Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-06-08
/. THE ADVENT CAMp-sIEETING.

ED. VoTER:-The Advent Camp
meeting held in grove two miles
north of this city has just closed, after
holding five days. A State Confer
ence was held in connection with it.
Delegates and people were present
from all parts of Iowa, and some from
other States. About five hundred Of
the denomination were encamped on
the ground. Some twenty-five cotton
tents were pitched in circle with a
large sixty-foot tent. A stand and
seats were prepared inside the circle
Of tents, where the people were seated
during services.
The ground was nicely prepared,
and the tents kept neat and inviting.
The very best of order was maintained
throughout. No disturbance occurred
at any time. Exercises were as fol-
lows: rise at 4! A. NJ; prayer meeting
at 5; breakfast at Z; family prayers at
g; social meeting at 8; preaching at
l0!; dinner at P. NJ; preaching at
q; social meeting at 6; preaching at
s; and retire at 81.
Meetings began on Thursday with
preaching. Ed. Littlejohn of Mich,
Ed. Butler of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and
Elder Canright of Monroe, were the
laboring ministers present. Saturday
Ed. James White and wife, of Battle
Creek, Mich, arrived, and did most
of the speaking after that. On Sum
day three hundred teams stood in the
grove, while about two thousand
persons listened with attention and
deep interest to the preaching of the
word by Ed. White and Mrs. White,
who are the acknowledged leaders
among this people. They are both
able speakers and good reasoners.
Mrs. w. is peculiarly interesting
speaker, and never fails to rivet the
attention of her audience. She is a
plain, modest-appearing woman, and
manifests devotion and zeal in her
work. Many false stories and ideas
are circulated concerning this woman.
The feeling in the meetings through
out was deep and solemn. No excite
ment or fanaticism was seen among
them. But their testimonies in their
social meetings were often given with
tears and deep feeling. While this
people believe in heartfelt religion,
and the movings Of the Spirit of God
upon the mind, yet they are careful to
avoid mere animal excitement, and
senseless actions. During the meet
ings some fifty or more came forward
for prayers.
These meetings are held annually,
more for the benefit of the believers
than for the purpose Of making con-
verts; hence the nature Of the meet
ings differs some from that of ordinary
camp-meetings.
This people came up about twenty
five years ago, and have now estab-
lished churches in all the Northern
States, from Maine to California.
They also have churches in Europe.
They have regular organization,
State Conferences, General Confer
ence, &c. Their headquarters are at
Battle Creek, Michigan, where they
have a large publishing house, steam
press, &c. They issue three periodic
ais, The Advent Review, The Health
Reformer, and the South's Instructor.
They also publish large amount of
books and tracts advocating their
views. These they make great efforts
to scatter among the people, and thus
disseminate their doctrines. They
are very plain people, yet they at
taeh much importance to cleanliness
and neatness. AS denomination
they are Health Reformers, though
not as radical as some others. The
peculiar doctrines of this people are
the following:
l. They keep the seventh day Of
the week instead of the first day.
They claim that the Sabbath never
was changed and that we are nowhere
in the Bible taught to keep the first
day.
.. They believe that Christ is soon
to come second time, even in this
generation, though they never set the
day nor the year for that event. They
have no sympathy with those who do.
They think that the prophecies and
the signs of the times plainly indicate
the end of the world.
8. They hold that God is now
warning the world of this coming
event, the same as he warned in the
time of Noah, Lot, &c.
4. They do not believe in the inn
mortality of the soul; but hold that all
men sleep in the grave till the resur-
rection, when the saints will be raised
immortal and the wicked will be