A COMPANY of eleven left Mankato, Minn., at 2:30 A. M., Wednesday, July 2, and, after a pleasant journey of over 200 miles, reached Madison, Dakota, at 4:30 P. M., the same day. We found the camp on the open prairie in the suburbs of this new and thriving town of about 1,200 inhabitants. The preparations for the meeting were nearly completed. Weary from our labor and journey we retired early, but were aroused from our slumbers by a gale that struck the camp about midnight. Every one was up and out trying to secure their tents. The large tent was let down in time to save it. A few small tents were blown down, but no great damage was done.
On Thursday the meeting went on in regular order, and the same on Friday, till about 3 P. M., when a heavy gale and storm from the northwest came on us. The 40-ft. tent in which many were camped, was blown down, but no one was hurt. No other damage was done, and, when the storm was passed, things were quickly put in order, and the meetings were resumed. After this the weather was fine.
Our meeting was not without interest before the Sabbath, but on the Sabbath-day it became especially interesting. The Sabbath-school was well attended by all on the ground, and the lessons were well learned, which showed that this branch was in a prospering condition. At 10:30 A. M., Elder Olsen gave a stirring discourse on the text, Jer. 29: 13, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." This prepared the way for Elder Butler's clear, logical, and interesting discourse in the afternoon, on Phil. 3: 7-16. Immediately following this, a call was made for all backsliders or sinners who wished to renew their covenant with God, or make a start in his service, to come forward. In a very short time about one hundred took their places on the front seats. Then followed some humble confessions and feeling testimonies, which brought the Spirit of God in our midst.
After a good season of prayer, it was judged best to divide the congregation. Accordingly the youth and children went to the 40-ft. tent, while the older ones remained in the large tent. Both these meetings were good. Out of about one hundred in the children's meeting, seventy bore testimony. By an expression we found that between thirty and forty were making a start for the first time.
The outside attendance was not large at any time. On Sunday there were about four hundred on the ground besides our own people, making in all about eight hundred. The best of order was maintained, and there was seemingly a good interest to hear the precious points of truth as they were earnestly set forth by the servants of God. No doubt impressions were made that will not soon be shaken off, and we trust seed was sown which will bear fruit unto eternal life.
On Monday morning Elder Butler entertained our people by giving a description of his tour through Europe. He said many things were in a very encouraging condition; but to meet the present demands of the cause there, the work must be greatly enlarged. Publishing houses must be built, which must be done largely by means from America.
The wants of the cause in the Dakota Conference were also considered and clearly set before the brethren. A resolution to raise the sum of $10,000 was passed; $5,000 to establish a depository and Reserve Fund; $1,000 for Tent and Camp-meeting Fund; $1,000 for an Educational Fund; $1,000 for the college at Battle Creek; $1,000 for the Scandinavian Mission in Europe, and $1,000 for the Central European Mission. Pledges were taken in a short time to the amount of $9,155. Truly the hearts of our people are open in every Conference, and ready to meet the wants of the cause.
Another opportunity was given those who were seeking a closer connection with God, to manifest it. Fully one hundred responded, and there was a deeper feeling even than was manifested on the Sabbath. Many hearts were moved to tenderness. In the afternoon, after a short discourse on "Baptism," forty-five candidates gave in their names. We all repaired to the water, where these precious souls were united with Christ by the solemn rite, which was performed by two administrators.
Five children's meetings were held during the camp-meeting. The youth and children took a deep interest in them, and they, no doubt, were one means of securing the result of so many taking their stand to serve the Lord.
We had a most excellent farewell meeting on Tuesday morning. Seventy-seven testimonies were borne in about an hour. The Spirit of the Lord was present in power. One brother confessed his coldness, and that the discourse he had listened to the night previous on "Consecration," had so troubled his mind he could not rest. He had been convinced of his duty to consecrate himself and all he had to the Lord. He said, "Put my name down with those pledges for $1,000." Every heart was melted to tenderness, and tears flowed freely. Another man arose and said, "Put down my name for $100." These pledges swelled the sum to $10,255. We had the best of the wine at the last of the feast. Another good camp-meeting this season, and another victory for the truth.
I. D. VAN HORN.
The Plowman and the Reaper
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Perhaps your Master knows what a capital plowman you are; and he never means to let you become a reaper because you do the plowing so well.—Spurgeon.
Elsa's Lesson.
It was the evening for the Sunday-school social, and Mrs. Duncan's large, brilliantly lighted parlors were filled to overflowing.
