The Ontario Camp Meeting
By W. H. Thurston
THE Ontario conference and camp meeting was held at Galt, June 12-22, preceded by a workers’ meeting, and the churches were well represented. The camp was located in a beautiful park, and no pains was spared in making it an object lesson of neatness, order, and good taste. The campers all seemed to take pride in keeping their tents in order, and the entire arrangement and order of the camp was impressive of the sacredness and importance of the work of God. The citizens of Galt were courteous, and seemed pleased to have the camp in their city. They attended the meetings in large numbers, and manifested a desire to hear more of the advent message. Brother Huntington, with a few helpers, remained there with a tent after the close of the conference. The president’s address showed that during the year there were six efforts put forth, but the interest was developed at only one place, and at this place a church was organized under the labors of Brother Wm. Simpson, and fully manned. There was an increase of seventeen hundred dollars in tithes and offerings over last year, and a creditable increase in the sale of books. The plan of selling “Christ’s Object Lessons” to assist in raising a fund for the establishment of an industrial school was agreed upon last winter. Several churches organized for work, and a few hundred copies were sold during the early part of this year. This work will now be resumed, and it is hoped that good results will follow. The question of establishing an industrial school in the Province of Ontario was given careful consideration, and nearly four thousand dollars was pledged for the purchasing of a farm. The trustees of the conference are now looking after the matter, and it is hoped that a suitable location will soon be procured. It was thought by the conference that the time had come for medical missionary work to be started in one or more of the large cities, and no doubt this will be done in the near future. The canvassing work was given attention as far as time would permit, and there is now a good corps of workers in the field, and yet there is room for more. The keynote of the entire meeting was the need of a better acquaintance with Jesus and a preparation for the final crisis. The importance of every member’s taking an active part in the work for this time was emphasized, and all manifested a desire to do what they could, and to be living representatives of the truth, realizing that it is the practical piety of each individual that demonstrates the power of the gospel. On Sunday afternoon the president, Brother J. W. Collie, delivered a clear, forcible address on the Sabbath question to a large, intelligent audience; and in the evening Brother John A. Brunson discoursed on Obedience the Test of Loyalty, which was also very convincing. The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus were lifted up through the entire meeting, Christ being the central thought of each discourse. Much of the blessing of God was realized throughout the meeting, and the deep movings of his Spirit were manifest at times, especially on the Sabbath days. On the last day of the meeting there were twenty-five persons baptized, and fully three thousand people witnessed the solemn, impressive ceremony. The following-named officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, J. W. Collie; Vice-President, T. H. Robinson; Secretary and Treasurer, Helen McKinnon; Executive Committee, J. W. Collie, T. H. Robinson, S. G. Huntington, Chas. Stewart, H. C. Basney. The conference president was chosen Provincial Canvassing Agent, and Helen McKinnon Secretary and Treasurer of the Tract Society Department. J. C. Rogers was appointed Secretary of the Sabbath-school Department. Brother Huntington, of Indiana, Brother Basney, of Maine, Brother Isaac, of Wisconsin, and Cora Gibson and Sadie Baker, of Ohio, have recently come to this conference to labor, and were all at the camp meeting. Elder George B. Thompson, of New York, and Dr. Paulson, of Chicago, were in attendance the latter part of the meeting, and rendered good service. Brother John A. Brunson was present during the entire meeting, and gave excellent instruction, which was much appreciated by all. The conference workers are now all located in different parts of the field, and it is hoped that the gentle Spirit of the Lord, which was so manifest in the camp meeting, may abide with each laborer, and that as a result of the efforts put forth, there may be a large ingathering of souls. W. H. THURSTON.