Western Tour by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 8, 1870

Western Tour.

By James White

KANSAS CAMP-MEETING.

We reached the Kansas camp-ground, fifth-day, Oct. 13, and were glad to meet Elds. Butler, of Iowa, Lawrence, of Michigan, and Blanchard, of Missouri, formerly of Illinois. The ground is good. The large Iowa tent is pitched, and well seated. A provision stand is well furnished, and several small tents are put up. The weather is fine, and our brethren are coming in.

Our journey has been a long and wearisome one, yet, with the blessing of God, we feel rested from public speaking, and refreshed to enter upon the labors of this meeting. And we enjoy a buoyancy of spirits, a strength of faith and hope, such as we have not enjoyed the present season. We have the greatest assurance that we have not been mistaken in relation to our impressions of duty to hold this meeting.

For several reasons, this meeting will not be very large. The time of the appointment was short, the brethren are much scattered, and some of them are reported sick; yet our services are interesting, and this meeting will result in much good.

Sixth-day, loads of brethren and sisters continue to come in. One load from Daviess Co., Mo., started first-day morning, and reached the camp-ground only in time to put up their tent before the Sabbath. These people prize the meeting, and the word spoken is doing them good.

The Sabbath has been a good day. We have enjoyed freedom in preaching the word, and the social meetings have been excellent. Near the close of the Sabbath we had a special meeting, and invited backsliders and sinners to come forward for prayers. A goodly number of young persons and children came forward. This was a season of much interest. The Sabbath closed with the entire congregation bowed before the Lord in prayer for the penitent ones who had come forward. Eld. Butler gave an interesting discourse in the evening.

First-day morning is rainy. We meet in the large tent to consider the subject of organizing a Missouri and Kansas Conference. After remarks from several, we have a unanimous vote to form such a Conference, and adjourn to 4 P. M. The prospect seems to brighten, and the brethren are much encouraged.

Mrs. W. is now addressing the congregation, while the rain is pouring from the clouds. God lives and reigns as much in the storm as in the sunshine. We feel his hallowed presence in no small measure upon this far-western camp-ground. Those who wish to see more clearly the location of our present sanctuary, will find it on the map, seventy-five miles south of Kansas City, near Fort Scott, Kan.

Here are ten family tents, several covered wagons in which families live, a provision stand, and the Iowa large tent, of inestimable value to us during the heavy storm. A coal stove has been set up in the big tent, which has added much to our comfort during the storm. In fact, nearly all the tents are furnished with stoves. As far as we can learn, our people have been quite comfortable, even in the midst of the storm. All are cheerful, and enjoy the meeting very much.

Mrs. W. has spoken on the health question in a manner to give entire satisfaction. Her remarks were clear and forcible, yet prudent, so that she carried the feelings of the entire congregation with her. On this subject she always avoids extremes, and is careful to take only those positions where she is quite sure not to excite prejudices.

The people are easily excited and prejudiced upon the subject of health reform, if those who handle it are unfortunate in the selection of the occasion, or in the style in which they present it, especially if they stand before the people in the light of extremists. Some delicate questions, such as “solitary vice,” should seldom, if ever, be discussed only in suitable publications upon the subject. There is not one in ten of our preachers who are suitably informed, and properly guarded, to handle the health question in its several branches before the people. And the amount of harm done to the cause of present truth by the injudicious course of those who have introduced the subject of health reform at the wrong time and place, and in a wrong manner, can hardly be estimated.

“I have yet many things to say unto you,” said Jesus, “but ye cannot bear them now.” Jesus knew how to lead along the minds of his disciples. The Lord also knew how to introduce to his waiting people the great subject of health reform, step by step, as they could bear it, and make a good use of it, without souring the public mind. It was twenty-two years ago the present autumn, that our minds were called to the injurious effects of tobacco, tea, and coffee, through the testimony of Mrs. W. God has wonderfully blessed the effort to put these things away from us, so that we as a denomination can rejoice in victory, with very few exceptions, over these pernicious indulgences of appetite. The means that God has employed to introduce, and to carry forward, this reform among us, has been humble, and by some despised; and yet it is a doubt with us whether all American health reformers put together, beside our people, have brought about a greater, more growing, and permanent reform in reference to the use of tobacco, tea, and coffee, than that which exists among Seventh-day Adventists.