The young people were all there, not only the boys and girls, but the more sedate members of the Bible-class. They were gathered here and there in little groups, engaged in animated discussion and conversation, or playing games, the hum of their merry voices showing how thoroughly they were enjoying the evening.
A group of five bright, laughing girls gathered around the piano seemed to be having a particularly enjoyable time, if one might judge from their animated faces and occasional bursts of laughter at some witty remark of one of their number. They had criticized almost everybody in the room, not unkindly, but thoughtlessly and laughingly, as girls do, and now they had paused a moment, partly for want of breath and partly because they had exhausted their store of brilliant criticisms.
"There comes May Dennis," exclaimed one of the girls as through the hall door she caught a glimpse of a new arrival. "Girls, did you ever see anything like the way she dresses? It positively distracts my thought in church so that I can't think of anything but the incongruity of a bright red bonnet and a blue dress. It only needs to have the dress as bright a blue as the bonnet is red to be the very perfection of ugliness."
The girls laughed. They did not stop to think that May was the oldest of a large family, and that perhaps it was from necessity rather than choice that she had to wear last year's bonnet with this year's dress, instead of getting a tasteful winter suit throughout. These five girls knew nothing about May's daily struggles to make old things look as well as new, not for herself only, but for all the little ones. They were warm-hearted girls, and if they had known, if they had stopped to think about it, they would have warmly sympathized with her instead of laughing at her.
"There comes Joe Ellis," announced Elsa, as the hall door opened to admit another late-comer.
"He's a fine-looking boy, isn't he?" remarked one of her companions. "If he could only dress better, I don't think you could find a handsomer boy in the whole Sunday-school."
"Handsome is that handsome does," quoted Elsa. "I used to think that he was nice-looking enough until I found out what sort of a boy he is."
"Why, what do you mean?" exclaimed the girls together.
"Well, I do not think he is much better than a thief," replied Elsa. "I will tell you all about it if you will promise not to breathe a word to a living soul. I wouldn't like to give him a bad name even if he does deserve it."
"We won't ever breathe it; tell us about it," exclaimed Edna, eagerly.
"Hush! here he comes," and there was silence in the little group until the boy, a pleasant, manly fellow, had passed them with a bow and "Good evening, young ladies."
"Now I'll tell you all about it," began Elsa, and the five heads were put closely together while she whispered her story.
"You remember that dear little pearl-handled penknife that papa gave me for Christmas? Well, one day last week I was foolish enough to take it to school—I might have known I would lose it—and I left it in my desk. I remember putting it there distinctly, and I was the last girl to leave the school-room, so I know nobody could have touched it but Joe Ellis. He's a sort of janitor, you know; he sweeps the school-room every day, and dusts, and all that. Wasn't it mean in him?"
"Are you sure he did it?" asked Maud in astonishment.
"Why, of course I'm sure. I left the knife in my desk, and the next morning it was gone, and Joe was the only one who had been in the room. I think that proves it clearly enough."
"Why, I didn't think he was such a boy. I don't think he ought to be allowed to take up the collection in Sunday-school, for if he is dishonest about one thing he would be about another."
"I'm real angry about it," began Elsa. "Of course, I don't like to ask him about it, but—"
"Hush; some one is going to sing," whispered Edna, and silence fell on the little group.
There was no opportunity for further conversation about Joe Ellis' misdeeds before the gathering of young people dispersed, and Elsa went home, little knowing what an injury she had unconsciously done to the boy.
The next morning she overslept herself, and when she hurried down-stairs with her hat on, and her coat and school-bag on her arm, all ready for school, the clock struck nine just as she sat down to her solitary breakfast.
"Well, I'm going to be late anyway, so I may as well as not take my time over my breakfast," she thought. "I wonder who is in the parlor with mamma so early in the morning," she went on as she heard the sound of voices in the next room.
"It must be a great disappointment to the boy," she heard her mother say.
"Yes; he had set his heart on going, and it would certainly have been a splendid chance for him. He couldn't have been taken into a better business house. It would have been a great help to his mother, too. She feels it more than he does."
"I wonder whom they are talking about," thought Elsa, as she drank her coffee.
"I always considered Joe Ellis a remarkably honest, reliable boy," her mother went on. "I can't help thinking that there was some mistake about it. I wonder who could have told your uncle about his being dishonest. Whoever told him certainly ought to have to prove that the story is true. It is a very serious thing to him to lose his character, and this position isn't the only one he'll lose by having a reputation of dishonesty."
