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Maine Camp Meeting

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 23, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 47.

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Maine Camp Meeting

By S. N. Haskell

The annual camp meeting was held in the twin towns of Dover and Foxcroft, August 26 to September 5. Preceding the camp meeting a tent effort had been conducted in Foxcroft, by Elders H. W. Carr and E. E. Osborne, with good results; quite a number had decided to keep the Sabbath before the camp meeting began.
Elder I. H. Evans was present during most of the meeting, and his help was greatly appreciated. Elder R. D. Quinn, president of the Atlantic Union Conference, Dr. D. H. Kress, Prof. B. F. Machlan, and Brethren L. W. Graham and V. O. Cole were present during a portion of the time.
Elder A. E. Sanderson's report of the work in Portland gave courage and life to the meeting. The Lord has greatly blessed the work in Portland; about eighty have been added to the church. Not only has the old debt on the meeting-house been paid, but an annex has been built and dedicated free from all debt. The Portland brethren have passed the twenty-cent-a-week goal for the year, and in every respect God is honoring the birthplace of the message.
The business meetings of the camp were of a most encouraging character. Repeatedly all proceedings were interrupted by expressions of praise and thanksgiving. Several times the audience arose in the midst of a business meeting and sang “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.” It was more like a praise service than a business meeting.
The various resolutions were passed in a novel and uplifting manner. When resolutions on the colporteur work were presented, the canvassing agent gave his report and hung up a prepared chart, showing the wonderful advancement of the colporteur work during the past year. The company of colporteurs included all ages, from a white-haired woman past sixty years of age to young men and women. Some of the young people had earned two or three scholarships. The audience was prepared to vote without further discussion, and many of them in their hearts decided that what that company had done they, with God's help, would do the coming year.
The resolution to give hearty support to foreign missions was quickly responded to by many pledging one dollar a week for the year, and others fifty cents or twenty-five cents a week, until the sum of $1,747.20 was pledged.
When the resolution to carry forward the Harvest Ingathering work was read, many of the people responded by becoming individually responsible for the raising of different sums, ranging from two dollars to one hundred dollars. In a few minutes $1,169 was promised.
The minutes of the conference business were a “book of acts,” rather than a discussion and voting upon resolutions.
The need of home missionary work was made prominent throughout the meeting. I had attended many meetings where the people bought large quantities of literature, but I had never seen so large an amount taken by so small a company as at this meeting. It was a common sight to see brethren and sisters returning to their living tents with their arms full of literature which they had bought to use in missionary work in their home fields. About $2,500 worth of literature was sold on the camp ground. The last day of the meeting the book tent was empty, not even a Bible or a songbook being left. The sign, “All sold out,” was put up over the counters; but the people continued to come to the book tent, giving their orders for literature to be sent to their homes. Thirty-eight sets of “Testimonies for the Church” were sold.
The Sabbath schools in the State averaged twenty cents a week for each member. The first seven months of 1915 showed a gain in Sabbath school offerings of $1,690.16 over the first seven months of 1914. During the same period there was a gain in tithe of $2,377.34 over the first seven months of 1914.
The young people's meeting conducted by Sister Jennie Bates, and the parents' meeting by Elder and Sister Carr, were strong features in the camp.
The hour devoted each morning to Bible study passed so quickly that the people unanimously voted to meet at 5:30 A. M. instead of six o'clock, thus giving an hour and a half to study God's Word; and of all the services of the camp, none was better attended than the early morning Bible study.
In their whole-hearted service, Elder Carr and his wife have won the confidence of the brethren, and he was unanimously elected president of the conference for the coming year.
The Spirit of God was present in a marked degree from the first meeting. Many gave their hearts to God for the first time, while others who had wandered were reclaimed. Thirty-two persons were buried with their Lord in baptism the last Sunday of the meeting. The interest will be carefully followed up, and it is hoped soon to have another baptism and to organize a church in Foxcroft.
The liberality of the people surpassed all our expectations; the literature sales, offerings, etc., amounted to about $6,500. We were forcibly reminded of the efforts put forth to secure literature when we, at the suggestion of Sister White, went to Maine four years ago. Then, on account of the “deep poverty” of the brethren in Maine, our people from the Atlantic to the Pacific donated money to pay for over 50,000 Temperance Instructors, and hundreds of dollars' worth of tracts, periodicals, and books, which were distributed throughout the State. Over $6,000 worth of literature was placed in the State as the result of these donations.
The same people who were then so very “poor” could at this one camp meeting raise that amount, with no more wealth among them than they had four years ago. One brother explained the change by saying, “We used to think if we gave a quarter, we did well; now we have found there is a blessing in giving dollars.” There was no excitement; it was a voluntary gift by all. The only regret I heard expressed was that they did not have more to give. How the change was wrought is explained in 2 Cor. 8: 1-3: “We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia [Maine]. . . . For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves.” If the people continue in this grace, all will be fulfilled which the Lord has spoken concerning the old Pine Tree State.
Truly the Lord is returning with power in a marked manner to the cities of the East, and the result of sowing literature like the leaves of autumn is being demonstrated. God's power is in the seed of truth contained in the message-filled literature. We cannot make it grow, but we can plant the seed and leave the results with God.
God is not partial; but in every conference in any part of the earth the truth will have the same power if faithful effort is put forth to scatter the books, as well as tracts and periodicals, “like the leaves of autumn.” May God hasten the time when the earth will be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.
S. N. HASKELL.