The Texas Camp-Meeting by Geo. J. Butler

The Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · November 27, 1879

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 54, No. 22

The Texas Camp-Meeting.

By Geo. J. Butler

The meeting held in Dallas, Texas, Nov. 5–11, was a most profitable one to the cause in that State. It was not large; perhaps one hundred and twenty-five camped upon the ground. It was held about two miles from town. The camp was near a large spring, which supplied abundant water. The most of the brethren came early and staid till the close. Eld. Kilgore and myself did all the preaching. I spoke thirteen times, and felt very free in talking to these Southern brethren. As this was my first visit to the State, of course nearly all were strangers to me; but we were soon on the most friendly terms, and I was never treated more cordially by any people. We tried, as usual, to present the plain, practical principles of our Lord’s religion, and from the first the preaching met a response in the hearts of the people. Our social meetings were as free as any we have attended this year. Many times from three to five would be upon their feet at once, waiting their turn to speak, and many of the social meetings could not well be closed on time because of the anxiety to speak.

A good degree of interest was taken in the temperance work, which I presented with as much force as I could. Nearly a hundred signed the pledge, most of whom became full members. There seemed to be a general advance in the temperance cause in the State. A State Association was formed, and a hopeful feeling was manifest among the membership generally that good would be done. As I knew the habit of tobacco-using was so common in the South, I was happy to find so few among our brethren still addicted to it, and also to find so many interested in health and temperance reform. The interest in the temperance work was fully as great as in any Conference I have attended this year, considering the short experience of the believers in Texas. The only opposition I saw to it came from some old Sabbath-keepers of Northern birth, who were not in harmony with the body of our people. Indeed, were it not for these, there would be a remarkable state of union among the brethren in Texas. In one church some difficulty has been seen from their influence. As they came upon the ground talking out their insinuations and dissatisfaction, aimed, as usual, against the work of the Spirit of God among us, it gave me an excellent reason to publicly present the evidences from God’s word upon which our faith in this respect is founded. God helped me to make these matters plain, and the minds of many were settled on points which had given them some perplexity, and the influence of these persons was cut off.

I never more fully realized the power of this great truth to unite hearts and break down suspicious and sectional feelings, than at this meeting. How wonderful it is that this doctrine can bring together foreigners, members of different churches and of no church, Northern and Southern men, so that they will all feel perfectly united as a band of brethren. I know of no other doctrine in the world that will do this to the same extent. We well know the feelings of bitterness and suspicion which have existed between Northern and Southern people, yet I have never seen a people seem to think more of a brother minister than these native Southern men do of Eld. Kilgore. He was a captain in the Union army, and many of them fought on the other side. I have never left a camp-meeting in all my experience with greater evidences of love from the people than I received from these Texans, though I am a Yankee of the extremest type. No special efforts were made on either side to bring about this result. The present truth breaks down these sectional lines, and unites the hearts of those looking for the Lord.

These brethren, of course, have much to learn yet, as their experience has been short. This they seemed to realize, as they spoke with tears of contrition of their need of a deeper work of grace.

Bro. Kilgore has accomplished a good work in Texas. Nearly three hundred Sabbath-keepers have taken their stand upon the truth in a few years, and a promising Conference has been established. About one hundred have come out on the truth the past season. There has been a great drought the past summer, and crops are short and money is scarce; but almost $400 was paid in on the T. and M. work at the camp-meeting, and a disposition was manifested to do all they could. Their Conference funds will soon be largely increased. The General Conference has never had to pay out any funds for the establishment of this mission. I left Monday night before the meeting closed, to get to the General Conference as soon as possible. Quite a number were to be baptized. We had an excellent meeting Monday afternoon. The hearts of the people were greatly moved, and many excellent testimonies were borne, wet down with tears. On the whole, I enjoyed my visit to Texas very much, and formed many pleasant acquaintances.

Thus closed my seventeenth camp-meeting for the present season, making four solid months of camp-meeting life. I have usually preached from ten to fourteen times each week, besides other labor, which has often been wearing and perplexing. In many of these meetings I have been the only outside help, and hence had to bear the principal part of the burden. But God has wonderfully sustained me physically, and has, I trust, helped me spiritually to do a little good. Praised be his name for all his mercies. The past season has witnessed some most precious out-pourings of the Spirit, which have been truly soul-stirring; but many of our people need a great work done for them, for they are living far from God. What shall arouse them from this state of heart-hardness? May God have mercy upon us. GEO. J. BUTLER.