THE DAKOTA CAMP-MEETING.
By James White
The first camp-meeting for Dakota is in the past. And it can truly be said of this meeting that it has been a success. We reached the ground late, Thursday night, having traveled the last twenty-five miles in a stage-coach. In regard to this meeting, we notice the following facts of great interest:— 1. Its location. Sioux Falls, Dakota, is a beautiful village of sixteen hundred inhabitants, situated on Sioux River. One-fourth mile from the village is a wooded island of ten acres, formed by the divided river passing on both sides of it, and uniting again. The waters of this river are the purest of any of the rivers and creeks of the North-west, affording delightful opportunities for bathing, and for baptizing. The shade was complete; and by the free use of ice, the water was excellent. The island is owned by Judge Brookings, who gave the use of the ground. 2. The numbers in attendance. There were not less than two hundred brethren and sisters present on the ground. Fully one-half of these were Scandinavians. Besides the congregation tent, there were fifteen family tents, and fifteen covered wagons used as sleeping-rooms. When the brief notice of this meeting is taken into account, and that it was Dakota’s first camp-meeting, and that it was held at the commencement of harvest, the reader will be astonished at the report we give of the numbers in attendance. Nearly all the Sabbath-keepers in the Territory, excepting the Russian brethren, were present. We were glad to meet Bro. Richards, a German brother, whom we first saw in Wisconsin about twenty years since. At this meeting we received a bundle of the first number of the German paper. It should be widely circulated among the Russians in Dakota who speak the German language. Long have our German brethren waited for a paper in their language. Their turn has come at last, and the time for activity and sacrifice among them in giving it a wide circulation. It will be issued monthly as soon as practicable. This will depend upon the efforts of those who labor to circulate the German sheet. 3. The services. After our arrival, Mrs. W. and the writer did most of the speaking. Eld. Hanson spoke several times to the Scandinavians. But most of them could understand English, and therefore could enjoy all the services. Eld. Whitney spoke several times. His sermons are systematic and logical. His voice is deep, distinct, and agreeable. He never speaks more than one word at a time. His style of speaking is his best assurance from diseases of the throat and lungs. God give him the power of the Holy Spirit, and many souls in Dakota. The discourses of Mrs. W. and the writer were much like those we give at other camp-meetings. Sabbath afternoon, more than one hundred came forward for prayers. Sunday afternoon, Mrs. W. spoke on the subject of Christian temperance, when one hundred and ten took the strongest temperance pledge. Monday was a memorable day. Eleven were baptized, and the Dakota Conference was organized, the minutes of which will be given elsewhere. Several incidents of interest to the writer occurred during the meeting. Here we met a lady who attended a school we taught in Troy, Me., thirty-seven years ago. She was then a child only eight years of age. Her husband was at the meeting on the Sabbath, and went home, a distance of twenty miles, for his wife. We had the pleasure of the company of Mr. Staples, and that of his wife, Mrs. Rosetta Farington Staples, at our dinner table at the Dakota camp-meeting. We also met Mr. and Mrs. Noble from our native town in Maine. People push out West about in their line of latitude. We find many Maine people in Minnesota and Dakota, and they are generally staunch temperance people. Dakota is a promising field of labor. The people look healthy. Our brethren show a good share of intelligence. They made great sacrifices to attend their first camp-meeting. We go from this meeting to Boulder, Colorado. JAMES WHITE.
Beloit, Dakota, July 15, 1879.