Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-09-26


rude stage Of rough boards, with
railing around it, and a desk of small
slabs, supporting a Bible and hymn
book.
The preachers were already as
semblng; and no small curiosity
was expressed with regard to them
by the people, who were walking up
and down amung the tents. Nina,
leaning on the arm of Clayton, wal
kcd about the area with the rest
Anne Cluyton leaned on the arm of
Uncle John. Aunt Nesbil and Aunt
Maria came behind. To Nina the
scene was quite new, for loLg resi-
dence in the Northern States had
placed her out of the way Of such
things and her shrewd insight into
character, and her love Of drolIery,
found an abundant satisfaction in the
various little points and oddities OF
the scene. They walked to the Cor
den tent, 10 which a preliminary
meeting was already in full course.
A circle Of men and women, inter
spersed with ,children, were sitting,
with their eyes shut, and their heads
thrown back, singing ut the top OF
their voices. Occasionally, one or
the other would vary the exercises by
clapping OF hands, jumping straight
up, straight into the air, falling fiat
On the ground, screaming, dancing
and laughing.
30, set me upon "A rock /" scream
ed one.
"I's sot up" screamed another
Glory" criec the third, and a
tempest Of amens" poured in be-
tween.
rs got a sperlence p cried one,
and forthwith began piping It out in
high key, while Others kept on sing
ing
rs got sperience l' shouted
Tomtit, whom Aunt Rose, with ma
tcral care, had taken with her.
"Nu, you an neither SIT down.
snid Aun, Rose, heading him down
as II he had been a batch of BIS
cults, aud going on nj the same time
with her hymn.
"l's on the Rock Of Ages 7"
screamed a neighbor.
want to get on rock edg-
ways (" screamed TomtIi, strug-
Cling desperately with Aunt Roses
great fat hands
Mind yourself-I'll crack you
over p said Aunt Rose. And Tom
lit, still continuing rebellious, was
cracked over, accordingly, with such
force as to send him head foremost
on the straw at the bottom Of the
tent-an indlgnity which he resent
cd with loud howls OF lmpotenl
wrath, which, however, ma le no lm-
preston in the general whlrlwInd OF
screaming, shouting aud praying.
Nina and Uncle John stnod at the
ieni-door, laughing heartily. Clay
ton looked on, with his usual thought
tul gravity Of aspect. Anne turned
her head away, with an air of dis
gust.
Why don's you laugh = said /
Nina, looking around AT her.
1t doesn't makes me feel like il, " /
said Anne. 1T makes me feel mel |
anchouy"
Why SOP
" Because religion is a thing with
me, and | don't like to see il trayesti-
cd" said she.
90" said Nina, " don't respect
religion any the less for good laugh
at its oddities. believe was
born without any bump OF rever-
ence, and so don't feel the incongru-
ity Of the thing as you do. The
distance between laughing and pray
ing isn'l so very wide in my mind as
II Is IN some peoples
We must have charity said
Clayton, for every religious manl-
feslauon. Barbarous and half-civli-
zed people always find the necessity
for outward aud ODDLY demouslra-
ton IN worship ! suppose, because
the nervous excitement wakes up aud
anlmaies their spiritual natures, aud
gets them into a receptive state, Just
rs you have To shake up sleeping
persons, and scream in their ears, to
put them IN a condition 10 under.
stand you. have known real CON
versions to take place under Just
these excltemenls.
" But" said Anne, 81 think we
might teach them to be decent. -
These things ought not to be allow
cd"
" | believe" said Clayton, " intol-
eranco is a rooled vice N our nature
The world IS us full of different
minds and bodies as The woods are
OF leaves, aud each one has lis own
habit Of growth. Aud vel our first
impulse is To forbid everything that
would not be proper for US. No, let
the African scream, dance, and shout,
and fall IN frances. Ii suits his trop-
zeal lineage and blood, as much as
our thoughtful inward ways do Us.
" | wonder what that is, SAID Nj
ma, as a general movement on the
ground proclaimed the arrival of some
one who appeared TO be exciting
general interest. The stranger was
an unusually tall, porlly man, appa-
ronliy somewhat past the middle of
LIE, whose erect carriage, full figure,
and red cheeks, and a certain dash
ing frankness of manner, nigh, have
indicated him as belonging rather to
the military than the clerical proles
sion. lie carried rifle on his shout
der, which he set down carefully A.