That Camp-Meeting Was a Success
By M. E.
There is a reason why that camp-meeting was a success. God does not spread whitening fields and purple vineyards over uncultivated areas. He waits for man's co-operation. He is no respecter of persons, but he is a respecter of earnest prayer, unwavering faith, and untiring effort. See if you do not detect these three essentials to success in the following extracts from a letter written by a Missionary Volunteer secretary:— “Some weeks before camp-meeting I wrote to, and visited personally with, about a dozen chosen young people in different parts of the State, and asked them to pray especially for the young people's work at camp-meeting, and to act as leaders of personal work bands at that time. At the close of our first meeting, those present who wished to engage in personal work were requested to remain. An outline of what we wished to accomplish during the meeting in the line of personal work was then given, and the meeting was dismissed. “Just at the rear of the young people's tent, we had two small tents pitched, one marked Young Women's Rest Tent, and the other Young Men's Rest Tent. These were floored and carpeted, and made as homelike as possible, with table, chairs, writing material, late copies of our papers, and some books; and the young people were invited by our band leaders to go to these tents for visiting, prayer, and small band meetings. “We also had our young people's tent decorated with a large sign,—Young People's Tent Meetings at 5:30 A. M. and 5 P. M. Each Day. I also had several mottoes painted on cloth to display at the front of the tent, and changed these every day or two. One about forty feet long read: The Advent Message to All the World in This Generation—The Love of Christ Constraineth Us. Other mottoes were: Unless Jesus Christ Is Lord of All, He Is Not Lord at All; It Is the Mission of the Whole Church to Give the Whole Gospel to the Whole World; We Can Not Serve God and Mammon, but We Can Serve God With Mammon; Jesus Christ Alone Can Save the World, but Jesus Christ Can Not Save the World Alone. These gave the young people something to think about while gathering in and waiting for meetings to begin, and attracted quite a little attention. “A young woman looked after the six young ladies' bands, counseled with their leaders, etc.; and a young man did the same work with the young men's bands. About the middle of the meeting we felt that closer work ought to be done, so we had an early morning prayer-meeting before the beginning of the regular meeting. About twenty of the young men met each morning for the remainder of the meeting for this purpose. There was much good work done by these personal work bands, and as those for whom they worked became interested, and made a start, they were added to the bands. The camp was not districted, but every one worked where he wished. “A directory of all camping on the ground was taken by the young people, and we knew from this and the number of young people who made a start, that quite effective work was done throughout the camp. At the baptismal service, fifty-two were baptized, forty-three of whom were under thirty years of age. I am corresponding with these and the churches near or in which they are located, to see that they receive the proper attention from the church officers, and are enrolled as members.” Are you praying for the conversion of your children? Are you daily asking God to lead those who profess his name to deeper consecration? And now will you not give God a favorable opportunity to answer your prayers? Do you not think that the young people who attended the camp-meeting mentioned above turned away from that gathering better fitted for service, and better equipped to battle against the evils they must meet? Whether your camp-meeting comes this spring or not until fall, will you not begin at once to plan for your children to attend? John, who is not particularly anxious to go, may be the one who will be most benefited by attending. Mary, you say, is so indifferent that she will not go to enough meetings to pay you to send her. Do not be so sure. At one of our camp-meetings, a girl who was very worldly, and manifested a defiant spirit, came to the worker in charge of the youth's meetings, and said, with tears: “I can not hold out another minute. I know you have been praying for me, and I am going to be a Christian.”18 God is anxious to save your children, but he wants your co-operation. Isa. 49:25. How suddenly and unexpectedly, often, does the last opportunity slip out of our grasp! It is gone, and we sigh; but it returns no more. This camp-meeting season may not be your last special opportunity to work for the salvation of your children; but to some it will be the last, perhaps to you. Will you not improve it? And then saturate the time of the camp-meeting with prayer, knowing that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”