When we had gained a good victory over these things, and when the Lord saw that we were able to bear it, light was given relative to food and dress. And the cause of health reform among our people moved steadily forward, and great changes were made, especially in regard to the use of swine’s flesh, up to a certain point, when, in consequence of our sickness, Mrs. W. ceased to speak and write upon the subject of health reform. From that point may be dated the commencement of our misfortunes and mistakes as a people relative to this subject.

And since we have become active again, Mrs. W. oftener feels called upon to speak upon the subject of health reform because of existing extremes of health reformers, than from any other reason. The fact that all, or nearly all, of the existing extremes upon health reform among our people are supposed to receive her unqualified sanction, is the reason why she feels called upon to speak her real sentiments. The people must, and will in due time, know her position upon this subject.

In reference to the use of tobacco, tea, coffee, flesh-meats, also of dress, there is a general agreement. But at present she is not prepared to take the extreme position relative to salt, sugar, and milk. If there were no other reasons for moving carefully in reference to these things of so common and abundant use, there is a sufficient one in the fact that the minds of many are not prepared, even to receive the facts relative to these things. The complete overthrow of individuals, and the almost destruction of some of our churches, can be clearly traced to some extreme positions upon diet, injudiciously given in the REVIEW some time since. The results have been bad. While some have rejected the subject of health reform, because badly handled, others, prompt and conscientious, have carried out the most extreme positions, greatly detrimental to their health, and, consequently, to the cause of health reform.

In this state of things, however discouraging, Mrs. W. feels called upon to resume her work in this field of labor, and in so doing, will let her views be fully understood. It may be well here to state, however, that while she does not regard milk, taken in large quantities, as customarily eaten with bread, the best article of food, her mind, as yet, has only been called to the importance of the best and most healthful condition of the cow possible, whose milk is used as an article of food. She cannot unite in circulating publications broadcast which take an extreme position on the important question of milk, with her present light upon the subject. Such works may be well enough with well-informed health reformers, and may be a proper guide in the cooking department of our Health Institute at Battle Creek, after its tables shall be cleared of the habitual use of milk. And such works may have a greater influence among our people when our ministers, who are ardent health reformers, shall leave the free use of cows’ milk.

Here is our weakness upon this subject. Our publications, which go out to the untaught and those very susceptible to prejudices, are in advance, upon some of these points, of the practices of those among us who represent the health reform. Mrs. W. pleads to have this matter so reversed that our publications shall speak out only those sentiments upon which those standing at the head of the reform are agreed, and then in a style not to prejudice, and put good men and good women beyond our influence. Let the united practices of health reformers take the advance, and then let our publications follow, and speak out well-matured sentiments as the untaught can bear them.

Mrs. W. thinks that a change from the simplest kinds of flesh-meats, to an abundant use of sugar, is going from “bad to worse.” She would recommend a very sparing use of both sugar and salt. The appetite can, and should be, brought to a very moderate use of both. In the case of salt, food with so reduced an amount that it would taste insipid to the one accustomed to the use of much salt, after a few weeks of very temperate use, will be painfully salt to the taste.

While tobacco, tea and coffee, may be left at once, one at a time, however, by those who are so unfortunate as to be slaves to all, changes in diet should be made carefully, one at a time. And while she would say this to those who are in danger of making changes too rapidly, she would also say to the tardy. Be sure and not forget to change. The plainest facts possible demand a change from the common habits of life, but let them not be made so fast as to injure the health and constitution.

But we have almost forgotten our good Kansas camp-meeting. Relative to it we would say that the organization of the Missouri and Kansas Conference, and the putting of things in order so far as we could under the circumstances, passed off with perfect unity, and the meeting closed, all feeling more than satisfied. The brethren present gave a unanimous vote to hold their next camp-meeting and Conference the last week in May, 1871, the place to be determined hereafter, and the appointment and place to be given two months before the meeting.

As an illustration of the importance of seasonable appointments, we would state that one brother reached the ground at the very close of the meeting, who had come with his team two hundred and seventy miles. He did not get the notice in season. We spent only one evening with him, and gave him eight dollars’ worth of publications, and bade him farewell in the early morning as we left for the cars.

JAMES WHITE.

Hamilton, Mo., October 24, 1870.