New York Camp-Meeting by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 27, 1878

New York Camp-Meeting.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

THIS meeting commenced Wednesday, May 29. There was a good representation of our brethren and sisters present, and each train brought accessions to the number until Friday night. During the meeting there were also fair congregations of citizens from the surrounding country, especially evenings. The grounds were nicely decorated with mottoes of various kinds.

The season of prayer at the commencement of the Sabbath in the large pavilion was one long to be remembered. Hearts were melted before the Lord. The meetings on the Sabbath were of unusual interest. An opportunity was given for any who were anxious to make a start to serve God to come forward. As some moved for the first time, the Spirit of God in a remarkable manner seemed to rest upon the encampment, and a large portion of the entire congregation took their places as penitent seekers after God. The broken sobs showed that hearts felt and felt deeply. Truly God walked in our midst. Said a correspondent of the Commercial: "At the close of the afternoon service, deep feeling pervaded the camp. There were no noisy demonstrations, or appeals to the emotions. The appeals that were made seemed to be to the reason and judgment as well as to the heart. The meeting in the pavilion adjourned only to meet a few minutes later in companies in the small tents, whence the voice of prayer, or broken confessions, or songs of triumphant faith were heard on every side." This continued for about one hour and a half.

On Sunday it was estimated that there were about five thousand present. Two trains came

to the ground crowded with passengers, and there was one continuous coming of teams from nine A. M. until two P. M., and many came during the remainder of the afternoon, some from a distance of twenty-five miles. The best of attention was given to four discourses in the day-time. A conviction rested upon the people that these things were so.

A tract and missionary meeting was held Monday, with excellent results. Nearly $900 were pledged in less than one hour to liquidate their tract society debt.

Eleven were baptized, nearly all having taken a decided stand at this meeting. The parting meeting was held Tuesday morning. The general expression was, "I am glad I came, we have had a good meeting." May God bless this State, is our prayer. S. N. HASKELL.