The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-06-26
NO. A..

Sd. Camp meeting services are Wsll a.
dapted to exero;'s the Poksrs OF faith and
prayer 10 the church, and they therefore
greatly strengthen those powers.
4h. By calling large Numbers Of eur
minister's and people together. to labor and
enjoy in concert, they improve the bonds
Of fchristian union among US,
9Th. They offer to the church an admi.
rabls break upon the worIdlnsss Of suni.
mer.
9th. Multitudes hear the gospel al
camp meetings who rarely. or never, at
tend church services elsswhersl and Of
those attracted to the place, as they have
been. BY the siDgularity Of the occasion,
the qsands Of souls have Been converted
to God.
7lh. Nor are these the only persons
saved at camp meetings These, meet.
iings are perhaps. never held without being
atlo5dsd by persons Under painful sense
of unfOrgiVeu sin, and WHO go there Eilb
sn intention 10 avail themselves Of the
extraordinary facilities there afforded Iof
seeking salyation. ,..l
1 eth, If extensive revivals Of religion
have prevailed oyer a district Of country
during the winter, and added many 70
the church. what better thing,cA can she
and ber children do. than retire from the
, cares Of the world for q week. and renew
their VOWS and brighten their hopes just
lat The period Of the year, when the faith
of The faithful il likelisit tp.Wans. and
when the half aedged pisty Of the. young
! converts has oftenest yielded to worldli-
: ness? -. A.,
9Th. AgGip: ii often happens that she
ere is skindIed on the camp ground, and
!. burns 10 the form Of blessed revival.
II carried forward by means Of the protrao.
= ted meeting ali wintet.. .
e 10th. Again: the Methodist Ministry
= has wants that are nowhere TO be met as
s they are met on the camp ground. Our
S fields bave been divided and subdivided
u till great many Of US are alone in our
J charges, We are little together duri,g
! !. the Seat. and ths tendency Of events
= seems 10 be still to increase tha distinct.
IN ion between meum and teum amtng
'e Methods! preachers. Nor does any 9th;
=, :, er utage of tbs church, SO powerfully %
he the camp meeting. operate to ueutralize
b. this tendency With all the other usa-
ges Of Methodism. there is still wanting
n'' some season Of great and general interest,
m IN that shall eonvoke. from the city and the
We country. these t1eh Of God in copsidsra.
D, BILE numbers, and permit them to drink ai
u the iOuutsia OF mercy toge.her--to, 90;
OF ment their friendship at the foo. Of the
~ cross. and to lose their selfshness and
10 pride and .unholy ambition. while battling
y
st together in common ocean Of love.
" l1th. The practice Of John the Bsp
Is. a list, of the APOSTLES. and Of the ASavioul
III III is, as we think. full sanction OF the
fs, principle involved, IL the holding oI
ny modern camp meetings. ,.i.
~ Truly "the groves were Gods irsI
~ temples" And when. i. may bs asked
EN- has there been carried on any grea. pro
10y Oess Of spiritual reform. Withou, the ex
nj tsnsiys use ofout door pr.achiDgS ;.
m, m Not only did John. and the Saviour
~, S and tie Apostles, address their sudian
IN. ces, in the open air, but in later days.a
an semblej thousands listened 10 the Apos
er. :OliO Wesley on tho ricors and tommonI
''u J = Of England; and the fires. Of revival wen
to lighted along the Atlantic seAboard Of A
es. merica by the out door preaching 0
Whhefeld. The church has ever bscom
DC attached to forms aud ceremonies as Oh
has lpst her tOwOr and spirituality, AM
her decline In these has been equal,
marked BY asuperstitiOus regard f6f cor
.ith tain localities. Wesley declared that be
des fore his conversion, he should .sgafds
il as almost q sin against God 10 saye
e. soul from hell. ,ualesS il had b6sf d5Es !
rch the church, But God showed him II
ef- more sxoellen, way, when Hs fIlsd hil
with the spirit Of Christ, and prsSenta
n oil before him the. world ss his parish, ~
om. sent him forth to pHhliAh tbs grea, salTi
tion he had found. iu the church. or 0
'uo' the commons, indiffersntly; now in th
'ary streets Of London, and nov in the mark
places-to the drunken golfers at New
,eu castle; and again TO the depraved opera
-, tives at Maules6eld: and to the half be
anu bsrous natives .of, Cornwall. Would
God that The spirit which urged him Q
n in was in each of his sons.
ents In our next we will answer objection
ape, to camp meetings. DAVID SMITH.
RoyalIon. - f.... rs-..4s. d