Western Tour by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 21, 1870

Western Tour.

By James White

Second day, May 30, we took the fast train at Battle Creek, for Chicago. Our company for the western camp-meetings numbered four: Mrs. W., myself, Sister Hall, and Willie. Bro. Gage, of the Review Office, accompanied us as far as Chicago, on business. The fast trains on the Michigan Central, at this season of the year, move at the rate of about thirty-five miles per hour. There is no better road than the Michigan Central. The rapid train moves so smoothly that one accustomed to riding on the cars seems to forget that the train moves at all. We left Battle Creek at 11 A. M., reached Chicago at 4 P. M., had six hours for business in the city, took a sleeping car at 10 P. M., for Rock Island, Ill., and reached Washington, Iowa, next morning at half-past ten. Soon we were at Bro. Wheeler’s, where we spent six days very pleasantly. Mrs. W. had great freedom in writing for her second volume of The Spirit of Prophecy. She wrote more in this place of retirement in six days than in three weeks in the midst of cares and interruptions at Battle Creek.

By invitation we spoke on first-day and evening, June 5, in the house of worship of the people who call themselves the Church of God. The attendance was good, and we enjoyed freedom. Third-day we left Bro. Kilgore’s, for the camp-meeting, in company with about thirty others, loaded, bag and baggage, on five teams. The weather was cool, roads good, and atmosphere fine. Freed from care, we enjoyed the journey exceedingly. Before night we joined others from other towns, making one train, long and interesting. There were thirteen teams in all. The number of persons, great and small, was not much less than one hundred. About 6 P. M., we halted for the night, and pitched three large family tents. A kind gentleman farmer gave us room, plenty of good straw, and, with his neighbors, came in to our evening meeting. We had a good, sweet little introductory to our camp-meeting. Our train committee called for a bill of the trouble we had made the generous farmer, and were told by him that he was more than paid already in what he had heard.

At-half past four in the morning we were up, tents and baggage packed, and we were moving out in a line on our journey. The morning was chilly, and as the heavy teams moved slowly, most of the company chose to walk, for exercise, to keep warm. At 7 A. M., we halted by a stream, watered the teams, built fires with the dry bark along the stream, provided warm drink—not tea nor coffee—for the feeble ones and after looking to God in thanksgiving and petition for his blessings, took breakfast. We need not say that we enjoyed the simple, healthful repast, of that occasion, after journeying more than two hours, in the clear, cool air of that good morning. About 1 P. M., we reached the camp ground, and found several tents already up, and others in process of erection. Dinner over, each tent company of our train commenced to erect their tents, and make ready for the night.

We were one day in advance of the time of the meeting, and were surprised to find that most all the tent companies in the State, instead of being one day behind, were one day in advance. Almost every hour since we arrived on fourth-day new companies have been arriving. And now at the time of this writing, fifth-day, 6 P. M., there are twenty-two large family tents up, and another company is now moving slowly in upon the ground.

The bell is ringing for early evening service. And although the time appointed for this camp-meeting has just arrived, we have already enjoyed three short, but interesting meetings at the stand. The large tent is filled with brethren and sisters, earnestly listening to Mrs. W., who is bearing a close and powerful testimony upon the corruptions of the natural heart, and the purity of the Christian life. The shades of evening are gathering around us, and the people in the vicinity are crowding into the large tent to hear.

The camp is on a sandy rise of ground. It is thinly clad with small trees, much like the western groves generally. The large tent is pitched in an open place in the center of the grove, and the smaller tents are pitched among the trees around it, with a becoming taste. The weather is fine, and there is every prospect of a good meeting, if the brethren consecrate themselves to God, and enter heartily into the work. Next week we hope to give the result of this camp-meeting, and the introduction of the next, in Illinois. JAMES WHITE.