Minnesota Camp-Meeting by J. S. Olive

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 24, 1879

Minnesota Camp-Meeting.

By J. S. Olive

THIS meeting began on time, Wednesday evening, June 18. The attendance was very large. There were about one hundred tents, and over twenty covered wagons. Nearly fifteen hundred people were encamped on the ground. Persons were in attendance from five States and thirty-seven counties. Some came over two hundred miles with teams. Eleven ordained ministers and many licentiates were present.

Early Thursday morning, Eld. White and his wife, W. C. White and wife, and Eld. Olsen arrived on the ground, and were received with great joy. Nearly the whole burden of the meeting fell on Bro. and Sr. White, and the Lord seemed to give strength and freedom to his worn and weary servants to give to the waiting people the needed instruction and reproof. Many new converts had never before seen them, and they were truly thankful for the privilege.

Eld. Olsen held meetings with the Scandinavians during the intermissions, and preached twice in English to attentive and interested audiences. At nine o'clock Thursday morning, Sr. White gave a discourse which held all spell-bound. Her words seemed to penetrate to the very hearts of all who listened to her. Friday morning she gave a practical discourse to Adventists.

Friday afternoon two stirring temperance addresses were made by Bro. and Sr. White, after which ten individuals were appointed to secure signers to the teetotal pledge. A busy time intervened, and soon one hundred and ninety-one signatures were obtained, and the society was organized. The number of signers to the pledge was greatly increased on Sunday afternoon.

At 9:30 A. M. Sabbath, an immense model Sabbath-school was held, with thirty-seven classes and over three hundred scholars. W. C. White assisted in organizing; the arrangements were splendid considering the very limited time to prepare. Order and quiet prevailed. One little boy, not three years old, sat in his mother's lap and answered the questions in a clear, audible voice; and one young girl, fourteen or fifteen years old, repeated the entire synopsis of the lesson, without a break, in a voice so distinct as to be heard by the whole school. Several others stood up, prepared to repeat it; but she was the only one called upon. The whole exercise was very interesting.

After this came a forcible and impressive address from sister White, urging on parents the duty of studying the Scriptures themselves and teaching them to their children, as the best means of excluding the light and frivolous reading of the day, which is ruining so many. Bro. White then followed with a sermon, presenting the truth in a clear manner. He had help from the Lord to bring forth, out of the Scriptures, things both new and old.

Sabbath afternoon, after a solemn address by both Bro. and Sr. White, a call was made for those who desired a new conversion, deeper consecration to the work, and also to all who desired to make a start in the service of the Lord for the first time, to separate themselves from the congregation and show who was on the Lord's side. Seat after seat had to be vacated for those who pressed forward, with softened hearts and tear-dimmed eyes, to take their places as seekers after the grace and pardon offered by the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord was present, and many humble confessions were made, and heartfelt prayers offered up for forgiveness, and grace to help in time of need.

Sunday morning Bro. White spoke with great freedom on the reasons of our faith and hope. Sunday afternoon, Sr. White gave another discourse on temperance.

At the early morning meeting, Monday, some striking and interesting remarks were made by Sr. White on the duty of Christians to dress simply, discarding useless and vain ornaments, and trimmings, if they hope to please God and secure eternal life. A meeting of the T. and M. society was held at 9:30 A. M., at which over three hundred dollars were subscribed to the fund to get the society out of debt, and to create a reserve fund. The times have been so hard here for several years that it is not so easy to raise money as formerly.

In the afternoon, both Bro. and Sr. White spoke on the subject of baptism. After this another revival meeting was held, at which Sr. White made an earnest and solemn appeal to all to humble themselves and put away all their sins,—all impure and unholy thoughts, all envy and strife, and ambition for high positions in the church; to press together and seek a new conversion, a new consecration to God, an unction from on high. Then all bowed in prayer, and Sr. White lifted up her voice in a prayer that seemed to reach the heavens. A cloud had to some extent rested on the meeting. The ministers seemed backward and indifferent. But as Sr. W. delivered the straight testimony to them, reproving their faults, the Spirit gave conviction of sin. Fervent cries for pardon shook the audience, and the voice of weeping and supplication pervaded the entire assembly. Such a season of repentance and humiliation before the Lord is seldom seen. After the long season of fervent, prevailing prayer, the spirit of confession rested upon the ministers, and one after another they rose, and owned with deep feeling, that they had been in a backslidden condition, indifferent, and greatly lacking interest in the work.

There was no intermission from 2:30 P. M. until nearly 8 o'clock. It had been expected that the meeting would break up next morning, but it seemed now that it must continue over Tuesday. Eld. White urged all who could possibly do so, to stay over, and Eld. Grant announced that if any were compelled to leave on account of their means being exhausted, if they would make it known, their wants would be supplied. Some were obliged to go, but a large majority remained until Wednesday morning.

Tuesday morning there was a good social meeting, then the examination of candidates for baptism took place, soon after which twenty-seven were immersed in the waters of the beautiful lake. Some of them came out of the water with waving hands, triumphant voices, and glad faces. Among them was a lady nearly sixty years of age, in poor health, who had traveled over ninety miles in a farm wagon, with her son and daughter, to attend the meeting. Her children had recently embraced the truth; but she had never heard our faith preached before. She seemed to be ready to embrace the truth as soon as she heard it; left her pipe on the camp-ground, and went home rejoicing, with the determination to leave off coffee as well as tobacco. May the Lord bless her. She is in advance of some who have for years been in the truth.

After an interesting social meeting Wednesday morning, three ministers were ordained. The ceremony was very impressive. They fell upon one another's necks with weeping, as they were welcomed by all the ministers present, into the work.

After a few parting words from Sr. White, the meeting was dismissed. So closed the largest camp meeting ever held in Minnesota. We look back with mingled joy and grief to the hours spent there,—gratitude to God for the privilege enjoyed, and sorrow that such severe reproofs and humble confessions were needed. J. S. OLIVE.