The Camp-Meetings by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 17, 1877

The Camp-Meetings.

By James White

The present is a more important camp-meeting season than any one in the past. Hundreds, if not thousands, of believers will attend this season for the first time. Scores of young men will receive papers from the several Conferences recommending them to the public as teachers of the word, and many will receive ordination.

We are pleased to see by appointments that the camp-meetings are located where crowds can be assembled to hear. In Kansas and Missouri are very great improvements over last year. Probably the numbers who visit our camp-meeting grounds this season will be double those of last year.

We cannot state definitely what leading speakers will be present at the several meetings. It may not be best that this should be known. There should be a general rally to meet the Lord at each meeting and to wait on him and seek his will. Those who come to camp-meeting, to see and hear certain speakers, rather than to do their own duty, ought to be disappointed. Brethren, come to camp-meeting to seek and serve the Lord, and leave the matter of ministerial help with him. This is the only proper position for the brethren. Then the Lord will send that help most needed. He knows much better of that than we can know.

The Scandinavian brethren of the North-west will miss Elder Matteson, who met them at the camp-meetings last year. And notwithstanding they may feel the want of him here, in the benevolence of their hearts they will be glad that he is soon to commence his work in old Denmark; and they will pour forth their ardent prayers into the ear of the Lord that he will preserve and abundantly bless their very dear pastor, and give him the ears and hearts of honest people in their native land. Eld. Olsen, however, can speak to the Danes and Norwegians at the Wisconsin camp-meeting, Elder Hansen at the Iowa meeting; and most of the Danes in Minnesota can understand English. Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, Germans, French, and all others should be urged to attend the camp-meetings, and care should be taken to give them a chance, when necessary and possible, to hold services in their own tongue.

There should be a good supply of publications at all the camp-meetings. The president of each Conference should see to this, and be individually responsible to our publishing house for all books ordered for the camp-meetings. Tract and Missionary Societies should be able to make complete settlement with our Offices of publication at the time of the State Conferences and camp-meetings. This is especially necessary for the SIGNS Office in its youth and comparative feebleness. On account of rashness on the part of some in working on the “quota” plan, some of the Tract Societies were in debt, and last fall the REVIEW Office forgave more than $3000 of these debts. This never can be done again. And the SIGNS Office must have every dollar due.

Times are hard, and failures in the several branches of business are reported daily; but no one branch has suffered more than that which has to do with the printing art. At present our publishing houses are doing well. But it requires a vigilant eye, and it becomes important to study the strictest economy, to manage successfully in these times. Our patrons should be prompt.

The account of each minister who is in debt, and of each T. and M. Society, will be furnished from both the Michigan and California houses at the time of the annual Conference and camp-meeting; and we urge that full settlement with our Offices be made at that time.

J. W.