The Southern Illinois Camp-Meeting
By R. A. Underwood
THIS meeting was held at Newton, in a beautiful park in a suburb of the town, August 27 to September 6. From the beginning the blessing of God was in the camp. This is the first camp-meeting and conference held by this conference since the Illinois Conference was divided. The Southern Illinois Conference has about two-thirds of the territory of the State, while it has less than one-third of the membership and financial strength. The small membership of about four hundred and fifty, and the large territory of the conference, which is mostly unworked, has no discouraging effect upon the brethren and sisters, but rather it serves as a stimulus to active labor. The ministers have had good results from their tent efforts this summer. The canvassing work is taking the lead, at present, of all the large conferences in the Lake Union Conference. This shows the good spirit that exists. At the camp-meeting funds were raised to purchase tents and to assist the school at Du Quoin, to the amount of about five hundred dollars. The outside attendance was good. The conference arranged for laborers to follow up the interest with a tent effort. The second Sabbath, near the close of the day, a good congregation was gathered on the banks of the river running past the camp-ground, and a great blessing rested upon them during the baptism of thirty dear souls. The meeting, as a whole, was a source of strength and much encouragement to the work in Southern Illinois. Elder J. M. Rees was elected conference president. He enjoys the full confidence of the laborers and of the brethren and sisters. All go from the meeting full of courage and faith, rich experiences and precious victories having been gained by many during this occasion. May the good spirit of the meeting ever be cherished by all.