the third angel’s message, the shortness of time, and the tremendous sacrifice that will be required of this people to finish the work in this generation, and the reading of a letter from Elder L. R. Conradi, setting forth the serious situation in which the work in Europe will be placed by this war, an appeal was made for gifts to the emergency fund of the General Conference.

The blessing of the Lord was present in a very marked manner in this meeting. As all bowed, while earnest prayer was offered that God would impress each one with the amount he should give, the Spirit of God seemed to hover in a special way over the congregation. The total gifts in cash and pledges amounted to $5,205.

In the afternoon, in the beautiful lake by the side of the camp, fifty-one candidates were baptized. Many of these were young persons. The work done during the meeting by the Missionary Volunteer leaders to help the youth on the ground, produced excellent results.

All the reports rendered during the meeting indicated progress. The colporteur work is gaining strength, and a number will enlist in this work at the close of the meeting. The outlook is good for an encouraging growth during the year in all departments.

In addition to the usual local and union conference workers present, Dr. David Paulson, Elders E. A. Curtis and H. Shultz, and the writer attended the meeting. All deeply regretted that, on account of illness, the union conference president, Elder R. A. Underwood, was not permitted to be present. His earnest words and counsel were greatly missed. Many prayers were offered that he might be speedily restored to his usual health.

All left the meeting with renewed courage and confidence in the work of God, and with the determination to be more faithful in the Christian life, and more diligent in spreading the blessed truths of the message among their friends and neighbors.

A deep interest seems to be created in the city of Denver as a result of the meeting, and no doubt many will be led to embrace the truth in the city as a result of the faithful labor which will be put forth by those who will follow up the interest.

G. B. THOMPSON.