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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
upon me a temporary but severe hoarseness.
We entered upon the camp meeting with feelings of the deepest
interest. The Lord gave me strength and grace as I stood before the
people. As I looked upon the intelligent audience, my heart was broken
before God. This was the first camp meeting held by our people in
the state. I tried to speak, but my utterance was broken because of
weeping. I had felt very anxious about my husband on account of his
poor health. While speaking, a meeting in the church at Battle Creek
came vividly before my mind’s eye, my husband being in the midst,
with the mellow light of the Lord resting upon and surrounding him.
His face bore the marks of health, and he was apparently very happy.
I tried to present before the people the gratitude we should feel
for the tender compassion and great love of God. His goodness and
glory impressed my mind in a remarkable manner. I was overwhelmed
with a sense of His unparalleled mercies and of the work He was
doing, not only in Oregon, and in California and Michigan, where our
important institutions are located, but also in foreign countries. I can
never represent to others the picture that vividly impressed my mind
on that occasion. For a moment the extent of the work came before
me, and I lost sight of my surroundings. The occasion and the people
I was addressing passed from my mind. The light, the precious light
from heaven, was shining in great brilliancy upon those institutions
which are engaged in the solemn and elevated work of reflecting the
rays of light that heaven has let shine upon them.
All through this camp meeting the Lord seemed very near me.
When it closed, I was exceedingly weary, but free in the Lord. It was a
season of profitable labor and strengthened the church to go on in their
warfare for the truth. Just before the camp meeting commenced, in the
night season, many things were opened to me in vision; but silence
was enjoined upon me that I should not mention the matter to anyone
at that time. After the meeting closed, I had in the night season another
remarkable manifestation of God’s power.
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On the Sunday following the camp meeting I spoke in the afternoon
in the public square. The love of God was in my heart, and I dwelt
upon the simplicity of gospel religion. My own heart was melted and
overflowing with the love of Jesus, and I longed to present Him in
such a manner that all might be charmed with the loveliness of His
character.