Jesus Christ is light.
An Object Lesson
Every camp meeting should be an object lesson of neatness,
order, and good taste. We must give careful regard to economy,
and must avoid display; but everything connected with the grounds
should be neat and tidy. Taste and tact do much to attract. And in all
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our work we should present the discipline of organization and order.
Everything should be so arranged as to impress both our own
people and the world with the sacredness and importance of the
work of God. The regulations observed in the encampment of the
[35] Israelites are an example to us. It was Christ who gave those special
instructions to Israel, and He intended them for us also, upon whom
the ends of the world are come. We should study carefully the
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specifications of God’s word and practice these directions as the will
of God. Let everything connected with the encampment be pure,
wholesome, and cleanly. Special attention should be given to all
sanitary arrangements, and men of sound judgment and discernment
should see that nothing is permitted to sow the seeds of sickness and
death throughout the encampment.
The tents should be securely staked, and whenever there is liability
of rain, every tent should be trenched. On no account let this be
neglected. Serious and even fatal illness has been contracted through
neglect of this precaution.
We should feel that we are representatives of truth of heavenly
origin. We are to show forth the praises of Him who has called
us out of darkness into His marvelous light. We should ever bear
in mind that angels of God are walking through the encampment,
beholding the order and arrangement in every tent. To the large
numbers of people who come to the ground, all the arrangements are
an illustration of the belief and principles of the people conducting
the meeting. It should be the very best illustration possible. All
the surroundings should be a lesson. Especially should the family
tents, in their neatness and order, giving a glimpse of home life,
be a constant sermon as to the habits, customs, and practices of
Seventh-day Adventists.
Securing Attendance
As we were preparing to hold a camp meeting near a large city
where our people were but little known, I seemed one night to be in
an assembly met for consultation as to the work to be done before [36]
the meeting. It was proposed to make large efforts, and incur heavy
expense for distributing notices and papers. Arrangements were
being made to do this, when One who is wise in counsel said: “Set
your tents, begin your meetings, then advertise; and more will be
accomplished.
“The truth as spoken by the living preacher will have greater
influence than the same matter will have when published in the
papers. But both methods combined will have still greater force.
It is not the best plan to follow one line of effort year after year.
Change the order of things. When you give time and opportunity,
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Satan is prepared to rally his forces, and he will work to destroy
every soul possible. Do not arouse opposition before the people have
had opportunity to hear the truth and know what they are opposing.
Reserve your means to do a strong work after the meeting rather than
before. If a press can be secured to be worked during the meeting,
printing leaflets, notices, and papers for distribution, it will have a
telling influence.”
At some of our camp meetings strong companies of workers have
been organized to go out into the city and its suburbs to distribute
literature and invite people to the meetings. By this means hundreds
of persons were secured as regular attendants during the last half of
the meeting who otherwise might have thought little about it.
We must take every justifiable means of bringing the light before
the people. Let the press be utilized, and let every advertising agency
be employed that will call attention to the work. This should not
be regarded as nonessential. On every street corner you may see
placards and notices calling attention to various things that are going
[37] on, some of them of the most objectionable character; and shall
those who have the light of life be satisfied with feeble efforts to call
the attention of the masses to the truth?
Those who become interested have to meet sophistry and misrepresentation
from popular ministers, and they know not how to
answer these things. The truth presented by the living preacher
should be published in as compact a form as possible, and circulated
widely. As far as practicable, let the important discourses given at
our camp meetings be published in the newspapers. Thus the truth
which was placed before a limited number may find access to many
minds. And where the truth has been misrepresented, the people
will have an opportunity of knowing just what the minister said.
Put your light on a candlestick, that it may give light to all who
are in the house. If the truth has been given to us, we are to make
it so plain to others that the honest in heart may recognize it and
rejoice in its bright rays.
Nathanael prayed that he might know whether or not the One
announced by John the Baptist as the Messiah was indeed the Lamb
of God that taketh away the sin of the world. While he was laying his
perplexities before God and asking for light, Philip called him, and
in earnest, joyful tones exclaimed: “We have found Him, of whom
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Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the
son of Joseph.” John 1:45.
But Nathanael was prejudiced against the Nazarene. Through
the influence of false teaching, unbelief arose in his heart, and he
asked: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip
did not try to combat his prejudice and unbelief. He said: “Come
and see.” This was wise; for as soon as Nathanael saw Jesus, he was
convinced that Philip was right. His unbelief was swept
