The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-07-03
For the La neaster Gazette.
Camp Meetings.


1st. 1t has been objected against camp
meetings, that they have declined in use
fulness; and this circumstance we are told
is providen,ial indication of the will Of
God that they should give place to other
means, better adapted TO the present
phases of society.
To this objection we reply:-As to the
fact assumed, namoly-that camp thset-
ings have declined in their usefulness; it
is confidently believed that there has no.
where been witnessed such decline, 'ex.
cept where the church has failed to sus.
tain them BY the presence, sacrifices and
labors Of her membSt6. And how much
Of consistency is there in torSaking d
means Of grace, honored OF God as this
has been, and then pleading the feebleness
with which i: is sdstained..aS Tie APOLOGY.
Such a course of reasoning and of action.
applied 10 the meeting house, would first
make it empty, and then pull it down; aud
applied to the child, it would first starve
him and then kill him outright, because
he is poor. And whsthas the new phases
of society, about which some talk, to do
with the question? Tis true there is
more intelligence and refinement in soci'
ETY. than there was; but what them
Camp meeting services are not barbarou'
rites. nor do they employ class of ap.
plancsb fitted only to rude society.
The services of the camp meeting are
E like those Of the sanctuary precisely; an!
cor sist Of prayer. preaching, singing, ex
!. hortation; the narration of individual ex
a perience, and the Eucharistic feast. I'll,
D grea, facts Of the human character and o
: human condition are unchanged. Mel
u are immortal and their souls are priceless
: Men arc sinners, and must be converte'
i. from the error Of their ways. Men ar
asleep on the edge Ofhsll God saves then
J. by the Gospel. an6 only by tbe GospeI
. Men have curiosity, and thousands Q
them that will not hear the gospel in tn
r. church will hear it in the grove.
'e 2ud. Again it is said that the neces
y sity for csmp meetings lias passed ava
~ in consequence Of the ample supply
church edi6ces, which the church bO
a. como Of late 10 possess. To this obje'
y. ton we answer that, there lie not fact i
SO the whole history Of the church to sustai
% !; it; for, tfte
u LIST. The Methodists Of these Stat
usro never in straits for places to wo
a. ship in the summer time, which is u
IS. only season Of ths year in which caft
u, meetings we're ever held, Their quarter
"a thee,ingsi and their two and four da.
T tor meetings. were held from the frstI du
lB. ing the summer ipdifsrently in Il
So school house, the grove, the barn, or ev
10 in the private dwelling, -
- 10 End. Some of the 6rst camp meetin
40. we're held In churOhes. the people g
camping in the fslds and groves arouu
he merely to prevent the necessity Of da
ID return to their houses.
30, Sd. Again, at present we have
iOu ou country churches large enough to accO
- nodats more than one bsif Tie psoI
.b.. who attend, our two days and auarte
b. meetings in the. summer season, q
an 4tb, And finally, pauy. Of our bre
sou ~. rem Of the cities, wbere mpst amph. chul
,S 1ou room is enjoyed, reap large harYsstG
ne. spiritual profit on The camp grounds.