THE KANSAS CAMP-MEETING.
By George I. Butler
In company with Eld. E. W. Farnsworth, President of the Iowa Conference, I attended this meeting held May 22-28. Preparations were quite well advanced at the appointed time, and Eld. Ayers gave a discourse on the evening of the 21st. The weather had been very wet before the meeting, though the heaviest rains were further east. These hindered the brethren coming from that direction nearly two days; but most of the brethren were in good season. Though we had a long rain the first night, yet we were mostly favored with fair weather. Nearly three hundred Sabbath-keepers camped on the ground. Some of these came three hundred miles with teams, many of them half that distance, and the going was very bad at that. This shows a good degree of zeal truly. There were about twenty family tents up, besides the two large ones. A mistake, I think, was made in the location of the ground. As Neosho River was too high to ford, it was two miles around from the village, over a very bad road; so that very few besides our own people came out, except on Sunday, when there were perhaps four hundred outsiders present. The fair-ground, which was much nearer town, might have been obtained at little extra expense, and it was much nicer. I saw many encouraging omens at this meeting,—evidences of progress since I met with these brethren three or four years ago. There has been a large increase of numbers, and many good, sensible people have been converted to the truth. The cause has made a very encouraging growth. People from all parts of the country are gathering into Kansas. This year the emigration has been very large. It must be that many of these can be reached by the truth. There are many Iowa people in Kansas, and many of our Sabbath-keepers are from that State. Indeed, four out of five of the ordained ministers of the Conference were from Iowa, and all the officers of the Conference and T. and M. society except one, and many of the leading brethren besides. It seemed almost like being at home. In financial matters the Conference has hardly kept pace with its other growth. The s. b. was not sufficient to settle up with the ministers, but three hundred dollars were promptly raised on the ground for this purpose, more than covering the deficit. A fund of $1000 for the better carrying on of the T. and M. work was also started on the ground, and about $500 subscribed. Times are not as hard in Kansas as in Iowa, as Kansas has been reasonably favored with crops since the grasshopper raid, and the large emigration brings means into the State. Some of the brethren could do much more than they are doing financially to build up the cause. We tried our best to care for the spiritual interests of the meeting, and found Bro. Farnsworth most efficient help. He has a large place in the hearts of all present. The Spirit of the Lord came in with power several times during the meeting, and souls melted under its influence, though on the whole there was not as much accomplished as we hoped for. One great hindrance in this respect was the course of a person from a distant Conference holding credentials from our people, who came without invitation, with special light, as he claimed, for our people on holiness, and with “power” to keep his “sins under his feet,” living without sin. He claimed that our people are among those “having the form of godliness but deny the power thereof.” He tried hard to get a chance to preach his special light from the stand, but failing in this had considerable to say in the social meetings and in private, till it became evident he was doing harm and bringing confusion into the meeting. We then had a kind private talk with him, and tried to dissuade him from this course, but all to no purpose. He said God had impressed him to come all this distance to deliver his message, and he must do it. On Sabbath, when some fifty were forward for prayers, and souls were seeking the Lord with tears, and we were giving them instruction just before praying for them, he got up and insisted on speaking and giving in his special light. We tried to have him stop, telling him this was a special meeting for a special object. (We had not refused him the privilege of speaking in our ordinary social meetings.) He persisted and refused to sit down. He threw everything into confusion for the time being, till the camp-meeting committee finally quietly led him out of the tent. It was one of the most persistent attempts to take a meeting out of the hands of those conducting it I ever saw. I was fearful it would ruin our meeting completely. It was the most critical point of the whole meeting. Yet he had some sympathizers. Next evening, after a careful statement of the whole matter, almost every person in the congregation voted that they did not want to hear him further. He troubled us no more at that meeting, but has come on to attend the meeting at Appleton City, and says he shall attend all the camp-meetings he can, and give his testimony. He intends to be at Gallatin and Minnesota. We would say little about this, were it not for this fact. Our brethren should know what to expect. After this our meeting recovered beyond our expectation. On Monday about as many came forward as on the Sabbath. The Spirit of God was present. Several made a start in the religious life for the first time, and backsliders were aroused. Eleven were baptized. The brethren seemed to be of good heart to go on in the work. We were compelled to leave for the next appointment at 8 P. M. Monday, very weary from the anxieties of the meeting, hence were not present at the close Tuesday morning. God bless the Kansas Conference. Men of promise are taking licenses this year, and we wish them great prosperity. Our meeting at Appleton City will be very small, as the fearful rains of a week or two past, west of here, have raised the streams. The Osage river bottom was covered with water five miles wide in places, and trains could not cross it for nearly a week. The railroad had to ferry for two and a half miles. The streams are much lower now, but few can come. Appleton City, Mo., May 29.