Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1857-08-28

cause Of great moral and physical evils, they
should be discontinued but il they are only
the occasion Of them, the question Is still open
as to the necessity Of discontinuance st. Paul
makes this distinction in the 7th chapter OF his
epistle to the Romans. He contends the law is
not sin, but the giving OF il was the occasion Of
sin, for where there is no law there is no trans
erosion. Our Lord himself refers to the same
principle where he says, ''If | had not come and
spoken unto them they had not had sim" Be-
cause the gospel by abuse is made a SAVIOR Of
death unto death, shall we therefore cease to
preach III Because the wicked go to Camp
Meetings and act wickedly, shall we therefore
give them up, aud thus permit the wicked one
and his followers to wrest from our hand great
means of doing good The abuse Of any good
thing is no proof of intrinsic evil, or that 1t
should be abandoned.
But as have already made this article too
long, let us devote moment to the remedy pro-
posed, the prohibition of Camp Meetings by
statutory law. If the government has a right to
interfere with private citizens so far as to say
where they shall not worship, it has the right to
say where they shall, and how they shall, and
when they shall. II is rather too late In the day
to attempt TO unite church and State now. /
have only to say, the State ought not IL 1t could
enact law prohibiting such meetings. because
in one locality circumstances seem to require O
suspension Of them. In other parts of the State
they are as orderly and successful as ever
Moreover, she could not If she would interfere
with the religion of her citizens in any Other
sense than to protect them in their religious
rights.
Before close allow me to guard the reader
against supposing | am either blind to the evil
too prevalent at the Red Lion Camp Meeting, oil
that wish to endorse them. There are many
sins committed there by persons who would b,
shining at home, and who go there TO sin, Il
"glory in their shamel" There are many wht
do not go for religious purposes, and who do no
hear the gospel when on the ground. There is tot
much trading and money making, and far TOT
much show and parade among young people,
But is the remedy discontnuanceY Possibly /
may be. Instead Of letting stands for the sal,
of fruit, MELONS, candies and especially Tobacco,
and segars, all such things ought to be prohibited
absolutely. They are not needed. II men, Of
women either, in any way disturb the religious
services, let there be law to take hold of them
and let il be enforced without respect to persons
, Let no monopoly be allowed, and then there cal
be no ground Of complaint. Let not even
boarding tent be set up for mere money making
: so that loafng yagabonds may have no encour.
agement to stay either by day or night. lie
pastors and their more pious members exhor
, and warn the young against making such coca
sions seasons Of mere recreation, much less oc
, casions for the display Of gay apparel. l
strikes me perseverance In such measures Of re
form, will restore this great fundamentally TO
| doing good to its original efficiency. But still
/ the physical difficulties remain. "B" says, al
there were no other objections TO urge agans
| them these would be amply sufficient for thei
4 removal" Now he says, in the beginning Of hi
article, that "few objections could be made t
them once, when they were the means of pro
Q noting the christian religion" Was 1t not a
/ dangerous to health then to sleep in the wood
as now! Was mot rs likely to rain then a
now? We're the tents and lseeping arrange
ments better then than now I 1t follows, tina
II they were ever safe, touching the health Q
the body, they are yet. That persons may &c
i cold at such places and become sick, am no
fanatical enough to deny. That persons ar
often imprudent then and there, aud thus cou
disease, is certainly true. But it is positio
quite as susceptible Of proof many Of the stat,
ments made by 3d." that es great a number re
turn from such meetings in good health as pre-
serve health by remaining at home, is an equi
number of attendants and non. attendants.
Finally, close by saying, the smaller NEE
ings have my decided preference and that
the larger cannot be reformed let them be SD
pended, and the good od-fashion ones once nor
prevail, of having about hundred tents at
meeting. And may that last till Gabriel
trumpet shall mingle its notes with the joyol
music of successful Camp Meeting. G.