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The Florida Camp-Meeting

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 13, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 50.

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The Florida Camp-Meeting

By J. S. Washburn

In company with Brother I. A. Ford, manager of the Southern Publishing Association, I left Nashville Sunday morning, November 4, for the Florida camp-meeting at Lakeland. Our journey was by way of Birmingham and Montgomery, Ala., and Jacksonville, Fla. It was interesting to note by the greenness of the grass and the trees the difference in climate.
In southern Georgia and in northern Florida we began to see palms, palmettoes, and many plants of the palm and other tropical varieties. At Lakeland, a beautiful city of about five thousand inhabitants, surrounded by lakes, as its name would indicate, the weather and the vegetation were like those of June in the North. It was like another world. Gardeners were busy planting for their winter crops. The air was soft and mild. It was an ideal time and place for the camp-meeting.
At least two hundred persons were encamped on the ground. The camp was in a beautiful grove of pine and oak, from which hung everywhere a heavy drapery of Florida moss, an air-plant that clings to the branches, and gives an unusual and wierd appearance, at least to the eye of one from the North.
The meetings were held in a forty-by-sixty-foot tent. The interest manifested by the citizens of Lakeland was quite remarkable. Every evening the tent was filled with a most intelligent and attentive congregation. This was true not only of this camp-meeting, but of the one held by Brother Sidney Scott in another part of the town, for the colored people. Quite a number at both these camp-meetings began to keep the Sabbath. At the meeting conducted by Brother Scott, several persons of some position and of good education took their stand. There was much interest, and many questions were asked by ministers who were present. At the last Sunday afternoon meeting, I was informed there were twelve new Sabbath-keepers. One of the principal members of the school board was among those who took their stand firmly for the truth. A cook expressed herself at one time as anxious to keep the Sabbath, but feared that she would not be permitted to do so.
On Friday night, the Sabbath question was presented at our camp-meeting, and among those present was the head of the house where the woman mentioned above was cooking. He went home thoroughly convinced, and I was informed that he decided to keep the Sabbath with all his family.
At our camp-meeting on the same night was a young man who was employed in the railroad shops, receiving from one hundred dollars to one hundred and fifty dollars a month. His wife, who was a Baptist, had been praying for years that her husband might become a Christian. He came to the meeting Friday evening with no thought but that he should work the next day. A deep impression was made by the sermon on the Sabbath, and he went home fully convinced and determined to begin immediately to keep God's commandments. He was present at the revival meeting on Sabbath, took his stand, and came forward for baptism, and was baptized on Sunday. Several times he was sent for on the Sabbath by telephone, and was informed that unless he came, some one would take his place. He replied that he could not work on the Sabbath, even if he should lose his position.
On Sunday night, among other new converts, his wife signified her intention to keep the Sabbath with her husband. The case of this young man is going to the head officials of the road, and on Monday he visited one of the principal officers. Thus the Sabbath truth, through this man and others employed in important positions on the railways in Florida, has been brought to the notice of many.
An old gentleman who had been quite deaf for many years had just procured an electrical instrument enabling him to hear. After a short talk with him, he fully decided to keep the Sabbath, and to be baptized soon.
The town was thoroughly stirred. Sabbath morning there was a remarkable manifestation of the Spirit of the Lord, and nearly the whole camp made a forward move. Confessions were made, and we believe a real work was accomplished. Sunday twelve were baptized in the beautiful lake near the camp, and at the camp-meeting conducted by Brother Scott eight or ten were also baptized.
Some time was devoted to the consideration of the vital truth of the spirit of prophecy among us as a people, and a resolution was passed indorsing the organization and the work of those in official positions in our denomination, and deploring the recent attacks on the work of the spirit of prophecy.
This meeting will ever be a most encouraging memory to the writer, and to many others as well. Prof. J. E. Tenney, Elder E. H. Rees, Brother I. A. Ford, and the writer were the workers present from outside the Florida Conference. The public speaking was largely done by the persons alreadymentioned, in connection with Brother Mitchell, Brother Krom, and other local workers. Elder L. H. Crisler, one of the veterans of the Florida work, was elected president.
Florida is a most excellent field for our work. The resources of this State are wonderful. We can hardly think of a better situation for several sanitariums. At present there is not one in the State, though there are treatment rooms.
A brief, but very pleasant visit to the homes of Elders George I. Butler and Irving Keck, at Bowling Green, terminated our most pleasant visit to Florida.
J. S. WASHBURN.