Camp-Meetings in the Pacific Northwest
By F. M. BURG.
Victoria, British Columbia
I ATTENDED only about half of this meeting, having to leave sooner than otherwise in order to reach the Montana meeting in time for the opening. I am not prepared to give many details regarding the Victoria meeting. The attendance at the first and until I left was very small, perhaps twelve or fifteen being present. I learn from Elder Decker and others who were there that quite a number of others came before the close, and that the good spirit that was in the meeting from the beginning remained and increased in intensity till the last. There were several candidates for baptism, and everybody was revived in the message and the work for this time. At the session of the British Columbia Conference held at this time, Elder J. L. Wilson was re-elected president, and Elder P. P. Adams was chosen secretary and treasurer, and also secretary of the Missionary Department. This conference pays a good tithe, considering its small membership,—only about one hundred and forty. The tithe reported for the past year was a little over eighteen hundred dollars. Including Elder Adams, whose time is taken up in the work of the school at Port Hammond and in the work of conference secretary and treasurer, there are only three ministers in this field. The work needs strengthening, and the pre-eminent need of the field is that a good strong constituency be built up. I think that if the right work is done here, a good future is in store for the British Columbia Conference. The aim of the brethren is to make more vigorous efforts than heretofore in the evangelical work, to raise up new churches and to build up and strengthen those already in the field. The meeting at Whitehall was a very small one, only twelve persons being on the ground for several days at the first of the meeting. About the middle, others began coming onto the ground, till the last few days forty or fifty were present. This failure to attend the camp-meeting was quite a disappointment to the laborers in the conference. It was accounted for in part by so many being just at the time busy working on the new schoolhouse at Bozeman. However, the meeting was profitable for those who did come. The instruction by the ministers was especially spiritual and practical. The brethren and sisters were evidently helped to a better experience with God. There was a decided forward movement, and a forsaking of things which belong to the flesh and the world. There were four souls baptized on the last Sabbath of the meeting. The attendance from the town was good throughout; and seemingly several persons were weighing the question of their duty to obey. Elder Gosmer and D. Hanson are continuing the work there, and hope to see fruit from the efforts which have been made in Whitehall. The enemy is astir there, the Mormons and the “Christians” doing all they can to resist the progress of the truth. The windy weather which prevailed throughout the time of the meeting made it quite unpleasant, especially as the place was very dusty. A good rain on the last day settled the dust, and added much to the comfort of the closing meetings. I went to Bozeman from Whitehall, and visited the school site, which is five miles and a half southeast of the town. I found what I thought a good prospect for their school. They have a tract of twenty acres of excellent land, for which they paid one thousand dollars. They are putting up a building thirty by forty feet, three stories, including basement. The estimated cost of the building is about twenty-five hundred dollars. This amount is nearly provided for in cash and pledges. The school will open about the first of November, under the charge of Brother J. L. Jones. The school will be known as the Mount Ellis Academy. The Montana Conference has a membership of about four hundred. The Lord has blessed the faithful labors of his servants in this field; and there have been added, from year to year, a goodly number of souls. But notwithstanding this there has been but a little increase in the conference membership for some time, this being accounted for by the fact that so many of our people have moved from the State. In a way, this has been discouraging to our brethren in Montana. But who knows that the harvest will not be even greater for this “scattering abroad”? There are three ordained ministers and three licensed laborers in the field. They were all at the meeting at Whitehall, except one; and it was a real privilege to me to meet these faithful brethren, and to labor together with them. They have the spirit of the message for this time. Up to the time of the meeting only eight months of the conference year were past, and the tithe received to date was just about equal to the tithe of the entire year previous. This is a good omen for the conference. And the per capita for this field, in comparison with the field generally, is about at the top of the list. All these meetings were a great blessing to me. The people of God are lifting20up their heads in hope; and every omen of this kind that we see of the soon coming of our King and the close of this great work is encouraging to the waiting pilgrim.