A Lesson From the Past by I. SANBORN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 24, 1911

A Lesson From the Past

By I. SANBORN

I. SANBORN

As it is now the time of our camp-meeting, I thought a little of my experience in camp-meeting life might help to encourage some to exercise more faith when discouraging circumstances overtake them.

At the time of the first camp-meeting held at Portage, Wis., Elder O. A. Olsen was president of the conference. The meeting had been extensively advertised, with the promise that Elder and Mrs. James White would be there. The meeting opened on Wednesday; when Friday came, neither Elder nor Mrs. White had arrived. The committee sent a despatch to Battle Creek to learn if they were coming. Word was received that a call from the East had come for them to go there, and they were praying to know which way to go. The committee waited until 3 P. M., then sent another despatch, to which a positive No was received in reply.

I never saw my brethren so badly discouraged as they were at that time. We had Elder John Atkinson with us, who had passed through the disappointment of 1844. I said to him, “What can we do to help our brethren?” He said, “We must pray for them.” I replied, “Suppose we invite all the ministers to go with us out into the grove after meeting to-night, and have a council meeting and a prayer season together.” That evening I said, “This, brethren, is a trial of our faith. Do you think that the success of this meeting depends upon the presence of Elder White and his wife, or upon the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ?” They all admitted that it depended upon the presence of the Lord. “Now do you all really believe that?” They affirmed that they did. “Well, then, if we all confess our sins, our unbelief, our doubts and fears, and ask the Lord to make this meeting a grand success, do you believe he will do it?” “Yes,” they said, “we do.” Then we all prayed earnestly, confessing our sins, and asking the Lord to come into our hearts and help us all to work together in harmony and love. And on Sunday afternoon we had the largest crowd that I ever saw at any of our camp-meetings. About thirty were baptized at the close of the meeting.

It seems to me that the ministers at the camp-meeting should meet together for counsel, and pray for unity and power from the Lord, that all may work together harmoniously. I am sure that we have lost much by not following the counsel of the Lord Jesus Christ given to us by his Holy Spirit. Some come to the meeting who are heavily laden with sin; these should be sought out and helped. Many of our people do not keep the Sabbath as they should, and many criticize one another, and scold and find fault with one another in their homes and in the church. Some fail to have their work done until two or three hours after the Sabbath has begun. Many talk about worldly affairs on the Sabbath. Some read the daily papers, but have no time to read and study the Bible and the Testimonies. All these things must be put away and forgiveness obtained before they can be happy or be of any help in the church.

O brethren and sisters, there must be a radical change before the latter rain will come upon us! I humbly pray that we may all begin now to put away sin.

St. Thomas, Ontario.