p. 101 | A. T. ROBINSON by A. T. Robinson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 29, 1914

A. T. ROBINSON

By A. T. Robinson

Some Personal Experiences — No. 3

A. T. ROBINSON

Soon after the writer arrived in Australia, in 1898, the Australasian Union Conference Executive Committee spent some days in counsel concerning the work in its field. Plans were laid for the holding of camp meetings in some of the colonies. Considerable study was given to the matter of advertising the camp meetings. It was decided to advertise quite widely in the daily papers several weeks before the meetings were to be held. Sister E. G. White was present when this decision was arrived at, and we all felt that the wisest plans had been decided upon.

The next morning Sister White called the brethren together and stated that her mind had been exercised during the night season concerning our camp meeting work. She was reminded that the matter had been previously opened to her, and that she had written upon it. She then read to us for more than two hours from manuscript. What she read was afterward published in "Testimonies for the Church," Vol. VI, pages 31-86. I quote from pages 35, 36, one paragraph read to us which she had written months before that counsel meeting: 'As we were preparing to hold a camp meeting near a large city where our people were but little known, I seemed one night to be in an assembly met for consultation as to the work to be done before the meeting. It was proposed to make large efforts, and to incur heavy expense for distributing notices and papers. Arrangements were being made to do this, when One who is wise in counsel, said: 'Set your tents, begin your meetings, then advertise; and more will be accomplished.''

It should be carefully noted by the reader that the "assembly met for consultation" which Sister White "seemed one night to be in," was held months after she "seemed" to be in it, and after she had written out the fifty-six pages in Volume VI already referred to, which she read to the "assembly" when she was really present in body.

The camp meeting which we were preparing to hold near a large city where our people were but little known, was the meeting held in Balaclava, a suburb of Melbourne. Our wisely laid plans were abandoned, and we followed this counsel from the Lord. Great crowds of people came to the meeting night after night, and on the Sunday night when the meeting was to close, the large tent was packed, a score or more of persons were seated on the ends of the rostrum, the standing room in the tent was occupied, and a tier of people eight feet deep was standing around the outside.

Just as Elder A. G. Daniells was about to step to the platform to preach the closing sermon, a gentleman stepped up to him and said, "Do you know that you people are making a great mistake in closing this meeting tonight? The people of Melbourne are just beginning to get stirred over this camp meeting." Elder Daniells said to him, "My friend, do you think that many people feel that way about it?" "I am certain they do," was the reply. Elder Daniells, at the close of a powerful discourse, told the congregation what the gentleman had said to him, and called for an expression to see if that sentiment was very widely cherished. From that vast audience of people a great sea of hands went up. Elder Daniells turned to the ministers seated on the platform and said, "Well, brethren, I shall take the liberty of making an announcement;" and he told that congregation that the camp meeting would be continued through another week and over the next Sunday.

The attendance during the following week fully vindicated the wisdom of the

move, and the meeting closed the following Sunday night, with the announcement that the large tent would be pitched nearer the city and the meetings continued the next evening. Meetings were continued in the tent for three months, with the gratifying result that over eighty persons took their stand for the truth, making one of the strongest churches in Australia.

College View, Nebr.