The Work in the Cumberland Conference
By O. C. Godsmark
WE are thankful to say that the blessing of the Lord has rested upon the work in the Southern field during the past year. The Cumberland Conference comprises the eastern two thirds of Kentucky and the eastern half of Tennessee. We have within our borders not only the wealth, learning, and intelligence of some of the largest cities and seats of education in the South, but also the dense ignorance, the family feuds, and illicit distilleries of the mountain regions. The population is largely white, though we have within our borders many of the unfortunate colored race, whose needs are ever appealing to us, and whose claims we can in no wise ignore. As a conference, we are looking largely to the needs of the colored race, and not only is considerable being done for that people, but we feel that the prospects for the future were never brighter than they now are. Perplexing as this color question is to all our conferences in the South, yet it does not present to us the still more difficult problem that the work for our poor whites in the mountain districts does. Nestling in the very shadow of, and surrounded by, the mountainous districts, lies the wealthy and aristocratic blue-grass region of eastern Kentucky, where is still to be found the most perfect type of the aristocracy of ante-bellum days. With all this diversity of conditions,—social, mental, and geographical,—this conference becomes at once one of the most interesting fields in the South. This past year has been one of marked prosperity in the cause of present truth; our brethren have come forward nobly with their tithes and offerings, and have thus enabled the committee to push forward the work in a way that has been gratifying to all. Not only in tithes and offerings have the brethren been faithful, but we know their prayers and sympathies have also gone with us, and have been an encouragement to our brethren in the field. It was decided to purchase another tent, so we have had two tents in the field, and toward the latter part of the summer a third one for our colored people, which has been managed by laborers of their own race. Early in July a camp-meeting was held at Lexington for our people in eastern Kentucky, which was indeed a great blessing to them, and a source of much encouragement. This was a small meeting, but it was a beginning, and another year we expect a much larger attendance from our people in this part of the conference. The latter part of August our camp-meeting for the benefit of believers in eastern Tennessee was held in Chattanooga, and was by far, the largest gathering ever held by our people in the South. At the same time a separate camp-meeting was held in another part of the city for our colored people. Both meetings were indeed a success, and another year we shall know much better how to plan for our colored work. Since the close of these meetings, Brethren G. W. Wells and W. C. Wales, assisted by Brother J. W. Franklin, have been following up the interest with a tent effort. Brother J. F. Brice, our colored minister, has also followed up the interest created by the camp-meeting for his people. In both of the efforts, the Lord has blessed by bringing souls to the knowledge of the truth. In eastern Kentucky Brother and Sister E. L. Sanford, with Brother J. W. Stein, assisted by Sister Maud Dortch, have been engaged in the tent effort at Winchester, Brother Stein having spent some time in the mountains near Moberly, while the others had also been doing successful work in Lexington. In Louisville Mrs. O. C. Godsmark has been carrying on, for some time, successful Bible work, while Sister L. Whitman has been devoting her time to the interests of the colored work. Brother E. W. Carey has also been located there in connection with the tract society office. Our conference church school at Graysville is being taught by Brother Lewen A. Jacobs and Sister Minnie Hildebrand, and the one at Cleveland by Sister Clara L. Jacobs. These schools are both starting out well, and are doing excellent work. We expect soon to open a school at Sanford, where there is a prospect of a good school. The canvassing work in our conference, under the careful management and encouragement of Brother V. O. Cole, has had a most successful year. Our canvassers are doing well, and indeed they should; for it is well known that this conference has within its borders the best canvassing territory of any to be found in the United States; and we expect to see this work come up on a still higher plain. We are fortunately situated by having among us the Southern Training School at Graysville, and also the Lone Mountain Sanitarium. We feel very near to these institutions, and can only pray God that their management may be such that his blessing can rest upon them. Many students have gone out from this school to engage in the Lord's work; and the sanitarium, though struggling in its infancy, has been a blessing to this part of the field. We ask an interest in the prayers of our brethren for the work here in this Southern field. O. C. GODSMARK, President of Cumberland Conference.