Ontario Camp-Meeting by A. O. Burrill

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Oct 25, 1906

Ontario Camp-Meeting

By A. O. Burrill

The Canadian Union Conference and the Ontario Conference held their sessions in connection with the camp-meeting at Paris. The location was central for the believers in western Ontario, where most of the Sabbath-keepers live. The attendance was larger than at any former meeting. There were twenty-four small tents, and three large ones. These were well filled, and many took rooms near the encampment.

The citizens were kind, and did all that we could reasonably expect. The two weekly papers opened their columns to us, and we had good reports in them. The meetings were reported in the Brantford Expositor, which has a large circulation in Paris. The citizens gave us a candid hearing evenings and on both Sundays of the meeting.

The ministers of the Canadian Union Conference were present, and the last of the second week Elders I. H. Evans and D. E. Lindsay came. The Lord worked in a marked manner for the people. Both Sabbaths were fruitful occasions. Twenty-two were baptized. The officers in both conferences were re-elected, with the exception of two committeemen.

The ministers showed their loyalty to the message in all its branches, and met with a hearty response from the people. The average tithe was $12.50 per capita. Over three thousand dollars was pledged for the school work, and two thousand dollars was paid in by the close of the meeting. Elder Leland and Brethren C. E. Smith and H. L. Knister were appointed a building committee to erect new school buildings. The conference had money to pay all its laborers, and some was left to begin future work.

A number of the medical workers were present, and made that branch of the work very interesting and instructive to both our people and the citizens. Among these were the Drs. McCormick, A. R. Satterlee, and another physician whose name has gone from me. The health talks of Elder G. D. Ballou, of Rochester, N. Y., were very highly spoken of.

At the evening meetings two of our preachers began a regular course of lectures, which were continued by these same laborers after the camp-meeting. When the writer left Paris, two weeks from the time the camp-meeting closed, there were more than twenty new Sabbath-keepers as the fruits of the camp-meeting and the after labor. Others were interested. A hall had been fitted up, and the meetings were still in progress when I came away, and there was prospect that others would come into the fold.

Manitoulin Island

This island is about one hundred miles long, and lies in Georgian Bay. Brethren W. E. Hancock, a student from College View, Neb., and J. H. McEachern, a student from Lornedale Academy, Ontario, held a tent-meeting here during the summer, and had a good hearing. When I arrived, ten days ago, they reported eight Sabbath-keepers, and others are interested. I have been assisting them by visiting and by speaking in the schoolhouse during this time. There is a good class of citizens here. Many in this part of the island began life in the forest. They have cut it away, and have put up buildings. The log barns are now beginning to be replaced with frame ones with stone basements.

These brethren have planned to remain by the interest until the work is developed. We see no reason why a good work can not be accomplished among this people. We shall remain a few days to counsel and help on the work in this new field.

A. O. BURRILL.