Alberta by J. W. BOYNTON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 3, 1905

Alberta

By J. W. BOYNTON

THE second annual camp-meeting for the Alberta mission field was held at Wetaskiwin, July 4-10, 1905. Brethren R. A. Underwood and J. S. James, of the Northern Union Conference, with the laborers in this field, were present. The camp was pleasantly located in the suburbs of Wetaskiwin, which is a place of about three thousand people. The weather was good, and conditions were favorable to the meeting. There were about ninety persons encamped on the ground; this was nearly double the number of last year.

The Word was spoken with freedom and power, and while there was no excitement, the Spirit of God came near to convince of sin, and to instruct in the way of righteousness.

Last year, we had only two family tents, and one meeting tent, twenty-four by thirty-six feet in size, besides a few tents brought in by the campers. This year, we had a new meeting tent, thirty by fifty-two feet, four new family tents, and a book tent, besides the tents brought by the campers. Services were conducted in the English, Scandinavian, and German languages. While the outside attendance was not large, it kept increasing, and some seemed much interested.

On Sabbath Brother Henry Block was ordained to the gospel ministry, and on Sunday eight willing souls were buried with Christ in baptism, and some others who desired baptism had to return home, on account of sickness, before it could be administered.

The following items from the secretary's report will be of interest, as it shows something of the work for the past year: Tithe received from the field, $1,128.71; tithe received from the Northern Union Conference, $773.15. To pay the last audit of the laborers in the field will require about three hundred dollars more from the union conference. The retail value of books, tracts, and periodicals sold during the year was $1,296.47; total amount of offerings to various funds outside of the mission field, $245.28. The tract society has a stock of books on hand valued at $232.06 (wholesale), with bills payable $123.72, and bills receivable $202.86, making the present worth of the society $311.20. This may not seem large to some, but when we remember that it is less than two years since we organized our society, with no capital to start with, and only about one hundred and seventy-five Sabbath-keepers in the field, and all poor in this world's goods, we feel to thank God that so much has been accomplished.

The General Conference kindly gave us two hundred and fifty dollars this spring, which has supplied us with a good typewriter, and helped to pay for our tents, so that we are out of debt, and have tents enough for present needs.

The mission field officers remain the same as last year, with the addition of two lay members to the committee. Elder A. C. Anderson and Brother Shelstead remained to follow up the interest. After the camp-meeting I accompanied Brethren Underwood and James to Edmonton, to inspect the sanitarium that is being started by Brother Hommel. It is small, but neat, and in a good part of the city, and is receiving a fair patronage; we hope they will be able to keep things moving without incurring debt.

July 14-17 we held meetings at Leavings, where we had the pleasure of organizing a church of twenty-five members, ordaining an elder and a deacon, also baptizing nine of the youth and children; several others will follow soon. We feel to thank and praise God for his continued love, and take courage to go forward in the work.

J. W. BOYNTON.