The Florida Camp Meeting by John L. Shaw

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 9, 1916

The Florida Camp Meeting

By John L. Shaw

The Florida camp meeting was held at St. Petersburg, a city of 12,000 people, located midway of the State, on Tampa Bay. The grounds were well selected, being conveniently located in Woods Park. Sixty tents were pitched, and some found rooms in surrounding houses. The evening meetings were well attended by people from the city, and the attitude of the press was very favorable.

The Spirit of God was present in the meetings. There was a general turning to the Lord on the part of all, both old and young. Some who were cold and indifferent gained definite victories. The idea of personal service for the Master was strongly emphasized, and met with a good response.

The report of the conference president, Elder W. H. Heckman, was encouraging. A spirit of unity pervaded the business proceedings. Those receiving baptism in 1915 numbered one hundred and eighty-six. Five new churches, three white and two colored, were received into the conference. Although business interests in the State have been dull during the past year, affecting some of our people seriously, the tithe for 1915 exceeded the tithe of the previous year to the amount of $733.52. The Florida Conference carries a good record on the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund. The amount over for the previous year was $1,340.96.

The response to the calls for mission offerings was liberal. Unconditional offerings, including both cash and pledges, for foreign missions amounted to over $3,000, besides about $2,000 conditional. Approximately $2,000 in cash and pledges was donated to the new training school at Ooltewah, Tenn.

Special attention was given to the Harvest Ingathering campaign, and a portion of one afternoon was spent in house-to-house solicitation. Many interesting and helpful experiences were the result.

A colored camp meeting was held in St. Petersburg during the same time that the white camp meeting was in session. One hundred and twenty of our people were in attendance. The evening services were especially well attended by those not of our faith, and good attention was shown. In addition to the local conference laborers, F. W. Paap, W. H. Branson, C. B. Stephenson, B. M. Heald, and the writer were present, and shared in the burdens and blessings of the meeting. Elder Heckman was reelected president of the conference for the ensuing two years.

The workers in the conference are of good courage. The outlook for the work the coming year is excellent. At the close of the meeting both workers and church members expressed themselves as determined to work with still greater zeal and determination to make known the truth to others.

J. L. SHAW.