-- I'm building this bridge for the man coming after me.

-- Rev Johnson
 

It’s coming again!!
   Can’t you smell the aroma of conference in the air? Reminiscing the other day, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane.

  To the “good old days”, as they were, of yesteryear when we were all geared up and ready to head toward the “Show Me” State of Missouri.

  Things were quite a bit different back then. We were younger, not so bald and not so grey, and we didn’t have some of the aches and pains we may have today. Ben Gay and Icy Hot were not on our list of items to pick up at the local Wal-Mart. But God was the same God then as He is today!!!

  Traveling to the campground was experienced in different ways by different ones. Some traveled by air, some by RV, others would get with other single brethren or another married couple and cram their self and their “stuff” into a rent – a – car, or the old beater they had. And after praying over the car and the trip they headed off to conference. One man even made it to the camp with his thumb and a cardboard sign that read, “Conference or…..Bust”. Sounds funny? Well, he made it anyway.

  I can remember when about 500 or so would show up along gravel roads, dust following behind like “Pigpen” from the Peanuts cartoon. And Oh the excitement to see that brother or sister you hadn’t seen in 6 months or a year!! There is something about God and His family that causes excitement to well up inside when greeting the brethren.

  After the briefing in the “fellowship” hall, which is now the “J” dorm, you’d head off to your room. At that time the rooms were small, concrete floors, hand framed beds with a 4-5” slab of foam for a mattress. Ah the good old days. Then if you had to shower or use the toilet, you’d grab shower kits, towel and change of clothes and of course……don’t forget the toilet paper. ;O) What a great experience of fellowship in the shower house!!! You might be brushing your teeth while visiting with the brother….(ahem)…..taking care of “business” in the throne room with no doors on the toilet stalls and asking him, “So how’s it going in your town…. brother?” And with a sense of awkwardness he replies, “Good, brother.” Oh yes!!! The Lord knows how to keep his children humble!!!! Amen! And Amen!!

  Then it was church time! The now fellowship hall was the tabernacle where we would go to meet with God and hear His messages. The tabernacle consisted of concrete floors and folding chairs. The trusses were hand crafted and exposed with wood siding outside. But the same pulpit desk then, is still there today which reads “GOD IS LOVE”.

  People from different works would bring their horns and guitars and drums and then the music played. About that time folks like Rev. Saminto, who were on the front row, began to get up and cut some rug….ER….concrete and the dust would begin to rise throughout the Tabernacle. We didn’t care, all we cared about was the Holy Ghost moving and visiting with us and getting something from God!!!!

  After the service we’d head down to the fellowship hall, “J” dorm, for some food and fellowship. The “J” dorm!?!?!?! You ask? Yes. Just another mark of how far the Lord has brought us. (Remember the Spaghetti dinners after the day services)? We were having a blast. Telling stories, jokes and the like then we would hear………. “The Whistle”. It was “Good Night Folks”, an all too familiar phrase which means it’s time to go.

  After the fellowship hall cleared out, it was back to the dorm for more fun. One man would break out his acoustic guitar another his tambourine and a good group of us single guys would sing the glory down. Even ‘til the midnight hour!! We didn’t care, back then, who was trying to sleep!!! But as you get older, you tend to give that a bit more consideration.

  As for the married folks, they would cram into one room and sing and laugh and share stories until, probably, about the same time. (I think I personally counted about 21 or so people in my married dorm at one time, singing and praising God).

  Then there was the last night!! It seemed like God just brought everything and everyone together and we were all ready to go back to our “pea patches” to continue to take our city for God!!!

  The camp has changed quite a bit since then and all for the better. The extension of the fellowship hall (The old Tabernacle), paved roads, bathrooms in the dorms which have real bed frames and mattresses!! Ceiling fans and showers. The erection of the now Tabernacle which has air conditioning and carpet. Yes there are things that have changed, but He’s still the same God!! He has not changed, nor has the message changed. Thank God for that.

  We’re looking forward to all the good things that the Lord has in store for THIS conference. We’re reminded not to despise the days of small beginnings. If God brought us from there to here, how exciting to see what awaits us from here to there. I would dare say, in the words of Carley Simon, “These ARE the good old days.”

   God bless each and everyone as they travel for Him. See you there!!!! ;O)