Camp-Meeting in Maine by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 9, 1873

Camp-Meeting in Maine.

By George I. Butler

This meeting was quite well attended by the brethren and sisters of Maine, and was, all things considered, a profitable one. The congregation was somewhat larger than it was last year. The crowd on Sunday was as large as almost any in any part of the country. Eld. Andrews attended this meeting with me and assisted in the labor, while Eld. Haskell went to New York city to assist in the matter of purchasing new presses for the Office. A certain degree of discouragement has seemed to rest upon the minds of the friends of the cause in Maine, because of past troubles, and because of the course of some who formerly labored in the employ of the Conference, not bearing the burdens they should have borne, and holding fast to the truth. But we think this meeting had the effect to encourage many who attended to a renewal of their efforts in the good work. There was a very solemn feeling and spirit manifested upon the ground and some good confessions made by those who had held back from their duty in the past.

On Sabbath, many came forward for prayers and expressed a decided desire to draw nearer the Lord. Our meeting had to close somewhat earlier than in other places in order that we might make the trip from Maine to Michigan in season for that important gathering, and the people did not receive the profit they otherwise would on this account. There were no marked features of interest of special character occurring, yet the result was, on the whole, good for the cause in the State. Encouraging results were shown in the working of the tract and missionary society. We raised a fund of $200 to pay up past indebtedness and forward the operations of the society for the coming year. $700 were raised for the school. Quite a number of souls had been brought out upon the truth the past season by Brn. Blaisdell and Webber. There is great need of laborers in that State. Much good could be done were this want supplied. GEO. I. BUTLER.