Eastern Tour by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 18, 1870

Eastern Tour.

By James White

We had made provision of one week to attend the S. D. Baptists General Conference, held at Little Genesee, N. Y., the second week in September. We were appointed by our General Conference at its last annual session to represent our people at this Conference, with the privilege of appointing another in case we could not attend. We had looked forward to this pleasant duty with a strong desire to meet with the S. D. Baptists in General Conference. But the sickness of our son Willie made our attendance at that meeting so very doubtful, that, in accordance with the privilege given us by our Conference, we immediately notified Bro. Andrews that we should depend upon him to attend this meeting as our alternate; and we are very sorry that he could not be present. We feel greatly indebted to our brethren of the S. D. Baptists for sending their worthy delegate, Prof. Allen, to our General Conference last March. The coming of this brother to us in the spirit of Christian liberty, and the report of his visit which appeared soon after in the Sabbath Recorder, have endeared him and his people to us. And it is a matter of deep regret that there should be a failure on our part in maintaining a relation between the two bodies that seemed to promise so happy results. And here it is a pleasure to state that among the most happy things we experienced at our Camp-meeting at Oneida, N. Y., in August, were the several interviews we enjoyed with Bro. Rogers, S. D. Baptist minister from Leonardsville, N. Y. While these esteemed brethren of the S. D. Baptists are interested in our style of pushing forward the work, especially in the publishing department, and think that our zeal in some things may be safely copied by themselves, it is more than probable that the liberal, gentlemanly, and Christian course of these brethren may be safely copied by some among us who mingle zeal with incautiousness.

We were obliged to leave our Willie in the care of Sister Hall, at Brookfield, N. Y., in the family of Bro. and Sister Abbey, Sister Hall's parents, as he was not able to accompany us to the Michigan and Ohio camp-meetings. We have greatly felt the loss of his society and his help at these meetings. But we expect to meet him at our Battle Creek home on our return from Kansas.

MICHIGAN CAMP-MEETING.

Bro. Smith has given a very full account of this meeting. We wish, however, to make a few general remarks, though some of them may be only a repetition of what has been said of this good meeting. The location was central, and the natural advantages of the ground can hardly be equaled. But it was almost impossible to find men to prepare the ground properly. But the first morning of the meeting a hundred men cleared nearly an acre, and moved tents, making the circle one third larger, sufficient to receive between forty and fifty tents. And then taste was manifest in raking, and even sweeping the extensive grounds, making them beautifully neat; so much so as to call forth the oft-repeated remark of admiration of visitors. And we are satisfied that the appearance of the grounds did much to gain the respect and the attention of the people. This was remarkable. We have never witnessed better order and attention at any meeting, of any kind. We are satisfied that we have greatly failed in properly locating and preparing our camp-grounds. Camp-meetings are gatherings of great expense and importance. They should be located in places most accessible to our people, and also where we can secure a candid hearing from thousands. And then preparations should be made extensive, the grounds should be made really neat and beautiful. And then a suitable amount of ministerial labor should be secured. The absence of Bro. Littlejohn was very much felt at this meeting. Mrs. W. and self were both in poor condition to address the people, and to labor for sinners. But God helped us in our weariness and hoarseness, and gave power to the word.

Noble Michigan has acted a benevolent part in this work, and we pray God that a worldly, covetous spirit may not come over our good brethren in this State. Michigan has sent nearly all of her efficient ministerial help out of the State. Bro. Canright is in Iowa, Cornell and Waggoner in New England, Van Horn in Ohio, Lawrence in Missouri, and Loughborough in California. And the Michigan Conference gives $1000 to the General Conference. Michigan is a good field of labor, and we are satisfied that she has loved her neighbors better than herself. There must be more efficient labor in Michigan. Our brethren are becoming wealthy, worldly, and backslidden from God. They pay systematic benevolence, consent to let our ministers go out of the State, and, therefore, see next to nothing done in the State, while they give themselves up to the cares of this life, lose their faith, backslide from God, grow stingy, and are not ready to respond to calls for help to extend the interests of the cause.

Our good Camp-meeting in Charlotte, Mich., afforded a good opportunity to call the attention of our people to the subject of true, saving Advent faith. All were ready to admit the truth spoken. All seemed convicted of the duties of our time, and could our meeting have held a few days longer, there might have been, not only many bright conversions of sinners, but of wealthy brethren to the correct principles and the legitimate works of saving faith. Our camp-meetings should hold ten days each. Could all come on the ground the first days of the meeting, and all remain eight or ten days, ten-fold more good might be accomplished. But even now, when our meetings hold but five days, some of our wealthy brethren cannot come, or if they do, can spend but two or three days on the ground, because of home cares. Could we hold our camp-meetings in mid-winter, those brethren might get out to attend them, if they could obtain trusty help to feed their numerous herds.

JAMES WHITE.