Camp-Meeting by John Norton Loughborough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Jul 29, 1875

Camp-Meeting.

By John Norton Loughborough

THE California Camp-meeting is to be held this year on the Fairfax Picnic-grounds, Marin Co., three miles above San Rafael, commencing Thursday, Sep. 23, and closing Thursday, Sep. 30. This ground is under the control of the North Coast Pacific R. R. Company. In behalf of the Conference I have signed a contract with the R. R. Company to occupy the grounds at the time above specified. They offer, on their part, privileges and advantages very desirable to us.

The grounds are handy of access from San Francisco and Oakland, being only 17 1/2 miles from S. F. by boat and R. R. They reduce their fare, during the meeting, for the round trip from S. F., to one dollar. Besides this, they haul our straw thirty miles free of freight, and deliver wood and lumber at the grounds at as cheap rates as we obtained them last year. They guarantee us all the water we need.

There is on the ground a building 60x150 feet, in which is a good matched floor, and there are also three sheds, two of them 10x30, and one 20x20, and a necessary out building with four rooms and a good door to each. We have the free use of the grounds and of all the buildings upon it, as well as the use of 150 feet of tables, 600 feet of benches now on the grounds. The grounds are about fifteen rods from the R. R. stopping place. There is a stream of water running through the grounds, and a good well of water on the ground.

The large building consists of the floor and roof, without sides, surrounded by shade trees. We design to put up a tent 60x96 for our meeting room, and prepare lodging rooms in the large building. These rooms can be constructed of factory cloth tacked to frames, which frames can be furnished on the ground at a small sum. These rooms will be of uniform width and height, 12 feet wide, and 6 feet high. The length of them can be 10, 12, or 14 feet, as most desired by those who occupy them. These should be made of factory, one yard wide, and do not require any sewing at all.

To construct a room 10x12 will require 44 yards of factory, one yard wide. A 12x12 room will require 50 yards. A 12x14 room will require 56 yards. Their being only six feet in height will be no objection, as there is a good roof for shade above them. Those who have tents will have a chance to erect them in good shade. Those who have no tents can have tent room for sleeping apartments as above described in the building, where there is space for at least twenty-four of these rooms. All that is necessary is for those who wish rooms to send the requisite number of yards of cloth for their room to Fairfax Camp-ground, Sept. 15, and they will find their room ready for occupying the evening of the 22nd, by setling the expense of frame and tacks. When meeting is over the tacks can easily be drawn and the cloth can be taken home for domestic purposes.

We wish to know soon, however, who wish to erect these rooms, so that our committee can plan the building before the hurry of camp-meeting comes on. Some have already spoken to me, in person, for room, without stating size; but let that pass. We now call for definite orders, stating the size of the room you wish, whether 10x12, 12x12, or 12x14. Remember, your cloth must be exactly one yard wide to construct these rooms. Send your orders to me at Oakland, or hand them to me in person when you see me.

We have three new tents of drilling, 10x12, for sale at $18 each, and can furnish others at the same rate. Those men who do not wish tents, but bring their blankets, will have free lodging in the big tent. We shall have a provision tent, restaurant, and stock yard on the ground the same as in former years.

Those coming to the grounds with teams from Napa, Sonoma, and Lake counties, should go by the way of Petaluma. They will find a delightful road with splendid scenery from Petaluma to San Rafael. At San Rafael inquire for Fairfax picnic grounds. They are on the west side of the R. R. track, three miles from San Rafael. Distance from Petaluma to camp-ground, twenty-five miles. More soon.

J. N. L.