The national camp meeting was held at Battle
Creek, October 2-14. This was the largest gathering of Seventh-day
Adventists ever held. More than forty ministers were present.
We were all happy to here meet Elders Andrews
and Bourdeau from Europe, and Elder Loughborough from California.
At this meeting was represented the cause in Europe, California,
Texas, Alabama, Virginia, Dakota, Colorado, and in all of the
Northern States from Maine to Nebraska.
Here I was happy to join my husband in
labor. And although much worn, and suffering with heart difficulty,
the Lord gave me strength to speak to the people nearly every
day, and sometimes twice a day. My husband labored very hard.
He was present at nearly all the business meetings, and preached
almost every day in his usual plain, pointed style. I did not
think I should have strength to speak more than twice or three
times during the meeting; but as the meeting progressed, my strength
increased. Upon several occasions I stood on my feet four hours,
inviting the people forward for prayers. I never felt the special
help of God more sensibly than during this meeting. Notwithstanding
these labors, I steadily increased in strength. And to the praise
of God I here record the fact that I was far better in health
at the close of that meeting than I had been for six months.
On Wednesday of the second week of the
meeting a few of us united in prayer for a sister who was afflicted
with despondency. While praying I was greatly blessed. The Lord
seemed very near. I was taken off in a vision of God's glory
and shown many things. I then went to meeting, and with a solemn
sense of the condition of our people I made brief statements
of the things which had been shown me. I have since written out
some of these in testimonies to individuals, appeals to ministers,
and in various other articles given in this book.
These were meetings of solemn power and
of the deepest interest. Several connected with our office of
publication were convicted, and converted to the truth, and bore
clear, intelligent testimonies. Infidels were convicted and took
their stand under the banner of Prince Immanuel. This meeting
was a decided victory. One hundred and twelve were baptized before
its close.
The week following the camp meeting my
labors in speaking, praying, and
writing testimonies were more taxing than during the meeting.
Two or three meetings were held each day in behalf of our ministers.
These were of intense interest and of great importance. Those
who bear this message to the world should have a daily experience
in the things of God and be in every sense converted men, sanctified
through the truth which they present to others, representing
in their lives Jesus Christ. Then, and not till then, will they
be successful in their work. Most earnest efforts were made to
draw nigh to God by confession, humiliation, and prayer. Many
said that they saw and felt the importance of their work as ministers
of Christ as they had never seen and felt it before. Some felt
deeply the magnitude of the work and their responsibility before
God, but we longed to see a greater manifestation of the Spirit
of God. I knew that when the way was cleared the Spirit of God
would come in, as on the Day of Pentecost. But there were so
many at such a distance from God that they did not seem to know
how to exercise faith.
The appeals to ministers, found elsewhere
in this number, more fully express what God has shown me relative
to their sad condition and their high privileges.