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Life Sketches of Ellen G. White
By invitation I spoke in the tent Sunday evening, July 1, upon the
subject of Christian temperance, to fully five thousand persons.
On the Indiana Camp Ground
August 9-14, I attended the camp meeting near Kokomo, Ind.,
accompanied by my daughter-in-law, Mary K. White. My husband
found it impossible for him to leave Battle Creek. At this meeting the
Lord strengthened me to labor most earnestly. He gave me clearness
and power to appeal to the people. As I looked upon the men and
women assembled here, noble in appearance and commanding in
influence, and compared them with the little company assembled six
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years before, who were mostly poor and uneducated, I could but
exclaim, “What hath the Lord wrought!”
The refining influence that the truth has upon the life and character
of those who receive it, was exemplified very strongly here. While
speaking, we asked those to arise who had been addicted to the use of
tobacco, but had entirely discontinued its use because of the light they
had received through the truth. In response, between thirty-five and
forty arose to their feet, ten or twelve of whom were women. We then
invited those to rise who had been told by physicians that it would be
fatal for them to stop the use of tobacco, because they had become
so accustomed to its false stimulus that they would not be able to
live without it. In reply, eight persons, whose countenances indicated
health of mind and body, arose to their feet. How wonderful is the
sanctifying influence which this truth has upon the human life, making
staunch temperance men of those who have indulged in tobacco, wine,
and other fashionable dissipation.
On Sunday Elder J. H. Waggoner spoke with great freedom in
the forenoon to a good congregation, on the subject of the Sabbath.
Three excursion trains poured their living freight upon the grounds.
The people here were very enthusiastic on the temperance question.
At 2:30 P.M. I spoke to about eight thousand people on the subject
of temperance viewed from a moral and Christian standpoint. I was
blessed with remarkable clearness and liberty, and was heard with the
best of attention from the large audience present.
We left the beaten track of the popular lecturer, and traced the
origin of the prevailing intemperance to the home, the family board,
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