p. 188 | A Good Day

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 31, 1870

A Good Day.

It matters not how the majority of the Sabbath-keepers in Battle Creek, found themselves on the shore of the beautiful lake about a mile and a half south of this city, on Sunday, May 22. Suffice it to say that they did find themselves there, at a seasonable hour in the forenoon, provided with two of our camp-meeting tents, as a safeguard against any sudden obliquity on the part of the weather, each family furnished with a basket of hygienic provisions for dinner, and all in a state of body and mind to appreciate, and enjoy a day of Christian recreation. The object of the occasion was to get good, not to lose it, to spend a day in such a manner as to enjoy respite from labor and still at its close to find ourselves, not destitute of the spirituality and clearness of conscience, which we had at its commencement, but refreshed in spirit, with a conscience void of offense toward God and man, and better prepared to engage with confidence in the work of the Lord; in other words to spend such an occasion as it should be spent, extracting the good, and coming out of it free from that barrenness of soul which always results from a season of nonsense and frivolity.

Viewed from this standpoint, and judged according to this standard, the occasion was one of encouraging success. There was a gratifying absence of fun and vanity, chaff and nonsense, so common with many, the young especially, at the present day.

All seemed more or less to realize that they had sober realities of life to deal with, and responsibilities of earnest Christian work to discharge; yet they did not act as though their “religion did not agree with them.” It was a season of good cheer.

The forenoon was mostly taken up with remarks from different ones on the subject of health reform, relating experience and imparting instruction on that important subject. After a suitable intermission and a pleasant repast, meeting was again resumed, and the time filled up with songs of praise, prayer and exhortation on the great themes of Christian life.

We might dwell on many of the enjoyable features of the occasion; the lovely day, the pleasant grove, the enlivening scene, the cheerful associations. But with these the reader is not so much concerned. Those who enjoyed them will give them a prominent niche among their pleasant memories; while the reader will be thankful for some of the good things said on the occasion. We are therefore happy to present in another column the remarks of sister White, on Christian recreation, which will be as interesting and instructive to those who read them at their homes, as to us who heard them in the leafy grove.

The remarks of Bro. Ertzenberger added interest to the occasion, both forenoon and afternoon. Other testimonies were borne, when the time having come to conclude the exercises, we returned to our homes pleased and profited with the day's doings.