Elsa blushed scarlet, and turning in her chair listened eagerly for the next words. "They are talking about Joe Ellis," she exclaimed to herself. "I wonder if any one could have heard me telling the girls about the knife. There wasn't any one near enough to hear except that old gentleman who was sitting reading behind the piano, and he is a stranger anyway, and wouldn't know whom I was talking about."
"I should think your uncle might overlook that one fault, and give him a trial," said Elsa's mother.
"Well, Uncle Will is very peculiar, you know. He says he won't have anybody about him that he can't rely on, and though he had almost completed arrangements with Joe, he sent for him this morning, told him he had heard something against him, and would not take him. I was sorry for him," went on Mrs. Duncan, "but still I must say I think that uncle was right. A boy who can't be trusted in little things can't be trusted in great things."
A few moments later Mrs. Duncan went away, and her mother came into the dining-room.
"Why, Elsa, haven't you started for school yet?" she exclaimed. "How late you will be! Here is your little knife that you were so sure you had lost," she went on, placing it by Elsa's plate. "It had slipped through a little hole in your pocket down into the lining of your dress. I found it last night when I was mending your dress."
"O mamma!" exclaimed Elsa in dismay. "I was sure that Joe Ellis had taken it, and I told some of the girls so last night. I wonder if that is the story that Mrs. Duncan was telling about?"
"I am afraid it was," answered her mother sadly, "for it was something he had taken from a school-room. O Elsa, will you never learn to govern that unruly member?"
"Has he really lost a position just through that?" asked Elsa, tears filling her eyes. "O mamma, I am so sorry. What can I do to make up for it?"
"Perhaps if you go to the gentleman immediately, before he has time to engage any one else, you may be able to undo the mischief you have done."
"I will go right away," exclaimed Elsa, her face brighter at the prospect of repairing her mistake, and she hastened on her errand.
Her courage almost failed her when she found herself in Mrs. Duncan's parlor, with the old gentleman looking sharply at her with his keen dark eyes.
"Well, what can I do for you, young lady?"
"I want to ask you if the story you heard about Joe Ellis was what I told the girls last night by the piano—about the penknife?" faltered Elsa, rather incoherently.
"What do you want to know for?" asked the old gentleman sharply, looking rather surprised at the question.
"Because that was all a mistake," said Elsa timidly. "I didn't leave it in my desk after all, for mamma found it in the lining of my dress last night when she was mending it."
"And so you told a story like that, casting an indelible stain on the boy's character, without being sure of the truth of what you were saying," said the old gentleman rather severely.
"I thought it was true when I said it," Elsa answered. "Please, sir, couldn't you give him that position, because I am sure he is honest. Everybody always said he was an honest boy."
"It is too late now," was the answer. "I have already positively engaged another boy, and it would not be treating him justly to break faith with him. I think if you knew just how much trouble you have made for Joe Ellis, it would be a lesson to you never to let your tongue run away with you again without being sure that you are speaking the truth."
Elsa could not restrain her tears any longer.
"Can't you take him, too?" she sobbed. "I am so sorry. He has been trying to get a position for so many weeks. Have I spoiled everything for him by a few words?"
"It is too late for me to take him," said the445old gentleman, relaxing from his severity as he saw her evident distress.
"But I have a friend who, I think, wishes to take a young man into his business. I will recommend Joe Ellis to him, and I have no doubt but that he will take him. This is the best that I can promise to do for him. Now, young lady, I hope you will remember this whenever you want to talk about any one again. You didn't know that you were going to do Joe Ellis any harm except in the opinions of your friends, but you see what has come of it. I heard you tell them how Joe had taken the knife from your desk, and of course I didn't want to engage a book-keeper whom I couldn't trust. If you had not found the knife, I should have gone home this afternoon fully believing that he was not a boy to be trusted, and it might have been months before he would have had another chance to get into business. As it is, I feel that I owe Joe some amends for believing that he was dishonest without any proofs, so I shall get him a good position somewhere to make up to him for his disappointment; but you came very near injuring his character forever in my eyes. Now, good-bye," he concluded, as Elsa, drying her tears, arose to go. "Don't think that I have been too harsh and severe about this matter, but I wish that you and everybody could realize what a power the tongue is for either good or evil, and how carefully it should be used. Now, may I hope that you will remember the old man's plain talk with you? and will you let this be a lesson to you whenever you are tempted to let your tongue injure any one's character?"
