Southern New England Camp-Meeting
By H. W. COTTRELL
THE Southern New England Conference held its camp-meeting and annual business session the first ten days of September. Willimantic, Conn., a city of about twelve thousand, was the place of encampment. An elevated plot of ground had been secured, which proved to be admirably adapted to our use, as we had several days of constant rain. However, no one to my knowledge became ill as a result of the inclemency of the weather while encamped upon the ground. The place of meeting was easy of access for the city people, and the attendance was good. The truths of the message were presented with clearness, and were well received by the people who heard. A revival service was held each Sabbath, and was witnessed to in a remarkable way by the quiet working of the Lord's Spirit. Backsliders were reclaimed, and a goodly number of young people accepted the Saviour for the first time, which brought much joy into their hearts as well as into the camp. There were twenty-two baptized; these united with the various churches nearest them. The brethren and sisters expressed themselves as greatly pleased with the camp-meeting and its results, and returned to their homes filled with greater courage in God and with a renewed determination to press the work forward each in his own locality. Five hundred dollars was raised to assist in developing certain kinds of local work, and sixty-five dollars was secured for the Southern work. Plans were laid for the advancement of the various interests of conference work. One thousand copies of the Bible Training School were taken to sell in the interest of returning Brother and Sister Burgess to India as missionaries. The regular ministers present, together with the laborers from abroad, were W. A. Colcord, F. Griggs, Smith Sharp, W. A. Westworth, J. C. Stevens, F. E. Painter, and the writer. There was not a discordant note sounded throughout the business, and thus these meetings were as spiritual as an ordinary praise service, all to the praise of God. Elder W. A. Westworth was elected president of the conference, and Miss Irene J. Cady secretary and treasurer. The outlook for successful, aggressive work in the conference is most encouraging. May the Lord add to their numbers daily such as shall be saved.
H. W. COTTRELL.