Nebraska Camp-Meeting by Dudley Marvin Canright

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 7, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 39.

Nebraska Camp-Meeting.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THIS meeting was held at Lincoln, the capital of the State, September 15–21. The camp was located on a vacant block in the eastern part of the city, handy to the street cars and other conveniences. There were about sixty family tents on the ground, besides the public tents. These were all crowded to their utmost capacity. There were probably four or five hundred persons encamped on the ground. Quite a number of these were not Sabbath-keepers, but neighbors and friends who came with the brethren. Evidently these brethren had made special efforts to get them out, in some cases paying part of their expenses. The attendance from the city was also excellent. The camp-meeting was held here last year, and there has been a mission in the city since that time, also a tent-meeting through the summer, conducted by Elder Cudney. About forty new Sabbath-keepers have embraced the truth during the year. There is evidently a good feeling in Lincoln toward our people.

Elder Haskell and myself arrived on the ground Thursday noon, and labored to the best of our ability in the various branches of the work. Generally there was good freedom in the meetings. On the Sabbath day the exercises were specially interesting. At the close of the forenoon sermon, forty or fifty came forward, manifesting very deep feeling. In the afternoon, at the close of Elder Haskell’s sermon, the work was taken up and carried forward still further, and quite a large number more made a start. Nearly all who came forward did so for the first time; but some were those who had wholly backslidden, and were again giving themselves to the Lord. Quite a number here took their stand publicly to keep the Sabbath, and many very touching testimonies were borne. It was as good a meeting of the kind as I have witnessed this season.

Monday forenoon was the best of the whole meeting. Elder Haskell laid before them the wants of the cause. Money and pledges were then called for, and we spent an hour in this work. The good Spirit of the Lord came in, and nearly every one gave something, and it seemed to do them good to do so. The Conference was in debt about $1,400. This amount was readily raised, besides about $800 for the general fund, and city mission. During the year two good companies have been brought into the truth simply by brethren giving Bible-readings in their own neighborhoods. This shows what can be done in this way, and it also shows that Nebraska is a good field for labor.

The brethren here set a good example for other Conferences to follow in the matter of obtaining names for the daily papers containing reports of the meeting. Over 500 subscribers were gathered up throughout the Conference, to each of whom six numbers of a daily paper were sent during the meeting. Generally those receiving the papers paid for them themselves,—fifteen cents for six numbers of the papers,—and they were mailed directly from the office of publication. Thus the truth will be read all over the State, and largely paid for by those who read it. The brethren report that they had no difficulty in getting large lists of subscribers for the paper among their neighbors. Let others follow this example.

J. P. Gardner was elected President of the Conference, with A. J. Cudney and L. A. Hoopes on the Executive Committee. A. J. Cudney was elected President of the Tract Society, and O. A. Johnson President of the Sabbath-school Association. Monday afternoon about forty were baptized. On the whole, we feel that we have had a very encouraging meeting, and that with proper management, this will soon be a strong Conference. They need to improve in the arrangement and accommodation for their camp-meeting. We feel sure that they will do this another year.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 21.