Tennessee Camp-Meeting by A. O. Burrill; M. B. Miller

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 15, 1883

Tennessee Camp-Meeting.

By A. O. Burrill; M. B. Miller

THIS meeting was held according to appointment, Sept. 26 to Oct. 2, at Leach, Carroll Co., which is in Western Tennessee. We did not reach the ground until Thursday morning, as we had to travel twelve miles by wagon after leaving the railroad. Bro. Fulton had spoken the evening before to the brethren who had been faithful to gather and make everything ready. All remained until the close of the meeting without the least urging. From the first, the attendance from without was good. This is where the truth has met with such determined opposition. We went to the very spot where the tent was burned, and where Bro. Fulton stood by a large tree and spoke to the hundred who came with a volunteer guard of twelve more men armed with loaded muskets.

The following is one of several copies of notices which were put up, and will speak for itself as to the spirit of persecution which was raised. From what we could gather, it came from professors. It reads as follows:—

NOTICE.

“We wish the people of Carroll County to understand that if they allow any more preaching from the Adventists in any of their houses or meeting-houses or school-houses, we will positively burn them up, if fire will burn them; and if he dont take his crowd and leave the country we will cut his head off and steak it at the forkes of the road. We mean what we say.” (Spelling as we find it.)

This called forth an abundance of friends, who were ready to take their guns and guard him as he spoke the truth. They immediately built a good log church, and contributed liberally for a new tent, under which we had the privilege of speaking all through the camp-meeting. We doubt if there would now be a church building there had it not been for the burning of the tent. This was one of the times when the wrath of Satan is made to praise God.

There are now about one hundred keeping the Sabbath as the result of this tent-meeting. A church of thirty members was organized, and we judge that there is real moral worth among them. There are many more to unite with them, so that this church will probably compose more than one-half of the numerical strength of this Conference.

All the preaching, except two or three sermons, was practical, and calculated to make the hearers realize the urgent need of genuine repentance, putting off the old man and becoming new creatures in Christ. We found it very hard to impress their minds with the importance of this; but as we sought God by confession and humility of soul the Lord came in to soften hard hearts, and penitent ones came flocking forward to the anxious seat. When we see men and women inquiring like men on the day of Pentecost, What shall we do to be saved? we feel that the Spirit of God is doing a genuine work. Twelve were baptized by Eld. Fulton on Tuesday.

Bro. Fulton was elected President of the Conference and of the T. and M. Society.

Steps were taken to immediately start a school in the new church building, to be under the auspices of the Conference, and where the good old Bible will be taught as one of the studies. From what we could learn, the steps toward a school here were hailed with much pleasure, and it will be patronized by many children whose parents do not keep the Sabbath. Thus the truth moves onward here. From this summer’s experience in Tennessee, we see that earnest, faithful labor will gather men and women into the harvest.

We enjoyed the stay very much, and pray God to greatly bless this Conference.

A. O. BURRILL. M. B. MILLER.