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CAMP-MEETINGS

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 22, 1877

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 49, No. 12.

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CAMP-MEETINGS

By Dudley Marvin Canright; Stephen Nelson Haskell

The camp-meeting season is near at hand, and it may be proper to offer a few hints in reference to the selection of grounds and other items of importance respecting them. When the first camp-meeting was held among our people under the direct supervision of Eld. White, in Mich., a new and glorious era dawned in the history of this cause. Our camp-meetings have yearly increased in importance and interest since that time.
During the first years of our camp-meeting experience, it was thought by some that the object of the camp-meeting was principally to benefit our brethren. This is an important consideration. Our brethren are very much scattered, and many of them have but little if any ministerial help during the year. All our brethren, therefore, should be on hand a day at least in advance, that they may be prepared to commence with the first meeting; and they should not leave until the last meeting breaks up. But the idea that this is the only object of the camp-meeting is altogether too narrow for these times.
Our past experience, especially that of last camp-meeting season, should be a lesson long to be remembered by every lover of present truth. God by his providence has given us at least an inkling of what he is willing to do, and will do, at our camp-meetings if we move in his fear and order. The problem, How are the masses of the people, crowding our cities, filling our villages, and thickly populating our country, to come under the solemn warning? is fast being solved.
The efforts of our brethren and sisters in placing our periodicals, which are especially designed to arouse the people upon these solemn truths, into more than one hundred thousand families yearly, and the general advertisement of our camp-meetings in all the leading public journals in the country, are preparing the way for thousands to hear and be converted at these large gatherings, who otherwise would not come under the sound of present truth.
No doubt many of those converted on the day of Pentecost had previously heard of John's mission and the teachings of Christ. He taught his disciples at public gatherings and in those cities that were visited by people from all parts of the world, and impressions had been made upon thousands of minds. This prepared them fully to commit themselves when brought under the more direct influence of God's Holy Spirit and the power of the truth as preached by the apostles. It is in this manner that our missionary efforts are preparing the way for far greater results to be seen at our camp-meetings than have ever yet been witnessed by Seventh-day Adventists. Therefore our camp-meetings are becoming more and more important, and the cause cannot afford a failure in a single instance.
In selecting a place for the camp-meeting, it should be done with a view to reach the masses of the people. It should be in a thickly populated country, or near some large city, at some point easy of access by public conveyance. A suitable grove should be selected, on or very near an enterprising railroad, where our people and the public generally can be brought from different parts of the country. These are advantages that should be considered. The more attractive the location, the better effect it will have in bringing the people together. Water cannot be dispensed with; and a grove seems to be necessary, especially if the meeting be held in July or August. Sometimes a fair ground near the city can be secured all fitted. It may be a rare chance in some of our western Conferences, to have all these advantages combined. People will go out a few miles from a city if a desirable spot is secured, and there be a good, traveled road leading to it, and a railroad running directly to the ground for those who have no teams. In this case there would be no objection to having the ground a few miles from the city.
The ground should be well cleared, smooth, and sufficiently large for the tents to be arranged in an orderly manner. In short, the entire ground should present a tasty and tidy appearance. The private walks of the ladies and gentlemen should be in opposite directions, and of easy access. The buildings erected should be so constructed that they can be moved daily, or that by the frequent use of earth no offensive odor may be realized. God regardeth these things. See Deut. 23:12–14.
Advertising is among the most important items if we would have a successful camp-meeting. If the notice of the meeting be inserted as a report of news, it will be of no expense to our people, and will have ten times the effect upon the public mind than simply to have it noticed as an advertisement. There are brethren in every Conference that can furnish a readable report. We therefore recommend: 1. Not to go to the editor, or call upon a reporter, and tell him the news, and have him report it in his own words and manner; for they do not and cannot appreciate our position. This point should be well guarded.
2. Each State Conference Committee should take charge of this matter, and appoint a suitable person, who is a ready penman, who can express himself in a brief and distinct manner.
3. When a site is secured for the meeting, before it becomes known, let the selected person make a report of it for the printer. It should be written in plain handwriting, one that can be read as easily as print.
4. Take it to the editor of the most influential newspaper in that section of the country. Assure him that he shall have all important, reliable news as soon as any other paper from time to time, as preparations go on for the meeting. Always the first-class daily and weekly papers should thus be furnished.
5. When thus arranged, be prompt, and have all items of news break upon the people as news at least twenty-four hours earlier than any reporter can get them. Where this plan has been promptly acted upon, I have known of a regular reporter who always found his reports one mail behind, and finally was notified by the editor that he need not send any more, for he was not in season.
6. The printed posters should be thoroughly scattered, not over a week in advance of the meeting. The nearer to the time of the camp-meeting, if it be thoroughly done then, the better.
7. If Bro. and Sr. White should attend, it should always appear in the report. Great care should be exercised, if they do attend any of the meetings this season, that no unnecessary burden come upon them. Have a spot secured for their tent, arrangements made for their bedding, boarding, etc.; in short, have arrangements so made that no burden come upon them concerning general arrangements of camp-ground and looking after the mails, etc. We mention their names in particular, not but that there is a willingness to do for them on the part of our brethren, but because all do not fully realize their incessant, wearing labor, and the importance of making things as convenient for them as possible.
In order to secure success, it is very necessary that the location and time of the meetings should be permanently settled many weeks beforehand. Uncertainty or a change in time or place generally works much confusion. Hence we request that the president of each Conference immediately fill out a blank like the following, and send it to Eld. S. N. Haskell, Battle Creek, Mich.:—
SIGNED, ............ President.
Put in the name of your state, then the place where the meeting will be held, or both places if you have two, then state the very best time for it to be held, next the earliest possible date, and then the latest possible date, at which you might have it. Don't delay this matter; attend to it now. Then the best will be done that can be to accommodate all.
We hope Bro. and Sr. White will attend the most important of these at least. Due notice will be given if they do. Don't give a course of lectures where you are to have the camp-meeting. This always hurts the interest in the camp-meeting. Neither follow a camp-meeting immediately with a course of lectures. But if you can make a good impression with a camp-meeting this season, and go there with a tent next season, do so. That generally works well. Then you can close up your tent meeting with a camp-meeting. The more subscribers that can be obtained for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES and the REFORMER before a camp-meeting, the better; and the earlier the better.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
S. N. HASKELL.