Oklahoma by C. Mc Reynolds

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 26, 1901

Oklahoma

By C. Mc Reynolds

The past year has been one of encouraging progress in Oklahoma. We have much to be thankful for in many ways. Unusually good crops were raised and harvested, and good prices have been received for nearly all kinds of produce. Many persons have come into the Territory and settled, making a good demand for everything the country produces. We find this a good field for the work of the Third Angel's Message. People are not settled in their Church relations, as in the older parts of the country. They listen more readily to the truths presented.

About one year ago we organized a church at Kingfisher, where our camp-meeting was held in the fall; since that time we have organized seven new churches, and have two or three companies that will be ready to organize soon. There have been seven new church buildings undertaken, and the last two will be finished this month. These are good buildings, costing from six hundred to fourteen hundred dollars each, except the Conference building in Oklahoma City, which cost four thousand dollars.

The Lord has greatly blessed the work of selling books. The canvassers have been successful, almost every one making a success of his work. More books have been sold than ever before in the same length of time. We have thus been able to carry on the work, and have a good profit in the tract society, which will be used in distributing literature where it is most needed, and in assisting some to engage in canvassing who can not do so without help.

We have been much encouraged by the work done by some of our young men in the ministry. Three had so far proved their calling, that at the recent session of the Conference they were set apart to the work of the gospel ministry by ordination.

There are five church schools in progress in the Conference. Three of these are among the German churches. Another will be started soon in Ardmore, I. T., and there are calls for several more. Some brethren who have several hundred acres of land in the Indian Territory are offering good terms to those of our people who have to rent to settle on this land and start schools. We have not felt free to advise this to any great extent, as it leads to colonization, which is not best for the Lord's people. But this country does afford a great opportunity for those who wish to go where they can live well and do good work in a new field. Many are coming here, and there are the very best opportunities to start Sabbath-schools where two or three families can meet together; and these schools soon result in an interest that demands meetings and brings out a church. If those thus situated will make the interests of the message first, and worldly matters secondary, a great work will be accomplished in this Territory, which will be the means of saving many precious souls.

We specially request those who are coming to this Territory to notify us at the office box 202, Oklahoma City, as soon as they are settled. Also we ask any who may know of brethren who have come here, or of interested persons in this Territory, to notify us, so that we can find them at once, and enlist their co-operation in the work. We thank the Lord for all He has wrought in our midst.

C. Mc Reynolds.