p. 15 | The Alberta Conference and Camp-Meeting

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 7, 1913

The Alberta Conference and Camp-Meeting

By Ole Andres Olsen

This meeting was held at Calgary, July 6-13. The camp was conveniently located near the street-car line and close to the banks of the river. The weather was very favorable the entire time. Sixty tents composed the camp, and three hundred and twenty-five of our people attended the meeting. The laborers present, aside from those of the union and the home conference, were Elders G. F. Haffner, V. Leer, B. J. Cady, A. A. Carscallen, S. Mortenson, Brother Bobienco, and the writer. Regular services were conducted daily in English, German, Scandinavian, and Russian. A considerable outside interest was developed, especially among the Germans and English.

The conference business was very harmonious, and showed encouraging gains in its several departments. The conference school at Lacombe reported a very successful year, with an attendance of one hundred and sixty students, and a prospect for a large increase the coming year.

While the work in Alberta is somewhat more advanced than in Saskatchewan, still this is a new field, and presents most favorable conditions for a rapid growth of the work among the forty and more different nationalities of which this conference is composed. How much we need efficient and earnest laborers to fill the many urgent calls coming from so many places!

Elder C. A. Burman was reelected president of the conference for the coming year, and but few changes in the other offices were made.

This conference has been among the foremost to keep up the mission funds, going far beyond the fifteen cents a week per member the past year, and the president assured us of the twenty cents a week per member this year. Such assurance is encouraging, for the great expansion of the missionary work that is called for needs the funds.

Here, as well as at Saskatchewan, funds were needed to meet the needs of the home field. The call for funds realized in cash and pledges $2,770 for missions and the home work. Besides this, the Sabbath-school offerings amounted to $237.90, and the young people raised $54.50 for their new tent.

The laborers enjoyed freedom in presenting the message, both in the practical instruction to our people and in the presentation of the leading features of the message to the larger congregation. Sabbath was a good day; the Lord came very near, and the consecration services were marked with much of the Holy Spirit's presence. Many sought the Lord for a deeper experience; a goodly number took their stand for the first time. Fourteen willing candidates were buried with their Lord in baptism, while six others will go forward in this ordinance in the home church. The meeting closed with an excellent spirit, and our people returned to their homes with renewed courage for the contest.

Personally, I greatly enjoyed visiting this part of the Canadian field and associating with Elder H. S. Shaw, the president of the union, and with the other laborers. May the Lord continue greatly to bless and prosper the work in this interesting field. O. A. OLSEN.