Camp-Meeting by L. M. H.

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Sep 27, 1877

Camp-Meeting.

By L. M. H.

THE Northern California camp-meeting was held, according to appointment, September 13-19, near Yountville, Napa county. There were over one hundred tents pitched and five hundred and sixty-nine persons encamped. Everything about the encampment was neat and in the most perfect order. The tents were numbered, and the streets of the cotton village laid out by actual survey and alphabetically named. The grounds were beautiful, being level and well shaded by majestic oaks that had the appearance of having existed for centuries, and on either side, or nearly surrounding, was a delightful stream of pure, soft water. The entrance was a broad archway, and a smaller arch each side, draped and festooned with evergreens. Over the broad entrance, on the outside, was inscribed, “Seventh-day Adventist Camp-Meeting;” over the side entrance, at the right, “Behold I Come Quickly;” at the left, “Walk in the Light.” On the inside, over the broad entrance, in letters of evergreen, “God Is Love;” at one side, “Love the Lord;” at the other, “Love thy Neighbor.”

A short distance from the entrance, hanging upon a large oak, was a nicely framed diagram of the grounds, giving the location of every tent, with number, and the name of the occupant. The large pavilion, with a capacity for seating nearly two thousand, was well located. The speaker’s stand was decorated with an anchor and trimmings of evergreen.

The opening meeting was held at six o’clock Thursday morning, at which there was a good representation of those encamped on the ground. Prayer was offered by Elder Loughborough, followed by remarks with reference to the arrangements and regulations of the camp. At 10 A. M. the bell rang for service, and the people again congregated in the large pavilion. Service commenced with the reading of the first and last psalm by Elder Loughborough, calling particular attention to the fact that instruments of music were employed in the worship of God, these remarks being suggested by the thought that some might be disturbed by seeing an organ upon the ground. The praises of God were then sounded forth by melodious voices, accompanying the deep tones of the organ. At the hour for preaching Elder Healey gave a discourse on the subject of the advent, clearly setting forth the teachings of the apostles and the prophets, and their faith in the second advent of Christ. At 2 P. M. Elder Loughborough discoursed upon the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, giving the signs betokening Christ’s second coming.

At 5 P. M. the California Conference convened. The secretary’s report showed an increase of nearly one-third to the membership of the Conference the past year. In the evening Brother Stephens spoke on the Prophecy of Daniel, chapter 2.

The meetings on Friday commenced with the 6 o’clock morning meeting. Elder Loughborough made some remarks on the subject of family prayer. At 9 A. M. a social meeting was held. Over one hundred spirited testimonies were borne in forty minutes. The praise of God was on every tongue, and all seemed to feel, as expressed by one sister, “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, and everything into which breath can be put.” Elder Healey spoke at 10:30 A. M., Elder Loughborough at 2 P. M., and in the evening Brother Rice gave a discourse on the Sabbath question.

Sabbath, the morning meeting was well attended, and at 9 A. M. another interesting social meeting was held. At the hour for preaching Elder Healey spoke on the law. At 2 P. M. an interesting Sabbath-school address was read by Brother J. E. White, which appears in the present number of the SIGNS as voted by the audience. A model Sabbath-school, conducted by Brother J. E. White, was then held, to demonstrate the manner in which the general exercises should be carried out.

At 5 P. M. a meeting was called for the benefit of those just making a start to serve the Lord. About forty came forward for prayers. Deep feeling was manifested, and the Spirit of the Lord seemed to place a seal upon the work. At the close of the Sabbath a special season of prayer was engaged in for the afflicted, particularly for one of Brother Morrison’s daughters, who, in her anxiety to attend the camp-meeting, was brought upon the ground on her bed. But little hope of her recovery was entertained, the physician having given her up, stating that she might not live twenty-four hours. The Elders and a few friends gathered by her bedside and fervent prayers were offered in her behalf, after which she was much relieved, slept quite well during the night, and felt much better the next morning.

The meetings on Sunday were important and very interesting. Over one thousand persons from surrounding towns and the intermediate country were in attendance. On Monday at 9 o’clock Elder Loughborough read a Conference address, after which a missionary meeting was held; also a session of the California Conference, at which it was voted that the Conference address be published in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. At 10:30 A. M. Elder Healey spoke on the subject of temperance, at 2 P. M. we were favored with a discourse from Dr. Kellogg, and at 3 o’clock Brother Brorsen spoke on the prophecy of Daniel. An inquiry meeting was then held and a large number came forward for baptism. In the evening a discourse was given by Elder Loughborough.

Tuesday morning at 8 o’clock a meeting was held for examination of candidates for baptism. At 10:30 A. M. a procession was formed, the administrators, Elders Loughborough and Healey, taking the lead, the candidates next in order, then the singers, followed by the congregation, making a procession that nearly extended from the grounds to the water, a distance of about eighty rods. The hymn, “He cleanseth me,” was sung on the way to the water. The candidates, attendants and singers occupied the ground on one side of the stream, while the crowd covered the bank on the other. Here fifty-seven willing souls followed the example of their Lord in the solemn ordinance of baptism—the youth, aged and middle-aged, husband and wife, mother and daughter, and grandmother and granddaughter, two and two

went down into the water to rise to walk in newness of life.

Among this number was a convalescent daughter of Brother Morrison; and the one previously spoken of was able to be at the water to witness the baptism of her sister. These are sisters of Elder Healey’s wife.

Some came nearly three hundred miles by private conveyance to attend this meeting. Others came two hundred miles from another direction; thus persons living five hundred miles apart met, were baptized, and united in church fellowship.

The closing meeting was held Wednesday morning; and as the hour of parting came all seemed to feel that this had truly been a profitable camp-meeting, and that the blessing of the Lord had rested upon the encampment. Although much regret was expressed that Brother and Sister White could not be at the meeting, and the lack of their testimony was sensibly felt, yet all who attended have great reason to thank God for the good meeting, the fruit of which will not be fully known till the great reckoning day, when the sheaves are gathered for the heavenly garner. L. M. H.