The Vermont Camp-Meeting, by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 2, 1875

The Vermont Camp-Meeting,

By Dudley Marvin Canright

AS REPORTED IN THE BURLINGTON DAILY FREE PRESS AND TIMES.

The following report of our camp-meeting was written out by Bro. Chas. Stone and published in the Free Press. They were not only willing to do this, but were glad to get it as matter of interest for the paper. I am deeply impressed that we ought to avail ourselves of these opportunities much more than we do. Of all means, this is the best to reach the great masses. Almost every paper will publish more or less for us if properly presented. Some one should be selected at each camp-meeting to fully report the meetings. Articles intelligently written would be willingly printed in most of the county papers if offered by our brethren. One brother simply copied article after article from our tracts and they were published by his county paper. Let all our friends everywhere wake up to these opportunities.

D. M. Canright.

FRIDAY EVENING.

The sermon on Friday evening was given by Eld. D. M. Canright, upon the subject of the Advent.

He spoke of the extreme views of two classes; one of which has set the time for the coming of Christ and the end of the world at several different times; the other believes that we can tell nothing about it, whether Christ will come to-day or a thousand years hence.

The speaker took the ground that, although “no man knoweth the day nor the hour,” yet we may know when the event is near. His position he very ably proved from the words of Christ in Matt. 24: 33: “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” He then proceeded to give some of the signs of the last days. Referring to Dan. 12: 4, “Many shall run to and fro; and knowledge shall be increased,” he spoke of the many wonderful inventions of the nineteenth century.

Why is this so? Are the men of this age naturally more wise than they were years ago? No. The hand of God is in it. The present facilities for traveling were contrasted with those of former days, and the speaker maintained that this was a wise provision of the Almighty for the carrying of the last message of mercy to the inhabitants of all the earth. He showed that the fact that the gospel has been preached in every part of the globe was a fulfillment of Matt. 24: 14, and a sign of the end of the world. He referred to the age of the world which the best chronologers place at about six thousand years, and the general belief that a great change will take place at the end of the six thousand years, which he claims will be, not the conversion of the world, but the second advent.

Another sign he claimed is found in modern spiritualism, which he claimed is plainly foretold in Rev. 16: 13, 14; Matt. 24: 22-27, &c.

As another mark of the end of the world, there shall be an unnatural condition of the elements. He read Rev. 11: 19, and called the attention of the audience to the terrible storms, floods, winds, earthquakes, and tidal waves, that have become of late so startling and frequent.

The moral condition of the world was taken as another proof, reasoning from Matt. 24: 37. The world was very wicked in the days of Noah, see Gen. 6: 5. He showed by quotations from several of the leading newspapers that the press is alarmed at the terrible contagion of crime at the present day. The political aspect of the world, the preparations for war (see Joel 3: 9; Rev. 11: 18), &c., he claimed were just what the Lord said they would be in the last days.

The meeting was held under the large canvas tent, which was well filled. The best of attention was given by the audience, and good order has prevailed from the first.

SATURDAY FORENOON.

Saturday morning a sermon was preached by Eld. James White upon the Advent.

The speaker claimed that the angel of Rev. 10 represents a great message to go to the whole world. This is represented by his standing with one foot upon the land and one upon the sea. The angel “cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth,” verse 3, showing the earnestness with which the message is to go. The little book which the angel held in his hand represents the book of Daniel. In proof of this, he showed that the book of Daniel which gives a history of the world in advance was to be sealed up till the time of the end (Dan. 12: 4), when knowledge should be increased. What kind of knowledge? Answer: That which pertains to the end. The angel has been talking about the end.

As a second proof, the angel lifts his hand and swears that time shall be no longer. Then this little book which the angel holds open is one that contains time, prophetic time, and can be no other than the book of Daniel which contains the great prophetic periods—that book which was to be sealed until the time of the end. That this is prophetic time of which the angel speaks he clearly proved, showing the inconsistency of the idea that the angel refers to the end of the world, the end of days and nights, of literal time, when he swears that time shall be no longer.

