The Natal-Transvaal Conference
By R. C. Porter
This meeting convened according to appointment at Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa, October 10-20. A central location, near the street-car line and just opposite the post-office at Braamfontein, was chosen for the pitching of the camp. This place was selected on account of the interest there was in that section that had been raised through the literature and Bible work of the Johannesburg city mission. The attendance of our people was not large. A general meeting for Natal had previously been held at Pietermaritzburg to accommodate that section of the conference, so that only a delegate representation attended the annual conference from there. The meeting was of a very spiritual character. Every person present seemed to feel the importance of rising to a higher standard of Christian life. Before the close of the meeting, by an unconditional surrender to God, all sought the righteousness of Christ and rejoiced in the blessed peace and joy they experienced as the result. The same spirit operated upon the hearts of some from the church in the city who could attend only part of the meetings. With weeping and expressions of deep sorrow for sins of the past, they reconsecrated themselves to God. Differences were put away, and showers of refreshing from on high fell upon our little camp. The quiet working of a gentle, sweet, and brotherly spirit, that united all hearts in the love of Christ, was the evidence that he had visited our camp to give us his righteousness and abiding peace in preparation for the judgment, and to prepare his people to pass through the closing period of the world's unrest in a quietness and confidence born of faith, trust, and rest in the arms of Jesus. There was a decided change in the testimony of the ministers and workers during this meeting, which was the clearest evidence of the increase of faith in God, and that they were claiming his promises for that power which is to mark the close of the work of gathering out the sheaves of earth's ripened harvest for the heavenly garner. All lines of work showed a substantial increase this year over the previous one. The business passed off harmoniously. Elder H. J. Edmed was unanimously re-elected president, Conrad Baumann was elected secretary, and J. C. Baumann treasurer. The visiting brethren in attendance at the meeting were Elders W. S. Hyatt, H. J. Edmed, and Wm. Hough, Brother A. H. Clark, and the writer.