Claremont Camp-Meeting by W. S. Hyatt

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 20, 1913

Claremont Camp-Meeting

By W. S. Hyatt

W. S. HYATT

According to appointment, we held our camp-meeting January 3-19, at Claremont, a suburb of Cape Town. The camp was pitched on the same beautiful oak-shaded grounds which we occupied six years ago when we were visited by Elder G. A. Irwin. The South African Union Conference held its biennial session and the Cape Colony Conference its annual meeting at this time. This brought a large number of our people together from various parts of the field.

The mission fields were well represented. Elder W. H. Anderson and Brother J. R. Campbell, with their families, were in attendance from Barotseland; Elder M. C. Sturdevant and wife from Mashonaland; Brother T. J. Gibson and family, also Brethren J. N. de Beer and G. Hutchinson, from Matabeleland; Elder W. C. Walston and wife from Solusi, our oldest mission station, near Buluwayo; Brethren E. C. Silsbee and H. C. Olmstead, with their families, from Basutoland; Elder F. B. Armitage from Zululand; and Brethren Sparrow, Tarr, Burton, and Moko from Kafirland. This band of workers, together with all the ministers of the local conference, gave a strong force of laborers for the meeting, although we had no assistance from abroad.

God greatly blessed the message delivered by his servants. During the fifteen years that I have been in this field, I have never known the Saviour to be presented so clearly and with such power. At the beginning of the meeting the steps to Christ were clearly pointed out, and nearly every one found forgiveness, acceptance, and peace in believing. Then came a call to the higher life in Christ,—the life of continual victory through faith. As the possibility of such a life was presented, God witnessed to the preaching of his word and placed his seal upon this truth. Then as faith grasped these promises of continual victory and the power to live a blameless life in Christ, expressions of confidence such as we seldom hear were heard in the camp.

As the Spirit of God began his work among us, and sins were pointed out, confessions were made among the workers, and hearts were drawn to one another till it seemed that every barrier between the laborers had disappeared. The same spirit took possession of the entire camp, and where there had been words of criticism and faultfinding there were now heard expressions of confidence and love.

As this spirit flowed from heart to heart, all could say that it was truly good to be there.

It can be easily understood that under the influence of such meetings the business passed off pleasantly and harmoniously. The reports of the various laborers, secretaries, and treasurers caused much rejoicing, and I think that I can safely say I never was in a meeting where “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,” was sung so often by us and meant so much to a congregation.

The finances of both the union conference and the Cape Colony Conference were found to be in good condition. The debt on the college has been reduced £800, and the funds are in hand to reduce the sanitarium debt £1,000. There has been a steady increase in all the various funds, and the tithe has come up with a corresponding ratio. The union conference begins the new year with a good balance on the right side, as does also the Cape Conference. It is encouraging to our people when they see the work rising in all its departments. During the meeting over £200 was donated for a tent and camp-meeting fund, and £150 to purchase a plot of ground upon which to build a home for those workers who are compelled to go to the Cape on account of sickness. As the plot is adjacent to the sanitarium ground, it will be a convenient home for our workers who may need such a home from time to time after spending a period in the fever districts of the interior. There are but few places more healthful than the vicinity of Cape Town.

For several years the brethren in the Cape Colony Conference have largely concentrated their labors in the Free State in order to build up the work in that field as rapidly as possible. For some months there has been talk of dividing the conference. This matter received due consideration, and a new conference was organized. Prof. H. Eiffers was chosen president, and three of our best workers, Elder D. F. Tarr and wife and Brother A. H. van Eden, were given to assist in the work. During the past year this part of the field has raised nearly or quite £1,000 for the work in its own borders, which shows the new conference to be quite able to be self-supporting. The Cape paid all the workers up to date, and gave £150 to start this our youngest conference upon its mission.

A proposition was then made to change the fields of labor of some of the workers. Elder H. J. Edmed has been the president of the Natal-Transvaal Conference for the past ten years, or ever since it was organized. During the many years that the writer has been in South Africa he has been connected with the work in the Cape Colony Conference. The brethren decided that a change would be advantageous for both conferences, and these two brethren were invited to exchange fields. Accordingly this has been done, and we are pleased to say that all were united in the change. Here again the mother conference showed her liberality by donating £100 to assist work in the Natal-Transvaal Conference. We were very thankful that the Cape was not only able but willing to render this much-needed assistance.

Although the meeting continued longer than usual, still it was none too long in which to accomplish the work that the Lord desired to do for his people. The Sabbath meetings were precious seasons, but the revival work was of daily occurrence. The last days of the meeting were blessed ones. Faith had taken the place of unbelief and confidence that of doubt. As the brethren separated for their various fields of labor, they went with a confidence and assurance hitherto unknown that God would be with them and give them victory in their personal experience, and success in the work of the Lord.