KANSAS CAMP-MEETING by R. F. Andrews

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 31, 1878

KANSAS CAMP-MEETING.

By R. F. Andrews

This meeting was held Oct. 16-21, as per appointment in REVIEW, in a sheltered nook familiarly known as “Ash Thicket,” within about half a mile of Bethany. Owing to delays occasioned by the wrecking of a freight train near Bushnell, Ill., I did not reach the camp till about the going down of the sun on Friday. Brn. Sharp, Bagby, Thorp, and Enoch were present. There were fourteen tents and eighteen covered wagons on the ground. It was estimated that there were about two hundred Sabbath-keepers in attendance. This was a much larger number than we expected to see in this new country.

There was no effort made to tickle the ear with flowery speeches and well-rounded periods. We cried to God for help, realizing, in some measure, our dependence upon him, and, blessed be his name, we did not call upon him in vain. The Lord, by his Holy Spirit, met with us, and set the truth home to the hearts of his people. After the sermon on Sabbath afternoon, a call was made for the unconverted and backslidden. More than sixty came forward for prayers. The Lord came very near, and hard hearts were melted to tenderness before him. Praise his holy name. The effort in the evening was especially for the benefit of those who were seeking the Lord.

The early morning meeting on first-day was devoted to a consideration of our work and duty as believers in the “third angel’s message.” The good Spirit of God was present, and when we called for pledges for the English mission, and Kansas State Conference Tract Society the sum of $1527.00 was pledged to the former and $400.00 to the latter, and this was done without urging. If the brethren in the other parts of the State do as well, Kansas will have done nobly.

We did not have a very large outside attendance on Sunday. The country is very new here. At the close of the afternoon service, Bro. Sharp baptized twenty-one persons. God grant that they may walk in newness of life. Sunday evening good attention was given to a discourse on the prophecies, showing the work of the papacy in mutilating the law of God, and proving the restoration of the Lord’s Sabbath before the second advent of Christ.

Monday morning we held our last meeting, and it was a precious season. One hundred testimonies were borne in thirty-five minutes, and many of them were well wet down with tears. The brethren all seemed encouraged, and determined to take hold anew. The following resolution was unanimously adopted:—

Resolved, That we hereby pledge ourselves to come up to the Bible standard of giving, to sustain the cause of God in our Conference, and that we will commence immediately to pay what we have already pledged on s. B.

The weather was very fine for the season. May the Lord bless this dear people, and may he help us all to live as in his sight. R. F. Andrews.

Beloit, Kansas, Oct. 22.