The Texas Camp-Meeting
By C. N. Woodward
This good meeting, which has just closed, was held in Padgitt’s Park, a beautiful grove of oak and pecan trees, in the suburbs of Waco, Tex. Waco has always been considered a hard place for our workers, and although considerable work has been bestowed upon it in the past, but little remained to show for it when it was decided to hold our camp-meeting there this year. But it can be clearly seen now that the Lord led in making this decision; for from the time the workers came on the ground to prepare the camp until the close of the meeting, we were met very cordially everywhere, and every courtesy possible was extended. All the public services were largely attended from the city, and it was plainly to be seen that many came because they were interested, and wished to know more about us as a people and about the truths we hold. The attendance of our people was not so large as some former years, there being between five and six hundred encamped on the ground. Very heavy rains fell all over northern Texas during the two days just preceding the meeting, which hindered some from coming, and greatly delayed those on the road. But the weather cleared on the first day of the meeting, and we could not have had more beautiful weather all the rest of the time. Owing to there being so much shade, and the ground being so wet at the start, there was some sickness among the campers, but very little of a serious nature. The guiding and controlling hand of the Lord was plainly seen in the work of the conference. Four new churches were added to the conference, and the report of the president showed a gain of between ninety and one hundred during the year. There were times when the enemy sought to bring in confusion, but the Spirit of the Lord worked, and all the business passed off harmoniously. Elder N. P. Nelson was elected president of the conference, and with him were associated most of the old members of the committee. Although Texas has passed through two poor crop years, yet the funds in the treasury were nearly sufficient to pay the laborers. The force of workers the past year has been the largest in the history of the conference. A good force of workers were given papers for another year, and if the crop prospects are realized, and the brethren are faithful stewards, they can all be kept in the field, and a great work accomplished. The last Sabbath of the meeting was an occasion especially blessed of God. Elder Luther Warren, besides bearing a large part of the public preaching, labored very earnestly for the young people and children, and the Lord greatly blessed his labors. On the last Sabbath a general movement in seeking God was seen among both old and young. At the close of the Sabbath Elders Warren and Eastman administered the solemn rite of baptism to thirty-four candidates, a large part of whom were young people just entering manhood and womanhood. Taking all things into account, we considered it a remarkable meeting, during13which God showed himself willing to guide all our ways, and anxious to pour out his Spirit upon all those who earnestly sought it. The conference committee is now arranging a strong force of workers to follow up this work with a tent effort, to develop the interest shown.