Those that entertain the latter idea say that this refers to the coming of Christ and the resurrection; but at that very time John speaks of another thousand years. Rev. 20: 4. The time evidently is prophetic time, and the speaker claimed that that time ended in 1844.

The angel of Rev. 14: 6 represents a message that was to be preached, proclaiming the hour of God’s judgment at hand. This message has been given in the present century. The angel of verse 8 is another message relative to all corrupted Christianity upon which the speaker had not time to comment. In the 9th verse, and onward, another message follows, containing the most terrible warning within the lids of the Bible against those who worship the beast and his image, and who receive his mark.

The 12th verse reads, “Here is the patience of the saints.” This applies to the present time, the time when we are waiting in suspense, in expectation of the coming of Christ. “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Verse 12. Right down in the last days, then, will be a people that will keep the commandments of God just as they read, the fourth not excepted. Such a people the Seventh-day Adventists profess to be. This does not refer to the blind Jews, for the last words of the verse add that they have also the faith of Jesus. The speaker said that he thanked God that he was connected with a people that have a whole Bible, one that embraces the law of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He spoke of the disappointment of the Adventist people in 1844, and showed how clearly this was marked out in Rev. 10: 9, 10, 11, by the little book that the angel told John to eat. This was not a literal book, of course; but the sweet taste of it represents the joy with which the news of the Advent was received in 1844, and the bitter taste which followed represents the terrible disappointment which fell upon the people when the time passed. In the 11th verse the angel said, “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” This work the Seventh-day Adventists have been doing for the last twenty-five years. Upon this point he spoke of the providence of God in the success of the printing establishments. About twenty-five years ago the first issue of their paper was carried to the post-office in a small carpet bag. Now the issue of periodicals from their Office at Battle Creek, Michigan, in one week recently amounted to three hundred bushels, or nearly two tons weight. They are printing largely in French, German, Swedish and Danish, besides the English.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

Eld. D. M. Canright addressed the congregation from Rev. 4: 11. In this chapter John describes what he saw in Heaven. In the verses preceding the text, the holy beings in Heaven are represented as worshiping God; and they exclaim, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” The great idea that the speaker wished to convey was that everything was made for God’s pleasure. We are all made for his pleasure; and if any man lives his lifetime seeking his own pleasure only, regardless of glorifying God, he will find, when he comes to settle his account, that he has made a terrible mistake.

The first object of the gospel, even, is the pleasure and glory of God. This is put first all through the Scriptures. In the ten commandments duty to God is put first. In the Lord’s prayer the name of God is hallowed first. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven,” is put before “give us this day our daily bread.”

The speaker maintained that we are not our own (1 Cor. 6: 19); that the air we breathe, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, all belong to God; that the talents we have, whether they be for preaching, teaching, or making money, are given by God, and that for them we are all accountable. The man who has a talent for making money is just as accountable for the use he makes of his talent as is the man qualified to preach. He quoted Deut. 8: 18. He said that many in the church would not do anything because they could not hope to be great men; but God has a place for every one. Men with small talents have been so blessed in the exercise of them that they have become very gifted.

The reward will correspond to the service rendered. The speaker referred to the life and great labors of the great apostle Paul, and said that doubtless thousands will be saved through them. Unquestionably Paul’s reward will be unspeakably glorious.

Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. All who are saved will owe it to him; and when the Saviour shall look upon the host of the redeemed, what inexpressible joy will fill his heart! “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” The speaker said that the joy of the Lord will consist in beholding the fruits of his labors.

After the sermon, Mrs. E. G. White gave a powerful exhortation, following which invitations were given to backsliders; those who did not enjoy all that light and freedom which they desired, and all such as wished to start for the first time, to come forward. Prayer was offered, and the blessing of God rested down with such power that many were melted to tears. The attendance was good, quite a number being present from the village, from Burlington, and other places.

SATURDAY EVENING.

Mrs. White spoke to a large congregation from the following words: “And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry; and seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon; and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves;” &c. Mark 11: 12, 13. Drawing a beautiful picture of the appearance of the temple as the rays of the setting sun shed their soft light upon the city, Mrs. White described the ride of Christ into Jerusalem.

