To the Friends of the Cause in Illinois.
By George I. Butler
As the time appointed for your camp-meeting draws near, I wish to address you a few lines, hoping it may be for the good of the cause we love. Your State Conference, by unanimous vote, resolved last season to have a camp-meeting this year. I am very anxious to see a general attendance of the brethren and sisters, as well as of those who do not believe with us, when it is held in a few weeks at Serena. I desire this because I fully believe it is for the good of the cause in your State. It certainly is for no personal benefit to myself. But I do know that in those States where there is a general interest to attend the camp-meeting, there we see far greater prosperity in the cause. In my opinion, you have suffered a very great loss in the past, for I do not believe there has ever been such an interest manifested to attend these meetings in Illinois as there should have been. Your meetings have always been small in proportion to your numbers, while the one last fall was a disgrace to your Conference. I cannot in truth call it anything else. I shall not soon forget the appearance of that camp-meeting in the suburbs of Pontiac. Five tents up, and some of them such tents, and this the camp-meeting for the great State of Illinois. This State is everywhere famous for its enterprise, wealth, and the wide-awake character of its people. It is covered with a net-work of railroads, making attendance easy. I am not yet prepared to believe that the present truth has found a place in the hearts of only the shiftless and sleepy ones, or that the believers will compare unfavorably with the bulk of the State’s population. From what I have seen of them I feel sure that many of them are wide awake enough when considering the things of this world. You have men of wealth and enterprise among you. Our Sabbath-keepers there are generally better off than they are in many other States. The trouble is, they have been laboring under a wrong impression in the past. They have thought because they were somewhat scattered and because there were few large churches in the State, that therefore they could not be to the trouble of attending the camp-meetings. Now while I readily grant that you labor under some disadvantages in this respect, yet I claim that for this very reason you especially need the benefit of the camp-meetings. By neglecting these privileges you deprive yourselves of nearly all labor. Were you situated in large churches, and had much labor in your midst, you might not need this help as much. But deprived of both, you will be nearly sure to sink into sloth and indifference . And here is your great, your terrible danger. There are none of the western Conferences which need help more than you do—none where there is less of life and spirituality—none where there have been less additions to their membership. And yet you have had more laborers among you than some others and those of longer experience. There are no great trials or causes of trouble in your midst, that I am aware of, to mar your peace. There seems to be a fair state of union existing among you. It seems to me there is a slow sinking down, a gradual backsliding, a spiritual drought coming over you, sapping your spirituality. Many of you seem to be drying up spiritually. There is no lack of good conscientious people among you. You need rousing up, not merely in giving of your means; for I do not think you come behind in that so much as in personal effort and sacrifice. It is said in those countries which are very rich and productive, where it is comparatively easy to obtain all the necessaries, and even luxuries, of life, that the spirit of enterprise dies out of the people, so that after a few generations the descendants of even the most thrifty will become sluggish and shiftless, while countries where the people have to work the very hardest to obtain barely a living will go ahead of them even in wealth, because of their greater energy. As they cultivate energy from necessity, it increases. I think this is a true principle. I have found that the rich soil of Illinois and the readiness with which a sufficiency could be obtained would have some such an effect upon your spiritual energies. Doubtless some of you will not thank me for writing what I have. I know it will not sound as pleasant to you as praise and commendation. But the only reason why I so speak is to help bring about a good result. I want to see the largest turnout in Illinois, by far, that there has ever been at any camp-meeting in the State. And the only reason why I want to see this is that you may be benefited. I want not that the faithful ones who do come should be saddened in their hearts at seeing a mere handful of Sabbath-keepers there when hundreds ought to be in attendance. I want to talk to you now at your homes beforehand when it may do some good, and not feel obliged to say anything on these points to those who are at the meeting. I cannot make promises of any great and wonderful speakers to be at your meeting. I know not whether Bro. and Sister White will be there or not, or who will attend. I wish indeed that they might. I can warrant you one thing, however, that there will be those to speak to you who will tell you truths, which, if you will obey, will result in your eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. And I can further promise you if you will make a grand rally and come up to this feast with the first purpose of your hearts to gain God’s blessing, you will find Him present who is more precious than all the ministers of the land. His presence is the main thing. It is his absence from your hearts which leaves you barren and unfruitful. His presence will bring joy and love and true spiritual prosperity. Brethren and sisters of Illinois, you cannot afford to let this meeting be a failure. If you do you will discourage the hearts of your ministers, and sink deeper into darkness. You have reached a point in your history when you must strike for higher attainments. You want to go out into the harvest work the coming tent season with more life and strength than you ever had in the past. You must get above the worldly grovelling level on which you have been too long traveling. If you make the effort and sacrifice on your part, and bring yourselves under favorable influences you will see better days. Many of your wealthiest men have thought they could not afford time to leave their farms. Their crops might suffer. So for a few more bushels of grain in their earthly granaries, they have neglected to garner eternal riches in the kingdom of God. The whole membership of the Illinois Conference need spiritualizing, rousing, and energizing. To accomplish this you first need to act your part. Place yourself under favorable influences. Leave the world at home. Devote one week to God’s service. The prairies of Illinois, beautiful and rich as they are, will not compare with the glories of the new earth. Your riches gathered there will pale before those of the eternal world. Take a little time to redeem the past. You have hitherto nearly lost the benefit of the camp-meetings simply because you have not attended them. They have been offered to you, but you have not accepted them. Spiritual dearth has been increasing among you. The Lord has not seemed to be moving upon the hearts of the people in your midst as in other States. Now try another plan. Turn out, and make God’s work primary. If you do not, I for one shall have little hope of soon seeing a better state of things in your midst. I shall expect to see things drag on heavily, and but little accomplished. Let Illinois become the most enterprising Conference in the West, in spiritual things, as it is the most enterprising State now in worldly things, in proportion to its strength. God will be pleased with this. Your ministers will go forth with greater hope and courage. Souls will be added to your number. Your own hearts will be gladdened. And through the eternal years, you will have occasion to rejoice. We want to see at least twenty tents up at your camp-meeting the present season. And in conclusion, we say, We expect a large attendance. Blue Valley, Neb., May 20, 1874.