The Plano Camp Meeting

After spending a week at the McDearmon home, James and Ellen White went on north some 20 miles (32 kilometers) to Plano. The camp meeting had opened there, three miles (five kilometers) from the village, on Tuesday, November 12. About 200 believers came in for a very successful camp meeting. From Peoria, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) away, nine families came by private conveyance (Manuscript 3, 1878).WV 188.3

Ellen White pictured the accommodations awaiting her and her party:WV 188.4

We found a tent prepared for us with board floor, and carpeted, provided with bedsteads, tables, chairs, and stove. Nothing was wanting to make us comfortable. Our friends who had recently embraced the truth at Plano had anticipated our wants and liberally supplied them in the furnishing of our tent (Ibid.).WV 188.5

As to the meetings, James White wrote:WV 188.6

Twenty-four discourses were preached during the camp meeting. Elder Haskell was on the ground two days in advance and gave eleven discourses. Mrs. White and the writer gave six discourses each, and Elder Kilgore, one. In consequence of the distance, the rains, and deep mud, the outside attendance was small. Sunday afternoon Mrs. White gave a discourse on Christian temperance before a large congregation (The Review and Herald, December 5, 1878).WV 188.7

During the camp meeting 13 people were baptized, the Texas Conference was formed, and aggressive plans were laid for tent evangelism. It was decided to purchase two evangelistic tents, one 60 feet (18 meters) in diameter, the other 50 feet (15 meters).WV 188.8

The Whites elected to settle for the winter in Denison, some 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Dallas and not far from the Red River, which forms the boundary for the northeast part of the state. Denison was somewhat of a railroad center, situated on sandy land. Roads were fairly good and the surroundings pleasant.WV 188.9

In Denison the Whites were to occupy a home being built by the Bahlers. Just as soon as the plaster was dry they settled down for the winter. They had to secure furniture and furnishings, and assemble materials for their writing. It seems that Ellen White left Battle Creek in such haste that she did not have time or strength to assemble either adequate clothing for the winter or the writing materials and reference works she would need.WV 189.1

The requests she addressed to Willie and Mary included bedding, materials for sewing—patterns for dresses for herself and pants for James—and some food items for the table. But of top priority were materials needed for her writing.WV 189.2

On November 22 she stated, “We intend to commence writing at once and to make the most of our time” (Letter 56, 1878).WV 189.3