WORK IN THE TENNESSEE RIVER CONFERENCE.
By W. J. Stone
The work in this Conference is onward. Two camp-meetings have been held during the past summer, followed with tent efforts, also three other tent-meetings have been held. The first tent effort was at Render, Ky., by Brother Hagle, his wife and Brother Spire assisting him. About twenty or twenty-five accepted the faith, a few accepted the truth where the other meetings were held, and a company of about twenty was raised up by the effort following our annual camp-meeting at Franklin, Ky. A few have also accepted the faith at Memphis, as the result of Bible work by Sister Sweet. I wish to speak regarding the effort in connection with our camp-meeting at Franklin. We studied the Testimonies carefully, and tried to carry them out in planning the whole meeting. We made arrangements to publish a daily bulletin during the meeting, which proved a great success. This bulletin contained four pages. We went to a number of the business men of the city, and secured their cards, until we had enough to cover the whole of the last page of the bulletin. We agreed to place this bulletin in all the homes of the city, and furnish the merchants who advertised in it several copies each day to hand to their country customers. In this way we secured the assistance of these merchants in forwarding the truths presented at the meetings. We secured almost enough from these advertisements to pay the expense of getting out the bulletins. Our brethren also subscribed for a number of copies to send to their friends. Three pages of the bulletin were devoted to the news of the camp, and a synopsis of the principal sermons delivered. We made a call for volunteers to distribute the bulletins throughout the city, and had the city districted and persons appointed to look after the distribution in each district. This gave an excellent opportunity to all who desired to do missionary work. It also gave us an opportunity to learn each day how the people were receiving the truths presented at the camp. We held meetings, giving those who scattered the literature an opportunity to relate their experience, and report any who were especially interested. This brought new life into our meetings, and was a great blessing to those engaging in this work. Many who received the bulletins have preserved them in book form. We believe that this feature of our meeting was a grand success, and that it brought light and life into many souls as well as into the meeting. We feel that we cannot get along without the daily bulletin in our camp-meetings hereafter, and shall endeavor to make it still more of a success. Throughout the country there is a desire to hear the truth, and we expect to see a good church raised up here. We have already begun a church building, in which the citizens have assisted quite liberally. The debt of over three thousand dollars hanging over our Conference two years ago has all been provided for, and every department of our work is in a prosperous condition. All are of good courage. Our intermediate school, which we are just opening at Hazel, Ky., bids fair to be a success, and will be a great help in the education of our youth. We shall have school facilities equal to our stronger Conferences. The Tennessee River Conference is a good field. I would not ask for a better one for missionary purposes, or for any kind of business. Men with some means, who are wide awake and active, could be of great help to many of our weak companies, and greatly assist in building up the work in this field. If any wish to correspond with me regarding this field, I shall take pleasure in giving any information at my command. Address me at Franklin, Ky. Our Conference covers western Tennessee and Kentucky. We rejoice that we can have a part in God's closing work.