Conduct in the Camp, and Sitting in the Congregation
By Wm. Covert
Not every one who attends a camp-meeting gets the greatest possible amount of good from it. Some lose much valuable time by visiting over the camp. In doing this they also disqualify themselves in a measure for getting the benefit from the preaching that the Lord intended them to have. Of course it is not supposed that the Lord’s people will go to our camp-meetings and go away without forming some acquaintances and renewing others while they are there; but the principal object is to get the greatest possible good from the service, and also to impart blessings to others. Another chief consideration is that of being at the meetings in good time. Those who linger on the way, or possibly remain altogether in their own tents, and when they should be at the service in the very beginning, fail to get just what the meeting was designed to give. The opening songs and the prayers belong to the service, and those who are tardy in getting to the place of meeting miss these. They not only lose the blessing that the Lord intended them to get from these things, but there is also danger that they will distract the minds of other people from the services. The minister who has charge of the meeting always desires to see his congregation well settled before he opens his service. Those who will be prompt in these things may have the satisfaction of knowing that they have greatly helped in the camp-meeting. Another important consideration is that of getting a seat at the right place in the meeting. No minister who is acquainted with the influence that his words have upon the congregation, will be satisfied, when the congregation is small, to have the people scattered about over a large tent. Usually, either the speaker or the pastor of the camp will ask the people to come forward on such occasions, and congregate themselves near the stand. This is a very important consideration, and the people who pay no heed to these invitations are not acting wisely. These suggestions are very important, and it is hoped that they will help, at least in some degree, to bring about a proper condition of things.