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The Virginia Camp-Meeting

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 23, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 34.

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The Virginia Camp-Meeting

By E. W. FARNSWORTH

THIS meeting was held in the city of Petersburg, July 26 to August 5. The camp was situated in West End Park. The pavilion was surrounded by stately pine-trees, and the location was beautiful. Most of the family tents were pitched at some distance from the pavilion, with a little lake between them and the tent where meetings were held. The street-cars came to within a short distance of the park, so the meeting was accessible to the people of the city.
About two weeks before the camp-meeting Elders B. F. Purdham and H. W. Herrell began a tent-meeting, and considerable interest was awakened. The attendance of our brethren and sisters at the camp-meeting was quite good, considering the membership in the conference, though we would have been glad if a larger number could have shared the blessings of the meeting. The laborers present from without the conference were Elder W. A. Colcord, Prof. J. W. Lawhead, Brother F. E. Painter, and the writer.
The weather during the entire meeting was quite unfavorable, except the last Sabbath and Sunday. This prevented the people in the city from attending, as we were assured they would otherwise have been glad to do. The first heavy rain broke the dam which confined the lake, causing it to go out. The bed of mud that remained might have been a serious menace to the health of the campers, but the continuous rains washed the ground nearly every day, and there was scarcely any sickness. For this we felt very grateful.
The conference proceedings were pleasant and harmonious. The same officers were elected to serve another year, and we believe greater prosperity than ever before will attend the work in Virginia.
A number of recommendations were passed by the conference in reference to the carrying forward of aggressive work. One recommendation of special interest was in reference to the establishment of a school at Newmarket. The conference owns forty-two acres of good land not far from the village. This was given by a brother, now deceased, for school purposes. It is valued at three thousand dollars, and has no debt or encumbrance. It is estimated that the necessary buildings and improvements will cost between two and three thousand dollars. The largest churches in the conference are situated near Newmarket, and a school is greatly needed. At the camp-meeting pledges were made amounting to over eleven hundred dollars, and we believe the brethren and sisters of Virginia will rally to the support of this enterprise, so it can be established free of debt. They can surely make no safer investment.
The spiritual tone of the meeting was excellent throughout. Elder W. A. Colcord gave several Bible studies on the spirit of prophecy, which were much appreciated.
The last Sabbath we had a meeting which will long be remembered by those who were present. After a sermon on our work and the progress of the message, opportunity was given for all to speak. The Spirit of the Lord was present, and led quite a number who had not yet begun the observance of the Sabbath to express their sympathy with the truth, and their desire to obey it. Such meetings are truly refreshing. Our brethren and sisters united in giving expression to their feelings of thankfulness, praise, and confidence in the message, and their determination to remain with this people and to be faithful to the end.
The Petersburg papers were exceedingly kind in publishing reports of the meetings and sermons preached. The editor of the leading paper said he would publish all the matter we would furnish, and gave us to understand that we need not feel limited as to quantity; so we had from two to four columns each day. It is seldom that the press is so liberal.
Petersburg is the place where many battles were fought during the Civil War; but now those who fought one another then are bound together in brotherly love and union, and have united to war against the prince of darkness until the last great controversy shall close. Our hearts were knit in love with the brethren and sisters in Virginia; and if they are faithful and aggressive in their work, we look for real progress to be made during the coming year. Brethren Herrell and Purdham expect to remain and continue meetings as long as may be necessary.
E. W. FARNSWORTH.