The Kansas Camp-Meeting
By C. McReynolds
THE camp-meeting was greater in the number attending and in apparent results this year than it has been for several years, and the largest but one ever held in the State. There were about one hundred and thirty tents on the grounds, and fully eleven hundred campers at one time. After staying a few days, some returned home, and other members of the family came, so that in all there were not less than twelve hundred in attendance. The weather was almost perfect, and the grounds were about all that could be desired. The location was most favorable, being near the center of Newton, a place of about seven thousand inhabitants. The workers' meeting preceding the camp-meeting was a blessing to all who attended it. The Lord came near, and the work of reconsecration began from the first. On the first Sunday of the camp-meeting the first baptismal service was conducted in a beautiful stream but three blocks from the grounds. There were six other baptismal services during the meeting, eighty-six precious souls being buried in the watery grave, and raised to “walk in a new life.” These were nearly all youth who had found the Lord for the first time. In view of this, we feel that great victories are just ahead for the work of the message in this field. The preaching was for the most part very searching and practical. The evening sermons were generally on cardinal points of the message. Elders Loughborough, Russell, Warren, Hoopes, Washburn, Shultz, Westphal, Colcord, and Riffle, Drs. Kellogg and Paulson, and Brethren H. H. Hall and C. W. Hardesty, attended the meeting. Elder Loughborough's sermons relating to the rise of the message and its development under the guidance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit were much appreciated, and were very helpful to our people. Elder Warren and others worked for the young people with excellent results; and while we had more ministers than were needed to do the preaching, we were glad to see them go among the people, and try to help them. Their efforts were appreciated. The attendance from the outside was good, and six persons took their stand for the truth before the camp-meeting closed. Others were much interested, and the meetings are being continued by a good force of workers, both in the English and in the German. The attitude of the ministry of other churches was especially pleasing to us. A good many of them attended our meetings, and three times, by their special invitation, their pulpits were filled by our ministers. We received from the chairman of the Park Association an invitation to return and use their park next year. As the needs of the Lord's cause were presented, much of the old-time liberality was shown. Men came with their pledges of fifty dollars, one hundred dollars, two hundred dollars, and many with twenty-five dollars or less. Nearly five thousand four hundred dollars was raised for the various branches of the work. More than thirteen hundred dollars of this was for the work in Washington, D. C., and about thirty-eight hundred dollars for the medical missionary work in the State, especially for the building of the sanitarium near Wichita. The Lord is in a special manner opening the way for this building, the grounds and half of the cash being given by those not of our faith. We have yet to raise on our part four thousand seven hundred dollars by the first of January, 1905. Three of our beloved workers, B. W. Brown, N. T. Sutton, and Sydney Scott, were set apart to the sacred work of the ministry by the solemn service of ordination. One important feature of this camp-meeting was the practical work done among the people. In harmony with the Testimonies, we organized companies that went out almost daily and visited the people, carrying invitation cards and some small tract or paper each time to every house in the city. This work was carried on by H. H. Hall, assisted by N. P. Dixon and others. About seventy-five, mostly our young people, engaged in it. They received a rich blessing, and many people came to the camp who otherwise would not have come. Seven churches were added to the conference. The financial condition of the conference, also of the Missionary department, was found to be good. The auditor's statement showed that the treasurers, N. B. Emerson and J. C. Becker, had both done excellent work. All of their books were found to be in perfect balance. But few changes were made in the conference officers. A full board of trustees was elected for the Kansas Conference Association, the legal body. Officers and a board of nine trustees were chosen by the people for the Kansas Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association, and these were legally elected at a meeting held in Wichita, Tuesday morning, following the close of the camp-meeting; and we wish to say to all that the articles of our constitution remain unchanged, except in the matter of the membership fee. The people on the camp-ground voted that that be stricken out, and this was19legally done in the meeting referred to above. All properties belonging to this association are the property of the Kansas Conference, to be owned and controlled by the conference, since the Kansas Medical Missionary Association is a creature of the Kansas Conference, and all the members of the Seventh-day Adventist church in good standing who believe in, advocate, and actually practise the principles of health reform as promulgated by this association are members of the association, and voters in all regular or called meetings of the same. The general feeling was many times expressed, that this was the best camp-meeting we have ever enjoyed. People returned to their homes with the full determination to be, from this time forward, either home-neighborhood or field missionaries, to sell all the small books they can to their neighbors, and be active workers in the message till the work is ended. Scores of names were given in of those who decided to enter the canvassing work, the medical missionary work, the Bible work, the church-school work, or the ministry. Victory is just ahead. Our courage was never better. To the Lord be all honor and praise. C. McREYNOLDS,
Conference President.