The Kansas Camp-Meeting by K. C. Russell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 3, 1907

The Kansas Camp-Meeting

By K. C. Russell

THIS meeting was held in Riverside Park, Wichita, Kan., August 15-25. The location of the camp was an ideal one. The attendance of our people was the largest for years, aggregating upward of fourteen hundred. On the first Sabbath and Sunday and the last Sabbath and Sunday, the weather was ideal, but during the greater part of the remaining time, it was rainy and damp. When the weather permitted, there was an excellent attendance of the citizens of Wichita, especially on the first and last Sunday nights of the meeting. Owing to the fact that the weather was largely inclement, the preaching was directed especially to the interests of our own people.

During the first part of the meeting, Elder Daniells devoted much of the time to discussing the important subjects, Organization and the Spirit of Prophecy. These studies were greatly appreciated by our people.

It was found that a clear understanding of the principles of organization enabled the delegates more easily to adjust the business of the conference. Elder Charles Thompson, of Red Cloud, Neb., was unanimously elected president of the Kansas Conference, and Elder A. R. Ogden was chosen vice-president. We believe that the members of the conference will give these brethren their hearty support in every way.

On the part of the people there was a longing desire for a greater nearness to God, to fit them for the testing scenes that await his people in the closing days of this work, and on the last Sabbath of the meeting there was a most remarkable response to the invitation to seek the Lord for the forgiveness of sin, and for power to live the truth in these perilous times.

The aggregate number of baptisms during the meeting was eighty-two, and a goodly number of these were those who had never before given their hearts to God.

We believe that this meeting will mark an important epoch in the history of the Kansas Conference. The membership of this conference is over three thousand. Last year the tithes aggregated thirty-one thousand dollars, and the treasurer's report showed that there was a surplus of over eight thousand dollars. The conference unanimously voted that four thousand of this surplus should be appropriated to the foreign missionary work. Nearly all the delegates regretted that the conference was not able to make the appropriation larger. We feel certain that with a spirit on the part of the constituency of a great conference like Kansas to help in sending the message to the darkened corners of the earth, God will add to their numbers, and also bless in their finances, so that as the years go by, their offerings may increase more and more until the work is finished.

There was quite an amount raised in cash and pledges to liquidate the indebtedness resting upon the Wichita Sanitarium. Not only were collections taken for this, but also for part of the amount due on the $150,000 fund, and also a donation for the work among the blind people of the United States, as well as for the work in Spanish Honduras.

The work of the Kansas committee was executed with dispatch and with a great degree of harmony.

Brother A. S. Bringel was ordained to the gospel ministry, Sabbath morning, August 24. God's Spirit witnessed to the ordination service.

It will be interesting to the reader to know that the $4,000 surplus given to the foreign missionary work was divided as follows: $1,000 to be divided equally between Brazil and Western South America; $1,000 to India; $1,000 to China; $1,000 to be divided equally between Japan and Korea.

The laborers in attendance at this meeting, in addition to the regular conference workers, were Elders A. G. Daniells, R. C. Porter, E. T. Russell, Prof. C. C. Lewis, Elders B. G. Wilkinson, H. F. Graf of Brazil, G. F. Haffner, and Brother C. L. Benson, and the writer.

Prof. H. M. Hiatt was elected superintendent of the church-school and young people's work. The prospects are that there will be more than a score of church-schools in Kansas the coming year.

The young people's work at the Kansas camp-meeting was also an important feature. About three hundred young people were in attendance at this camp-meeting.

The people returned to their homes with new courage and great rejoicing because of the blessings received during the meeting. Our prayer is that the blessing of Heaven may attend the work and workers of this conference during the year to come. K. C. RUSSELL.