Florida Camp-Meeting by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 24, 1910

Florida Camp-Meeting

By Arthur G. Daniells

This meeting was held at Leesburg, October 10-23. Although Leesburg is near the center of the State, and of the conference constituency, it is not so accessible as many other towns, as it is not located on any of the main railway lines.

The attendance of our people this year was very small. It was expected that a larger number would come to the meeting during the latter part, but the terrible West Indian tornado passed over the State when the camp-meeting was only half through. This storm did great damage. The camp-ground seemed to get the full force of the storm, which began about ten thirty on Monday night, October 17. A number of the brethren were out all night in the gale and drenching rain. They lowered the large tent to save it from being torn to pieces. The youth’s tent, the dining-tent, and a large number of family tents, were blown down during the night. The fierceness of the gale increased with the dawn. At eight o’clock the brethren secured cabs and transferred the women and children to rooms they were able to secure. The storm spent its force during the day, and died out with the setting of the sun. The morning of the nineteenth brought the warm, bright sunshine, and all hands went to work to restore the camp. By night everything was in good order, and the public meetings were resumed. A few of the campers left, but the majority remained to the close, and a few, but only a few, came in from their homes to the latter part of the meeting.

Although the attendance was small, yet in a number of respects the conference and camp-meeting were very profitable and encouraging. The annual reports of all phases of the work in the Florida Conference showed that earnest work had been done, and that the blessing of the Lord attended the efforts put forth.

During the year five churches were organized. These were admitted to the conference at this meeting. Thirty-nine members were added to the churches by letter, and sixty-four on profession of faith. Two church buildings were erected during the year, and another is in process of erection, and will be dedicated soon. The tithe receipts for the year were $10,237.24, an increase of $2,000 over those for the previous year. The report shows that the churches had paid their full quota of ten cents a week per member during the nine months of 1910, also that $1,450.50 had been paid on the $300,000 Fund, leaving only about $1,000 of Florida’s quota on that fund still to be raised. These gifts, with $250 surplus tithe, made a total gift of $4,864 from the Florida Conference to missions.

These reports were gone into carefully during the conference, and the brethren rejoiced to know that they were able to return so much to the General Conference for its foreign mission fields. When they found that there was an increase of $2,000 tithe over the receipts of the previous year, they cheerfully voted to appropriate $1,000 tithe to missions. It was very encouraging to see the joy the brethren felt in being able to send so much of their income to the General Conference foreign mission work. Thus Florida has not only ceased to draw money from the General Conference, but is now sending funds to the General Conference treasury.

At this conference the Florida Sanitarium was taken over from the private corporation that launched it, and now belongs entirely to the Florida Conference. Elder R. T. Dowsett, auditor of the Southeastern Union, spent several days at the sanitarium before the camp-meeting, giving its affairs a very thorough investigation, and was therefore prepared to give the delegates information regarding every detail of its financial standing. His report showed that $20,000 had been invested in the institution, and that it was at that time owing to private parties about $10,300. During the camp-meeting, some $800 worth of “Ministry of Healing” was taken by those on the grounds. The proceeds of these books brought about $800 to the institution, to be applied on its indebtedness. This left the liabilities at $9,500. The accounts of the sanitarium showed that the promoters of the institution had exercised good judgment and great care in the conduct of the business. Every dollar that had been received in donations of any sort from the brethren and sisters in the conference had been credited to the Florida Conference Association; so that it had $1,700 in stock. During the last year, the institution made a slight gain in its operations. The sanitarium is beautifully located, near one of the finest towns in Florida. It must have a splendid future, if rightly managed. In view of the fact that its liabilities were not more than half its assets, and in view of the patronage that has been worked up by two years of advertising, it was clear to the delegates that the time had come for the Florida Conference to accept the liberal offer made by the promoters to transfer the entire institution to the conference. After giving all phases of the question the most searching examination, it was cheerfully and unanimously voted to take the institution over. The private stockholders accepted this plan, and closed out their interests. It is believed that it will not be difficult to take care of the $9,500 liabilities, and that in a few years, the Florida Sanitarium will be entirely free from debt, and will be a valuable asset to the conference.

During the camp-meeting an evangelist secured a public hall close to our tent, and held two public meetings to expose Seventh-day Adventists in their teaching and methods. Our brethren did not favor him with their attendance, though three or four of us went over to keep ourselves informed regarding the methods and character of this attack. I must say that it was one of the most violent and scandalous attacks that I have known in my thirty years’ ministry. His misrepresentations must have prejudiced the people who heard him very much against us.

About the time this attack was over, a prominent Woman’s Christian Temperance Union worker from Tennessee, came to Leesburg to hold a temperance meeting. On arrival she found that her Methodist friends had failed to get her appointment, and no provision had been made for her meeting. In view of this, they came to Elder R. W. Parmele to see if they might have the tent for a temperance rally. This request was freely granted. As no provision had been made to care for the speaker, Elder Parmele arranged for her to occupy the reception tent. The next day she attended our meetings part of the day, and on leaving, arranged to visit the sanitarium at Orlando. She remained at the sanitarium three days, and was pleased to study our views with Dr. J. E. Caldwell. On leaving she took away with her quite a full assortment of our literature. This experience was particularly pleasing after the terrible denunciations made against us by the evangelist.

Elder Parmele was re-elected president of the conference, and was given a good committee to aid him during the coming year. The prospects are bright for a strong, progressive work, and we believe the reports a year hence will be still more encouraging than those submitted at this meeting. Florida is a promising field. Let us pray that this conference may be strong for the Master’s cause. A. G. DANIELLS.