Northern Montana Camp-Meeting
By Lulu T. White
As Montana is a large State with a very scattered population, local camp-meetings reach many more of our people, as well as those outside the faith, than could be reached by one large State meeting. Four such meetings were appointed for the summer, the first of which has just closed. This meeting was held near the village of Armington, in the Belt Creek Valley, and was attended by over one hundred of our brethren and sisters from the northern part of the State. Some came two hundred miles, and were richly blessed in so doing. The devotional service at half-past eight each morning was one of the best seasons of the day. Here the keynote of the whole meeting was struck,—complete surrender to God, the relinquishment of every sin, and absolute victory in the life, as a preparation for the soon coming of the Saviour. A clean-cut, definite message was presented, and souls who had been compromising with sin and the world placed themselves wholly on the Lord's side. The forenoon hour was devoted to Bible study and Christian education. Prof. C. C. Lewis presented the educational work of the denomination, from church school to training school. The conference intermediate school, now located at Bozeman, was considered, and a fund started for securing a permanent location. The people were asked to pledge as they felt able. Some will earn money for this purpose by selling “Christ’s Object Lessons.” Others preferred to give the money at once. Four hundred and sixty-eight dollars was raised at this time. The meetings were not crowded so closely together that there was no time for personal devotions, or personal work for others. Preaching services were held at 3 and 8 P. M., and children's meetings at 10 A. M. and 5 P. M. The morning children's meeting was conducted on the class plan, and different points of present truth were simplified to the understanding of the little ones. From the first, the outside attendance was good, and each evening the principles of our faith were presented to a good-sized audience. The message was presented in its full, searching power. As quite a number were deeply interested, it did not seem best to close the meetings, and the pavilion and several family tents were left up, Brethren White, Gosmer, Emery, and Holden remaining to carry on the work. Several have taken their stand for the truth, and others are just at the deciding point.