Kansas Camp Meeting by C. McReynolds

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 11, 1902

Kansas Camp Meeting

By C. McReynolds

THIS meeting convened September 23, at 3:30 P. M. Three days were devoted to the conference business. A good spirit prevailed from the first, and by Friday afternoon all were ready to enter upon the regular camp-meeting program. Brethren A. G. Daniells and E. R. Palmer came during the conference, and remained till about the middle of the camp meeting. Brother W. W. Prescott came at the beginning of the camp meeting, and remained till almost the close. He occupied from two to two and one-half hours nearly every day in Bible study with the people, and much good was received from these studies. Elder Daniells, by the aid of the Spirit of God, brought the missionary spirit into the meeting from the first, and it proved to be truly a missionary camp meeting. As the needs of the cause in other lands were laid before us,—not a call to pay debts, but to divide our means and force of workers with those millions of people,—a real spirit of sacrifice came in, and was manifested in a practical way. Our people voted unanimously to send four thousand dollars from our tithe fund to aid the European General Conference, and three of our young workers volunteered to go to England as workers. About three hundred dollars was raised in cash and pledges for their traveling expenses.

We believe that this is the beginning of a new era in our work, and that soon we shall recognize the world as our field, and workers who go across the ocean will be kept on our conference pay rolls the same as those who remain in this country. Why should it not be so? — We believe that it should be.

Almost incessant rains kept many from the meeting, less than five hundred being in attendance; and the work the last Sabbath was almost entirely broken up by the cold and rain. Many were compelled to leave the grounds. Sunday, the last day of the meeting, was bright and warm, and was a good day for all who remained. Meetings were held all day, and a precious scene was witnessed in the evening, when Brethren T. Godfrey and B. E. Huffman were ordained to the gospel ministry. We all felt that it was good to be there. And although the weather had been almost as unfavorable as possible at that season of the year, the contented, sweet spirit that prevailed from first to last was remarkable, and all said that it was one of the best camp meetings ever held in the State. In addition to the money given to the work in other lands, nearly five hundred dollars was raised for the State fund.

But few changes were made in the officers, the following-named persons being elected: President, C. McReynolds; Vice-President, C. A. Beeson; Secretary and Treasurer, N. B. Emerson; Corresponding Secretary, Belle Emerson; Secretary and Treasurer of Missionary Department, J. C. Becker; Secretary and Treasurer of Sabbath-school Department, Belle Emerson; Educational Secretary and Church-school Superintendent, B. E. Huffman; Executive Committee, C. McReynolds, C. A. Beeson, J. A. Crane, A. E. Johnson, J. G. Hanhardt, N. B. Emerson, and B. E. Huffman; State Missionary, Frank Jencks.

Resolutions were passed covering nearly every branch of the work, prominent among which were the work with “Christ’s Object Lessons” and the canvassing work. The campaign with “Christ’s Object Lessons” was made the principal consideration of three general meetings, and all the workers and all the people pledged themselves to the work of disposing of our quota of books by December 25. C. McREYNOLDS.