THE CAMP-MEETINGS by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 7, 1876

THE CAMP-MEETINGS.

By James White

The western, early meetings were excellent. The results of the Ohio Camp-meeting were good, but the labor was hard and disagreeable in consequence of the visiting spirit and unconsecration of many. Some of the sisterhood, not excepting old ladies, were decidedly gifted in talking about nothing in particular. When people will talk real sound common sense and religion, we say let them talk; but we confess our utter inability to enjoy hour after hour of common chatter, tinged with vulgar attempts at small wit. If there is anything that can be brought to a camp-meeting which God hates, it is this cheap, driveling nonsense.

If the Vermont Camp-meeting had been located where the crowds could have reached us, we should have had much greater freedom. The time has come when the Spirit of God attends the preaching of the word with greatest power before the multitudes of the people. This is a signal to us that the time has fully come to give to the world the reasons of our faith and hope. But it is no small task to make our people see and feel the importance of broader plans, and liberal, energetic, and united action.

This good people in Vermont need help. In their present state, suffering from the influence of several aspiring to be the greatest, we recommend that Conference to come more fully under the wing of the General Conference. And we think that body should send back to old Vermont some one of her sons now in the West. If it should please God, and meet the mind of Eld. Geo. I. Butler, the Vermont Conference would joyfully welcome him back to his native State. A strong man is wanted to put his arms under that Conference, and lift it up in the strength of God to a state of prosperity, hope, and courage. And we have no brethren anywhere who would stand by such a man in his labor more faithfully than those of the Vermont Conference.

Our Camp-meeting at Groveland, Mass., was a perfect success. The brethren came on the ground with a mind to work, and were greatly blessed. They brought many with them to the meeting who had more or less interest. These became convinced, and not a few committed themselves on the truth. And the outside attendance was large, especially on Sunday.

Bro. Haskell had his attention called to what we were doing in the secular papers by our able reporter, Miss Mary L. Clough, and had matters in good readiness before we reached the ground. He had made arrangements with dailies in Boston, Lawrence, Haverhill, Newburyport, and elsewhere, to give a report each day through the meeting. These readable reports stirred the people, and if the Boston and Maine R. R. men had fully appreciated the situation, and kept their trains running each hour, they would have overwhelmed our camp with thirty or forty thousand people. But in running trains to the ground only at 9 A. M. and 2 P. M., we closed services on Sunday with not less than 20,000 persons present. During this auspicious day, Mrs. W. and the writer spoke with great freedom twice each to the quiet sea of humanity before us.

Mrs. W. dwelt on her favorite theme, Christian Temperance. Officers of the Haverhill Reform Club present urged that she should speak at the City Hall Monday evening on the same subject, promising a thousand people out, and a liberal collection. Here came a trial to decide duty. The strain of speaking twice on Sunday to the crowd had been great, and the reaction on Monday was inevitable, threatening a partial failure. But the temperance men were exceedingly urgent, and the risk was taken, and the appointment went out. And if cheers, and expressions of thanks, hearty amens, tears, smiles, and kisses from the fair temperance ladies at the close, are evidence in the case, it was one of the good woman's best efforts. She was happy to give the Club the benefit of the collection.

A splendid blow has been struck in old Massachusetts which, if fully appreciated by the friends of the cause of truth, and properly followed up, will open an effectual door for the gospel of the third message in the very strongholds of Adventism in 1842-4. As the good camp-meeting at Rome, N. Y., opened the way for the labors of Eld. Canright in that city the present season, so the late camp-meeting near Haverhill, Lawrence, and Newburyport, has opened the way for efficient labor with the tent in these cities next season. These matters will come before our General Conference in September.

We are writing this article in our tent on the Richmond, Maine, Camp-ground. The meeting is larger, and thus far better, than last year. It is encouraging to greet new faces here of those who have come to the light since last year.

J. W.