Los Angeles County Camp-Meeting by John Norton Loughborough

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 25, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 45.

Los Angeles County Camp-Meeting.

By John Norton Loughborough

THIS meeting was held in Santa Ana, from Oct. 28 to Nov. 8, on the same ground as last year—Mr. Spurgeon's park of pepper trees. There were thirty-six tents on the ground with two hundred and four campers. This was a marked increase over last year's meeting, when we had twenty-three tents and about ninety campers. The laborers in this meeting were Elders E. P. Daniels, E. A. Briggs, R. S. Owen, and the writer. There were fifty-six meetings held besides the eight o'clock meetings for morning worship in nine tents, and two sessions of Sabbath-school.

Of the meetings held, thirty-one were discourses, and talks concerning the early days and experiences in the cause of present truth. Of these Elder Daniels gave nine, Elder Briggs six, Elder Owen three, and the writer thirteen.

There were seven children's meetings, conducted by Elder Owen and Sister Sophia Johnson. These meetings were full of interest and resulted in a number of conversions of youth and children. There were also five sessions of a Biblical Institute, ten social meetings, and two business meetings. The two sessions of the Sabbath-school were well attended. On the last Sabbath there were one hundred and sixty-four in the classes. The contributions of both Sabbaths amounted to $27.46.

The camp-meeting was full of interest from the commencement to the close. The preaching was of a close, practical character, and was responded to, on the part of the people, by earnest consecration to God, and hearty confession of sins, putting away of pride, etc. The Lord came very near to bless his people and to convert sinners. In the social meetings, appointed for one hour, the people were so earnest—sometimes six upon their feet at once anxious to speak—that it was difficult to get through any of them without giving extra time. We never saw more spirited meetings of that character, and yet all went off with the greatest decorum.

Great anxiety was expressed by our people that a city mission should be opened in Los Angeles, similar to the one in San Francisco. We told them that we thought it would require at least from one thousand to fifteen hundred dollars to fit up rooms and furnish material to sustain the mission for one year. On first-day morning, November 7, the whole camp came together to consider the mission. After the matter was set before them, with no urging, they stated their conviction in the case by freely pledging $1,954 to sustain the mission one year. These pledges were in sums varying from $1 to $150, according to the ability of each. Of this sum $88.50 was paid down, and more will be paid soon.

In the afternoon of first-day the ordinance of baptism was administered by Elders Daniels and Briggs, and fifty-six persons were baptized. Of these twenty-nine were converted to God during the meeting.

The canvassing upon the ground resulted in the sale of 125 volumes of the Testimonies, 33 subscribers for the Pacific Health Journal, 16 subscribers for the Review, besides some subscribers for other periodicals, and the sale of Bibles and books.

On the morning of the 8th, our people left the camp with happy hearts, feeling that this was the best meeting they had ever enjoyed in Los Angeles County. Our prayers follow them, that they may share much of the blessing of God, as they go home to carry out their vows to labor to God's glory in all that they do.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.