The Missionary by Stephen Nelson Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 23, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 40.

The Missionary.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

Camp-Meeting in Indiana.

THIS meeting was held at Logansport, which is the railroad center of eight leading lines. There are about twenty thousand inhabitants in the place, but none of our faith reside there. The camp-ground was in a grove upon a knoll of eight acres. The ground was completely encircled with tents. The preaching pavilion, 60x90 ft., was in the center. There were about eighty tents upon the ground, and it was estimated that there were eight hundred Sabbath-keepers who camped upon the ground; quite a contrast between this and eight years ago, when they held their first camp-meeting. At that time they had seventeen members present, three tents, and a few board shanties.

The grove in which the camp-meeting was held was the first growth of oak and maple, about a half mile from the center of the city. The distance was not so great but that the people could attend, coming on foot. It is a mistake to locate our camp-meetings from two to three miles from the city, where the people cannot attend without hiring teams. Where they are held in the suburbs of the city, a fair attendance can be depended upon.

This is the second camp-meeting held this year in the State. One was held at Farmersburg, in the southern part of the State, where about one hundred and forty were present. There are about one thousand Sabbath-keepers in the State of Indiana. Most of these have embraced the truth during the past six or eight years; about one hundred and twenty-five, the past summer. They have eight ministers at present; one man was ordained at this meeting, and fifteen others received license. This is a growing Conference; but there are features which all rapidly-growing Conferences should guard against. They are in danger of forgetting that the interests of the cause in other places are as important as in their own State. All should take a lively interest in the wants of the cause in other fields. Thus the mind expands, the heart enlarges, and we become more like Christ. He came to die for the world, instead of for one class of people in the world.

Elder Van Horn and myself arrived Wednesday, Oct. 1, after the meeting had been in progress nearly a week.

The people of the city were surprised to learn how many there were who attended the meeting. This year our camp-meetings have made an impression on the minds of the people, far different from that which is usually made by such gatherings. The papers here, as elsewhere, gave daily reports.

On the Sabbath, Oct. 4, an opportunity was given for those who wished to seek God in a special manner, to come forward for prayers. About seventy responded. A good spirit was in the midst. Many bore testimony for the first time. Many realized that they had sinned in robbing God in tithes and offerings. For this they made humble confessions, and pledged themselves to faithfulness for the future. Some had made pledges in the past, and had failed to pay them. Here they covenanted anew to God, to pay these pledges. There were as intelligent confessions made as we ever heard on such an occasion. During the season of prayer, the blessing of God rested down in a large measure. An opportunity was given for those to speak who felt that God had blessed them, and removed the burden from their hearts. There was a general expression that they had felt the sweet influence of the Spirit of God resting upon them. Many remarkable testimonies were borne. One brother, eighty-six years of age, who had formerly been a circuit judge and had kept the Sabbath for five years, testified that there were three things which had stood in the way of his uniting with the church. One was that he did not believe in paying a tithe to the Lord; another, that he belonged to the Free Masons, and was the oldest man in the county that belonged to that society; the third was that he had been a constant user of tobacco. But now he saw clearly that he had been robbing God, and that uniting with secret societies was not in harmony with the principles of Christianity, and he believed that God would help him from that day forth to renounce the use of the filthy weed. After the season of prayer, he felt that God had signally blessed him. Many other testimonies showed evidence that the deep-moving Spirit of God was in the midst. We trust that this meeting will long be remembered on account of the presence of God. On Sunday about three thousand people were present.

Resolutions were passed to raise the sum of $15,000; $5,000 of it to be used for their home work, $5,000 for the foreign work, $3,000 to be donated to the college at Battle Creek, $1,000 to the South Lancaster Academy, and $1,000 as an educational fund to loan to those young men who wish to attend the college, and fit themselves to labor in the cause. About $8,000 was pledged at the meeting.

Thirty-five were baptized on Monday forenoon, and the meeting broke up Tuesday morning. The brethren seemed of good courage, and the impression made at this meeting, we think will be lasting.

We leave this meeting to go directly to South Lancaster, Mass., this being the last camp-meeting we expect to attend this season. We have spent fourteen weeks in camp-meetings, and with the exception of one, they have all been held in large cities, and in every case quite an extensive interest has been reported. Many in these cities who heard the truth for the first time, have testified that hereafter they are going to obey it.

It is evident from what has developed this present season, that the cause has taken steps greatly in advance of what it ever has before in one year. God is preparing the way in a most wonderful manner; souls are calling for the truth everywhere. Truly the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. May the Lord hasten the time when the truth shall triumph.

S. N. HASKELL.