The Camp-Meeting at Wright.
By Jos. Clarke
I shall not attempt anything like a report of this meeting. More able pens have, ere this, written accounts of it. To say it was an important meeting is to say but little. I, for one, felt that no considerations could have repaid me for staying away. Momentous truths were dwelt upon with power. God's people were somewhat aroused, and sinners and backsliders were many of them brought to repentance. The order and regularity observed at this meeting was unusual for a meeting of this kind. If all camp-meetings could be conducted as this was, we should hear of glorious results. But we, as a people, have become lukewarm, and this meeting was calculated to arouse such as had sufficient life to awake; but alas! how slow we learn! How our hearts cling to earth! Startling facts were presented before us; the danger of worldliness and spiritual decay; the fact that only a few of this people would overcome; and the late-given light upon the work now going on in the heavenly sanctuary. To show the people of God the necessity of watchfulness and prayer, the necessity of a new and thorough conversion to God, of a full and hearty consecration of all we have and are to the cause of God, and to cut loose from the world, was the burden of those who felt the burden of the meeting and the message. The burden of the preaching rested upon Elds. James White, and J. N. Andrews, and upon Sr. White, whose frequent exhortations and testimonies were full of power. The occasional exhortations of other ministers present were to the point. Sr. White's testimony was such as to cause us to feel somewhat as the disciples did when they queried, “Lord, is it I?” It was full of warning. She stated that she never felt as fearful for this people as at this moment; and at the opening of this meeting she exhorted us not to converse, at this time, of loss and gain, but to speak of heavenly things. The farmer and the mechanic are absorbed in the business of this life. They neglect the things of God, or make them of secondary importance. A stupor is over the church, which we must throw off, or all is lost to us. The Christian must be systematic. As the mechanic and the farmer bring skill, study, knowledge, and experience, to their aid in their avocations, so must the Christian labor with energy, devotion, and perseverance. Is it so with us? Where is the zeal of the people of God? Children must lay this as the foundation of education; then education will be a benefit to them. All must work. We are in the waiting time. Watch, lest ye be found sleeping. Soon there will be no atoning blood; no opportunity for a change of character. Could the people of God be now admitted to the glories of Heaven, how would they quail beneath the bright rays of glory from God's throne! Could the worldly and the thoughtless bear the sight? No, they would beg to be dismissed from the scene. Yet Heaven invites. Is there no attention? Alas! the world, the world, has taken possession of the hearts of most; has taken the uppermost place in the heart. Shall we not now change the order, and place heavenly things in the highest place? Shall we wait till the close of the meeting before we work for God? No, now is the time to draw near to God, that this meeting may be fully improved. This will not come to us naturally, but we must educate the mind to this work. Never before have the people of God been in so perilous a condition as now. They have been corrupted by the spirit of the world. Such is a very meager outline of Sr. White's introductions and exhortations at various times during the first two days of the meeting. She also said, “Let us, during this meeting, practice temperance, and frugality; angels are watching each one of us. Let us seek God now, and he will certainly be found of us.” I can give you no idea of the power attending these remarks. Also on Monday afternoon Bro. White gave general directions, and a short exhortation, yet it was solemn and powerful. It is evident that the church is struggling against a terrible foe. Bro. White has regained his mental and physical powers, though he appears much older than before his sickness; and we were surprised at the amount of labor he performs; not with tottering steps, but with the firmness and elasticity of early life. His preaching and general labors bear the impress of one who has improved his talents, and is still improving. May his example be a powerful stimulant to other speakers to improve their talents. Here is a field for eloquence, angelic, and noble, and heavenly. Here is no place for the loud tones of the fanatic, or the careless politician. God is in this work. I never before so heard the word of God from the tongue of man. Truly, God is raising up help for us. Shall we accept it? The preaching of Bro. J. N. Andrews was with great power. He has accompanied Bro. and Sr. White much in their late tours among the churches, and has caught the same spirit. I felt that this effort of the servants of God to arouse the church was a loud cry to us as a people. Brethren, will we heed it, or will we allow our crowns