THE Los Angeles evangestic campaign and field school, conducted in the city of Los Angeles for four months, reached its climax in the baptism of 319 new believers with additional rebaptisms. All of the participants in this vast program are united in giving God full glory for the accomplishments of this campaign.
I began my work in association with the pastors of the Los Angeles area following a very serious illness, and had not completely recovered from it at the opening night. This threw a heavy responsibility upon the pastors of the area, who proved more than adequate to meet the emergency. Upon my arrival in Los Angeles practically all of the necessary preparations for the opening of the campaign had been completed, from publicity to the erection of the tent.
The tent in which we held the meetings was 220 feet long and 120 feet wide. This tent is said to be one of the largest ever used by an Adventist minister in an evangelistic campaign, if not the largest. Only the best materials were put into the decorations and internal arrangements. Everything that an evangelist would want in the conducting of a public meeting was made available for this campaign by the far-sighted administrators of the Southern California Conference, namely the president, Cree Sandefur and the secretary-treasurer, A. G. Munson. Nor was their cooperation limited to mere budgetary outlay, but both of these officers gave their personal support to the campaign by making frequent appearances in the meetings and at the baptisms. Elder Sandefur welcomed personally the newly baptized believers at each baptism, while Elder Munson participated for one hour in the first baptism.
Such support from the administration was indeed heartening to all of the partici-pating ministers and Bible instructors. Ministers taking part in the campaign were: Elders J. W. Allison, R. Nelson, R. H. Robertson, D. Herbert, J. Melancon, Herman Kibble, Harvey Kibble, C. Pritchett, J. Dogette, R. Andrews, A. J. Johnson, M. Jones, I. Evans, C. J. Williams, and D. Black. From Andrews University the following ministerial graduates were assigned to the effort in our field school: D. Taylor, J. Parker, R. Schmidt (from Argentina), H. Bennett (from Jamaica), W. Whaley, S. A. Bushnell, and Pastor Fleetwood (from Jamaica).
These participating ministers made sacrifices that were above and beyond the call of duty in support of this public campaign. Most of the pastors here listed suspended their eleven o'clock church services for seven consecutive Sabbaths and brought their congregations to the tent meeting in support of the new believers who were on their way into the faith. This unusual cooperative procedure was highly organized so as to prevent large losses in the financial program of the church, and at the same time to provide encouragement to the new believers.
Bible instructors serving faithfully and efficiently in the harvesting of this baptismal result are: Mrs. Celia M. Cleveland, pianist and Bible instructor, Miss Phipps, organist and Bible instructor, Mrs. Rice, Mrs. Moss, Mrs. Burns, Mrs. Boyce, Mrs. Arceneux, Mrs. Bevenue, Miss Bryant, Mrs. Gully, Mrs. Masters, Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. Poe, Mrs.. Short, Mrs. Junkin, Miss C. Brown, Mrs. Penniman, and Mrs. King. Mrs. Dwight Herbert superintended the nurses who served nightly during the evangelistic services.
Professor Dent was minister of music, having the responsibility of selecting the special numbers that were rendered each night. Our musical program for the first two weeks featured the singing of Charles Brooks, of Pine Forge, Pennsylvania. In the latter stages of the meeting we were fortunate to secure the services of Joyce Bryant, who finished the campaign with us. These two talented musicians did much to aid souls who were endeavoring to make their decision, and their songs also glad-dened the hearts of the Christians who attended the meetings.
In connection with the campaign there was conducted a field school of evangelism under the direction of W. S. Lee, secretary of the regional department of the Pacific Union. The ministers gathered daily to listen to the instructions of seasoned experts in their various fields. R. R. Bietz, president of the union, served as an instructor in the school. Cree Sandefur, A. G. Munson, and many others also served, but the one upon whom we depended to carry daily instruction in our field school and who also was active in personal work was Mary Walsh, of the Pacific Union. She conducted enlightening studies on "The Influence of Catholicism Upon Protestant Thought." We were unanimous in our conclusion that her ministry had been for us a real blessing.
The campaign was conducted in the extreme western section of the city of Los Angeles and the territory was rather sparsely populated, but the laymen of our Los Angeles churches filled their automobiles night after night with interested persons and brought them to the meetings. This accounted in a great degree for the success of the campaign.
Noteworthy among the laymen who did outstanding service in this connection was Brother Fletcher of the Los Angeles area. This dear brother not only filled his automobile every night, but was in constant attendance himself with these laymen, explaining those difficult things which they may not have understood. Also Mr. Gully was very active in this respect. There are scores of others that could be named if space would permit. These faithful laymen combined their efforts with those of the ministry, making possible the results of the " Los Angeles campaign.
Work in our cities is becoming extremely difficult, but the most glorious days for the public preaching of the gospel are immediately before us. It is the burden of the writer that each reader of this article examine his own heart as it relates to the public preaching of the Word, and may it be that the record of this campaign will serve as an inspiration not only to the hearts of each of its participants but also to those who have witnessed it in the reading of this article. May it inspire each to go forward in faith in the accomplishment of greater things in the days ahead.
