The Maine Camp-Meeting.
By George I. Butler
This meeting commenced Wednesday afternoon with a small attendance, and it remained small till Sabbath. The appointment was just a week too soon to accommodate the farmers. Last year, the crops were almost an entire failure, and the people of course felt poor. This year, crops were good, but the season very late and wet, and they had not secured their crops, and the good weather of the week in which the meeting was held was used to accomplish this, and under the circumstances they could not be blamed very much for so doing. Yet it interfered with the interests of the meeting considerably. But in spite of this hindrance we had a profitable meeting, and many expressed themselves as much benefited. Altogether, the attendance of brethren and sisters was between two and three hundred on the Sabbath. Our meeting was situated very favorably in a beautiful beech grove in plain sight of the Kennebec river. I have seen no better place for a camp-meeting thus far this year. On Sunday, there was a large crowd present, numbering several thousand persons. We had no disturbance, and everything passed off pleasantly. The meetings were very solemn occasions. The social meetings were characterized by freedom, and a spirit of confession. There seemed to me to be a larger proportion of individuals of experience than is generally seen at camp-meetings among our laymen, those who had something to say that was worth hearing, that which contained thought and good, sound sense, worthy of consideration. Individual testimonies, expressive of a determination to do the will of God, and of a desire to be saved in the kingdom, are always good when they come from the heart. But those which express thoughts and instruction in Christian experience adapted to encourage and strengthen those who listen, in addition to the other, are better. We were much interested in these meetings. Our closing social meeting Monday morning, just before we parted, although there were but few left to attend it, was a very sweet and precious season. Our brethren who go off the ground before the final closing meeting meet with a spiritual loss. Such solemn and important seasons as our annual camp-meetings should be closed decently and in order, and the closing meeting might be very impressive and salutary would all stay together and enjoy it. It is important that the mind should be properly affected to the very last, for our last impressions are most apt, to tarry with us longest. As it was, those who did remain will long remember the last meeting as a precious one. Sabbath afternoon, those who desired the prayers of God's people were called forward. I should judge at least one hundred and twenty-five came forward. Many of these made confessions and seemed deeply affected. We trust the camp-meeting will have a lasting influence upon the cause in Maine. In the past, we judge trials have existed, some of which have left a blighting influence. But omens of good exist, and give reason of hope that God will bless his people. The labors of Brn. Goodrich and Blaisdell have been greatly blessed the past year. As many as seventy-five have come out and taken hold of the Lord's Sabbath in Aroostook County during the past year, and forty of these, during the very last meeting at Bridgewater. In no other State has there been seen greater grounds of encouragement. Many of these are good, reliable men, of the best character in the places where they reside. The friends of the cause in Maine should thank God and take courage. The Lord has shown a willingness to bless earnest faithful labor in Maine as elsewhere, so he will anywhere. The brethren feel greatly in need of faithful labor in the churches, of which they have had but little in the past year or two. We formed some very interesting acquaintances there, which we hope will be continued in the kingdom. GEO. I. BUTLER. South Lancaster, Aug. 30, 1872.