At Battle Creek
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.
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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,
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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.
REFERENCE
Testimonies
for the Church
Volume
Four
Ellen
G. White
1881,page 301-302
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