The Camp-Meeting Campaign.
By George I. Butler
It may not be improper, now that the camp-meetings are all in the past, to take a glance at them as a whole, to see what has been accomplished, and draw such encouragement from them as the circumstances of the case will warrant. Perhaps there has been no more discouraging commencement for a camp-meeting season, in some respects, since this class of meetings have been held among our people, than this season. All those prominent gifts who have heretofore interested and led on the people, were, for one reason or another, not available this year. Bro. and sister White were unable to attend because of his lack of health. Bro. Andrews was engaged in preparing his Sabbath History. Bro. Littlejohn’s health would not admit of his presence, and others were unable to attend, either from poor health, or other duties. Not only was this the case, but in the Western Camp-meetings, especially, there was a great disappointment to start on. It was a little embarrassing, to say the least, to those who felt their inexperience and inability to do much in camp-meeting labor, when arriving upon the ground, to have scores eagerly inquire if such and such important laborers were not going to be present; and when informed that they were not, to see the marks of great disappointment, as much as to say, Our meeting will be a failure. Not that they were to be blamed at all for thinking so, only as this showed lack of faith in God, who can bless the feeblest instrumentalities when striving to do his will. But it did take quite an effort to raise the people above the disappointment, especially when waiting several days, expecting Bro. and sister White every train. I could not help pitying the people in their disappointment when only one inexperienced laborer came into their midst, when they had been looking for several who were blessed with ability. In the Eastern meetings, where I had the help of Bro. Haskell, and, in one meeting, of Bro. Andrews, it was very much better. Yet, in spite of all this, I cannot think of one single meeting that I should call a failure. And many of them were very powerful seasons, where the people were very much moved. A deep solemnity rested upon the minds of the people which, I trust, followed them to their homes. The meetings in Kansas, New York, and Vermont, were more than usually good, while the Michigan meeting was a very solemn one, though a time of great labor and anxiety. One hundred and thirty-six were baptized in all our camp-meetings, and more might have been, had we not thought it better that the ordinance be administered in their own churches. Many confessions with great apparent penitence have been made in these meetings, and good resolutions expressed to be more faithful in the future than in the past. As far as I can discern, the people had clearer views of the importance of the work, its magnitude, and the duty of sacrificing to carry it forward, than ever before. The plans proposed by Bro. White to place our institutions on a broader basis, we have tried to back up and explain. Nothing is really more important to cause our people to prize the cause, and have faith in it, than for those who occupy leading positions to act as though they really expected the work will be what they profess to believe it is. I fully believe our brethren will respond to appeals for means when these things are presented before them in the proper light. The beginning we have made this season in appealing for our denominational school is encouraging. In round numbers, the State Conferences have subscribed as follows, mostly in response to appeals made at our camp-meetings. I give the figures approximately, being sure they will foot up full as large as I give them:— Iowa, $5.000
Wisconsin, 2.000
Minnesota, 2.500
New York, 4.000
Vermont, 4.500
New England, 5.000
Maine, 1.000
Michigan, 21.000
Ohio, 4.000
Indiana, 1.000
Illinois, 2.000
Total, $52.000 I should say here, that brethren of Illinois gave some seven hundred of what was subscribed at the Wisconsin meeting, which will bring her figures up to $2.700, while those of Wisconsin will fall off that difference. Some other States were also affected by brethren’s presence whose residence was in other Conferences. Let it be remembered that when the call was made for the school, $20.000 was all that was asked for. It is gratifying that the friends of the cause, in responding to these appeals, have pledged upwards of $50,000, to be paid this year and next. Some thought that the first-named sum could not be raised. It is evident that such misjudged our people. Let not any think that the raising of this amount is due to any special ability on the part of those who solicited the pledges. It should rather be ascribed to the intrinsic importance of the project itself. All could readily see that without very much pleading. And further, the influence of Bro. and sister White led out in the matter, so that those who presented the subject before our camp-meetings had a very easy time in presenting the importance of it, our people having confidence in the leadership of those whom experience has proved were worthy of it. It would have been quite different were there any question about the matter; but being thus backed up, it was nothing to get the people to subscribe. And yet, the raising of $50,000 of pledges for a school, besides several thousand more for the Tract and Missionary Society, in one season, by a people no more numerous than ours, is a matter of encouragement. It shows some faith in this work on their part. One point of interest occurred within my knowledge which shows some difference between ourselves and others. A few weeks before our camp-meeting was held in Washington, Iowa, one of the popular denominations held a large Conference in that place. There was a regular jam of people. A large number of ministers was present. Everything went on finely. Some important church object came up and a very strong appeal was made, and they tried to raise $800, and failed. Our meeting came. There was not a large attendance of our people. We were a far smaller denomination. Not nearly so many rich members were among us. We had no difficulty in raising $5,000. A number of other circumstances of a similar character occurred this season in other places. Some of the people stood ready to make real sacrifices for the advancement of the cause. In not a single instance did they come short of our expectations, but exceeded it nearly every time. On the whole, the effect of the camp-meetings upon my own mind has been encouraging; not that everything among us is as it should be; so far from this being the case, there is very much among us to lament. We need educating in the principles of piety, devotion, sacrifice, and in intelligent zeal and consecration. There are some who are earnestly trying to do their duty and to awake out of sleep, while very many are far, very far on the background. While some good has been accomplished, we mourn that far more was not. Doubtless much more good might have been done had those gifts been present which have led out in this work. I long to see the power of God more manifest in our midst; to see our people rising to a higher plane of action. Our lukewarmness is terribly offensive to God. We must arouse from sleep. I must, for one, have more of God’s Spirit in my heart. I find that a constant round of meetings (we generally held thirty or more every week) has a strong tendency to bring the mind into a dull state, where the freshness and life of religion gives place to a spirit of mechanically plodding wearily through a round of duties. This I found it very necessary to guard against, I hope with some success, though not with all I could desire. I feel to thank God for as much of his blessing as he has bestowed, but I earnestly desire to live where I may have far more. This work will move forward. God is in it. It is certain to succeed. I never felt more sure of this result than the present season. But shall we be faithful enough to triumph with it? Great and fearful responsibilities rest upon us as a people, unless we are terribly deluded. The world is to be warned. We have a message for the people. May the Lord help us to give it. And may our success next season be far greater than this, is my earnest prayer. Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Oct. 18, 1873.