Camp-Meetings in the Pacific Northwest
By F. M. Burg
I was present at this meeting throughout, from August 15 to 22. The camp was located in the outskirts of the city of Ogden. About one hundred of our people were present from different parts of the State. This was a good proportion of the Sabbath-keepers in Utah, the total resident membership being about one hundred and twenty. Although Elder W. B. White, president of the Pacific Union Conference, could not be present, and other help that had been promised failed to come, the meeting proved a great means of help to our people and workers in this peculiar and needy field. The Spirit of the Master was present in all the meetings, and every one experienced an uplifting in God. Before the close of the meeting twenty persons were baptized in a stream near the camp. The annual meeting of the Utah Conference was held at this time, during which officers were elected for the ensuing year, and other business transacted. Elder Alfred Whitehead was re-elected president, and Mrs. Rose Whitehead was chosen secretary and treasurer. Associated with Elder Whitehead on the executive committee are the following: W. A. Alway, A. G. Christiansen, Paul Iverson, and Charles Nelson. The interests of the cause are growing in Utah. Our people pay a tithe which compares very favorably with those fields where conditions are more favorable. The amount of tithe for the past year was $1,929.86, a large increase over the preceding year; and reckoned on the basis of the actual membership, it is a per capita tithe of about sixteen dollars. The aggregate of various offerings for the year was $358.83. There are five churches in the conference, with a total membership of one hundred and eighty-three. This includes, besides the resident members, those who have left the State, many of whom can not be located. Every one seemed of good courage in God, and an evident love for the third angel's message fills the hearts of God's people in Utah. The Lord will bless the work during the year upon which they are now entering. This meeting was held at Green Lake, a suburban portion of the city, of Seattle, from August 24 to September 3. The camp-ground was an ideal spot for such a meeting. The regular annual session of the conference was held in connection with this gathering; officers were elected, and other important business was transacted. Several important recommendations were brought before the conference, and adopted after interesting discussions. These have already appeared in the columns of the REVIEW, in the report of the secretary of the conference, hence I will not include them in this report. This good meeting is now in the past, but it will not soon be forgotten. I think that every one who attended the services recognized the presence of the Spirit of God in a special manner; and to me personally this was a very precious season. This is the third gathering in almost immediate succession that I have attended, beginning with the Portland camp-meeting, and I wish to note that every one of them has been an occasion of great refreshing. This is a good omen. It is encouraging to the people of God. To him who has been, as many of us have, waiting long years for the close of this work and the realization of our hopes, it is most encouraging to see the lifting of the cloud. There is a sound of a going, and it is a signal for a general rally and a lining-up for a march to victory. The blessings which have come upon these meetings have been as the rain from heaven upon a thirsty land, and the drooping heads of many who had almost ceased to hope are being uplifted. Our redemption draweth nigh. This seemed the conviction that came to our people at the Seattle meeting, as well as the other gatherings that I have recently attended. At each of these meetings it seemed to be the testimony of all that it was the best meeting they had ever attended. This is as it should be, and as it will be if we use our privileges as we ought. These gatherings should increase in blessing and help to our people each succeeding year as we move on toward the kingdom, and as the work advances. The statement submitted by the treasurer showed the following: 'Tithes received for the year, $11,961.83, a per capita payment of $19.60; offerings for various interests outside the conference, $2,905.54; for interests within the local field, $1,300; in all, $4,205.54, or $3.72 a member. The balance sheet showed a net gain for the year of $1,384.20. Twenty laborers have worked in the conference during the past year,—eight ordained ministers, two licensed ministers, and ten missionary licentiates. Each of the ministers was called upon to give before the delegates a review of his work for the year. Encouraging progress is noted in the spread of the message in the several sections of the conference where the brethren have labored, and a goodly number of souls have been added to the remnant people. Some churches that became much reduced in membership, indeed that were 'ready to die,' have been revived and strengthened, and the 'things that remain' set in order. Every worker gave expression to strong courage in God and in the outlook for the work, and also to a determination to press forward till the battle is carried to the gates. The outlook for the educational work in western Washington is very encouraging, especially in view of the large number of children and youth who must have, and who manifestly want, a Christian education. In its unusually large number of bright and promising young people this conference is blessed indeed; and in this, too, it has a great responsibility.18Evidently the conference appreciates this trust; for while some steps had already been taken toward providing educational advantages in the field, measures were adopted at this meeting to strengthen the work already established at Mount Vernon, and also to put on a good basis a like enterprise at Manor, in the southern end of the field. Brother Stiles reported for the Mount Vernon school a very prosperous year, financially and otherwise, notwithstanding the very meager facilities they had for carrying forward the work. During the meeting there was raised $1,235.74, in cash and pledges, for the intermediate school interests in the conference. Brother E. L. MacLafferty reported advancement and good work in the church-school interests. In the success reached and the interest shown by the teachers, as well as by the patrons of the school, he saw promise of greater progress in the future. Drs. A. Q. Shryock of Seattle, T. J. Allen of Tacoma, and W. B. Holden of Portland gave some helpful talks before the conference on Christian temperance and hygiene. Dr. Shryock's report of the work done in the Seattle treatment rooms indicated that the prospering hand of God had been upon that branch of the work as well as upon other branches. The prospect of success in the future, as shown by the review of the past year's work, commands the confidence of our people in western Washington in this branch of the cause. The vegetarian restaurant, under the management of Brother M. T. Madsen, is prospering under the blessing of God. The patronage is constantly increasing, and the present quarters are quite inadequate. The capacity of the institution will have to be increased very soon. An excellent education is being given to a good class of people by means of this line of effort. The ministers attending the meeting from outside the local conference were Elders H. W. Decker, Daniel Nettleton, M. C. Wilcox, C. P. Bollman, H. J. Dirksen, T. H. Starbuck, C. E. Ford, M. E. Cady, and the writer. The blessing of God was upon the labors of these brethren, and the eager and longing people were much revived and uplifted as they were led to the living waters, and as the bread of life was broken to them. The attendance from the city was good, and the interest on the part of the public to hear the truth increased till the close of the meetings. The evening services were used wholly to interest those who had not heard the truths for this time. On Sunday afternoon, September 3, twenty-eight precious souls were buried in the beautiful lake near the camp. The scene was especially impressive, the Spirit of God hovering in a special manner over the large number gathered to witness the solemn rite. Evidently an excellent impression was left upon the people, and the candidates seemed to be greatly blessed on this occasion. On Monday forenoon, three more willing followers of the Man of Nazareth were baptized in the same place. Thus the good meeting has come and gone; but its influence will be far-reaching in the work of the conference during the year. May the Lord greatly bless the laborers in western Washington as they go forward in the work during the year upon which they have now entered.