The Montana Camp-Meeting
By Meade MacGuire
This meeting was held June 26 to July 6, at Manhattan, a village situated between Bozeman and Helena, Mont. The camp was conveniently located between the two railway stations of the town. An unusual interest was manifested on the part of the village people. This was shown by the attitude of a pastor of one leading church who invited one of our ministers to occupy his pulpit on both Sundays of the meeting, and encouraged his people to come to the tent. The people were extremely courteous when visited by our members, and many favors were shown us. It is planned to station some workers in the place to follow up the interest. Prosperity has attended the work the past year. At the beginning of the year quite a heavy debt rested upon the conference, and some departments of the work were greatly in need of help. The reports of the secretary and the president showed that the conference is now free from debt, each department is in a fairly prosperous condition, and there is apparently no disturbing element in the conference. During the past year the conference has been in charge of our venerable pioneer worker, Elder H. W. Decker, who has been officially connected with this work for fifty years, and whose labors have been signally blessed of the Lord. Elder U. Bender, recently from the West Indian field, was present, and was chosen president of the conference for the coming year. Other workers present from outside the conference were Elder C. W. Flaiz, Prof. E. C. Kellogg, and Brother W. R. Beatty, of the North Pacific Union, and Elders E. W. Catlin and L. F. Starr by special invitation. Each rendered valuable service in the various lines. Elders F. B. Armitage, of South Africa, and L. V. Finster, of the Philippine Islands, were present in the interest of the foreign missionary work. Their stirring recitals of experience in those fields were interesting and helpful, and the people responded by a donation of $1,100 for foreign mission work, a really liberal donation from so small a meeting. The young people also raised sixty-five dollars toward paying the transportation of a missionary to Brazil, and other liberal contributions were made for local work. The closing Sabbath was a day long to be remembered. Sabbath-school was placed in the afternoon, and the morning service began at 9:30. After the sermon a call was made, and nearly the whole camp came forward, and by earnest, heartfelt confession of definite sins and faults invited the presence and blessing of God. As the Spirit came in to work upon hearts with power, the way was opened for a glad song of victory and praise. In the afternoon a special meeting was called, and after a brief discourse two young men, Brethren C. H. Rittenhouse and D. H. Hanson, were set apart by ordination to the work of the ministry. Again the Lord came very near, and hearts were deeply touched. Sunday morning twelve persons were baptized in a near-by stream. We left the Montana Conference full of courage, and with confidence that under the blessing of God great progress will be made in this field the coming year. Meade MacGuire.