September in the California Conference by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 28, 1909

September in the California Conference

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

For over a year we have been trying to find a suitable location for our Conference College, and the last of August it was decided to purchase the Angwin Health Resort, particulars of which transaction have already been given in the REVIEW. The first week in September the deed was signed and two thirds of the purchase price paid, the other one third to be paid in six months. September 29 the school buildings were dedicated, and the school was opened. The school began with about fifty boarding students, and others have come in since.

The general camp-meeting was held September 9 to 19. This was the third camp-meeting held in this conference this year. Earlier in the season, two local camp-meetings were held, which were a great help to the cause in their respective localities.

The general camp-meeting was held in Fruitvale, a suburb of Oakland. This meeting was well attended, and many important matters were considered. There

was a good spiritual interest throughout, and at the close twenty-four were baptized. One entire day was devoted to educational work. Every day there was a Bible study at 6 A. M., missionary meeting at 9 A. M., and a health and temperance meeting at 5 P. M., thus giving prominence to these three important lines of work. Young people's meetings were held every day, and the children received due attention. Preaching and social services filled up the remainder of the time. The presence and labors of Elders Geo. I. Butler and G. A. Irwin were appreciated, and added much to the interest and success of the meeting.

The sales of books, periodicals, and tracts during the camp-meeting amounted to $2,944.95. The literature that has been scattered in different parts of the conference has created more interests than our laborers are able to attend to. The majority of the laborers in the conference attended the general camp-meeting, so that most of the tent-meetings were closed; but tent-meetings were conducted in six different places during the month. Eleven were baptized by laborers in the field, besides those baptized at the close of the camp-meeting.

The following is the amount of literature sold through our tract society: Books, $2,630; tracts, $110; periodicals, $1,423.50, making a total of $4,163.50. This does not include orders that may have been sent by individuals directly to the publishing houses, but only what passed through the tract society.

There is a glorious future before the California Conference if it continues to purchase and distribute literature as it has been doing for the past two years. The aggregate sales at the three camp-meetings held this season is over five thousand dollars. This is for literature taken by the rank and file of our people and distributed by them. Should all our conferences put forth the same effort, and the rank and file of our people take hold of the distribution of our literature, there is no telling what would take place in a very brief period of time. Certainly the results of the loud cry, expected for so many years, would be seen.

We can only praise God and take courage in view of the final triumph of the truth. S. N. HASKELL.