The Maine Camp-Meeting by Reporter

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Sep 21, 1876

The Maine Camp-Meeting.

By Reporter

This meeting opened Thursday morning on the same ground as that occupied last year for the same purpose. It is a beautiful oak grove one mile north of the Richmond depot, and about the same distance from the steamboat landing. Looking toward the east, a beautiful prospect meets the eye; the shining waters of the broad Kennebec River sweep on amid the green forests that line its bank, and the blue Dresden Hills bound the distant view upon the farther shore. The ground was nicely prepared, and a large provision stand and dining room had been built and furnished by the Conference.

Thirty-four tents were on the ground, including the 60 ft. pavilion for the accommodation of the congregation in case of bad weather.

Eld. White and wife, with Eld. Uriah Smith, arrived from the Massachusetts Camp-meeting, Thursday night. They were received with hearty welcome by their old-time friends in this State which was the cradle of the Adventist cause. Some effectual work had been done during the year. Eld. Webber had just closed a series of tent-meetings at Sebago Lake, where he had been favored with good hearings and a growing interest. Quite a number of additions had been made to the church since last year, and a cheering hopefulness seemed to animate the hearts of the people.

The social meetings were largely attended and were very interesting. One trembling old soldier of the cross who was present on Friday, bore a testimony that was at once pathetic and humorous, exciting his hearers to smiles and tears. He was one of the old veterans of '42 and '43. He had looked for the Lord to come in those days, and did not yet despair that he might see him appearing in the clouds of Heaven. But in view of the probability of his passing into the grave before that time arrived, he comforted himself with the assurance that when the Lord came to claim his saints the “underground crop would be the best.” “There will be Abraham, and the old prophets and apostles to come up in the resurrection. Ah, yes; the underground crop will be the best,” said he with a sudden lighting up of countenance.

It rained heavily all Friday night, but cleared away before noon the next day, and the weather remained beautiful throughout the meeting. The services on the Sabbath were very interesting. In the afternoon Mrs. White addressed the people in her fervent, practical manner, exhorting them to accept salvation. Several came forward for prayers, and a season of earnest effort followed. Before the meeting closed sixty persons signified their intention to seek the Lord; among them were many who had never identified themselves before with the people of God.

ON SUNDAY

a crowd came out. A forest of carriages lined the entrance to the grove. A steamboat-load came from Augusta, and no less than 3000 people were on the ground. The weather was perfect except a little too much wind to speak easily in the open air, but the platform was moved into the midst of the congregation, and thus the speaker's voice could be heard by all.

Eld. Smith spoke in the morning, and the afternoon was divided between Elder and Mrs. White, he occupying the desk from 1:30 till 2:40, and she following after a short intermission. She took up her favorite subject of Christian Temperance with great freedom and success, commanding the strict attention of the audience. In the evening Eld. Goodrich preached from 1 Cor. 15:1, showing the saving power of the gospel to believers, and the perpetuity of the law.

On Monday, R. Webber was ordained to the ministry, and eight persons were baptized in the Kennebec River, Eld. Webber administering the rite.

Altogether the meeting has met the expectation of the church here. The progress during the year has been such as to encourage the society. Six new churches have been added to the conference, and the future presents a cheering prospect.

REPORTER.