p. 11 | The Southern France Camp-Meeting by Joel C. Rogers

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 21, 1911

The Southern France Camp-Meeting

By Joel C. Rogers

JOEL C. ROGERS

ONE enjoys meeting in conference and camp-meeting these sturdy brethren and sisters of southern France, and the impression that he is among the true stock of the old French Huguenots seems to grow stronger. They come from humble peasant homes and city tenements—from Lyons, Nimes, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Montpellier, and the mountain districts of west France. One dear old brother, born in 1844, among the first to receive the message in France, told me of his hopes of living to see his Saviour come.

This brother lives in the mountains in a very humble home, but he gave over a hundred dollars for the work.

The camp is pitched on the Mediterranean shore between the great cities of Marseilles and Nimes. At this time of year many thousands visit the seashore for a few days' vacation. Some attend the meetings, while others having little to do, read our literature and become acquainted with our people. The two local ministers—there are only two in all southern France with her sixteen millions, and one of the two is conference president—and Elder L. P. Tieche, president of the Latin Union, are present. From outside there are Professor Steiner, of the Latin Union School, Elder J. C. Guenin, of Paris, and myself. After attending the conference in Switzerland, I had planned to go at once to London to aid in printing our first reader and tract in Manganja for Nyassaland; but as Elders L. R. Conradi and E. R. Palmer could not go to southern France, I gladly responded to the invitation to attend this meeting.

Being the first general camp-meeting on the Mediterranean, it is arousing much interest throughout the union. These meetings have heretofore been held in

cities, where our people would usually rent halls. At a session of this conference the brethren were asked if they considered this meeting a success, and if they were willing to raise money for more tents. The response was hearty. With little or no urging, one sister gave a thousand francs, which represents more than a thousand dollars in labor and sacrifice; for these sisters (three fourths of the camp are sisters), whose husbands are not in the truth, work long and patiently to save even a hundred francs. About thirty-five hundred francs, mostly in small gifts, was raised for a tent and labor fund to help send more workers into the field. The appeals of the few laborers for more to join them in the needy cities were touching in the extreme, and one is moved to plead again and again with the Lord of the harvest to “send forth laborers” into the Latin field.

On Sabbath about one hundred twenty-five gathered for Sabbath-school, the children reciting their lesson on the beach. Elder Tieche preached an impressive sermon on the imminence of the end, based on Rev. 3:11. A goodly number responded to the Spirit's call for consecration of heart and life for service. After this sermon, at noon on Sabbath, July 29, seven earnest souls, all adults, were buried with their Lord in the quiet Mediterranean waters near the camp.

What could be a more inspiring sight to us later Protestants when we remember that on this very beach, but a few centuries ago, the wrath of the popes was manifested against the earlier Protestants? Near by is Avignon; nearer still is Nimes, with its well-preserved Roman walls and arena, the scene of many a Christian massacre. Still nearer, and in sight with a field-glass, stands the old walled town of Aigues-Mortes and the Protestant tower, where were imprisoned hundreds of Protestants on the date of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Many of them sealed their faith with their lives in the dungeon, into which I looked. Most of them were women, and one of them engraved the word resist on the solid stone with her sewing-needle. She died there, after thirty years in that tower of torture, when the word recant would have liberated her. No one knows the number who perished there. The walls of the tower are of solid stone, and are eighteen feet thick. They were built in the thirteenth century, and are still in perfect preservation. Princes and nobles of France suffered and died in this tower. I was told that the city is the strongest walled place in France to-day. In many cities of southern France, all trains and roads enter through small gateways in strong walls. Everywhere one meets monks and priests and sisters, but one notices that the people pass them with little notice. France is still struggling for freedom.

In all our meetings at Grau du Roi camp, a blessed spirit of harmony seemed to prevail. This was especially gratifying in view of past experiences in this field. Elder T. Nussbaum was reelected president, and with a few young ministers and Bible workers will undertake aggressive work. It is hoped that there will be a good ingathering of souls. In my mind, the most urgent needs of this Latin field are faithful colporteurs, Bible workers, and a school for the youth. The Gland school is too far away and too expensive for France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Out of two hundred members in southern France, some thirty youth were at this meeting, and it is distressing to find some of our talented young men in worldly medical and literary schools, while most of the girls are working in factories or are in domestic service. These youth seem as consecrated to the message as any I have seen. I am impressed, while attending all these meetings on the Continent, that more must be done to enlist the youth for God's cause. Where any attempt has been made at Young People's Missionary Volunteer organization, those in charge of it have been heavily burdened with other duties, and the Volunteer work has not received the attention due it. The young people's work is talked of at the annual conference, then probably in most cases no more is heard of it until the following year, there being no literature on this subject. In one of these conferences I was asked the question, “What is the difference between the young people's work and the church tract and missionary society?” I could not but feel that the explanation would be the end of the matter until somebody understanding the whole question goes into the churches and organizes both lines of work.

One can not attend such meetings as the four it has been my privilege to attend in Europe, at the request of the General Conference Council, without there springing up in his heart a deep interest for the growing work of God in this great field, and love for the few brethren engaged in it under much difficulty. Where are the reapers for this overripe harvest-field?

Watford, England.