p. 21 | The Wisconsin Camp-Meeting by Allen Moon

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 22, 1906

The Wisconsin Camp-Meeting

By Allen Moon

It was my privilege to attend the Wisconsin camp-meeting held at Stevens Point, August 22 to September 3. This was a very interesting meeting from more than one standpoint. The attendance was quite large, nearly one thousand persons being encamped upon the ground.

The spiritual interest was excellent from the beginning. The business meetings were conducted in a very pleasant and orderly manner, and every one seemed pleased with the decorum and general interest manifested. An excellent impression seemed to have been made upon the people of Stevens Point. A goodly number attended the evening meetings regularly and manifested a very deep interest. I trust that fruit will appear in the final reckoning, as the result of the meeting held at that place.

Financial matters received due attention, $160 being raised to pay for new canvas seats for tents; $400 for the Bethel Academy; $400 to clear up the $6,000 fund, which fund was for the purpose of paying off Wisconsin’s share of the old General Conference Association debt. In addition to this, Elder F. C. Gilbert secured about $200 for the Jewish work; Brother T. Valentiner, about $100 to aid the German paper; and Elder G. F. Enoch received over $100 for the work in the West Indies. In all, about $1,400 was raised during the camp-meeting.

The Educational Department came in for its share of attention. Two meetings for the young people were held each day; one at 5:45 A. M., and the other at 4:45 P. M. Profs. A. W. Spaulding and A. W. Hallock had immediate charge of these meetings. Other speakers who are interested in the educational work were present and took part in the labors for the young people. Among them were Brethren Gilbert, Shaw, Enoch, and H. A. Washburn.

Two children’s meetings were held each day. In the morning at nine o’clock the general exercises were held, consisting of various Scripture recitations and memory verses. The commandments were studied, psalms were memorized, and missionary studies given. A part of the morning hour was devoted to regular class work, which was in charge of teachers trained for the purpose. The church-school teachers and other workers had charge of this important department. In the afternoon at 4:45 the children assembled for some special work. Among those who gave special talks to the children were Brethren Gilbert, Shaw, Washburn, Enoch, and Miss Mary Cook. These general exercises were of interest to the children, and were an inspiration to them to become familiar with the different phases of the work to which their attention was called.

During the camp-meeting the children raised about thirty dollars for the work among the Hebrew children in Boston. They raised nearly ten dollars for the work in Jamaica, and four dollars for the Chinese school work. The entire donations for the two Sabbaths during the camp-meeting were set apart for the Chinese Girls’ School, at the suggestion of the children. This amounted to about sixty dollars.

Before the camp-meeting closed, twenty church-schools were arranged for, and it was thought that perhaps half as many more would be held in the conference during the winter. All the available teachers in the State have been called upon, or will be before the number of schools is complete. Three hundred and twenty children were enrolled in the church-schools of Wisconsin during the past year.

Elder H. S. Shaw, president of the Minnesota Conference, was present from the beginning of the meeting, and his labors were appreciated. Elder F. C. Gilbert was present from the beginning until Tuesday night of the first week, and his preaching was also much appreciated by our people, and the people from the city as well. Elder Enoch and Professor Washburn came later in the meeting, and took up the work where others, who had to depart for other fields, had laid it down. Meetings were conducted daily in the Scandinavian and German languages, as well as in the English.

Only one change was made in the conference officers: Brother A. J. Olsen, State agent, was placed on the conference committee, to take the place of Elder N. P. Neilsen, who went to Dakota last spring. The records show an increase of over five thousand dollars in the tithe during the past year, and also a very encouraging increase in donations and receipts for the foreign mission fields and other funds of the conference.

ALLEN MOON.