Experience and Labors
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to hold the meeting, with the help of God, even if he had to carry it
through alone.
We again took the matter to the Lord in prayer. We knew that the
mighty Healer could restore both my husband and me to health, if it
was for His glory so to do. It seemed hard to move out, weary, sick,
and discouraged; but at times I felt that God would make the journey
a blessing to us both if we went trusting in Him. The thought would
frequently arise in my mind: “Where is your faith? God has promised,
‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’”
I sought to encourage my husband; he thought that if I felt able
to undergo the fatigue and labor of camp meeting, it would be best
for me to go; but he could not endure the thought of accompanying
me in his state of feebleness, unable to labor, his mind clouded with
despondency, and himself a subject of pity to his brethren. He had
been able to sit up but little since his sudden attack and seemed to
grow no stronger. We sought the Lord again and again, hoping that
there would be a rift in the cloud, but no special light came. While the
carriage was waiting to take us to the depot, we again went before the
Lord in prayer and pleaded with Him to sustain us on our journey. We
both decided to walk out by faith and to venture all on the promises of
God. This movement upon our part required considerable faith; but
upon taking our seats in the cars, we felt that we were in the path of
duty. We rested in traveling and slept well at night.
Camp Meetings
About eight o’clock on Friday evening we reached Boston. The
next morning we took the first train to Groveland. When we arrived at
the camp ground, the rain was literally pouring. Elder Haskell had la-
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bored constantly up to this time, and excellent meetings were reported.
There were forty-seven tents on the ground, besides three large tents,
the one for the congregation being 80 x 125 feet in dimensions. The
meetings on the Sabbath were of the deepest interest. The church was
revived and strengthened, while sinners and backsliders were aroused
to a sense of their danger.
Sunday morning the weather was still cloudy; but before it was
time for the people to assemble, the sun shone forth. Boats and trains
poured their living freight upon the ground in thousands. Elder Smith