Pacific Coast Camp-Meetings
By W. B. White
It has been my privilege the past summer to attend most of the State conferences and camp-meetings in the Pacific Union Conference, some of which have been mentioned in previous issues of the REVIEW. After the camp-meeting at Townsend, Mont., I attended the State conference at Provo, Utah. This was one of the largest camp-meetings, and possibly the best ever held in Utah. The camp was pitched in an old apple orchard, quite near the center of the city, and over one hundred brethren and sisters either camped on the grounds or had rooms near by. From the first, the Holy Spirit witnessed to the Word spoken, which seemed to reach the hearts of the people. A goodly number came in from the city, and the forty-foot tent was quite well filled each evening. The meeting deepened in interest, and Friday afternoon the Spirit's power was seen in a marked manner. A number took their stand for the truth for the first time, and many who were not clear in their experience, and some who had gone into discouragement, turned to the Lord with all their hearts. It was a powerful meeting, lasting three hours. At the early meeting, Sabbath morning, the same good work was continued, and others yielded to God. This meeting also continued three hours, and only the Sabbath school was held Sabbath forenoon. During my eighteen years of camp-meeting work, I never before saw revival services so early in the meeting as to shut out the Sabbath forenoon preaching service. Sunday, in the presence of a large audience, fourteen souls were buried in baptism by Elder A. G. Christiansen. All the conference business was transacted in a spirit of love and unity, which made the business sessions seasons of real profit and enjoyment. Elder W. A. Alway, not wishing to serve the conference longer as president, Brother Alfred Whitehead was elected to this position by the unanimous voice of the conference. On Tuesday afternoon Brother Whitehead, who had faithfully served the cause in Utah a number of years as a licentiate, was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry. We believe that Elder Whitehead is the first man among Seventh-day Adventists ever ordained to the gospel ministry from the dominant church of Utah. Elder C. D. M. Williams, who has recently entered this field from the Arizona Conference, was elected conference secretary and treasurer. During the past year the cause in Utah has made excellent progress. A goodly number have embraced the truth, and a substantial church building has been erected in Salt Lake City. Three tents have been in the field this summer, and the brethren are looking forward to the coming year with bright hopes. The field is a difficult one, but with faith in God our little band of workers go forth with courage to the battle. May God bless the work and workers in the Utah field, and give them many sheaves in the kingdom. Leaving this meeting, I next attended the Coos County camp-meeting in southwestern Oregon. This is a section of the Western Oregon Conference, lying in the extreme southwestern part of the State on the Pacific Ocean, and is so isolated from the rest of the conference that it seems necessary each year to have a camp-meeting in that section. Leaving the railroad at Roseburg, we took the stage for sixty-three miles over the Coast Range to Myrtle Point, where the meeting was to be held. It was a never-to-be-forgotten ride made in one day, with three changes of four horses each. The road was very rough, much of the way being corduroy, and such a shaking up the writer never received before. The camp-ground was a lovely spot, in a grove of myrtle and fir; and the meeting was a little larger than the Utah meeting. Here for ten days we enjoyed sweet communion with God. There were excellent opportunities for secret prayer, and many in the camp improved the occasion. The attendance, from the city was large, occasioned, we think, by work done from house to house by Elder W. L. Black and his wife, who had for some time been working in the city and surrounding country, and by a debate between Elder Frank Bunch and a minister of the Dunkard Church, just before the camp-meeting. It is not often that much can be said in favor of debates, but this seemed to be an exception, as a cool, Christian spirit was maintained by Elder Bunch all the way through, which told in favor of the truth. Some excellent revival services were held during the camp-meeting, and many turned to the Lord for a deeper consecration, some taking their stand for the first time. The work in Washington was remembered, and about forty dollars was pledged. Being obliged to leave the meeting the last Sunday morning, I am not informed as to how many were baptized. This was a sweet, quiet meeting, blessed by God to the good of the work in southwestern Oregon. May God bless that dear people, and ever keep them faithful. The leading themes dwelt upon in these camp-meetings have been the nearness of the end, and the necessity of an entire consecration of the whole man for service in this closing work. These truths found a large place in the hearts of the people, and God blessed in their presentation. From this camp-meeting the writer went to Los Angeles to attend the annual camp-meeting in that city of the Southern California Conference, but this will be reported later.