The Medical Evangelical Tent-Meetings at Indianapolis, Ind.
By L. A. H.
Some time ago a report was given in the REVIEW of the combination of medical and evangelical work carried on last winter, at Hartford City, Ind., and of the beginning of an effort of the same kind of work at Indianapolis. Promise was made of a fuller report of the latter when it was completed, which will now be given. Brethren J. H. N. Tindall and C. E. Garnsey, workers from the Loma Linda College of Medical Evangelists, who led in this work, have closed their labors in Indiana, going to Virginia as workers of that conference. Elder O. Montgomery, president of the Indiana Conference, makes a statement in the Lake Union Herald regarding their departure, and in a paragraph sums up the results of their work as follows:— “The result of their labors in the city of Indianapolis during the past season, with the help of Brother R. M. Grey and the Bible workers who have been associated with them, is thirty-one souls baptized and taken into the church, with others who will go forward in baptism in the near future. Including the thirty-five who accepted the truth at Hartford City, sixty-six have joined the church as a result of their work in Indiana.” The following is gathered from a fuller report received from Brethren Tindall and Garnsey: The large new tent donated by the Hartford City people was pitched, and meetings were begun June 13, continuing every night, except Saturday, until September 1. No attempt was made to cover the entire city, but rather to concentrate the work in the immediate neighborhood of the tent. As a result of a thorough canvass of the territory in which the tent was located, using folders and cards to announce the program each week, an excellent attendance was secured, people coming even from a distance. The opening discourses were of a nature not to antagonize, but such as would appeal to all classes, with an aim to lay a solid foundation for the full third angel’s message. Along with these subjects the medical, or health lectures were given Monday and Wednesday evenings. Cooking-classes were held, and practical medical missionary work with the sick and afflicted of the neighborhood was persistently carried forward, until the hearts of the people were won. No antagonism whatever was manifested during the entire effort, despite the straight and firm way in which the truth was presented. The meetings were advertised as “Bible and Health Lectures at the Gospel Medical Missionary Tent.” The non-antagonistic Bible subjects and the health talks prepared the way for the doctrinal discourses on the message, which were given with deep earnestness. Besides those already mentioned as having fully accepted the truth, it is stated that eight persons were rebaptized; two who died were rejoicing in the truth; four were ready for baptism at the time of the report; eight others are keeping the Sabbath and are carefully studying the truth; while a number of others are deeply interested. The expenses of the effort, amounting to over $300, were more than covered by the collections, with a surplus of over $30, besides about $30 worth of lumber and electric-light fixtures. The last night of the series of meetings was the best attended, the large tent being crowded and many standing outside. The collection on this night amounted to $72. The interest in the meetings was sufficient to enable their being continued through the time of a big camp-meeting held in another part of the city. No prejudice is seen, and scores of friends are ready and anxious to commend the practical missionary work of Seventh-day Adventists. Many are asking that the tent be pitched in the same locality another year. Prominent men of the city express themselves as deeply impressed with this plan of combining the medical and the evangelical work. The effort has clearly demonstrated the practicability of this method of labor as an efficient means of doing city work. About $150 worth of books and periodicals were sold in connection with this effort. Many of the members of our three churches of the city received a good experience, in reconsideration and renewed study and love of the truth and in personal missionary work. The permanency of this kind of work is indicated by what Brethren Tindall and Garnsey found at Hartford City, where they have just spent two weeks, visiting the converts of last winter’s effort. Many of these believers are now giving Bible studies to friends and neighbors, and the company as a whole is doing very well. The principles of the message, including the health truths, are gaining ground in various parts of the city. Several thousand dollars have come into the cause as the result of the work, and regular payment of tithe continues. From the foregoing it will appear that there is important consideration to this matter of uniting the medical work with the evangelical. Other good reports of favorable results of such labor are received. Much instruction has been given, urging greater activity in this direction. May there not be many workers in our ranks who might be quite successful in such work? The Indiana Conference expresses appreciation for what has been done in that field by this means. While it was reluctant to release these two brethren, it did so, even agreeing to pay the salary of one of them for a year while laboring in the Virginia Conference. It is expected that these methods of labor will be carried forward in the latter field, the president, Elder W. J. Stone, having made plans and special preparations with this in view. L. A. H.