Southern Oregon and Southern Idaho Camp-Meetings by W. A. Westworth

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 6, 1911

Southern Oregon and Southern Idaho Camp-Meetings

By W. A. Westworth

THE Southern Oregon Conference was held in connection with the camp-meeting at Roseburg, Ore., May 11-21. The grounds used were near the town, but the attendance from the outside was not very large during the first part of the meeting on account of extremely wet weather, and the fact that a town festival was being held at the time. During the latter part of the meeting the attendance was better.

The conference proceedings passed off with the utmost harmony, and a good spirit prevailed. Practically the same officers that served during the past year were reelected for the ensuing term. Brother Taylor Bunch was set apart by ordination to the gospel ministry. Elders C. W. Flaiz and H. W. Decker, representing the union conference, with Elders A. J. Haysmer and Luther Warren, Brother H. H. Hall, and the writer, attended this meeting.

An excellent interest was taken in foreign missions, and although this is one of the youngest conferences in the denomination, having been organized for only about one year, and although it was necessary to call for funds to supply the tents, seats, etc., essential to the beginning of a new work, still when we made a call for missions, about twenty-five hundred dollars was raised in cash and pledges, some of the pledges being conditional on the sale of property. One thing which touched the hearts of all was to see the young people strip themselves of needless jewelry, rings, necklaces, etc., and place them with the offering for foreign missions.

From this meeting we went to the Southern Idaho meeting, which was held at Ontario, Ore., just on the line between Idaho and eastern Oregon, as a considerable portion of eastern Oregon is included in the Southern Idaho Conference territory. Here we found another small camp; but being favored with good weather, we had a larger outside attendance. Quite an interest was manifested on the part of the people from the town.

Here also an interest in missions was manifested, and about nine hundred dollars in cash and pledges was given to this cause. A very emphatic interest in the call of the fields of heathenism was shown, and the conference raised the allotment of ten cents a week a member to fifteen cents a week for each member. This is certainly none too high a mark when we consider the great blessings which rest upon us here in the home land in comparison with the crying needs of the hundreds of millions in heathen lands.

The blessing of the Lord was with us, and at the close of the meeting about twenty-five were baptized. The same officers were elected to serve another year; and the proceedings of the conference were marked with the utmost harmony and a kindly spirit.

Southern Idaho is a fruitful field, but it has a scarcity of strong laborers. Both here and in Southern Oregon we heard encouraging reports from the intermediate schools, and we trust these schools will be the means of developing missionary recruits for the Master's service.

The general laborers who attended the Southern Oregon meeting attended this meeting also.

May the blessing of God attend the efforts in both these conferences, which are the smallest in the union, but which show a healthy growth and a firm determination to press to the front.

W. A. WESTWORTH.