NEW YORK CAMP-MEETINGS by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 7, 1880

NEW YORK CAMP-MEETINGS.

By James White

Two camp-meetings have been held in the State of New York the present season, one in the northern part of the State, on the fair-ground at Canton, St. Lawrence Co., Sept. 1-6. Of this meeting a reporter says:—

“The location and surroundings were pleasant, the weather was lovely, and the regular attendance from without large. Indeed, we seldom see so deep an interest as was manifested here. Everybody was friendly, and spoke of the meetings in high praise.”

There was a much larger meeting at Hornellsville, Sept. 9-14, where were held the business sessions of both the New York and Pennsylvania Conferences. The so-called “Free-Thinkers” had been holding a series of meetings in the town of Hornellsville. The bold expression of infidel principles by the speakers had greatly disgusted and distressed the good people of that place who revered God and the Bible, and they looked forward to our camp-meeting with much anxiety. The Elmira Daily Advertiser for Sept. 8 gives the following:—

“Hornellsville must have some peculiar attraction to draw to its welcome doors the Free-Thinkers and the Adventists. Last week the infidels and blasphemers held a convention there, and this week the Seventh-day Adventists are holding their annual Conference in Belknap Grove, two miles east of the village. But, thanks be to Almighty God, the Adventists are an entirely different class of people from the Free-Thinkers. The Adventists believe in God and Jesus Christ. They believe in a seventh-day Sabbath, even like our earnest friends up at Alfred, in Allegany county. They believe that Christ will come upon the earth a second time to redeem the world, but the time of his coming is not to them disclosed.

“They believe that all men, when they die, go into a sleep, and so sleeping, remain until the coming of Christ. Then comes the Judgment. The righteous will be awarded eternal life; the wicked will be punished by eternal death, or extinction; in other words, the righteous will be glad they are living; while the unrighteous will be as if they had never existed.

“The Adventists are a sort of half-way religionists between the Universalists, who believe all will be saved, and the so-called orthodox, who believe in punishment in its literal sense. They do not believe God is a monster, or that he is capable of doing to his subjects what one of his subjects would not do to a fellow; that is, consign him to everlasting pain. The Adventists believe that no one will go either to Heaven or hell until the coming of Christ.

“The Conference is composed of delegates from the States of New York and Pennsylvania. They have a regular camping-out time, and have already some sixty tents in the grove. The Conference began last evening, and will continue one week. Station agent Belknap of Hornellsville is rendering the Conference material assistance. All local trains of the Erie Railway will stop at the grounds, and excursion tickets have been arranged for persons desiring to attend the Conference. We cannot refrain from wishing the Adventists abundant success.”

The Advertiser gives further particulars of the meeting in its issue of the 9th:—

“The encampment here is still growing. Over sixty commodious tents are already pitched and well filled. A special car over the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira road on Monday brought a load of delegates and others from the northern part of the State, and people from intermediate parts are pouring in from different directions.

“Delegates from Essex, Warren, Hamilton, St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Oneida, Madison, Onondaga, Cayuga, Monroe, Niagara, Erie, Allegany, Steuben, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chenango, Tompkins, Herkimer counties, New York City and several counties in Pennsylvania are present.

“The ground is every way adapted to the purpose for which it is being used; a grassy plot of several acres, level as a floor and carefully cleared from everything that would offend the eye.

“The encampment is laid out with a noticeable neatness and regularity. The immense cotton tabernacle occupies the centre of the open space, round which the dwelling tents are pitched, and furnishes an audience room with a capacity of one hundred by one hundred and eighteen feet. This is well seated, and most of the seats are furnished with comfortable backs. Flowers adorn the stand, beautifully executed banners and mottoes greet the eye in every direction.

“The preaching stand is well supplied with talent both from the State and from abroad. Excellent practical discourses have been given which have been well received. Elder C. B. Reynolds, of Rochester, N. Y., gave an appropriate opening discourse Tuesday evening.

“Elder D. M. Canright, President of the Ohio Conference, occupied the hour of the forenoon service today, and Elder D. T. Fero, of Allegany county, preached this afternoon.

“A meeting of the New York Sabbath-school Association was held at five this afternoon, closely followed by a meeting of the Pennsylvania Association.

“Elder James White, President of the General Conference, and his wife, Mrs. E. G. White, of Battle Creek, Mich., and Elder G. I. Butler, President of Iowa Conference, arrive to-night. Mrs. White is a gifted speaker, and the crowds who listened to her impressive eloquence last year are anxiously inquiring for her again this season.”

This was said to be the largest and best camp-meeting ever held by our people in the State of New York. Here we were happy to meet Elder D. T. Fero, who was so very sick upon the same camp-ground a year ago, when he was ordained. He now enjoys excellent health. We had the pleasure of seeing him baptize thirteen on the last day of the meeting. The services of that good day closed with the ordination of brethren E. W. Whitney, C. C. Lewis, and F. Peabody. J. W.