THE OHIO CAMP-MEETING by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 30, 1877

THE OHIO CAMP-MEETING.

By Uriah Smith

We gave last week a partial account of this meeting. The situation did not materially change so far as pertained to attendance by the brethren and sisters; but the outside interest continued to increase. This was the best we have ever witnessed. The absence of prejudice, so marked at first, ripened into positive friendliness before the last.

Such was the desire on the part of the people to learn our views, that the preaching was, with the exception of two opening discourses, all doctrinal, such as would be given at a tent-meeting rather than at a camp-meeting. Most of the great themes that constitute the present truth for this time were canvassed, very briefly of course, in the twenty-nine discourses given; and yet the desire to hear further on the same subjects increased to the close. Even the police in some instances requested our brethren to stand out on guard during the hours of service, that they might be at the tent and listen to the preaching.

On Sunday it was estimated that at least ten thousand persons were present. Excursion trains were run on all the roads, bringing multitudes from all the region around. Five discourses were given on this day, speaking being maintained in two places on the ground, both forenoon and afternoon. Several voluntarily came forward and expressed their determination to keep the Sabbath and prepare for the soon-coming of the Lord. Others are thoroughly convinced and deeply convicted.

In view of this state of things, it was thought best to follow up this camp-meeting with a tent-meeting in Newark. This meeting will commence Friday, Aug. 31, when it is expected that Bro. St. John's health will be so far restored that he can go forward with it. Bro. Waggoner will return to Ohio from the Illinois camp-meeting, to assist in the work at Van Wert or Newark, as circumstances may demand.

We cannot close even this brief notice of the meeting without speaking of the nature of the preaching to which we listened on this occasion. Discourses, especially from Elds. Waggoner, St. John, and Butler, were of a more than ordinarily high character; and we did not wonder that they mightily convinced the people.

The brethren who were on the camp-ground look forward with much interest to the coming effort with the tent in Newark. If that shall result in saving the interest already developed, and raising up a church there of such sterling and substantial people as are now inquiring, they will feel that the camp-meeting of 1877, though attended by so few of the brethren and sisters, was nevertheless a great success.

U. S.