p. 251 | The Missionary by John Norton Loughborough

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 22, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 16.

The Missionary.

By John Norton Loughborough

GENERAL CALIFORNIA CAMP-MEETING.

THIS meeting was held, according to appointment, in the city of Fresno, April 2 to 8. It was preceded by a workers' meeting which opened on the evening of March 27. Both the camp-meeting proper and the workers' meeting were quite well attended; the workers' meeting not so largely as it would have been had it been understood by all our people that such a meeting is of the greatest importance to those who design to engage in any branch of the work, instead of being simply an occasion of labor in pitching tents. This being the first workers' meeting held in connection with the Central California camp-meeting, the nature of the meeting was not so fully understood as it will be hereafter. Our camp-meetings are so short that our people need the opportunity of the workers' meeting to obtain the full benefit that they require.

This was the largest camp, and the largest attendance of Seventh-day Adventists, we have ever had in that part of the State. There were seventy camping-tents upon the ground. In these there were, by actual count, three hundred and twenty-seven campers. There were also many of our people living in Fresno, near to the camp, who attended the meeting but did not camp upon the grounds. Our camp-meeting Sabbath-school, held the morning of Sabbath, April 6, numbered four hundred members, and was divided into forty-seven classes. The Sabbath-school contribution, all going to the Russian Mission, amounted to $57.10. The services of the camp-meeting were held in a pavilion, 60x100 feet, which was well filled each evening of the meeting; on some occasions many went away because there was not room for them in the tent. There was deep interest on the part of the people of the town. Twenty-two sermons were preached during the camp-meeting; these were given by Elders E. J. Waggoner, E. P. Daniels, N. C. McClure, Isaac Morrison, and the writer. Brother J. H. Cook conducted a class of workers, whose special business it was to give attention to the spiritual interest of the camp. This class had one or two meetings each day for instruction in the important branch of labor for complete conversion to God. Brother Leland conducted a canvassing class each day, except Sabbath. This class not only had opportunity for instruction, but a practical application of that instruction in a canvass of the camp for our various periodicals.

The children's meetings, which were conducted by Elder McClure, were a success in that many souls were led to give their hearts to God. Each day of the meeting there was also a young people's Bible-class, conducted by Brother Guilford, Jr., and others; this comprised those between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five, and was full of interest.

The spiritual interest of the meeting was good from the first, and with the first day of the meeting calls were made for those desiring to get nearer the Lord, or to give their hearts to him. The afternoon service on most of the days of the meeting was a revival service, comprising a brief sermon, a call, and labor for those seeking God. Sometimes as many as one hundred and fifty were forward at once upon the front seats. There were many hopeful conversions, and many obtained a richer experience than ever before in the pardoning love of God. At the close of the camp-meeting, there were thirty-six baptized in the baptismal font of the Christian Church, and others residing in Fresno will be baptized soon. The interest among the citizens of the place was such that, at their earnest request, and that of our own people, the pavilion was left standing for another week, and Brother Daniels is conducting services each evening.

There was one new feature connected with this camp-meeting, of which I wish to speak, it was a "cooking school," conducted by Sister F. L. McClure. This was held in the restaurant tent for six afternoons, from 3:30 to 5 P. M. This class was attended by one hundred ladies, some of them citizens of the place who were not of our faith. All expressed themselves as highly benefited by these practical lessons. They were not only taught the theory of hygienic cooking, but practical demonstration was made before them in preparing and cooking the various dishes. In this the class took part, thus obtaining experimental instruction in properly cooking the various grains and vegetables that they may be both wholesome and palatable, as also lessons in that most important branch of cookery, bread making.

I look back upon this camp-meeting as a bright spot in my experience. And I think all of our people there thus regard it. As they left the camp they were happy in God, and many of them expressed themselves as richly paid for all their labor and painstaking in preparing for and coming to the camp.

There has been a very thorough canvas of this central district during the last few months, with the remonstrance to the Blair bills, and this has awakened an earnest desire in many places to hear on the present truth. If it were possible to do so, there are a dozen places in that district where they desire tents erected immediately for the proclamation of the truth. Brother D. C. Hunter will start out with a forty-four-foot tent next week, and others will labor either in Bible reading, colporter work, or preaching at two other points. As we look over that, and other fields, ripe for labor, we can only call the attention of our readers to the words of our Lord: "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest." "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few." J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.