THE CENTENNIAL CAMP-MEETING.
By Uriah Smith
Such we are inclined to call the meeting which has just closed at Lansing, Mich.; for, like the Centennial Exhibition, one hardly knows where to begin in the attempt to describe it. It has been the largest camp-meeting ever held by S. D. Adventists; and if we allow it to have been as good in quality as other meetings, it has, consequently, been the best. There were one hundred and twenty tents upon the ground. The grand pavilion, eighty by one hundred and twenty feet, is a magnificent affair. This tent packed day after day with a congregation of three thousand people, who could be quite comfortably convened within it, eagerly listening to the truth for this time, was the most inspiring sight we have ever witnessed in this cause. There were together on this occasion the largest body of Sabbath-keepers ever convened in modern times, the largest, probably, since the days of the apostles. Sixteen hundred and twenty-two persons, according to the census of the different tents, were permanently encamped upon the ground. A sufficient number lodged away from the ground to make the regular Sabbath-keeping congregation more than two thousand, being larger by some five hundred than that of any previous meeting in this State. On Sunday there was a grand rally from the city of Lansing and surrounding country. No services were held in the city churches, in the afternoon, and the report of the Presbyterian minister, who was on the ground, was, “We are all here.” Twelve hundred teams came to the encampment, and over six thousand persons passed through the main entrance between eleven o’clock and sundown. It is therefore very safe to put the Sunday afternoon congregation at full eight thousand people. This surpassed the most sanguine expectations that had been entertained in regard to the meeting. But the best of all this feature was that the crowd were well pleased with all the arrangements and with the meeting as a whole. From the more candid and intelligent portion many expressions of commendation and gratification were heard respecting the meeting. They had never seen a meeting pass off with such good arrangement, order, and harmony as this. So far as its outside influence is concerned, we look upon it as a complete success. The internal view of the meeting, that is, as it related to our own people, is equally satisfactory. The people were eager for the words of the living preacher, and listened with great earnestness and attention. Nothing is better calculated than this, aside from the direct blessing of Heaven, to put a speaker into his best condition. The word spoken was generally with great freedom and power. The social meetings were spirited and most excellent. On the Sabbath, the congregation was divided into three parts inside the tent, and separate meetings conducted in each, and so spacious was this large canvas meeting-house, that these in no way interfered with each other. The matter of singing was very happily arranged thus: It was understood that when singing was started in one division, if some were talking in the others, they would suspend, and the whole tent would join in the song, after which the speakers would resume and finish their testimony. In this way there was no embarrassment and no confusion. In this meeting, taking all the divisions together, three hundred and twelve testimonies were borne in three quarters of an hour. There was nothing in any of the meetings boisterous or unduly excitable, yet the spiritual interest rose at times to a remarkable degree. On two several occasions sister White called sinners and backsliders forward for prayers, and something like three hundred responded. A precious work seemed to be wrought for many of these. It was good to witness the joy of some who live in lonely situations. They testified that they had felt the continual blessing of God since they had come upon the camp-ground; that it was the best meeting they ever enjoyed; and other like expressions, which must have been heard to be fully appreciated. One noticeable feature of the occasion was the presence of the Seventh-day Baptist delegate to the General Conference, Eld. C. W. Whitford, President of the Milton (Wis.) College. By his cordial and genial manner, and words of fraternal good cheer, he won all hearts; and it was a pleasure to our people to extend to him such a welcome as would indicate that we could heartily reciprocate all expressions of kindness, sympathy, and co-operation from that honorable body of Sabbath-keeping brethren which he represented. By request, he spoke on sixth-day forenoon on the influence of Sabbath-keeping upon the religious life. At the conclusion of the discourse, a unanimous vote of thanks was tendered him, with a request that he furnish his sermon for publication in the REVIEW. This he will soon do, and our readers will have the pleasure of perusing it for themselves. The business sessions of the various organizations, which held their anniversary meetings in connection with the camp-meeting, came in for their share of attention. A record of the business proceedings, from the pens of the various secretaries, will be found in other columns of this paper. A good degree of prosperity appears from the reports. Seventeen new churches were added to the Michigan Conference. The General Conference report shows a very encouraging gain in ministers, churches, members, and funds. About four thousand dollars were pledged for the College, and about one thousand raised toward paying for the large tent and the camp-meeting expenses. Over fourteen hundred dollars were paid in by the different churches on the Michigan Conference fund. Finally, the interest manifest in reporting this meeting is entitled to special mention. Full, interesting, and graphic reports of each day’s proceedings, both religious meetings and business sessions, written out by Miss M. L. Clough, in her own inimitable style, were published in thirty-two of the principal papers of the State. Our work is thus brought prominently before a large class of readers, to whom we could gain access by no other means. Suitable reference is made to this enterprise in the General Conference business proceedings. The parting meeting on Tuesday morning was one of deep feeling. But the very sorrow of parting made us look forward with more intensified longings to that land where adieus and farewells will never be said. Soon long and crowded trains were bearing the multitudes to their various homes; and it seems to us that none can have left the meeting without feeling that the cause of the third message occupies new ground to-day, which it has never before reached. It has taken a new stride forward; and its friends feel like the man ascending the pyramids when he has just gained another of those broad steps, by which he is at last to reach the summit.