She then spoke some time upon the sorrow of Christ as he wept over Jerusalem. “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.” Luke 19: 42. He had come to his own people and they had rejected him. The very people whom he left the courts of Heaven to save would not receive him. The Jews, with their religious forms and great professions of holiness, the speaker compared to the boasting fig-tree covered with its green foliage which had the appearance of a fruitful tree, but was barren, having nothing but leaves; and the Gentiles, who claimed no religious virtues, she likened to those trees which had put forth no leaves, which made no pretensions to fruitfulness.

She urged that the words of Christ as he was descending the mount of Olives, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace,” etc.—were uttered with reference not only to the inhabitants of Jerusalem before him, but to the people of all succeeding time. There is a truth for every age, and it belongs to the peace of every people to know the truth that belongs to its day.

She spoke at some length upon the light that has shone out upon the heavenly sanctuary. Way down in the last days, in the time of the Judgment, John saw the temple of God open in Heaven, “and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Rev. 11: 19. This is what especially called attention to the law of God, his testament, which we find in his temple in Heaven. The Jews held up the Old Testament and cried out, “The Father, the law, away with Christ!” while the popular religionists of the present day, equally blind, exclaim, “Christ, the love of Christ, Jesus only, away with the law!” The speaker claimed that the law and gospel should go hand in hand, and that John saw that this should be the case with a people down here in the last days. “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14: 12. The Seventh-day Adventists claim to be this people. They take the whole Bible, law and gospel. The speaker exhorted all to receive the truth; to know the things that are for their peace, even in this day; to be in earnest, so that when the Master comes they may be found bearing good fruit, and not leaves alone.

SUNDAY MORNING—SERMON BY ELDER JAMES WHITE.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” 1 Pet. 3: 15.

The text suggests preparation of the heart. We should sanctify, or set apart, the Lord God in our hearts as the object of our worship and supreme love. It also suggests preparation of the mind by study. We should especially study the sacred Scriptures in order to be ready ever to give a reason for our faith and hope, whether in the pulpit, by the fireside, or when we meet inquiring friends by the way.

The speaker proposed to answer the question, “Why are we Seventh-day Adventists?” He said he thought it even wrong to differ with others without good reasons for differing. He stated that it was not from national caste, or from denominational mold that we believe as we do; for we are gathered from nearly all the nations, and from all the denominations, and from the outside world.

The speaker called attention to the double name—Seventh-day Adventists—and stated that an Adventist was not necessarily a time-setter. The periods of the prophecy of Daniel have terminated. Wm. Miller’s mistake was not in the time, but in the event to occur at the close of the two thousand and three hundredth prophetic day of that book. The cleansing of the sanctuary at the end of those days was not the second coming of Christ and the burning day, as supposed by Mr. Miller; but the closing work of the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. He stated that the word referred to the heavenly sanctuary, which was to be cleansed by the blood of Christ, as the earthly sanctuary was cleansed by the blood of goats. After speaking a few moments upon the personal coming of Christ, and the events connected with it, the speaker called especial attention to Matt. 24: 23-27, which he affirmed set forth the false views of the Second Advent, in contrast with the true.

He said that Christ in that prophetic chapter carries the mind down past the destruction of Jerusalem, past the persecutions of Pagan Rome, and the period of papal dominion which ended in 1798, and that in the 23d verse he says, “Then [the speaker placed emphasis on the word then] if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not.” In the 26th verse Christ says, “If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert, go not forth.” The speaker thought this was met in Mormonism which takes its converts to Salt Lake City, to the desert, where they claim they have Christ.

He quoted the rest of the verse: “Behold he is in the secret chamber; believe it not.” He referred to the quite extensive belief that Christ comes at death—at the sick bed, in the sick chamber, at death. He showed the folly of placing the second coming of Christ at death. There can be but one second coming of Christ. He called attention to the manner of Christ’s coming with all his holy angels, and quoted Matt. 24: 27, and several other scriptures. He showed the folly of that mystical interpretation of the Scriptures which is so prevalent, which allows one to give just such a meaning to the words of the Bible as will suit the wishes of the individual.

