TEXAS CAMP-MEETING AND CONFERENCE.
By W. A. McCutchen
ELDER DANIELLS gave a report of the first part of the Texas camp-meeting, but having left before its conclusion, could not give statistics nor the doings of the Conference. As supplementary to his report I will say that our camp-meeting this year was the largest, and one of the best, ever held in the State, there being over one hundred and sixty tents pitched, and about twelve hundred of our people camped upon the grounds. The attendance from without was excellent throughout the entire meeting, and the spiritual interest was good. The Sabbath meetings were marked with deep devotion and the mighty movings of God's Spirit. Forty-six persons were baptized at the close, and many others returned to their homes to be baptized there. Recommendations were passed touching the following points: Unifying the work of the message, making each branch of it a department of the Conference; changing the constitution so as to make all church-members delegates to the Conference; indorsing the ten-cent-a-week plan in support of the work in the regions beyond; urging all to take the Missionary Magazine as a means of keeping informed with reference to the foreign fields; pledging the payment of a second tithe to the General Conference for mission work; establishing additional church schools in the Conference; placing of the church school, Sabbath school, and young people's work under charge of a field educational secretary; working in the interest of the training school at Keene Academy; the holding of one or more canvassers' institutes in the State the coming winter; recommending that the attention given to the sale of the medical or health books be equal to that given to the sale of the religious books, and that a special effort be made for the sale of “Christ's Object Lessons” again this fall. The following is the corps of laborers authorized by the Conference:— Ministerial Credentials: J. B. Beckner, W. S. Greer, W. A. McCutchen, H. B. French, J. N. Sommerville, T. W. Field, H. E. Giddings, H. Woodruff, August Kunze, Jacob Riffel, D. U. Hale. Ordination and Credentials: A. G. Bodwell, Henry Gellert. Ministerial License: O. Glass, J. B. Blosser, W. M. Cubley, J. F. Bahler, Conrad Miller, A. W. Jenson. Missionary License: W. W. Stoner, Jessie Hunter, Artie Taylor, Lottie White, Mintie Bodwell, Theo. DeFreeze, C. L. Kilgore, Kate Boggs, J. W. Johnston, Birdie Cruzan, Flora E. Heermann. The following are the Conference officers chosen for the ensuing year: President, W. A. McCutchen; Secretary of Conference and State Agent, J. B. Blosser; Secretary of tract society and State Treasurer, C. N. Woodward; Secretary of Sabbath-school Department, Mrs. Sallie Green; Transportation Agent, W. A. McCutchen. Executive Committee: W. A. McCutchen, W. S. Greer, T. W. Field, J. Riffel, J. B. Blosser, Dr. D. E. Garvin, and Principal of Keene Academy. Trustees of Texas Conference Association: W. A. McCutchen, T. T. Stevenson, C. C. Lewis, W. S. Greer, August Kunze, Elisha Taylor, J. J. Cochran. At the close of the last Sabbath afternoon services Brethren A. G. Bodwell and Henry Gellert were ordained to the gospel ministry, and God attested His acceptance of the work done by the presence of His Spirit. Six missionaries went from this meeting to foreign fields, or the “regions beyond,” as follows: Elder and Mrs. J. B. Beckner, to Jamaica; Elder and Mrs. A. G. Bodwell, to Mexico; and Brother George Beckner and wife to Raiatea Island. In connection with their leaving, a farewell meeting was held the last Sunday morning of the meeting. As these missionaries spoke of their work, their burdens for the fields to which they were going, their hopes, desires, and purposes, and begged the prayers of those remaining at home, there was scarcely a dry eye in the great congregation. Thus closed our good camp-meeting for 1901.