New-York tribune., 1868-08-25

TIE CEIAr CAMP MEErING-ArPEAEAN'E OF
uuE GEOUNDs-A SUMMER WATERING PLACE
WEON OUR oWN cobIh'P0'DENI!


Utte cit. of Bedford with its venerable great
cnpty warehouses and ghosthaunted wharves, across
BuzzarA, Bay and Vineyard Sound, TO that fair island
living INST behind the heel Of Cape Cod peninsula,
which has stolen the pretty name Of Narthas VINE
ward cr en- by Capt Bartholomew Gosuold. in 1902
10 tine neigh boring islet now called No Mans Land
If Won must cconomize your time OF your money OF
If there are ladies in your company who dreao inc
waves which roll at all times into these sheltered
waters from the outside sea, you will take the HIIo
steamboat which makes daily trips 70 the various
towns along the Bay and Sound but if there are no
such oyerrung obstacles much better way VIII be
To yet a sal boat at New Bedford and spend hall
day ON the excursion cruising around the Elizabeth
Islands which lie between Ncw-Bediord ana the
Vineyard and separating the Bay from the Sound;
,,,s.ip, through the dangerous and intricate channel
Of Woods Hole pceping into many little land
locked havcu looking at the Clubllouses on Pasque
aud Cuttyhunk Islands both owned by New-Yorkers
sailing round the shipping in that famous harbor OF
refuge. Homess Hole at the northeast end Of the
Vineyard and maybe as you sail trolling for blue
fish. with which tho chances are that you viii come
IN well laden.
mile or thereabouts south Of Holiness Hole, on
the northeast shore Of the island is the grove IN
which the Wesleyan Methodists for many years past
have been accustomed to hold one OF the most re-
inarkabe Camp-Meetings in America. They irst as
semhed here for prayer in 1885 and except one Drle1
interval thoy have met here annually ever SINCE
though is only within the last six or seven years
that their gatherings in this spot have acquired ma
tonal Importance The regular exercises are to open
next Monday evening the 2ith and to last until the
following Sunday The daily attendance in 1867 was
abont 10000 persons; this year it is sup
posed it will amount to 1900 or 1900, at
tracted not from New-England alone, but
from all parts of the Eastern and Middle States.
The place selected for the gathering Is beautiful
grove of scrub oaks washed two sides by the blue
sea and touching in the rear saltwater pond into
which the ocean breaks at high tides over narrow
beach Of sand. There is steamboat landing only
few rods from the camp. and wagons are always
ready to convey the intrm and heayily-!aden from
the wharf to the tents. The grounds are owned by
an association of prominent Methodists whose affairs
have hitherto been managed by purely voluntary
system of government; but the last Legislature OF
Massachusetts, gave them regular charter of moor
poraton, which, at their meeting next Tuesday,
they will probably vote to accept. Their business
for twenty years or has been transacted by on
efficient agent Mr.. Coffin, who has an Office in the
center of the encampment and thence regulates the
little world around him. The land belonging TO the
association about $50 acres but not more than
% or % acres are now occupied, and these
are laid out in picturesque winding avenues
point where are the preachers stand and
the benches for listeners In old times it was part Of
the essence of q camp-meetng to live roughly IN q
canvas tent and enjoy few Of the comforts of life
except rOusing discourse two OF three times day,
excited prayer-meetings, and hearty hymn-singing ;
but one day somebody bnilt here for the accommOda
tion Of his family neat little wooden cottage; the
innovation found imitators and now there are POO
of these cottages on the ground, no fewer than 80
Sum arnnp
They are charming little affars-mOre like mammoth
baby-houses than dwellings for real grown men and
women. They differ in ornament and size, according
TO the tastes and means Of the owners but are all
arranged after one general plan,-two small rooms
on a level with the ground an attic overhead and
a kitchen in the rear. sometimes forming eXten-
sion of the house. sometimes q simple canvas addl-
ton In front there is pretty little verandah, and
three or four feet garden may be fenced in before
IL. There is no hail. but the door opens directly into
the front parlor and sometimes there wide
foldng-dOOrs so that the whole front
uf the house thrown open TO
the air. The parlor communicates with the back
room by an aTchway. hung with curtains. Over the
front door there Is generally balcony. The high
peaked roofs, the balconies, the door and window
frames are all decorated with scrOl-work; stained
glass silver dOorplates hanging lanterns, and other
Injuries are beheld at every turn the houses are
the little miniature yards decked with moss and
she-work and under the trees which cast thick
shade over all are rustic benches and swings for the
children The cheapest of these make-belieYe man
sions might be built for $780, the dearest on the
ground-a handsome box, with Mansard roOf-oost
g. 800 Beside the cottages there are now about 400
tents. and by Monday a great many more viii be
pitched. These are generally square something like
the army hOspital-tents- best OF them having
plank floor and kitchen in the rear; but there are
many of humber kind-smau Sbley tents. Uttered
with straw, and dngy nondescript affairs, in which
the poorer brethren take shelter The circle
around the preachers stand is principally
occupied by the Society tents" belonging
30 various churches, where prayer meetings
are held by day. and 300 800 transient visitors lind
hospitality at night. cannot imagine many prettier
combinations of rustic simplicity with artificial re-
iinement than this camp presents q bright sunny
morning. The dwarf oaks which stand thick among
the tents and houses cast Just pleasant spatter of
shade the short grass mingled with moss the
footpaths and streaks the sandy roads the fresh
salt breeze blows incessantly among the leaves with
pleasant rustic and futter of flags and canvas;
and at the open doors of their dwellings sit we'll
dressed men and women, reading, or chatting, or
watching children at play, or busy with the pen and
the noodle There is liberal display of the domestic
interiors, with their gay IcaTpets their manyhued
tableolOhs and curtains and comfortable furniture,
their pretty knick-knacks disposed about the walls
and tables hanging baskets of vines and flowers.
bird-cages swinging in the open air. All the young
people are playing croquet, and the game admits of
quite rs many charming feminine coquetries and be-
coming costumes in the retirement of the camp as at
Saratoga and Newport. The latest fashions