SOUTHWESTERN UNION CONFERENCE.
By C. McReynolds
AFTER the close of the General Conference and the committee meetings that followed, I returned to Oklahoma, and spent some time in closing up the work that I had in hand there. We had a good meeting at Okeene, where we dedicated a large church building. It was paid for, and the Lord accepted the offering that His people presented to Him. That is one of the strongest German churches in Oklahoma. The Lord has blessed them much in temporal affairs as well as spiritually. From there I went to a joint meeting of representatives of the Southwestern and the Northwestern Union Conferences, held at College View, in connection with the board meeting of the college. This was a very interesting meeting. Matters that concern the two Conferences conjointly were satisfactorily arranged. The same liberal spirit that was in the General Conference meetings prevailed throughout these meetings. Sister White and W. C. White were there a few days, and the presence of the Spirit of the Lord was manifested in a marked manner. This was especially so when the interests of the work in the South were presented. From this place I went to Keene, Tex., to hold a few meetings and counsel the students as to their work after the close of the academy year. A large class of intelligent students was to be graduated, and I was forcibly impressed that it was our duty to look after these. The annual meeting of the academy board was to be held at the close of the school. The Lord blessed much in the meetings held. The first Sabbath of the meeting was a time that will remain in the memories of hundreds of God's children. A general move began among the children, and little ones from seven to ten years of age went throughout the audience, inviting their playmates, and others much older, to come to the altar of prayer. This work began without any suggestion on the part of any one, and it resulted in over sixty coming forward to seek the Lord. The work was continued during a part of the following week in public meetings, in which Elder Rupert took part, and daily in private work by some of the faithful teachers, who had a burden for the souls of the young people and children. Very careful work was done, giving instruction as to how to come to the Lord. The meetings were resumed the following Sabbath evening and during the Sabbath day, Elder Matthew Larson assisting in the preaching, and in the revival work also. Sabbath and Sunday there were three baptismal services, when twenty-two were immersed. Thus closed the best year that Keene Academy has ever enjoyed. Twenty-eight graduates went out from the school to engage in various pursuits, most of them to be connected in some way with the work of the Third Angel's Message,—some in the canvassing work, and some in the ministry. Three of the class are placed on the academy faculty for the coming year. May the Lord continue to bless the work of Keene Academy in raising up many to go forth to the ends of the earth with the message of His truth. The baccalaureate sermon, which was delivered by Prof. H. E. Giddings, was one of unusual interest and effect.