The Southern California Camp-Meeting
By George A. Irwin
THE Southern California Conference held its thirteenth annual conference and camp-meeting in Glendale, a suburb of Los Angeles, August 5-18. The attendance was not so large as had been expected, owing to strict quarantine regulation adopted by the State board of health, and applying to children under fifteen years of age, infantile paralysis being epidemic in the city. Some who had come with their children were compelled to go home; and others, hearing of the quarantine, remained at home. Over four hundred dwelling-tents were pitched, and more would have been needed under ordinary conditions. Yet notwithstanding the quarantine, there were between fifteen hundred and eighteen hundred persons encamped on the ground. It seemed strange to have a large meeting like this without any children, or children's meetings, for which ample provision had been made. The first four days of the meeting were devoted largely to conference and other business meetings. At these meetings, reports were rendered in regard to the progress of the work in the various departments during the year. Space will forbid giving these reports in detail as they were given in the conference sessions, so we shall mention only the prominent features. During the year, 312 were baptized and taken into church fellowship. Six new churches were organized, with an aggregate membership of 131. Three17new church buildings were erected and paid for, at an aggregate cost for buildings and grounds of $11,050. One church building was purchased from the Baptist people, moved, and repaired at a cost of $1,900. Five church buildings were dedicated free of debt. The total membership of the conference is 3,357. The tithe received during the year amounted to $65,500.53. This was a gain over the preceding year of $10,178.41, or a per capita tithe of $19.85. Offerings to missions amounted to $21,153.15, and for General Conference work $35,006.70, making a grand total of $121,750.38 in tithes and offerings given by this people for home and foreign work. This does not include the amount raised and paid out for church expenses and home missionary work. The Sabbath-school report showed a gain of twelve schools and 268 members. From this department, $8,520.67 was donated to missions. This was a gain of $2,840.45 over the past year. Less than one per cent of the offering was used locally, and it is expected that next year all will go to the foreign field. The educational work of the conference is in a prosperous condition. Twenty-two church-schools are being successfully operated, thus giving employment to thirty-three teachers, and furnishing Christian educational advantages to 675 of our children and youth. Much anxiety was manifested last year as to the outcome of the proposition to abandon the second tithe as a means of support for teachers, and return to the tuition plan; but the result from the tuition plan has proved very satisfactory. During the year $11,000 was raised by tuitions and donations, a sufficient amount to pay every teacher in full, and leave no deficit, as in former years. The past year has been the most successful in the history of the Fernando Academy. About 200 pupils were enrolled. This school is largely responsible for the successful church-school work that is being done in the conference, in that it has prepared teachers, and encouraged and fostered this branch of the work. At the same time it has sent out a number of young people who are doing excellent work in the regions beyond. After paying teachers and all operating expenses, the school has a net gain of $600. The medical and sanitarium work under the auspices and management of the conference is in a prosperous condition. The Glendale Sanitarium reported the largest patronage of any year of its existence, which brought to the institution a net gain of $7,516. The Paradise Valley Sanitarium was not so signally blessed financially in its year's operation, it having a net loss of $765.81 to report. The plant, however, was increased by the erection of a ladies' dormitory costing $5,474; the means being donated by a patient who is friendly to the institution. A deficit of $2,259 was sustained by the sanitarium treatment-rooms in the city of Los Angeles. The deficit, however, was accounted for in a large measure by the heavy expense entailed in moving, and in fitting up the present quarters in the heart of the city. Since these improvements have been made on the strength of a seven-year lease, it is expected that no similar report will have to be made in the future. Interesting reports were submitted to the conference by those in charge of the religious liberty, book and periodical, and young people's departments, showing activity and increase in each department. Brother Silas Davis was ordained to the gospel ministry by prayer and the laying on of hands. Elder F. M. Burg, former Bible teacher of Union College, was unanimously elected president, and Frank Lane was reelected secretary and treasurer. The following-named persons were associated with Elder Burg as an executive committee: J. A. Burden, H. G. Lucas, J. W. McCord, A. G. Christiansen, A. S. Booth, and the writer. The camp-meeting was a season of great spiritual refreshing. Each day the time was fully occupied with Bible studies, sermons, studies on church order and organization, home and practical religion, and mission work with our books and periodicals. The services on the two Sabbaths were especially blessed of God. Hundreds came forward for special prayer, giving themselves anew to God, and quite a number gave themselves to the Lord for the first time. Twenty-six were baptized at the close of the meeting, and several others will be baptized in their home churches. The Sabbath-school offerings for foreign missions amounted to $900, and the special collection for the same purpose amounted to $5,155 in cash and pledges. Twelve hundred dollars was raised in cash and pledges for the establishment of a school for the Mexican believers in Arizona. The sales made at the book-stand amounted to over $2,890. The three couples from among the workers of the conference whose names are given below, were selected by Elder Spicer for labor in the regions beyond: Brother Robinson and wife for Africa, Brother Davis and wife for Mexico, Brother McKeague and wife for Honolulu. The death of Sister J. O. Corliss on the last Friday of the meeting, brought a feeling of sadness to all hearts. An impressive memorial service was conducted in the large pavilion on Sabbath afternoon, in which several speakers took part, each paying a heartfelt tribute to the life and character of the deceased. The funeral and interment took place the following Monday at Mountain View. The laborers from outside the conference who took an active part in the meetings were Elders W. A. Spicer, J. N. Loughborough, J. O. Corliss, E. W. Farnsworth, and G. W. Reaser, and Dr. George Thomason. The people left the meeting for their homes full of courage, each determined to press the battle to the gate, and thus hasten the return of the blessed Master.
GEO. A. IRWIN.