Louisiana Camp-Meeting
By Mrs. E. V. Orrell
THE Louisiana Conference held its annual camp-meeting in a beautiful grove near Hope Villa, about eighteen miles southeast of Baton Rouge. The camp-meeting continued from July 23 until August 3. The interest was indeed encouraging, and meetings were conducted a full week after the close of the camp-meeting proper. It was intended that an educational convention be held during the week before the camp-meeting, to be conducted by Professors Tenney and Spaulding; but as sickness prevented their presence among us, the matter was confined to instruction given by Elder S. B. Horton, the president of the conference. During the camp-meeting it was voted to open an intermediate school as soon as a suitable location could be secured. It was also decided that a meeting for the election of conference officers be held in December. There were delegates present from every church in the conference. We were glad to welcome one new church into the conference—the Shreveport church. We were also glad to have with us Elder Geo. I. Butler, president of the Southern Union Conference; Elder N. W. Allee, president of the Tennessee River Conference; also Brother A. F. Harrison and Miss Nina Case, all of whom rendered efficient service by way of counsel and instruction. Although it rained almost every day, yet it did not prevent a good attendance at the meetings. The Spirit of the Lord was present in large measure, and all felt the sweet influence of love binding one another together in unity and harmony, so that each one had sufficient foretaste of heavenly things to be able to conclude that it is possible to have “heaven on earth” as truly as to have the opposite state. Claybank, a picturesque spot on the Amite River, about six miles from the camp, was the scene of an impressive baptismal service. Eight candidates were buried with their Saviour in the watery grave; and one week later two more candidates took the same step. The ordinance was administered by Elder Horton. It was very encouraging to note the admission of sixteen new members to the Hope Villa church, as a result of this general meeting.15The friendliness of the neighbors was of an exceptional character, all being loathe to part with us. Truly we could conclude that the angel of the Lord had gone before us, and prepared the hearts and minds of this people for the reception of the great threefold message for this age. In this part of the great field, “the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.”