California Camp-Meeting.
By George I. Butler
This meeting has been in progress just one week to this date. And perhaps the readers of the REVIEW will be glad to hear of its progress without waiting till it is all through. I reached this place last Friday noon, and found the meeting in session. The scene before me was a little different from our Eastern meetings. There is a scarcity of proper groves in this State for camp-meetings. Much of the timber in the level country is something like our oak openings in the western States—scattering trees, low and spreading, here and there. The camp is pitched on the bank of a small stream where there is a fringe of taller trees. But the body of the timber is not very large, so the brethren have their camp more in a body, like a village, than we do in the East, where we strike out a large circle. There are streets, and lanes between. Some eighty-five tents are up, but they are generally smaller than our Eastern tents. From three to four hundred brethren and sisters are present. All the general meetings are held in the large pavilion, which is indeed a big thing. It is made by putting the edges of the two sixty-feet tents together, and a piece of similar manufacture to the tent top, put in each side, which fills out to the edges of the two tents. This makes a grand pavilion one hundred and twenty-five feet long and sixty-one wide. The whole top is double, which keeps it from being so hot as it would otherwise be when the sun shines upon it. It is a fine arrangement, and might be imitated in the East to advantage. The weather is very pleasant. We have not had a camp-meeting, that I have attended the present season, where it has been so favorable. Our meetings have been interesting and profitable. I am much pleased with my acquaintance with the brethren on this coast thus far. I have seen no class of people more ready to respond to the preaching than they. I have found no place where they were more prompt in the social meetings. These have almost uniformly been lively and interesting. In view of the excellent meeting last year, I feared there would be a coming short this year, which would end in disappointment with many. Several of the leading brethren have said, they find this meeting very different in some respects from last year, that while they have not felt so happy thus far, as last year, yet the work is going deeper. The instruction which is given, gives them a clearer idea of their duty, and they feel that the benefit is greater. We have talked to the people on the subjects of Testimonies and Health Reform, as well as many others. Many have said they would lay aside tea and coffee, and some who were clinging to tobacco determine to lay it aside forever. We have had under consideration the establishment of the press here, and the acceptance of the offer made by Bro. White and the General Conference. The brethren here felt a great interest that the paper should not leave this coast. As soon as I came on to the ground, they began to talk about it. Some questioned as to means, &c., and there seemed to be some doubt in the minds of a few. But this morning in our session of Conference, after the matter was fully presented and explained, the feelings of the brethren were expressed. The Conference unanimously voted to assume the responsibility of the matter, and the congregation as a whole voted for it with much good feeling. They have since intrusted the matter of publishing the paper to the State Conference Committee until the legal association is formed. We shall soon raise pledges on the paper, and I shall greatly mistake the feelings of this people if there is not a very liberal subscription raised. The brethren here are determined to take hold of the tract and missionary work in earnest, and will doubtless fully adopt the system as carried out in the East. The meeting is progressing very satisfactorily, and we think great good will be done by it. Yountville, Cal., Oct. 8, 1874.