The Colorado Camp-Meeting
By George A. Irwin
THIS meeting was held August 17-27 in a beautiful park connected with Rocky Mountain Lake in North Denver. A line of street-cars running every few minutes connected the grounds with all parts of the city, making it very convenient for the city people who wished to attend the meeting. Elder E. T. Russell, president of the Central Union Conference, and Professors Kunze and Kellogg, of Union College, were present from the beginning. Prof. J. L. Shaw and his wife, Elder K. C. Russell, and the writer came after the meeting had been in progress four days. The next day after our arrival, Elder E. T. Russell left for Hutchinson, Kan., to be present at the opening of the Kansas camp-meeting. Before he left, however, much of the conference business was over, so most of the time thereafter was devoted to preaching, Bible study, and the consideration of the different phases of the general work. There were one hundred and eighteen family tents pitched on the grounds, containing over five hundred people. The number living in the city, who remained at home, going back and forth to the meetings, would in all probability swell this number to six hundred. While there was no excitement at any time, there was a steady and marked sinking out of self and into the Lord as the principles from the Bible and the Testimonies were presented. Some plain and timely instruction was received from Sister White relative to the relation the ministers and the brethren in general throughout the conference should sustain to the Boulder Sanitarium. Until the indebtedness is paid off on that institution, and the sanitariums at Washington and Nashville are built and equipped to do their work in an acceptable and creditable manner, the brethren were counseled not to build other sanitariums in Colorado, or engage in other local enterprises, aside from regular evangelical work, that would draw means from our people. While this instruction cut directly across the cherished plans of some of our brethren, they expressed a cheering willingness to forego their plans and throw their influence and support toward the enterprise indicated by the servant of the Lord. The conference officers as well as other interested brethren took a noble stand on this question, and it brought peace into their souls, and a unity and harmony with one another and the various branches of the Lord’s work that bespeak better days and greater success in the work of the conference. The report of the work of the Boulder Sanitarium, as rendered by Elder Wilcox and Dr. Kerr, was quite encouraging. Thus far this year four thousand dollars from the earnings of the institution has been applied on the indebtedness. All current bills are paid up to date, leaving over five hundred dollars in the bank, and bills due from the patients amount to nine hundred dollars. The patronage is larger now than at any previous time in the history of the institution, and the spiritual interest among both helpers and patients is reported good. The plan of the relief bureau for the sale of the book “Ministry of Healing” for the benefit of the institution met with hearty support. Eight hundred books were subscribed for as a starter, two hundred of which were taken by the sanitarium workers. Seven hundred dollars was raised during the meeting to augment the fund already on hand for building and equipping an intermediate school for the eastern slope. Twenty-six dollars was raised for local work in religious liberty lines, and one hundred and twenty-five dollars to replenish our foreign mission treasury. This amount was increased to one hundred and eighty dollars by the addition of two Sabbath offerings. Four new churches were added by vote to the conference at this meeting. The treasurer’s report showed a small surplus in the treasury after the payment of all accounts, among which was the allowance of two missionaries in Africa and one in Holland. In the revival meetings held each Sabbath a large number were reclaimed from their back-slidden condition, and several gave themselves to the Lord for the first time. About twenty persons were baptized at the close of the meeting. The newly elected officers stand as follows: President, Elder G. F. Watson; Vice-President, Elder Watson Ziegler; Secretary, Meade MacGuire; Secretary and Treasurer of the Tract Society and Treasurer of the conference, Mrs. Bertie L. Herrell; Secretary of the Sabbath-school Department, Mrs. Minnie MacGuire; Superintendent of the Educational Department, E. E. Farnsworth; State Canvassing Agent, A. G. Bodwell. In an address by the president at the close of the conference, he called upon the ministry to unite with him in a new and entire consecration to the Lord, that they might receive a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit for service. Plans were perfected for an aggressive campaign this fall, both by the ministry and by the laity, and we shall expect to hear good reports from the work in Colorado as the autumn advances.