"Yes, sir, I shall never forget it," said Elsa earnestly, and she meant what she said; and though several years have passed over her head, she has never forgotten the sad lesson of that morning.—Christian Weekly.
The Home Circle.
By Mrs. M. E. Sangster
PATIENCE.
Tap, tap, along the pavement, tap,
It came, a little crutch.
A pale-faced lad looked up at me:
"I do not mind it much,"
He answered to my pitying look;
"It might be worse, you know;
Some fellows have to stay in bed,
While I quite fast can go.
"Oh, yes, I used to run about,
Perhaps I may again;
The doctor says it's wonderful
I have so little pain;
It hurts me now and then, of course,
Well—ever since the fall,
But I'm so very glad, you see,
That I can walk at all."
Tap, tap, the little crutch went on;
I saw the golden hair,
The brown eyes wide and all aglow,
The noble, manly air;
And somehow tears a moment came,
And made my vision dim,
While still the laddie's cheerful words
Were sweet as sweetest hymn.
"I am so very glad, you see,
That I can walk at all."
Why, that's the way for us to feel
When troubles may befall,
There's always blue sky, somewhere, friend,
Though clouds around you meet,
And patience will the Master send,
If sought at his dear feet.
—Mrs. M. E. Sangster, in Congregationalist.
An Easy Place.
A LAD once stepped into our office in search of a situation. He was asked:—
"Are you not now employed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then why do you wish to change?"
"Oh, I want an easier place."
We had not a place for him. No one wants a boy or a man who is seeking an easy place; yet just here is the difficulty with thousands. They want easy work, and are afraid of earning more than their wages. They have strength enough to be out late nights, to indulge in vices and habits which debilitate them; they have strength enough to waste on wine or beer or tobacco, all of which leave them weaker than before; they have strength enough to run and leap and wrestle, but they think they have not the strength to do hard work.
Will the boys let us advise them? Go in for the hard places; bend yourselves to the task of showing how much you can do. Make yourself serviceable to your employer, at whatever cost of your own personal ease; and if you do this, he will soon find that he cannot spare you, and when you have learned how to do work, you may be set to teach others, and so, when the easy places are to be had, they will be yours. Life is toilsome at best to most of us, but the easy places are at the end, not at the beginning, of life's course. They are to be won, not accepted; and a man who is bound to have an easy place now may as well understand that the grave is about the only easy place within the reach of lazy people.—The Little Christian.
A Raffle for the Church
A boy wanted a dollar to buy a chance in a raffle for a watch. His mother was horrified, and rebuked him severely. "But mother," said he, "you baked a cake to be raffled for at the Sunday-school fair." "O yes, but that was for the church." "Well, suppose the watch was for the church, what difference would it make?"
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY.
IN FOUR VOLUMES.
By Mrs. E. G. White.
THESE volumes describe the great conflict between Christ and Satan, as illustrated in the history of man, his temptations, conflicts, victories and defeats, and the final triumph of right and truth with a crowning immortality.
Volume one treats of the rebellion of Satan, the fall of man, and the lives of the patriarchs to the time of Solomon.
Volumes two and three are devoted to the Life of Christ and the Ministry of the Apostles.
Volume four contains sketches of the history of the Church from the destruction of Jerusalem to the close of time.
These books are not argumentative, yet they throw much light on the sacred page. They afford especial encouragement to the Christian, and are excellent to place in the hands of skeptics to convince them of Bible truth.
The four volumes contain over 1,500 pages, and are furnished to the subscriber for $4.00 per set.
Either volume may be furnished separately for $1.00, post-paid. See "State Agents' Directory," on page 430 of this paper, for names and address of our State Agents. They will furnish you descriptive circulars, etc., upon application. Write to them.
PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.
REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Mich.
THE TRUTH FOUND.
By John Harvey Waggoner
THE NATURE AND OBLIGATION OF THE SABBATH OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.
By Eld. J. H. Waggoner.
The title of this little book sufficiently explains its character. It contains more Scriptural information in regard to the Sabbath than any other book of twice the size, and yet it is so simplified as to be easily comprehended. The author quotes the opinions of many learned men concerning the Sabbath, and their conflicting theories are strongly contrasted with the clear, straightforward teaching of the Bible. 64 pp. Price, 10 cents.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
THOUGHTS ON DANIEL,
By Uriah Smith
CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL.
BY ELD. U. SMITH.
EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL, VERSE BY
VERSE.
We are now living in times plainly pointed out in this prophecy, and it is important to understand it; for Daniel himself says that in the time of the end, the wise shall understand; while, if we fail, we are equally guilty with the Jews, who knew not the time of their visitation (Luke 19: 42-44), and shall meet a similar fate.
416 pp. Price, $1.25.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
THE COMING CONFLICT.
By W. H. Littlejohn
OR
THE GREAT ISSUE NOW PENDING IN THIS COUNTRY.
BY ELD. W. H. LITTLEJOHN.
THIS book contains a complete history of the rise and progress of the National Reform Party, together with an exegesis of the last portion of the thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation, assigning to the United States its proper place in prophecy.
EMPHATICALLY A BOOK FOR THE TIMES.
434 pages, in muslin covers, and will be mailed to any address post-paid, for $1.00.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
OUR COUNTRY'S FUTURE FORETOLD.
By Uriah Smith
THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY.
By Eld. U. Smith.
This is a full exposition of a portion of prophecy which applies to our own Government, showing the position the United States holds in prophecy, and the part it has to act in the closing scenes of time.
THE SUNDAY MOVEMENT,
Which is now attracting such general attention, is thoroughly canvassed, and abundant testimony is given to prove that it is fast coming to be the ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION in this country. Dealing with our own land and applying to our own time. Of surpassing interest to every American reader. New edition; revised and enlarged. Cloth, 225 pp., 75cts. Paper covers, new edition, condensed, 186 pp., 25cts.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
Fear God and Keep His Commandments
"FEAR God and keep his commandments."
"Thou Shalt Not Steal."
By Minnie E. Kenney
THEY did not look a bit like thieves! Five bright, rosy-cheeked little girls, with their Bibles and catechisms in their hands and their missionary money safely stowed away in their pockets, to be given to their teacher as soon as the time for collection should come.
I don't think they knew they were thieves, either. They didn't stop to think about it, when they recited the commandments to their teacher as usual after the other lessons were finished.
"Thou shalt not steal," recited Nellie, glibly. "Thou shalt not—"
"Wait a minute, dear," interposed the teacher, as Alice Grant was about to repeat the next one.
"Wait a moment; I want to have a little talk with you about the eighth commandment. Jennie, can you tell me what stealing is?"
"Why, of course I can, Miss Davis. It is taking anything that don't belong to you."
"Yes, that is a very good definition, Jennie," answered her teacher.
"Girls, do you know you have all broken that commandment since you have been in the Sabbath-school room this afternoon?"
"Why, Miss Davis, what do you mean?" they all exclaimed, in astonishment. "We are not thieves," added Jennie, an indignant flush on her face, as she heard her teacher's words.
"Won't you tell us what we have taken that didn't belong to us?" asked Alice.
"What do we always do in Sabbath-school after the opening hymn?" asked Miss Davis.
"Pray," answered Alice.
"To whom does that time belong, then?" asked the teacher.
"To God," answered the girls, in bewilderment, not understanding what these questions had to do with the eighth commandment.
"Yes, that time belongs to God," answered Miss Davis. "Now, this afternoon while our superintendent was leading us in prayer, I heard two little girls carrying on a whispered conversation; another one was turning over the leaves of her library book, and two more were counting their missionary money."
Five little faces grew very red; they now began to see what Miss Davis meant.
"Now, whose time were they taking for these things?" asked their teacher.
"God's time," said Alice faintly.
"Yes, dear, these little girls were taking God's time—the time which should be spent in prayer to him—to talk about other things. Don't you think that those little girls were breaking the eighth commandment, just as surely as if they had taken money or anything else that belonged to another?"
"We never thought of that before, Miss Davis," said Jennie.
"I don't think you ever did, dear girls, for I am sure none of you would take from God what belongs to him if you thought about it. Won't you remember after this that God's time is sacred to himself, and not use it for anything else?"
"Yes, Miss Davis, we will remember," promised the girls.
Just then the superintendent's bell rang as a signal to put away books and prepare for the closing exercises, and there was no time for any more conversation on this subject; but the reverent attention with which the girls listened to the last prayer showed that their teacher's words had sunk deep into their hearts.
After this, whenever they were tempted to whisper or look around during the prayer, they remembered whose time they were taking, and tried to join in the prayer with all their heart, that they might not again be guilty of taking from God the time that belonged to him.—Mrs. Minnie E. Kenney, in Christian at Work.