COME TO THE ILLINOIS CAMP-MEETING.
By Daniel T. Bourdeau
The time for this meeting is near. The officers of the Illinois Conference have spared no labor nor expense to make it comparatively easy for all to attend. A car has been chartered for district No. 9, to take passengers from Gilman to Bloomington and back, a distance of nearly two hundred miles, for the small sum of $2.00 each. How can any who have the least degree of interest in the truth neglect to avail themselves61of so liberal an offer? I am informed that similar measures have been taken in other parts of the State. With such facilities may we not expect that at least three-fourths of the Sabbath-keepers of Illinois will attend this camp-meeting? To fail to do so would evince a lack of interest in the advancement and triumph of the best of causes. A little extra effort, economy, energy, (borrowing a little money, if need be), will enable those in the poorest circumstances to command the small sum necessary to attend this important gathering. Who has not ventured ten times this amount in worldly enterprises, some of which have proved a failure? How many now keeping the Sabbath have, before embracing the truth, invested hundreds of dollars in tobacco, spirituous liquors, and other injurious articles, or in attending parties of pleasure. Now that such have commenced to save in these directions, how proper to spend a part of the means saved in going up to this feast to worship the God of Heaven, to show our appreciation of the truth, to get a more thorough knowledge of the work of God for these times, and thereby be better prepared to act a part in carrying it forward. A mingling of new converts with those who have long walked in the way of truth cannot fail to be profitable, as those newly converted to the faith need the experience of their older brethren, while those who have long borne the burden and heat of the day need to be refreshed by seeing the fruits of their labors in those who have lately been brought into the truth. Again, old believers are in danger of losing their first love, and there is nothing so well calculated to warm the cold heart of the backslider as the fervent love and praise of the new convert. Let us all seek the Lord together, and we shall certainly be benefited. The Lord anciently established yearly gatherings, with wise regard for the good of his people Israel. This gave them periods of rest from wearisome labor, kept them from worldly-mindedness, and gave them opportunities to cultivate spirituality. These gatherings also tended to prevent party feelings among the tribes, who would naturally break away from each other if they did not have these frequent assemblies to worship and unite their interests and efforts to advance the common cause. And if they could afford to break away from their business three times a year for as many general meetings, can we not leave our homes and occupations once a year to seek together the needed blessing? What is spent in going to such gatherings is not lost, as some esteem it who look at things from a narrow, selfish standpoint. We can afford to make some efforts to secure the rich blessing of God. Each one of my readers can call up occasions in the past where losses have been sustained, great weariness experienced, sickness contracted, etc., in struggling for a livelihood. And is not eternal life worth suffering for? If we do not prize the offered blessing of God enough to undergo hardships and make sacrifices that we may obtain it, we are certainly unworthy and cannot expect to receive it. Experience has taught us that the work of God could not be successfully carried on without these gatherings. The cause of God must be represented in its different branches, that its wants may be known and supplied, and that all may have clearer ideas of the nature and magnitude of the work. In a certain sense it may be said that the blessing of God is wealth or temporal advantage as well as health. There is nothing gained in temporal things by raising the steam to such a pitch that the boiler will burst. Poor economy that. The repairing will cost more than the extra profit up to the point of the break-down. Such things are of very frequent occurrence. Men will rush on in business, and will not take time to pray and reflect, and give God a chance to help them, and the result will be accidents, bad bargains, bad moves, and heavy losses. Let us remember the words of the wise man: “There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” Prov. 11:24. Let us not look forward to the camp-meeting as though a work was to be done for us there without our co-operation, and without our previously seeking God. We need home blessings, and we also need the great blessings and victories that God grants to the many who seek him together. “One shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight.” Who can say that the work of our camp-meetings is not embraced in the following injunction? “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children; . . . let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” Joel 2:15-17. Let us bring our friends and children. How can we bear the thought of having our children lost through fear of losing financially? Many are going to ruin through over-anxiety in worldly interests. Let us wake up, and view things in the light of eternity. D. T. Bourdeau.