New England Camp-Meeting.
By James White
In the six New England States there are three conferences of Seventh-day Adventists; one in Vermont, one in Maine, and one embracing the scattered churches in Mass., N. H., Ct., and R. I., called the New England Conference. In each of these three conferences there is held an annual camp-meeting. The New England Camp-meeting and conference are held the present year in their very beautiful pine grove at South Lancaster, Mass., where it has been held the past six years. The assembly of brethren is larger the present, than at any previous year, and more tents are on the ground. Of this meeting a correspondent of the Boston Journal for August 26, says:— “The Seventh-day Adventists of the New England Conference are busily engaged preparing their grounds for their annual camp-meeting. Each incoming train brings the representatives of the different tent companies to make the necessary arrangements for encamping upon the ground. “Among the preachers who have already arrived are Elder E. B. Lane and wife from the West, who have recently been giving interesting lectures in the town of Milford, N. H., and Elder P. C. Rodman of Rhode Island. Elder James White and wife from the Pacific Coast are expected here to-morrow. Others will be in attendance. “THE GROUND is situated in a beautiful pine grove on the Worcester and Nashua Railroad between South Lancaster and Clinton stations. This site contains about six acres, on a gradual slope well adapted for such gatherings. “Two large pavilion tents are to be erected for the lodging of the homeless who may chance to be here; and also to be used for preaching in case of rain. On the front of the ministers' stand is this motto: ‘Behold I come quickly.’ In the rear of the stand are some twelve or fifteen tents extending in a straight line, forming a street from one side of the inclosure to the other. In front and on the right and left of the public stand is a semi-circle of tents, including the pavilions above alluded to, forming an inclosure sufficiently large to seat the thousands who may attend. A commodious wooden provision stand, containing a boarding table, is also within the inclosure. “The Worcester and Nashua trains stop at the ground, making excellent accommodations for those who may desire to attend the meeting. The cars may be taken at Boston, Portland, Worcester, Nashua and intermediate stations, and without any change be brought directly to the encampment. Also from New Bedford, Providence and Fitchburg and intermediate stations the cars can be taken and land the passengers at Clinton, where all the express trains stop, without change. Clinton is but a mile from this temple of nature's adorning where this people assemble from year to year to worship the God of their fathers. To see them thus making preparation, by erecting tents, etc., one would be reminded of the ancient ‘feast of tabernacles when all Israel came to appear before God.’ We are made glad to meet here brethren from Vermont, from New York, from Washington, D. C., and from Maine, also quite a representation from our S. D. Baptist brethren. The first part of our meeting were days of labor, but little freedom was enjoyed until Sabbath morning when the cloud seemed to part, and liberty came. At the close of Mrs. W.'s discourse in the afternoon there was a forward movement in which more than one-half the congregation took part. She invited sinners and backsliders to come to the front seats, which were made ready, and exhorted with great power which deeply moved the people. After several fervent prayers more than one hundred of those penitants bore testimony. This service lasted more than three hours, yet no one seemed weary. After an intermission of ten minutes, social meetings were held in several of the larger tents. Elder Uriah Smith, editor of the Review and Herald, followed in the evening with one of his clear and instructive discourses. And thus ended the service of an exceedingly profitable day to the people of God on the New England Camp-meeting grounds. The Boston Journal speaks of the meeting as follows:— “My last report spoke of the preparations of the S. D. Adventists for their camp-meeting at South Lancaster, Mass. The meeting commenced at 5:30 Thursday morning, under the most favorable circumstances, as to weather and attendance. The speakers from abroad who were expected are present, and have entered upon their labors. There are forty tents already erected, varying in size from the family tent to the large sixty-five foot circular pavilion, all comfortably filled. There are some three hundred believers on the ground. “This is the eighth camp-meeting held in succession by this denomination the present season. There are seven more to be held, making fifteen in all, including the California meeting. “The New England Conference, appointed in connection with the present meeting, has already held one session, with delegates from nearly all the churches within the bounds of the conference. “Elder James White and Mrs. E. G. White of California, who have attended all the camp-meetings the present season, are the principal speakers. Elder Smith of Michigan, editor of the Review and Herald, one of their three denominational weeklies, arrived at the ground this morning and spoke from the stand this forenoon. “MISSIONARY OPERATIONS. The operations of this denomination are aggressive, the work of their ministry being largely missionary in its nature. They have one hundred and forty-five missionaries in the home and foreign fields. They have a publishing house in Battle Creek, occupying three large buildings. A second office of publication has just been established in California, and steps are now in progress for the erection of a third in Europe, where a mission has been for some years in progress, and is now in a flourishing condition. Adherents to this faith are to be found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. “TRACT SOCIETY ORGANIZATION. In addition to the labors of their ministry their lay members are organized into tract and missionary societies, who maintain a correspondence with agents in all parts of the civilized world, through whom millions of pages of their denominational tracts and other publications are distributed. Their office at Battle Creek sends out several tons of printed matter each month—the aggregate monthly circulation of their periodicals being nearly 100,000 copies. Through this plan of operation there are thousands embracing their views who never heard a sermon from any of their preachers. “THEIR FAITH. Perhaps a few items concerning their peculiar faith may be of interest to your readers. ‘They, in common with all evangelical Christians, believe in one God, one Lord Jesus Christ, the operation of the Holy Spirit, the authenticity and inspiration of the Scriptures, of the Old and New Testaments, the work of the Spirit in a change of heart, and baptism and the Lord's supper as ordinances of the Christian church. “They differ with all other denominations of Christians, except the Seventh-day Baptist, in the observance of the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, instead of the first, taking as the authority for their practice in this respect the literal construction of the fourth commandment of the decalogue. As their name implies, they are also believers in the soon coming of Christ, but unlike many other Adventists, they wholly repudiate the practice of setting time.’ The congregation on first-day has not been large in consequence of a Methodist Camp-meeting near by. But the people have been very attentive, and those who have spoken have enjoyed great freedom. Much good will result. We leave in the morning to meet relatives in Maine, and visit the places sacred in memory, where youthful days were happily spent, before the cares and responsibilities of life pressed upon us, then hasten to the camp-meeting at Richmond, Me., one of the places where we proclaimed the second coming of Christ more than thirty years ago. J. W.