p. 94 | Vermont Camp-Meeting by George L. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 3, 1872

Vermont Camp-Meeting.

By George L. Butler

We reached the ground Tuesday night at ten o’clock and found quite a number of the brethren and sisters present, and some tents up, though there was some delay occasioned by the rain. The weather, through the meeting, was against us. I believe it rained every day some, and Sabbath night it poured all night, so that it tore up the roads, carried off bridges, and rendered it difficult for many to get there on Sunday. Pails standing out in the open air were nearly filled with water. Our camp-ground was situated on the top of one of the Vermont hills, which saved us from being endangered by the streams. As it was, a few tents pitched in grounds lower than others were flooded, but no serious accident occurred more than to wet the inmates thoroughly. No sickness resulted that I am aware of.

The outside attendance was small. Sunday, several hundred were present in spite of the bad roads, and gave good attention. But many, no doubt, were kept away from that cause.

The attendance of our own people was fair, though the lateness of the season, and the fact that their grain crops were not gathered, kept some away. There were about thirty tents up, of fair size, and not far from three hundred Sabbath-keepers present. The course of the meeting ran very much as that of the other camp-meetings which have been reported. The preaching was designed to be solemn, to cause the people to see the principles of true religion just as it is revealed in the word of God, in plainness and force, and to show what sort of people we ought to be in view of the truth which we profess. Comparing ourselves as we are with those principles must necessarily result in our seeing a very great lack on our part and would naturally cause us to feel the need of being different if we hope to meet the measure of God’s standard. The convicting power of the Spirit of God was present, judging from the tearful eyes and earnest testimonies given. When an opportunity was offered for those to come forward for prayers who desired them, as many as two hundred came at once without urging, and afterward many confessed that they had seen their hearts as never before, and many expressed their joy at finding the blessing of God. Our social meetings were all seasons of interest, and the time well filled. At the close of the meeting, seven were baptized.

The Conference seems to be growing strong, slowly, judging from the reports. And if union and harmony prevail among those laboring in the work there is no reason to fear that the work will go down in Vermont. May God’s blessing rest upon it. Many expressed themselves as much benefited by the meeting, and that its influence had been to unite and bring the minds of all to a contemplation of those truths which were especially needed to be dwelt upon.

Personally speaking, the visit to Vermont was one of interest to me. Seventeen years ago I left my native State an infidel. I came back after this long period for the first time, preaching to many of those who knew me as such the truths I formerly ridiculed. I took time to visit Waterbury, my native town, one day, and view the old familiar scenes of youth and childhood, which leave the strongest impress upon the mind and heart. How strange it seemed. A few were left whom I had known in former years. Many were scattered over our great country. Many more familiar names were inscribed upon the church-yard headstones. Passing away! Passing away! How vivid it seemed. How great God’s mercy to me has been, and how faithfully I ought to labor to show my appreciation of it. The green hills of Vermont never seemed more beautiful. I enjoyed my short stay very much.

GEO. L. BUTLER.

Pishon’s Ferry, Me., Aug. 21, 1872.