Camp-Meetings Their Object, and How to Conduct Them

To Reach the Masses

In the sermon on the mount, Christ said to His disciples, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16. If our camp-meetings’ are conducted as they should be, they will indeed be a light in the world. They should be held in the large cities and towns where the message of truth has not been proclaimed, and they should continue for two or three weeks. It may sometimes be advisable to hold a camp-meeting for several successive seasons in the same place; but, as a rule, the place of meeting should be changed from year to year. Instead of having mammoth camp-meetings in a few localities, more good would be done by having smaller meetings in many places. Thus the work will be constantly extending into new fields. Just as soon as the standard of truth is lifted in one locality; and it is safe to leave the converts to the faith, we must plan to enter other new fields. Our camp-meetings are a power, and when held in a place where the community can be stirred, they will have far greater power than when, for the convenience of our own people, they are located where, because of previous meetings and the rejection of truth, the public interest is deadened. PH130 3.1

A mistake has been made in holding camp-meetings in out-of-the-way places, and in continuing in the same place year after year. This has been done to save expense and labour; but the saving should be made in other lines. In new fields especially, a dearth of means often makes it difficult to meet the expense of a camp-meeting. Careful economy should be exercised, and inexpensive plans devised; for much can be saved in this way. But let not the work be crippled. This method of presenting the truth to the people is by the devising of our God. When souls are to be laboured for, and the truth is to be brought before those who know it not, the work must not be hindered in order to save expense. PH130 4.1

Our camp-meetings should be so conducted as to accomplish the greatest possible amount of good. Let the truth be properly presented and represented by those who believe it. It is light, the light of heaven, that the world needs, and whatever manifests the Lord Jesus Christ is light. PH130 4.2