He proceeded to tell “why we keep the seventh day.” His first reason was, “Because we take the Bible just as it reads.” He presented a chart containing the ten commandments. He presumed no one would object to any of them except the fourth. He noticed the argument that the ten commandments were abolished at the cross and nine of them re-enacted by the apostles. He called for the new copy, but said it could not be found. He said that the second commandment could not be found in any form in the New Testament; that only three of the ten can be found word for word in the New Testament. He claimed that the law of God is still binding, just as it reads; and for that reason we keep the seventh day. He said there is not a single text in the whole Bible for the observance of Sunday.

There was a large attendance, and, notwithstanding an unfortunate scare at the prospect of a shower, which did not come during the sermon, the audience, after retiring to the large canvas tent, listened with great interest and close attention.

SUNDAY EVENING.

Elder Canright spoke upon the Sabbath question. “What does the New Testament say upon the Sabbath?” The speaker would notice first the foundation of the Sabbath. Sabbath means rest. The Sabbath originated at the creation. God worked six days and rested on the seventh. The seventh day is the Lord’s rest-day, and cannot be changed any more than the birthday of Washington. The Sabbath, then, is not a changeable institution.

The speaker said that it is supposed by many that a change of the Sabbath is found in the New Testament. He stated that if God did design to have a change in the Sabbath, he would have said so plainly; that every ordinance which was binding in the Old Testament, but abolished in the gospel dispensation, is plainly said to have been done away in the New Testament; that no such statement was ever seen in relation to the Sabbath.

He said that the first day of the week is mentioned in the New Testament only eight times, that it is never called the Sabbath, never called the Lord’s day, was never blessed nor sanctified. It is mentioned in the last chapter of Matthew, of Mark, of Luke, and the next to the last chapter of John. These books were written by apostles and disciples from 10 to 63 years after the crucifixion.

He spoke of Christ’s appearing to the disciples as recorded in Mark 16: 14, and he showed that the disciples were not celebrating the resurrection by keeping the first day of the week, for they did not believe that Christ had arisen. Christ upbraided them for their unbelief. He stated that only one religious meeting upon the first day of the week is recorded in the New Testament. According to John 20: 26, after eight days from that first day of the week when Christ appeared unto them, the disciples were within, that is, at home, and Christ appeared unto them again. This is claimed by some as a religious meeting held upon the first day of the week; but by a moment’s count it will be seen that “after eight days” places the latter gathering at least as late as Monday evening.

He mentioned the fact that ministers sometimes state that every meeting of Christ with his disciples after his resurrection was upon the first day of the week. He referred the audience to the time when Christ appeared to them when they were fishing. Christ didn’t tell them that it was wrong to fish on Sunday, but told them where to drop their net. The speaker didn’t know whether it was upon the first day of the week or not—if not, it is plain that Christ did appear to the disciples on other days; if it was, then the disciples fished upon Sunday, and Christ sanctioned it.

The meeting mentioned in Acts 20: 7, is simply an evening meeting held at that time because Paul was to leave them on the morrow. It was not called the Sabbath, nor the Lord’s day, nor a sacred day; but simply the first day of the week.

The speaker claimed that the Lord’s day mentioned in Rev. 1: 10, refers to the seventh day, that being the only day the Lord ever claimed. See Ex. 20: 10; Isa. 58: 13.

He then took up some of the direct testimony for the Sabbath. He showed that it was Christ’s custom to observe it; that Christ recognized the existence of the Sabbath as late as the year A.D. 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed; for he told his disciples to pray that their flight on that occasion should not occur on the Sabbath. Matt. 24: 20; that the apostle, speaking by the inspired pen of Luke in the year A.D. 60, recognized, as the Sabbath, the same day on which the Jews had the synagogue open. Acts 13: 14.

The afternoon rain had ceased, and a large number of the people of the town were present to hear with the most respectful attention.