WISCONSIN CAMP-MEETING.
By G. C. Tenney
The Wisconsin camp-meeting and Conference for this year were held at Madison, the State capital, opening Wednesday evening, June 11, and formally closing Tuesday morning, the 17th. The camp was located in a beautiful grove of elm and maple, on the bank of Fourth Lake, about a mile and a half from the center of the city. A more pleasant location for such a meeting we have never seen. The weather was fine throughout the meeting, except a slight rain Sabbath morning and a continued one on Sunday. Forty-six tents were upon the ground, and about four hundred Sabbath-keepers were in attendance. Considerable interest to attend the meetings was manifested by the citizens of Madison and vicinity, though the rain on Sunday was a disappointment to many, as it was thought that otherwise we would have had the largest crowd ever in attendance at any of our meetings in this State. As it was, the attendance on that day was about fifteen hundred, and the best of attention was paid to the word spoken. Bro. White spoke in the forenoon of Sunday, on the “Reasons of our Faith and Hope,” and in the evening from Rom. 6:17. Sr. White spoke in the afternoon, choosing one of her favorite themes, Christian Temperance. The meetings on the Sabbath were good. The model Sabbath-school at 9 o’clock, conducted by W. C. White, was an interesting feature of the day’s services. Bro. White preached at 10:30 A. M., and Sr. White delivered an effective discourse in the afternoon upon the Love of Christ, after which, an effort being made for sinners and for those who felt their need of the Saviour’s pardoning love, about seventy responded by coming forward for prayers. On Monday nineteen were baptized. The preaching throughout was practical, and the social meetings were interesting; yet we must acknowledge there was evidently not that spirit and power in the meetings we should witness on such occasions. Many of the brethren did not arrive until Thursday, others not until Friday, while some came Sabbath morning. And early Monday morning, the hammer, which until Friday evening had been engaged in preparation, began to sound in the work of tearing down; and during the day many departed. The meetings of the Conference were harmonious, and showed some advancement in this State. Thirteen brethren received credentials, three being ordained at this meeting, and eleven received licenses to preach. A good degree of interest was shown in the Sabbath-school work. About forty schools were represented in the association meeting. Monday afternoon a State Health and Temperance society was formed, and though nearly one-half of our brethren had left the ground, one hundred and forty signed the teetotal pledge.