p. 325 | Missouri Camp-Meeting by George I. Butler

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 25, 1877

Missouri Camp-Meeting.

By George I. Butler

Our camp-meeting held with the Prairie Valley church, October 4-9, has just closed. It has been a great success, and in some respects better than any camp-meeting ever held in the State before. Though the weather was somewhat against us, as it rained Monday and Wednesday before the meeting, stopping and turning back some who had started, and no doubt hindering many others, and though it rained much of the day Sunday, thus keeping away the crowd, yet there was at our meeting a larger number of our people than I have ever seen in Missouri, or when Missouri and Kansas were united.

An immense crowd of outsiders would have been present Sunday but for the rain; for the livery men in towns eight or ten miles away had all their own teams engaged, and many others had been engaged of private citizens, and all through the country many had said they were coming. But the rain stopped many of these, so Sunday there was not a great number of any but our own people present. But at night, after the rain, and Monday night, though dark and muddy, the tent was well filled, and a good degree of interest manifested.

Our people go home from this meeting greatly encouraged. We had an excellent social meeting Monday afternoon, in which many short, cheering testimonies were given. Almost every one commenced with, “I am thankful to God for this good meeting,” or “I am glad I came to this meeting,” or kindred words.

On Sabbath day, our meetings were solemn. By a rising vote, nearly all pledged themselves to live nearer to God and be more earnest in his work than ever before. On Monday, not far from twenty came forward for prayers, when I invited those who had backslidden from God, and those who had never started in his service, to consecrate themselves to him. It was a good season and the Lord came near.

In preaching, Brethren Chaffee, Wood, Rogers, and T. J. Butler took part, while I spoke fifteen times in all, filling in all the available time between regular services. The last two weeks I have had the privilege of speaking to not less than two hundred and fifty of our people, over half of our membership; and though this number seems small when compared with the numbers attending such meetings in Iowa, Michigan, and other large Conferences, yet the time was not far back when this would have been a respectable attendance for either of those strong Conferences. Even this is in glorious contrast with the meetings in Missouri only a few years ago.

We have received subscriptions to our tent and camp-meeting fund to over $350. We hope to raise this to $500 before spring. We want to buy two tents, one large and one small one. They are beginning to wake up in Missouri; and though the victory is not yet complete, and there is much hard work to be done, yet God lives, and will help all who are in earnest; and we must gain the victory. Let us remember the Christian’s watchwords, “Watch, pray, and work.” GEO. I. BUTLER.