WISCONSIN CAMP-MEETING by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 13, 1878

WISCONSIN CAMP-MEETING.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

We arrived on the ground Tuesday, May 28, and found things well under way. The location is very fine, being on the shore of a beautiful lake. The city of Madison, numbering about twelve thousand inhabitants, the capital of the State, is said to be one of the most lovely cities of the West. It is about a mile and a half across the lake, and two miles by the road, to the city. A fine steamboat plied between the two places, and brought the most of those who attended from the city.

Wednesday it rained all day while the brethren were coming into camp. This made it very unpleasant. However, Thursday and Friday it was clear, and all went on well. Forty tents were pitched, and about five hundred persons encamped on the ground. Sabbath forenoon it rained hard; and commencing again at about six o’clock it poured down all night long with almost continuous thunder and lightning. But Sunday it cleared up, and the weather remained good to the close.

The bad weather greatly hindered our work, and kept us behind all through. Not much progress was made till Sabbath evening, when there was a good spirit in the meeting. Sabbath morning we had an excellent social meeting. After the sermon about sixty came forward for prayers, and there was quite deep feeling. In the afternoon twenty-six were baptized, mostly young people. Monday about twenty more came forward to seek the Lord. This was decidedly the best meeting we had. From two to half a dozen were on their feet at a time, trying to get a chance to speak. All said they had been greatly blessed during the meetings.

Considering the weather, we had a large attendance from the outside during all the meetings. Indeed, I never attended a camp-meeting which was really so popular with all the people as this one. The two dailies published lengthy reports each day, speaking of us in the highest terms. Besides this, at their own expense they telegraphed good reports each day to seven papers in Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul. The ministers of the city announced our meetings, urged their people to attend, prayed for us, and invited us to speak in the largest churches in the city.

Our brother, Dr. Stillman, who lives here, did much in many ways to help the meeting, particularly in getting a good class of citizens to attend. Prof. Whitford, Seventh-day Baptist, the last delegate to our General Conference, is now State superintendent of public instruction in Wisconsin, and hence is at the capital. He assisted us not a little. With him and his family, the governor, the governor’s private secretary, and the State treasurer, attended our meeting on Sunday; also the mayor, one of the judges of the supreme court, and other dignitaries were present. We set before them our reasons for keeping the Sabbath. They listened attentively, and after the meeting confessed to us that the argument seemed very conclusive. Thousands of small tracts were distributed among the people. There were about three thousand present Sunday. We also had a large attendance on Monday. The very best impression has been made. The way is now open for a course of lectures here in the city hall, and such lectures are earnestly solicited by the people.

Eld. A. A. Phelps, first-day Adventist, editor of the Bible Banner, was with us one night, and spoke in the tent. Also two Baptist ministers attended several meetings, and were very friendly. Several persons who attended have embraced the truth, and have gone home to keep the Sabbath.

The brethren pledged on the T. and M. work $500, and on the European mission enough to make $1000 in the State. Eight brethren received license for the first time, making twenty-one who now have credentials and licenses in the Conference. Seven tents will be run this season, two of them by the Scandinavians. There were about seventy-five of these brethren on the camp-ground, and meetings were held in that language every day. We have about three hundred Scandinavians in the State. A special effort will now be made in that mission.

For the last three years not very large results of labor have been seen in this Conference. Only three new churches were admitted at this meeting, whereas there should have been a dozen. Wisconsin is an excellent field, and there is no good reason why the laborers should not have success if they walk with God and work hard. All feel determined to accomplish more this season. D. M. CANRIGHT.