The Monroe, Wis., Camp-Meeting.
By Uriah Smith
There were in all nineteen tents on the ground, two of them forty-feet tents, and one the large sixty-feet tent. The number of Sabbath-keepers present was between three and four hundred. As the presence of the French at the Illinois Camp-meeting, and a service conducted in that language by Bro. Bourdeau, was an interesting feature of that occasion, so the presence of the Danes and Norwegians was an interesting feature of the Wisconsin meeting. Bro. Matteson conducted a service for this people every noon at the Oakland tent, in the Danish language. On Friday afternoon, Bro. White spoke on the subject of the spread of the truth among other peoples, nations, and tongues, bringing out in strong colors the fact that we are a providential people. Sister White followed in an address more especially to the Norwegian and Danish brethren and sisters, which was interpreted into their language by Bro. Matteson, sentence by sentence, as it was spoken. This was a most interesting occasion, and those brethren were greatly encouraged by what they heard. Sabbath, the 19th, was a day of great religious activity. Nine meetings were held during the day, all good and profitable. At the social meeting at 5 P. M., after a powerful appeal from sister White, over one hundred came forward for prayers, some of them manifesting very deep feeling. At this meeting we saw something of a fulfillment of Mal. 4:6: “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.” One case is worthy of mention: The son of one of our brethren, a young lad, came forward. This started the backslidden father. He testified that when his son came forward, he could no longer hold back. He thought that his son, notwithstanding all the hindrance he had been to him, might go through and be accepted in the kingdom, and he be left out. Then he followed with a heart-broken confession to that son for his harsh words, and to his wife for his wrong influence in the family, earnestly seeking the forgiveness of them both. The whole congregation were in tears. May the impression of that occasion not soon be lost on him or others. On Sunday forenoon, a congregation numbering some two thousand assembled. Bro. White spoke with great clearness and freedom. The closest attention was given by all, to some of the great distinctive truths which characterize S. D. Adventists as a denomination. In the afternoon the crowd increased to twenty-five hundred or three thousand, who listened to sister White as she set clearly before them the great truths that lie at the very foundation of the good of society. She spoke with such strength and clearness of voice, that an enemy of the truth a mile away, who had kept his wife from attending the meeting, heard, and fell into a towering passion against the “Advents.” During the business sessions of the Conference, nineteen churches were represented by twenty-seven delegates, and two churches by letter. Five new churches were admitted into the Conference, making thirty-seven in all; and the membership was increased over one hundred. Their public laborers the coming year will consist of five ordained ministers and eight licentiates. Ten persons were baptized. The parting meeting, Tuesday morning, was perhaps the most solemn and impressive meeting of all. Bro. H. W. Decker was, at this meeting, set apart to the work of the ministry. The Spirit of God came down in power. During the ordination prayer and charge by Bro. White, many were deeply affected, Bro. D. being so overpowered by his emotions as scarcely to be able to retain his strength. The remarks of sister White were most appropriate. She exhorted the brethren and sisters to shun the careless spirit and jovial talk, now that the meeting was closed, and take Jesus with them to their homes. She reminded them that it might be with them as it was with the parents of Jesus of old. Mingling in the company, they lost their divine Son; and while it took them but one day to lose him, it took them three days to find him. So we may by our carelessness lose Jesus in a day, and be obliged to labor days to find him again. The result of the meeting we have every reason to believe will be in the highest degree beneficial to the cause in this State. The faithful testimony of Bro. and sister White has been appreciated by the brethren and sisters, so much so that after they had taken a vote to this effect in a business session, the whole congregation signified it by a rising vote at the parting meeting. Much prejudice has been removed from minds in this community. Quite a number of first-day Adventists were present, who have had much of that feeling against sister W. which certain leaders of that class try to excite in the minds of their hearers. But that feeling was entirely dissipated by what they here saw and heard. One example will serve as an illustration of this matter: A fine appearing, intelligent gentleman came to the tent, as the camp was breaking up, saying that he wished to take the hands of Bro. and sister White before leaving the ground. Then addressing sister W. he said, “I have had great prejudice against you, but you have taken it all away. My feelings have been excited against you by what I have heard in opposition to you and your writings. But having seen and heard you for myself, I see that God is with you. Will you forgive me for having entertained the feelings I have?” The weather throughout was all that could have been desired. No disturbance was manifested; and the good order was favorably commented upon by many who, from their past experience, had associated in their minds the idea of disturbance and disorder with all camp-meetings. We leave to-day for the camp-meeting at Eagle Lake, Blue Earth, Co., Minn. Monroe, Wis., June 23, 1875.