the reader all that contributed to the subject, without presenting undue
repetition, only paragraphs or groups of paragraphs were selected. In
some cases repetitious sentences were dropped from even the brief
excerpts used, and in each case the deletion is indicated. Great care
has been exercised, however, to present statements of sufficient length
to give the correct setting for the counsel
.
An endeavor has been made to make each section a complete
treatment of the subject presented. In so doing there accrues a certain
degree of unavoidable repetition of thought which emphasizes the
instruction. As an aid in making ready reference to the key statements
in this volume, side headings appearing in bold type have been supplied
by the compilers. A source credit appears at the close of each excerpt,
and as a further aid to the reader, there is given the date of writing, in
case of the manuscript quotations, or the date of first publication in the
case of other reference
.
A knowledge of the time of the utterance sometimes serves as a
[7]
helpful guide to the application of the counsel, for our work must be
conducted under changing conditions. And although in some instances
it may not be possible to employ in minute detail methods advocated
in earlier years, yet the basic principles enunciated or illustrated in
these earlier counsels will today be a guide to safe and fruitful meth-
ods. Principle is changeless, though its application may call for an
adjustment and adaptation to meet present conditions. We present a
concrete illustration of this point
.
The reader will find frequent mention of the camp meeting, and
counsel as to its conduct. In the seventies Seventh-day Adventist
camp meetings attracted very large non-Adventist week-end atten-
dance, with congregations ranging from half church members and half
non-Adventists to the unusual ratio of fifteen non-Adventists to one
church member. In the nineties very successful evangelistic camp
meetings held in the suburbs of large cities lasted from two weeks
to a month. Such meetings were of large soul-winning potentiality.
Many statements commending such meetings and giving instruction
regarding their successful conduct were penned through those years
.
But times have changed; the camp meeting has become a gathering
almost exclusively for an enlarging church group. The non-Adventist
throngs attracted in earlier years by the camp meeting are now reached
more effectively through the tent or hall meeting. Nevertheless, the