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Argentine Conference and Camp Meeting

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 27, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 5.

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Argentine Conference and Camp Meeting

By Roscoe T. Baer

ROSCOE T. BAER
The fifteenth annual session of the Argentine Conference was held in connection with the camp meeting at Camarero, in the province of Entre Rios, Oct. 28 to Nov. 7, 1915. Two days prior to the beginning of the camp meeting the commencement exercises of the training school and sanitarium were held. In connection with the graduation of a large class of young people a very interesting program was given. In the evening the sanitarium gave another interesting program, with demonstrations to show how the medical missionary can aid in our great evangelistic work. A class of ten finished the three years’ course for nurses. Prof. H. U. Stevens, whom I knew in Union College, has charge of the training school, and Dr. Habenicht is superintendent of the sanitarium.
The conference meetings were held in a new tent which was pitched on the school grounds in Camarero. Thursday evening, October 28, was the first of the public services. A large number of our brethren and sisters were present. Friday the conference opened, and our people from all parts of the field kept coming until it became difficult to accommodate them. Many came long distances by team. The preaching was, in a large measure, for our own people, and the Lord witnessed to the word spoken.
Most excellent prayer and testimony meetings were held, in which the entire congregation took part. The Sabbath meetings were seasons of great blessing, and the Holy Spirit was present to convince and to convict. Special meetings were conducted for the young people, and those in charge say that the Lord wrought wonderfully for the youth. Hearts were turned to God, and the Missionary Volunteer department was greatly strengthened.
The treasurer’s report showed a splendid increase in tithe and offerings. The tithe for nine months of 1915 was more than for the entire year of 1914. The tract society also showed that the past year was a prosperous one for the sale of our literature. Thousands of copies of our missionary paper, El Atalaya, were sold, besides books, tracts, and Bibles. All this was encouraging to the delegates.
While the home missionary department is new here, we plan to bring this feature of our work prominently before our people. A program was rendered each afternoon, and the results were gratifying. Our people were instructed in methods of work, and they seemed anxious to get suggestions for doing a work that is to hasten the end. Resolutions covering this kind of work were adopted, which called for the publication of larger tracts in Spanish, and also for the publication of cheap leaflets that can be given away to the public.
Besides the regular force of conference workers, there was good help from the union conference. Brother F. L. Perry, of Uruguay, was with us, and also Brother Julio Ernst, of Paraguay. The labors of these brethren were appreciated. We had, in all, ten ordained ministers, who shared the burden of the preaching services. Brother N. Hansen, who has labored for several years in the conference, was ordained to the gospel ministry.
A good interest was shown in foreign missions, and the amount contributed for this work proved the liberality of our people here. Other calls were made, and $2,500 was raised for the work in this large field, and over $300 for the tent fund.
The meetings were conducted in two languages, the Germans occupying one half of the tent, and the Spanish-speaking people the other half. Able translators were present to help in the services, that the people might hear in their own language all that was presented by the different speakers. It was impressive to see English, German, French, Italian, and Russian families present, all at peace with one another because the Prince of Peace abides in their hearts.
The last Sabbath was a day long to be remembered because of the blessings it brought to all. The Lord blessed in the Sabbath morning service, and the entire congregation gave themselves anew to the Lord, after which a solemn ordination service was held. Following the afternoon meeting, fourteen persons were baptized in a beautiful stream near by.
The territorial lines of the Argentine Conference are greatly extended. This one conference is almost equal in size to three union conferences in North America. There are millions here for whom Christ died, and we need help in the gigantic undertaking of giving them the light. We solicit the prayers of the REVIEW readers to the end that many in this field now ripe for the harvest may in due time be garnered for the Lord.