Western Pennsylvania by W. A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 11, 1907

Western Pennsylvania

By W. A. Spicer

The annual camp-meeting in this conference was held at Oil City. It was a season of blessing. The conference is growing in strength. Three new churches were received. One of these is a German church, the first in the conference, the result of the labors of Elder C. A. Scholl in Allegheny. A western conference, South Dakota, I believe, is helping in the work for the large German population in this region. It is help well placed.

Western Pennsylvania, when the great Keystone State was divided, found a large work falling to its share, with no great resources to prosecute it. But as the believers in this part of the State have been pressing together and systematically planning to enter new parts of the field, strength and courage have been given them of God, and there was every sign at the Oil City meeting of a united people and a vigorously growing conference.

The conference committee have planned to keep seven tent companies in the field this season. It promised to swallow up their resources, but these large populations in the heart of the oil and steel country must hear the message. A German laborer from New York, Brother Kehrein, has been secured to help in the German work. Elder W. H. Green, formerly of Washington, is doing good work for the colored people, among whom workers are being raised up. There are large populations of foreign-speaking peoples in this conference, and while the membership is few, the believers have their eyes upon the needs of all.

As different enterprises were presented, the brethren and sisters gave again and again, each time seemingly with increasing pleasure in making gifts to the cause of truth. One providence gave special joy to all in the camp. A payment of tithe, on a legacy, had just come in through a sister present, and in such a way that the circumstances seemed to plainly suggest dividing it with the mission fields. Therefore, although pressed with needy fields and large populations on every side within their own boundaries, the conference voted five hundred dollars from their tithe to foreign missions.

Seventeen persons were baptized at the meeting. Elder C. F. McVagh was re-elected president of the conference.

W. A. SPICER.