p. 16 | Petaluma Camp Meeting by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal. · Jun 25, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 26.

Petaluma Camp Meeting

By Editor

An excellent camp-meeting has just closed in Petaluma, Cal. It was our privilege to attend a part of one day, but that short time was sufficient to observe and appreciate the good spirit of the meeting, which was emphatically a spirit of work. The medical missionary and health work was the central object the day the writer was in attendance; and the interesting experiences told in connection with this work were evidence sufficient as showing its place in the Gospel plan. There are millions of souls suffering under the harder bondage, not of brick and mortar, but of pork, and sausage, and flesh-foods galore, and general unhygienic diet, to whom true, sensible, dietetic reform comes as a message of freedom. The restaurant on the ground, conducted by the St. Helena Food Company, was well patronized, and its liberal provision of fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables well exemplified true vegetarianism. One specially good feature of the meeting was not work among the young people, but the work the young people were doing in the town among those who know not "the Gospel of the kingdom." And this is as it should be. The apostle says, "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." Even so it ought to be. God's church should be a force, an army, strong, and militant against all evil, for all good, and not a needy field to consume the time of Gospel ministers.