The New York herald., 1844-07-20
Price Two Cents.

CANADIAN CAMP MEETING.-f eStefddy (Sunddy)
for the first time visited Camp Meeting, and
must humbly confess | was most agreeable disal-
pointed. The extravaganza mentioned by Mrs
Trolloppe as having occurred at an Indiana camp
meeting was not here realized. Her quotation
from Milton would rot here apply to the preachers:
'Bnd mouths that themselves know how hold
A sheep hook, or have learned aught else the least
That to the faithful herdsmans ART belongs;
But when they list their lean and iashy songs,
Grsts on their scrannel pipes OF wretched straw,
The hungry sseep look up and are not fed
But swollen with wind, and the rank mist they draw
Rot inwardiy, and foul contagion snread"
No-no--this woodland worship, when conduct
ed as have seen H. has most imposing effect. |
would venture TO prophecy IL will be the summer
worship OF the people OF Upper Canada. The sages
of old worshlpped IN groves and they understood
the taste OF nature. The preachers AZ this camp
meeting were sensible persons; and h-ard nothing
OF what is called rantng or brawling from them.
We reached the ground about an hour before
sunset-the day was delightful and the approach
TO the spot highly picturesque. The spot chosen
was the verge Of an unbroken forest, with space
Of about Is acres in front OF clear grass land
which served as sort OF lawn. This green plot
was skirted by the south branch Of the RIdesu Ri
vera pretty stream-the opposite bank OF which,
al this spot, is bold, preclpous and woody-tabe
land stretching away from the top, well cleared
the camp ground were good-away 10 the right, at
the termination OF the view, lay the pretty village
of Kemptve, backed by woods to the north-lhe
rays OF the setting dancing It's glIttering
spires and of to the left stretched highly cu-
tlvated country, with clumps OF woods here and
there studded it, The eternal forest lay in
rear 0f the camp ground.
So much for the view without. Within, Tents
of different sizes were pitched very together
in form much resembling horse shoe; the al
tar, stand or pulpit call II what you like, il all
amounts TO the same thng-wds about 20 feet high;
a long range OF steps, something similar To the gall
lery OF theatre, ran round the base OF this altar:
on this, the host OF singers sang, and from the
platform high above, the priests, preachers
ministers, spoke forth to the multitude ranged be-
meath on a sloplng ground-the ascent from the
pulpit, stand, or e altar Around this slope, as
frames, constructed in the form OF altars, were
placed at regular intervals within the enclosure
on these We're supported layers Of earth and sod,
on which burned immense fires of blazing pine
wood
| When we arrived. preacher was in the midst
OF his sermon; and his voice which was, indeed,
| loud, appeared TO be increased ftty-fod by the
echo OF the deep dark brown woods which sur
rounded him. His voice excepted, solemn ST.
lence reigned all round. But what can ] say of
nothing that will not fall far short OF the reality.
1t was grand, sublime, thrilling This was the
moment at which one could feel anything like the
solemn and beautiful effect which | had heard
ascribed TO this woodland worship. 1t is certain,
that the combined voices of such multitude, (up-
wards of ,000) heard al dead of night, from the
turned upwards, and looking paler and lovelier as
| they met the moonbeams rlcklng through living
green, the dark figures Of the officials al the front
Of the circle, the lnrid glare thrown by the altar
L
clrcllng their mothers, beyond again sitting al the
door OF each tent, Arabian like, the curtains in
front OF the tents Dropping and the faint light that
cleaned through the white drapery, backed as it
was by the dark forest, had altogether beautiful
and mysterious effect that set the imagination at
| work. 1t did altogether produce an effect which
shall not soon forget.
The preaching good as any have heard
any " here and you know il is part of my creed
that the most unettered scion Of religion, il he is
only jealous can preach just as well in the eye OF
many persons-and those not the least discrlmina-
tlng-as the Archbishop OF Canterbury or the Pope
OF Rome but in that Of the great mass-the peo-
pe-where unsuspectIng faith Is 10 be found in all,
how much superior IS the former to the latter (of
course mean in ehect) He speaks in their own
language, dresses his ideas in their ideas, draws his
parallels by their parallels, ascends 10 Heaven as
they ascend, descends 10 hell as they descend-ln
WORD, he Is hand in hand, heart in heart, soul in
soul with them. Out ofthe towns, il is my firm be-
lief that this Methodism will in a very short time
be the religion Of western Canada. The sturdy
Irish Orange man IS bowing before 1.-THE flinty
scottish Presbyterian soiens 10 1.-THE hurry bully
John Bull enthusiastically embraces it-and the
whole OF the native and American population are
fast rooted wltbl0 It's lhsidious coils. Methodsm
is a democratic religion, and democracy reigns
triumphant throughout the North American CONT
nent; therefore, by the logic OF Euclid and the
experience OF ages, Methodlsm will be the religion
of the continent. All the acts of men and govern
ment cannot resist It's onward march. The clergy
men OF the old establishments are propelhng the
movement indirectly.
With these reflections, after making tour round
the circle OF tents, hwalked leisurely homewards,
fully determined to never hear Camp Meetings
made subject Of ridicue again No roing, no
obscenty, no Improperly OF any kind, dlsgraced
the scene while ! there. At the sound Of
norm, all regularly assembled at worship, and peace
ably retired Il is true, few wild foolish young
men, among whom, dare say, there were some
rufians, grouped round at distance; but an ac-
i've magistrate was on the ground, backed by
efficient corps Of watchmen, ready at a moments
| warning to InflIct summary punishment on trans
,ressorss. preacher informed me that no breach
OF the peace, or OF their regulations had occurred
| since their commencement, Thursday last, and
that they were determined for the future 10 prevent
such scenes as have hitherto disgraced camp meet
ings.-Ringston (Canado) Whig, July g.