The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-10
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE
SING SING CAMP MEETING.

oiNO oiNG tAMf MEkINGs
~~~~~-->~o~~~~~>->~~~~>~~-~
Interesting Services-DlscOurse by Rev. VIII
liam NJ. Punshon, the Celebrated English
Orator.
SING SING August s. 1868.
The annual camp meeting held at Sing Sing under
the auspices OF the Methodist Episcopal churches OF
New York and vicinity. an account OF which ap-
peared IN our columns q few days ago, continues
with increasing interest. There are over four hun
dred tents on the ground, and should the weather
prove more favorable during the next few days the
accessions to the number on the ground will be so
large that ii will be impossible to furnish them with
sleeping accommodations. The opinion is err0ne-
Ousy entertained by many, even by hundreds within
the pale OF the Methodist denomination that this
peculiar institution" is patronzed only by the il
literate and unculyated masses that the frequent
ers Of the camp meeting live In semibarbarous
way which would be repuisiye to the aristocratic
and genteel habaues of fine churches and the dwell
In mansions with all the 'molern improvements :"
Nothing could be further from the truth than such
a supposton. II Is a well known fact that at every
Methodist camp meeting scores and hundreds of
the most intellectual, refined and influential men,
bers of the Church. who possess the cd Methodistic
fire are constant attendants at the grove meeting,
knowing as they do from experience that the DIS
courses of the 0iiciati1g ministers are, as general
thing, thoughtful and eloquent extemporaneous
preaching on these occasions Is an unanswerabe
argument in their favor. Then the widely enter
tanned opinion respecting the manner OF living Of
the occupants of these temporary habitations is
equally erroneous. Most OF the tents are well
provided against rain, and some of them are as
comfortably and luXurlOusly fitted up as any
brown stone front in the city. For instance the
writer Is penning these lines in the tent OF
Mr.. Thomas Gallagher, an efficient member OF the
Board Of Trustees, through whose Kindness he has
been sheltered from rain storm which is now pre-
vailing. This tent together with that OF Mr. f. II.
forms suit OF apartments thirtytwo by fourteen
feet. These tabernacles are not only comfortable
but luXurlously and tasteIuly htted up.
There has been excellent order on the ground so
far, and no apprehension is entertained that the
crowds which are expected tomorrow Sunday
should the weather be propitous viii mar the quiet
that pervades the ground or interrupt the devotOns
OF o the w9rshppers me sermons have been prac
ings an excellent spirit prevails, which is believed
will result in great good.
When 1t was rumored on the ground yesterday
that the Rev. William Morley Punshon, the cele-
brated Wesleyan orator. who has recently repre-
scented the British Church the General Conference
in Chicago was passing through New YORK on his
way to Canada, and that he was expected TO preach
on the camp ground the following day, he news
spread with the rapidity OF lightning. The intel
ligence reached New York early in the morning, and
many came up ON the noon train to see and listen to
one who, II Is cOA1essedly admitted, stands in the
front rank Of pulpit orators not only in Europe but
in the world. MIR. Punshon is a beautiful word
painter, and although his name Is not so well
known to the general religious public In this coun-
try as that OF Spurgeon, lac Is head and shoulders
above him in originality OF thought and
hear him In England, and 1t would only
require a verbal notice or an hour to I'LL
the New York Academy OF Music to its utmost
extent by the members Of the Methodist persuasion
who knew Mr.. Punshon's fame as an orator. lie is
the guest Of a wealthy citizen OF New York, who
accompanied him to the camp ground They
rived ut noon, and although copious showers des
cended an arrangement was made for him to preach
measure when the Introductory exercises were being
conducted by the Rev. j. s. Inskp and did not disturb
until OH
ing his sermon His text was the thirteenth andfOur
teenth verses of the third chapter Of Philippians:
"lirethren, count not myself to have apprenended,
but this one thing do" &c The discourse was not
lengthy and was sparkling with rlcn evangelical
AT the close Of the service the distinguished visitor
was introduced to the ministers by Kew. Hart +.
Pease, one OF the presiding elders.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher has been invited to
preach and 1t Is confidently expected that he Will
consent to taAe part In the services tomorrow. he
s staying at his country residence AT Peekskill
and, as il well known, he Is catholic enough to feel
as much at home in q camp meeting stand as In his
Rev. Dr. Newman, Of New Orleans, one of the .bg
guns" OF the Church, Is here, and will share the
abOrs Of the sabbath with the thundcrer OF Plymouth
church.
SING SING August o. 1868.
Last evening the steamboats, and trains brought
large numbers of people to the camp ground, and at
noon to-day the excursion boats brought thousands
more from New York and vicinity. Vehicles OF all
try people who lived within a radius Of ten miles,
farmers who were busily engaged through the week,
brought their wives and children; the boys took
their sweethearts and all wended their way to the
tented grove to see the city folk and to participate In
the services In the afternoon the camp ground pre-
scented enlivening spectacle, and although the
heavy rain OF the preceding day made IL uncomfOrt
able to pedestrians, the sun shone brightly,
ana s Of n TeEeas
will lie such as render the services enjoyable
than they could otherwise be. The expectations
aroused that the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher would
preach were disappointed; for IL seemed that the
letter OF invitation did not reach Mr.. Beecher in
time. The largest social meeting held this morning
previous to public worship was that conducted by
br. Palmer and his gifted wife MRS. Phoebe Pamer
the auth0ress OF several volumes on special doc
trne and experience taught BY this denomination,
entitled christian Perfectionn This lady has for
the last thirty years been an active promugat0r Of
lowing IN the Otsteps Of Wesley, asserted that
the Methodist Church was established for the Dur-
pose OF spreading Scriptural holiness throughout
the world" The limits OF brief article In secular
distinctive doctrine which this influential denomina.
ton teach and thousands OF whom experience.
At ten O'Clock the multitude assembled when an
able discourse was preached by Rev. George Lam
sing Taylor, OF Brooklyn, who took for his text the
phrase, "The Sword OF the Lord and Of Gideon"
After dinner chlldren's meeting was held, con-
Quoted by Rev. d. .. Ferris. Brief appropriate
addresses were delivered BY Rey; w g; smith, Mr.
son, OF Brooklyn, and Others, interspersed with
singing. This service was very interesting and
attracted large crowds to the main stand There
was Q vast concourse OF people assembled to hear
standing the immense crowd the best OF order pre-
walls. Rev. w. II. Boole Is to preach this evening.
OPEN AIR PREACHING IN NEW YORK.