The annual camp-meeting this year was held from January 12-28, in Wellington, the capital city. It is the second held here, and the eleventh held in the colony. A beautiful site was obtained in the suburb of Island Bay, about four miles from the center of the city, with which it is connected by electric trams. The time and place were well chosen for the convenience of our people. About two hundred and fifty were in regular attendance at the meetings, two hundred and fifteen of whom, counting the children, were encamped on the grounds. Fifty-one tents were pitched, including the pavilion and other public tents. It was the largest camp-meeting ever held in New Zealand by our people. The outside attendance at the evening meetings was not so good as we had hoped it would be, there being but little interest manifested outside of the immediate neighborhood.
CAMP-GROUND, ISLAND BAY, WELLINGTON
Wellington is noted for its strong winds, even in summer-time, and many people thought that tent life would be well nigh impossible in this exposed suburb. God has a care for his people, and in answer to their prayers beautiful weather prevailed all through the sixteen days of the meeting. People resident here noticed this.
The annual conference was held in connection with the camp-meeting, delegates from all the churches but two being present. Pastors O. A. Olsen and W. A. Hennig, of the Australasian Union Conference, and Dr. D. H. Kress, of the Sydney Sanitarium, were with us, also all the local laborers.
Twelve years ago a camp-meeting was held in this city. At that time also we had the pleasure of Brother Olsen's company, also that of Sister White and W. C. White. Frequent reference was made to lessons learned at that gathering. During the meetings many publicly announced their intention to serve the Lord, and twenty-five were baptized. Others who had left their first love renewed their vows, and expressed their determination to serve the Lord more faithfully than heretofore; and all were richly blessed. There was no discordant note nor word of discouragement heard throughout the meetings.
From 10:45 A. M. to 1 P. M. each day was devoted to the business of the conference. One by one the different departments of the work were considered, and plans arranged for the ensuing year. One of the most important decisions of the conference was that the time had fully come for New Zealand to have a local school where its youth might be prepared for the work. Seven hundred pounds in cash donations and pledges was given for this purpose, and a committee was appointed to select and secure a location. The Maori work was also freely discussed, and it was decided that the time had now fully come when the conference should take up this work in earnest. Brother W. J. Smith has responded to an invitation to make that his special work, and he will soon be engaged in giving to the Maoris the everlasting gospel.
Brother N. D. Faulkhead, who for many years was connected with the Echo Publishing Company, has come to this colony on the recommendation of the union conference, and is now engaged as conference secretary and bookkeeper. There are four ordained ministers laboring in the conference,—the president, S. M. Cobb, late of New South Wales, F. E. Lyndon, C. A. Paap, and the writer,—also two licensed preachers.
After camp-meeting three tent efforts were begun, two in the South Island and one in Wellington. There are also twenty canvassers in the field, each of whom is selling as many books as at any time in the past, although the population is small, and the territory has all been canvassed well many times.
