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Texas Camp-Meeting

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 29, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 35.

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Texas Camp-Meeting

By K. C. Russell

THIS meeting was held at Fort Worth, Tex., August 1-11. The camp was pitched on the prairie where there was not a single tree or shrub to shade the campers from the heat of the sun; there is generally, however, quite a breeze on the plains of Texas. The idea of holding the meeting in such a place was somewhat of an experiment. Its propriety was questioned by some, as it was thought that the people could not endure the intense heat of the sun which prevails at this season of the year. We are glad to say that the experiment proved to be a decided success this season, as there was a good breeze nearly all the time.
The attendance of our people aggregated about one thousand, out of a membership of one thousand and three hundred. This is an excellent attendance from a membership that is not large. There was also a fair attendance of outsiders at the evening services, the congregation one night numbering eighteen hundred or more.
From the very first, the meeting was characterized with much of the Holy Spirit's power. The first Sabbath service seemed more like the last Sabbath of an ordinary camp-meeting, because of the revival spirit that prevailed. Appeals were made at the close of nearly every preaching service for souls to give their hearts to God. On Thursday morning there was another revival service held, which was attended with about the same results as the one on the first Sabbath. The last Sabbath was regarded the most remarkable revival service that has taken place at any camp-meeting held in Texas. Nearly threescore souls made a start, for the first time, in the service of God, and over eighty followed their Lord in the sacred rite of baptism.
The conference has been greatly blessed during the past year. The tithe received was upward of eighteen thousand dollars, and over one hundred persons embraced the truth. The Lord has also signally blessed in the sale of our literature, and, in the main, the workers and people showed a lively interest in this department of the work.
The religious liberty work was given its share of attention, and it was voted that the conference committee select a proper person to act as religious libertysecretary in the conference. This is an important feature, and should receive early attention, for the enemies of religious liberty are doing what they can in the interests of religious legislation in this State.
The greatest degree of harmony prevailed throughout all the business sessions of the conference. Twelve hundred dollars was raised in cash and pledges on the Texas share of the $150,000 fund. This State is threatened with a drought, and the fear of its effect upon some of the crops, and of the boll-weevil on the cotton, doubtless had its influence upon the people in making their gifts to this important fund. It is hoped that Texas will speedily raise the rest of her share of this fund.
A very sad accident, which proved fatal, occurred during the meeting. Brother Joe Patterson, of Keene, Tex., a young man of eighteen years, came up from Keene one evening on the train in company with other boys. As Fort Worth was a few miles beyond where the camp was located, and as the train slacked up opposite the encampment, he jumped off, with the hope of saving some time in reaching the grounds. He evidently struck his head against something when he jumped, for a few hours later he died.
The accident took place during an evening service. We are glad to say that the young man was a devoted Christian. This experience, however, should serve as a terrible warning to others in these times of rapid transit, not to run any risks by boarding or alighting from moving trains or street-cars. It is needless to say that the incident produced a lasting effect upon the young people of the encampment, by impressing them with the uncertainty of human life.
Brethren J. C. Taylor and E. L. Neff were ordained to the gospel ministry. Elder C. Santee was again unanimously elected president of the conference. Besides the regular laborers of the conference, there were in attendance during a portion or the entire meeting Elders W. A. Spicer, R. C. Porter, Andrew Nelson, George Brown (of Mexico), F. R. Rogers (of Mississippi), Prof. B. G. Wilkinson, A. F. Harrison (of Graysville, Tenn.), and the writer.
K. C. RUSSELL.