The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-09-13
Thc lalnn Mcclinu-

- ""'V" SI"U, III me must Of dense forest,
winch stretched away in every direction, in
cool, green isles Of chrckercd light and Ia,lt. /
In the central cltariny.a a sort of rude am
Ph'thcafre of seats was formed Of rough nine
slabs. Around, on the edges of the forest.
thr tents OF the various wor>hippcrs were
pitched for the srcndln. OF three or four
days aud nights upon the ground is deemed
an essential part OF the service The same
clear stream whlch wound round the dwell
lng OF T'tl pra,tIed its way, with a moie>t
""ra'". through the forest, ana furnished the
assembly with water.
The G"rdon>, having come merely for the
purpose o. curiosity. and having a res dpnce
IN the neighborhuoh. did not provide them
selves with a tent. The servants were les,
easily >atl>tird. Aunt Rose shook her head
and declared. o,a-ularIv. that "D, blessing
was sure TO come down IN de- night. and drm
DAT wanted to get part Of 1t would have to
be- har :"
Consequently, Nina was b,>ct to allow Ter
people To have a tent. in which they were to
take turns in >ta,in. all n,gh'. As candidates
for the blessing In compliance with that law
"t GOOD humor"d Indnl y-nre which had been
the Evolutionary u>aur of her FANNY, Nina
acreedci : and the Gordon tent spread It's
snowy sails. 10 The r. l"lcinc of their hearts -
Amt Rose prtdornnared ahont the door, al
trrnate'v >Iaprinc thr children. and Joining
The chorus o' hymns which She heard from cv-
cry part OF the camp ground. On the out
skirts We're various to,tlIS. IN which whI>krv
and water. and >undrv articles Of Iro,i>ion
and fodder for horses. were Dispersed tor
consideration. Ah ,h Sk;nllin, here figured
among tht monry-chanucrS, while his viii,
and daughter were yo>>Ippiny through the
tents OF the women. in front OF the seats.
under dense cluster Of pines, was the
preachers stand--a rude stag" of rough
boards. with railing around 1t. and a desk
OF >nnall slabs, supporting Bible aud a hymn-
book
The preachers were already assembling
and no small curiosity was EXPRESSED with
rr",rd to them iv the people. who were walk
lnI up and down amunu thr tents NIna
l-anin. on the arm Of Claton walked about
the arena with ihe rest. Anne CLAYTON lean
ed on the arm ot | nr!c John. Aunt Nr>tt
and Aunt Maria came hrhind TO Nina the
scene was quite new. tor long Residence in
the Northern states had pl,crd her ont Of
the way OF such things and her shrewd in
>ioht INTO character. and her love OF drollerv.
found An abundant satisfaction in the various
little points and oddities OF the scene. They
walked to the (iOrdOn tent. in which pr"
lIIhinarv meeting was already in full course.
\ circle of men and women, intrrSprr>ch with
children. wcr" sitting. with their ewes shut.
their I,.aI 1,,. d..
top Of their voices. Occasionally, one or
other would va-y the exercises hv clappiny
OF hands. iumying >trai yht up.s,rai.ht INTO the
air. falling flat on the ground, screaming.
dancing. and laughing.
40. set me up on rock '" screamed one.
"Ts sot up" screamed another.
"Glory ." cried the third and tempest
of" amcns poured in between.
"Ts got sPrri"nce," cried one. and
forthwith began piping it out in high kew.
while others kept on singing.
us got >prrrncc " shouted Tomtit
whom Aunt Rose, with matcrna! care, ha.
taken with her
No. ,on aat, neither. Sit down," said
Aunt Rose. knradny him down As if he had
been batch Of biscuits and going on at the
"Ts on the Rock of Ages :" screamed
neyhbor.
Il want to get on a rock edcewavs.
screamed 1omtIt struggling desperately with
Aunt Roses great fat hands
"Mind your>cIf-I'ii crack YOU over."
said Aunt Rose. And Tomtit, still continu.
Inu rtbclllnu>. wdS cracked over accordingly,
with such force as to send him head foremost
on the straw At tie bottom of the trnt-an
lndi"nItv hIch he resented with loud howl>
o! impofrnt wrath. which, however. made no
impression in the general whirlwind of
screaming. shouting and pravinc
Nina and tnrIr John stood at the tent
door, laughing heartily. CLAYTON looked, on.
with his u>uai thoughtful gravity of aspect
Anne turned her head awav, with an air of
disgust
Why don't you laugh ?" said Nina, look
in. round at her
1t doesn't make me feel like it, said
Anne 1t makes me feel melancholy"
"Whv >o?"
Brrau>e religion is a sacred thing with
me. and don't like TO see it travestied," said
she.
W. E"'' ->'""' ''' 'tSt'ttt TtHUlOl
any the less tor a good lau"h at its O,iditips-
! believe was born without any bump Of
reverence. and so don't feel the incon"ruitv
Of the thing as Won do The distance be-
tween laughing and PRAYING isn't so very
wide IN my mind AS II Is IN some peoples"
We m1>t have charity" said Ciavton,
for every religious manifestation Bubar
Gus and halicvlIizrd people always find The
necessity tor outward ana bodily drmon>tra-
t'"n IN worship suppose. because the her
vouS excitement wakes up aud ani,nairs their
spiritual natures and gets them INTO recrp-
tive state. Just a> you have to shake up sleep
ing persons, and scream in their ears. to put
them IN condition to understand YOU |
have known real conversions to take place un-
der ju>t these excitrmentS"
! But, said Anne, d" think we might
teach them to be- decent. These things ought
not to bt allowed"
IL believe" SAID Clayton. Intolerance is
a rooted vice in our natnre. The world is as
full OF different minds and bodies as the woods
are ot leaves. and each one has its own habit
Of growth And vet our first impulse is to
forbid everything that would not be proper
tor us. No, let the Afr,ran scream. .nce,
and shout, and fall in frances 1t suits his
tropical lineage and blood and as much as
our thoughtful inward wavs do us"
81 wonder who that is" said Nina, As
general movement on the gronnd prolaime!
the arrival Of some one who appeared TO be
-xritIng general interest. The stranger was
an unusually tall. portly man, apparently
somewhat past the middle OF life whose erect
carriage, full figure. and red cheeks, and a
certain da.hiny trankness OF manner. might