The old-fashioned Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting answered as much to our understanding of an evangelistic effort as does one of our modern camp meetings. At these gatherings, frequently held in large cities, the believers would congregate with their non-Adventist friends and listen to forceful preachers as they presented the evidences for our faith in clear Bible language. Thus converts were won to the faith and our own people were strengthened and blessed as they sought to bring the light of truth to others.
Times have changed, but not God's plan. Evangelism is still to be the keynote of all our camp meetings. The idea of devoting the evening hour to this purpose is a good one. But much more can be done to gather in non-Adventists to the meetings than has been our custom. Mrs. E. G. White wrote:
"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 . . . who otherwise might have thought little about it."—Gospel Workers, pp. 401, 402.
Our campers at any camp meeting could be organized to spend an hour or two every week, distributing announcements concerning the evening meetings and passing out our literature. What a lesson this would be in home missionary work. This is in harmony with the following quotation:
"Properly conducted, the camp-meeting . . . should be a school where the members of the church, old and young, are given an opportunity to learn the way of the Lord more perfectly, a place where believers can receive an education that will help them to help others."—Gospel Workers, p. 404.
Think of what would happen to all the conferences of North America, to say nothing of our meetings abroad, if this plan were followed. Hundreds would find their way to the truth and be baptized.
WORK FOR YOUTH.—It is not from the visitors alone, however, that we are to gather in souls. There are many juniors and youth, to say nothing of the relatives of campers and visiting Adventists. During the past summer one of our workers visited six different camp meetings and spoke perhaps fifty times. At nearly every meeting the doctrines of the message were presented, and an appeal was made to accept Christ as the Saviour and the divine Author of Bible truth. Two hundred and twenty decisions for baptism were made. Names and addresses were secured as the candidates responded and came forward to the altar. Baptismal classes were organized, and the names distributed to the ministers in the districts where the new converts resided.
This program brought courage and new life to the youth leaders who presided at these meetings. Competent pastors employed by the local conference conducted the baptismal classes with the juniors and youth who made their decision. If there are some who feel that the work of appealing to our own unsaved youth should be done exclusively by the local pastors, let it be recalled that this is well and good if the responsibility is placed upon capable men by the conference committee.
Too often this work of making direct appeals to our youth and juniors to accept Christ and be baptized is neglected, and precious souls are lost to the cause. Surely, if we do not plan to save souls, souls will go unsaved. But if we follow a definite program of evangelism at camp meeting, we will see glorious results as the Holy Spirit breaks through the darkness and brings light to dear people who are wavering in the balance and waiting to be addressed about their salvation personally, or by the evangelist from the desk. And let us not forget that this effort must include our own youth as well as the visitors not of our faith.
It was regarding soul-winning endeavor at our camp meetings that the messenger of the Lord wrote when she made this familiar statement:
"Prayers and tears and inquiries go up from souls longing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the very verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in. . . As they by faith grasp the promise of God for the forgiveness of their sins, the bondage of habit is broken. Forsaking their sinful indulgences, they become free men in Christ Jesus, and rejoice in the liberty of the sons of God. This is the work to be done in all our camp-meetings. Through this means thousands will be won to Christ."—Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 71.
Those who present the truth are to enter into no controversy. . . . There is to be no wavering. The trumpet is to give a certain sound. The attention of the people is to be called to the third angel's message. Let not God's servants act like men walking in their sleep, but like men preparing for the coming of Christ.—Evangelism, p. 119.
