Birth of a Reformation; Or, The Life and Labors of Daniel S. Warner

by A. L. Byers

On the way we met a good many people returning from the camp, and we were no little astonished to see so many of them smoking cigars. Finally the thought forced itself on our mind, "Can it be possible that they are selling such things on the camp-ground?" But considering that it was the Sabbath-day and the people holding the camp-meeting professed to be the "Church of God," such a thing surely could not be. The very thought was shocking and preposterous. When a half mile away we saw a smoke ascending at the camp. As we entered the ground we observed a crowd of sinners standing about a building with a sign, Boarding-Tent, and the smoke from their many cigars blended into a cloud, that we had seen from a distance. Soon after landing, we said to a brother, "Let us walk up and see what they have to sell there." We did so, and adventuring into the poison-fog we walked the whole length of the long building, all opened in front, displaying a large stock of every variety of ware that would be necessary to satisfy the pride, vanity, and lust of the horse-race or any vanity-fair throng of this ungodly world.

We were shocked and amazed at this horrible traffic. The chief sale was tobacco. There the nasty, filthy stuff was piled up from one end of the building to the other. The vile curse of the earth, in every form and shape the devil ever invented, freely sold on a—oh, the blasphemy!—"Church of God" camp-ground!...

It was all licensed by the preachers in control of the meetings. And such men have the wicked presumption to call themselves ministers of Christ! One of the "merchants of these things which were made rich" by the "abundance of the delicacies," though we understand he makes no profession of Christ, was ashamed of the unhallowed traffic, and though his contract included another year, he said he would never come back again. He confessed that if he were to open up such traffic on Sabbath at his place of business in town he would be prosecuted; but the superabundance of righteousness (?) of these tobacco-soaked preachers, it would appear, was to atone for the same sins on their camp-ground. Surely it has come to pass what is written in the prophets, "They overpass the deeds of the wicked" (Jer. 5:28).

After taking some refreshment and having obtained permission to praise God, we engaged in our evening devotion, with singing and prayer, to the God of our salvation. Our doors were soon crowded with young folks to hear the singing.

The tobacco-smoke was so dense that we could scarcely endure it without getting sick. But after a few songs and prayers were offered, every one cast his cigar away and listened with seriousness. This they did without a word said by any of us....

The meeting had been in progress four days, and no soul had been saved. Not a seeker. Not even a place for a penitent to kneel, no straw on the ground. The pulpit was the only place to kneel in the congregation; as though they did not expect a poor penitent to seek God, and that the preacher should do all the praying.

On Monday morning, the services were made later than the usual hour. The preachers were doubtless perplexed how to perform in the deadness of their souls. "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites" (Isa. 33:14). Not one of them would venture to preach. The services were confined to one hour. After reading a psalm, the preacher announced that all should be free to serve God by prayer, and testimony, and song, requesting brevity of each. So, as our heart was "springing up" full of the love of God, we opened our mouth to praise the Lord in singing a verse occasionally. After several had spoken we arose and testified to the great "salvation we have in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." We aimed to be very brief, but occupied seven minutes by the watch, when they began to sing. But they being but a few and "feeble folk," their song would not have interfered materially with our remarks. However, we struck in to sing until they stopped, and then sat down....

After the services were dismissed we were ordered to leave the ground as soon as we could pack up and depart; and forbidden to sing, pray, or preach, within one mile of their tobacco-soaked camp.

When asked why they would not allow us to worship God there, the president said it was because we held a second work of grace, which they did not believe. Why should they fear to hear the testimony? If they really believed that there is no "second grace," they need not fear that any of their flock would obtain it. According to their position, they were afraid of the thing that does not exist. What brave soldiers!

One of the preachers arose in the speaking-meeting and said, "According to the little bit of information I have received concerning Christ's salvation, it is all received at once." Certainly a man that has only "a little bit of information respecting Christ's salvation" has only a little bit of salvation, and that little bit of salvation was doubtless all obtained at once, for it was so little it could not have been divided. And when that very "little bit" is analyzed it is seen to consist in a mere "name to live," a "form of godliness," anointed by love of self and love of sect....