The Nebraska Conference and Camp-Meeting
By Ole Andres Olsen
This meeting was held at Seward, August 21-31, in a nicely shaded park in the edge of the city. As the weather was warm and dry, the shade was much appreciated. Our people in Nebraska were well represented in the one hundred and fifteen tents that composed the campus. From the beginning a spirit of earnest devotion and seeking the Lord took possession of the camp, and it was evident that both ministers and people were reaching out for a deeper spiritual experience. Prominence was given to the early devotional meetings in the pavilion and the district meetings at eight o'clock. These are very important hours for the camp. I have been at camp-meetings where both these meetings were treated with somewhat indifference, to the great detriment of the spiritual interest of the camp, but this was not the case here, and the result was most encouraging. The speakers present, a part or all of the time, aside from the regular conference laborers, were Elders I. H. Evans, W. T. Knox, F. M. Wilcox, L. A. Hoopes, S. Mortenson, L. H. Christian, C. F. Knott, and P. F. Richert. Profs. F. Griggs, H. C. Lacey, and M. L. Andreasen represented our educational work. Sister Scharffenberg, from Korea, was also present. Meetings were held daily in the English, German, and Scandinavian. The Lord gave much freedom to the speakers, and besides our people there was a good attendance from the city. It should be mentioned that the business men of Seward took great pains to make950our meeting a success in every way they could. The commercial club of the city passed a unanimous vote requesting us to return there next year. The conference business was very harmonious. Elder J. W. Christian was re-elected president of the conference, and only minor changes were made in other places. It was pleasing to find the conference in a favorable condition financially. From their surplus tithe they voted $2,500 to foreign missions and $500 to aid our foreign work in Chicago, Ill. At the revival services during the meeting many renewed their consecration to God, and a goodly number took their stand for the first time. The last Sabbath of the meeting was a good day. After a stirring discourse by Elder Evans, $1,500 in cash and pledges was added to their foreign mission funds. Another interesting event was the ordination service when Brethren W. H. Sherrig and G. J. Seltzer were solemnly ordained to the holy gospel ministry. May the blessing of the Lord follow these brethren and make them effective workers in the Lord's vineyard for the ingathering of many souls for the kingdom. Near the close of the Sabbath, baptism was administered to a goodly number that had chosen to dedicate the future of their lives to the service of God. Thus closed another annual meeting whose records will go into eternity. Soon the last of these general meetings will have passed on earth, and the next will be the great gathering around the throne of God. May it be the privilege of us all to be there. O. A. OLSEN.