It was in the month of August, 1844, that the memorable Second-Advent camp-meeting was held at Exeter, N. H. This meeting was large. It was the occasion of a general rally from all parts of New England, and many were present from other States and from the Canadas. There were many tents upon the ground, some of them resembling houses of worship, in size and shape, more than the small tents usually seen upon Methodist camp grounds. These furnished ample accommodations for the thousands of believers present.
There was a general agreement with all Adventists at that time, that the special providence of God had directed the Advent movement. But the farthest point to which the Jewish year could be extended, reaching from March, 1843, to March, 1844, had passed, and believers were left in a state of suspense and uncertainty, evidently not enjoying all the inspiring influence of the Advent hope and faith they felt under the proclamation of definite time. And there were other things besides the passing of the time, that cast a degree of general gloom over the Second-Advent cause at that time.
Storrs’ Six Sermons on the immortality question were being widely circulated among Adventists, and the doctrine of man’s unconsciousness in death and the destruction of the wicked, was being adopted by some and regarded with favor by many. The time had come, in the providence of God, for this question to be agitated. But its importance could not then be seen by any as it is now regarded since the rise and wide-spreading, desolating influence of Spiritualism. Those Second-Advent editors and lecturers, such as Litch, Hale, Bliss, Himes, and Miller, who did not agree with Mr. Storrs, not only failed to see that good could result from the agitation of the subject, but were grieved that the once united and happy flock, who were looking for the immediate return of the great Shepherd, should have their minds divided by this question. And these men, who felt the responsibilities of the great Advent cause, are not to be censured too much for their fears, nor blamed too severely for their efforts to avoid the discussion of so sensitive a question.
And while it was being feared that a portion of the Advent body were having their minds diverted from the all-important work of warning the world of the soon-coming of the Son of man, by an unnecessary discussion of the immortality question, others were causing divisions, and were bringing much labor and perplexity upon the leading men in the cause, by urging upon the flock extreme views of entire consecration, or Christian perfection, then taught by the Methodists, the men of the Oberlin school, and others. And not a few men and women appeared in the Advent ranks who professed to be wonderfully led by the Holy Spirit. These took their position in advance of their brethren. Many of them soon became self-righteous, and, notwithstanding their apparent humility, were proud of their spiritual attainments. So wonderfully impressed to do this or that, and so directly taught by the Holy Spirit in relation to their entire duty, how could they err? The idea of mistakes on their part, in doctrine or in duty, was banished from them.
Viewing themselves far in advance of their brethren, they were ready to teach even their teachers. And supposing themselves directly taught by the Holy Spirit, they were ready to reject the instructions and corrections of those who labored to help them. Such persons usually advance rapidly in their wild career. They soon fall under the direct power of Satan, to be impressed and tempted by him to do this or that thing which may be sinful. They labor under the terrible deception that all their impressions are from the Holy Spirit, and must at all hazards be promptly obeyed. God pity the poor fanatic, who is thus goaded on by the Devil to disgrace himself and wound the cause of Christ. In no case could Satan strike the Advent cause so stunning a blow, and so completely cover it with reproach, as to lead on certain ones who bore the Advent name in the wild career of fanaticism.
And he knows when to strike. The world had just trembled before the solemn message of the Judgment hour, proclaimed with great boldness and power. And believers had lifted up one united voice in confident testimony relative to the period of their joyful expectations. But the time had passed, the world breathed easier, the scoffer triumphed, and believers felt that they had all they could do to hold fast, and not draw back to perdition. This was just the time for Satan to strike.
More or less had embraced the Advent faith from all those religious bodies where the idea was prevailing that Scriptural sanctification, purity and holiness, consisted chiefly in happy flights of feeling, and being led in the minutiæ of the Christian life by impressions. These had been stirred to the very depths of the soul by the proclamation of the second coming of Christ, and felt that if they ever needed holiness it was then necessary, to enable them to stand when he should appear, and that if they should ever follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, it was then, as they were engaged in the preparatory work for the Judgment. And with their false notions of entire consecration, they were in readiness for the torch of fanaticism. If Satan could control these, and bring reproach upon the Advent cause, and sadden the hearts of those he could not destroy, he would gain a victory that would cause wicked men and demons to triumph.
There was upon the Exeter camp-ground a tent from Watertown, Massachusetts, filled with fanatical persons, as briefly described above. At an early period in this meeting, they attracted much attention by the peculiar style in which they conducted their seasons of social worship in their tent. These were irregular, very lengthy, frequently extending into hours of intermission and rest, continuing nearly all night, and attended with great excitement, and noise of shouting and clapping of hands, and singular gestures and exercises. Some shouted so loud and incessantly as to become hoarse, and silent, simply because they could no longer shout, while others literally blistered their hands striking them together.
The tent’s company from Portland, Me., of which I was one of the number, had pitched close by this tent from Watertown, before the condition of those who occupied it was generally known, little thinking of the annoyances they were to suffer from these fanatical persons. But these they endured for a while in the hope that they would be corrected and reproved. Seeing, however, that they were not the persons to be reformed, and that they grew no better, but, rather worse, the Portland brethren moved their tent to a distant part of the ground. But this act, showing the assembled thousands that we had no union with those we left, created sympathy for these fanatics, in not a few who viewed all the dangers of the way on the side of those who were disposed to formality. These joined with the Watertown people in the cry of persecution, and shouted glory to God over it, as if a new and brilliant victory had been gained.
By this time a general gloom was coming over the meeting, and ministers who had the burden of the work upon them, felt deeply. The wildfire was spreading, and how to stop it was the question. The people were told of the dangers of spiritual magnetism, and were warned to keep away from that tent. But this only caused a crowd of the curious, incautious, and those who claimed a right to investigate, and felt that they were responsible to no one, to gather round this tent. And it was evident that every hour some were being brought under this influence, several of whom were suffering impulse to ride over reason.