Three Good Camp-Meetings
By F. M. Wilcox
It was my privilege to attend three of the camp-meetings held in the Central Union Conference; namely, the camp-meeting at Seward, Nebr.; at Denver, Colo.; and at Lyons, Kans. The Nebraska Camp-Meeting
From the very beginning, an excellent spirit was present. The Lord wonderfully blessed our Nebraska brethren and sisters during the last year, and this blessing prepared those who attended the camp-meeting to enter upon the new refreshing received at this gathering. Although the State has suffered considerable as a result of the drought during the last year, the conference had on hand tithe funds at the time of the camp-meeting amounting to nine thousand dollars, with all salaries and bills paid to17August 1. Out of this excellent reserve fund the brethren and sisters joyfully donated $2,500 to the cause of missions. Last year Nebraska paid over to the general work between seventeen and eighteen thousand dollars on the Fifteen-cent-a-week Fund, and it was with courage for the future, and with the firm belief that the full amount would be raised, that the conference unanimously voted to adopt the twenty-cent-a-week standard for the year to come. This conference has several important institutions located within its borders. In addition to Union College, which is a union conference institution, the conference has an intermediate school located at Hastings. This has been an important factor in the preparation of young men and women for lives of usefulness. Its financial operation last year showed a gain of nearly one thousand dollars. Two sanitariums are located in Nebraska, one at College View and one at Hastings. An excellent report was rendered of the work being done in both these institutions. Drs. J. D. and Eva Shively, at College View, and Dr. O. H. Hahn, at Hastings, are doing faithful and efficient work. Our people are giving these two institutions their hearty support. Elder O. A. Olsen, Prof. H. C. Lacey, and other union conference laborers, together with the conference workers, carried a heavy burden of soul, and the Lord abundantly blessed. Elder J. W. Christian was chosen president and Anna M. Peterson secretary and treasurer, with the same committees. The Colorado Camp-Meeting
This was the first general meeting in Colorado which I had been privileged to attend for five years. It was held in Rocky Mountain Lake Park, a beautiful camping-place in the city of Denver. When I arrived at the meeting in the mid-week, I found that the larger part of the conference business had been transacted, and the spiritual interests of the encampment were well advanced. Elder C. R. Kite, who has served the conference as president for the last four years, was again reelected. He has won a large place in the hearts of the brethren and sisters in Colorado. Brother Ralph T. Emery, who has served the interests of the field most acceptably as secretary and treasurer of the conference, was again chosen for this position. The other members of the conference committee and heads of departments remain about the same, I understand, as before. It was my privilege at this meeting to meet many with whom I had been associated in years gone by, and to me the reunion was one of great refreshing and encouragement. It seemed good once more to meet with the dear brethren and sisters in this conference who have for many years faithfully and loyally manifested their love for this message. A number of changes had been made in the personnel of the workers. I was pleased to meet Elders G. W. Anglebarger, W. D. Emery, J. S. Rouse, G. M. Alway, and H. A. Aufderhar, and other workers with whom I was associated in the past. At this camp-meeting the spirit of personal labor was particularly marked, and to this, I believe, even more than to public effort, was due the excellent results attending the meeting. Every night, after the evening service, small companies met together for prayer, where the cases of the unconverted were especially remembered by name. God rewarded this earnest labor for souls, and during the meeting sixty were buried with their Lord in baptism. We believe that this is the largest number ever baptized at a Colorado camp-meeting. Elders W. T. Knox, I. H. Evans, M. E. Kern, and H. M. J. Richards, with the conference and union conference laborers, constituted the force of workers at this meeting. The conference school at Campion has before it good prospects. Prof. C. L. Taylor has been secured as principal. Elder W. A. Gosner will connect with the school as Bible teacher. A strong faculty of teachers has been provided, and I believe our young men and young women in Colorado will appreciate the opportunities which this school affords them. The West Kansas Camp-Meeting
This meeting was held in the little town of Lyons, a city of about twenty-five hundred inhabitants, in western Kansas. We found here a spiritual oasis in a region of country which for the time being is transformed almost into a desert. The great drought which has affected Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas seemed to center in this State. The extensive corn-fields present a sad spectacle, the stalks withered and yellow as in winter. Some of the towns have entirely exhausted their water-supply, and have had to be supplied through the medium of the railroad. Lyons, however, proved an exception to this state of affairs. The city was abundantly supplied with water, sufficient even to continue the watering of the streets. Our brethren were accorded a hearty welcome by the hospitable people of this little city, and everything possible was done by the citizens to make their stay pleasant and profitable. Several homes were opened for free entertainment. The attendance of the general public was quite marked, especially at the evening services, several hundred usually being present. I did not reach the meeting until the closing days, but I found that as the result of the excellent work done by Elder E. T. Russell and Brethren M. B. Van Kirk and C. G. Bellah and the local laborers, an excellent interest was manifested. Elder W. T. Knox had been present at the early part of the meeting and rendered efficient service. About a dozen were baptized at the close of the meeting. Although our brethren and sisters have suffered much in a financial way as a result of the dry weather, a feeling of optimism possessed their hearts. The work of the Wichita sanitarium was well represented. This institution has been particularly favored of late with an excellent class of patronage. Dr. L. L. Jones, the superintendent of the sanitarium, was present at the meeting. Plans were laid for earnest and aggressive work in the future. Elder N. T. Sutton was again unanimously chosen president of this conference, with the same executive committee as served last year. At all three of these meetings Elder J. W. Westphal, of South America, assisted in Nebraska and Kansas by Elder S. S. Shrock, conducted meetings for the German-speaking people, and the Spirit of the Lord was manifest in these services. They contributed in no small degree to the results attained. I rejoiced to find such a spirit in these three conferences. The Lord is abundantly blessing our brethren and sisters in the Central West. This part of the great harvest-field has proved a source of supply in the way of workers and means in the past for the great world-wide work. From the scores of excellent young men and women whom I met at these gatherings I feel that many will go from these conferences to give the message to those who know it not. F. M. WILCOX.