to fall to others? Alas! how many hours of probation have we wasted. Let us improve those that remain, and in good earnest set about the work of preparation. Oh! how I wish this and that church had been represented, and this and that family at this meeting, and could have heard Bro. and Sr. White's directions and warnings to the young and the old. We were apprised of the special object of this meeting to arouse the people of God to a sense of the danger to which we are now exposed. Here were a thousand or more brethren and sisters from all parts of the field, and a goodly number of ministers who will bear, each to his respective locality, the spirit of the meeting; and as it reaches the ears of the churches, God grant it may kindle and increase until all partake of the spirit of consecration and sacrifice inculcated upon us so faithfully. We were informed of our whereabouts in the morning watch, the most dangerous part of the night for the weary watcher, when sleep comes on with greatest force and power; the very time most to be improved; the last, closing watch of probation. Now the world lures with its siren voice; now the flesh and its lusts are drowning the senses of mankind. Now the Devil, with mesmeric, fiendish power, is lulling the world to its last fevered dream of ease and quiet. Now is no time to talk of houses and lands, of crops and husbandry. We were told that probation is now about to close. The cases of the living are now about to come up for review. No time now merely to become better, but a thorough, radical change must immediately be effected in the character. No room now for half way work. No chance for a change after Jesus leaves the Most Holy Place. Now is an awfully solemn time. God is desirous that we should make a very great effort. He will give his aid to accomplish the work if we do ours. If we exert ourselves to perform a great work, he will fully second our efforts. We must be as men who wait for their Lord, lest coming suddenly he find us sleeping. Truths are brought out now in the right time, and must be taught in a right manner. They are of a stirring and practical nature; and while we are zealous let us avoid fanaticism. Great blessings are in store for the few who persevere to the end. Now while the temple of God is open in Heaven, is the last precious opportunity. The understanding of the work of Jesus, our High Priest, in the heavenly sanctuary, is what distinguishes the Seventh-day Adventists from the Adventists of the day. The cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary! how important that we all have an interest in this sacred work. The priesthood of Jesus covers the judgment of the people of God. A standing account with each of us is in those books. If we are unsanctified that account is increasing. Awful thought! How178lightly we sin! the record all the while increasing. If we overcome, there is the record of pardon; but our sins not blotted out, till the work is done, and Jesus leaves the most holy. All the righteous must be prepared to have their sins blotted out at the same time. How important that all our minds be concentrated on this subject. Ours has been a consistent faith. We have been exalted in view of this, and we have had pride in our hearts when we should have been mourning for our sins. Such are a few of the thoughts brought to our view at this meeting. Also the grace of charity was dwelt upon with clearness and power. We were told that this grace had almost departed from the church; almost from families and the world. Self, self, is the theme and the idol. Pure charity seldom is found. A great deficiency here, in the treatment of erring brethren, even when they return, to watch their steps for a misstep; also in the neglect of the unfortunate and downtrodden, the orphan and the fatherless, and the poor widow. We were exhorted to hospitality, generosity, and largeness of heart. But how can I tell you of all that transpired in a meeting of eight days? of the prayer-meeting in the morning at 5, or 5½, of the social meeting at 8, and the preaching at 10, and the afternoon meeting at half past one? of the hundreds who came forward for prayer and confession? of the disposition of all (nearly) to confess? Yet we felt our work was hardly begun, and we left the ground with regret that we could not stay another week or two on this consecrated spot. Here we worshiped with men of other States and nations, whose hearts were melted in one at the same throne of grace, and we felt that we were all of one family, our interests, and aims, and motives, one. But I fail to describe this meeting. Would to God I could paint the scene of parents weeping over children, and all bowing at the altar of prayer; brethren long estranged united in love, with tears, and sobs, confessing their sins; backsliders returning to the fold, and buried sins honestly brought to light by frank confessions. But the first days of the meeting were days of labor for the servants of God. The church has slept so soundly it seemed almost the sleep of death. I feel, for one, that I am, even yet, but partially aroused.