The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-17
THE NATIONAL CAMP MEETING.

Closing Scenes Of the Nfoeetng-TAe Sermons
and Prayer Meetinss--The Methodist Epis-
cOpai Church North and South.
ROUND LAKE July 10, 1869.
The National Methodist Camp Meeting closed this
morning, aud the encampment u rapidly breaking
up. great number left yesterday, the trains, OF
sixteen passenger cars each being crowded to their
utmost capacity. The regular exercises terminated
Of eight A. NJ, with procession composed OF ail
the preachers and church members, who marched
around the circle singing camp meeting hymns and
bidding each other farewell. rhe last sermon was
preached last night by the Rev. q. L. Taylor, OF
New York; the subject being "sanctiacaton OF the
Church." Prayer meetings were kept up until q
late hour of the night and early this morning
class meeting at which new converts narrated their
the preachers was held In the altar.
Tae decay incident to the removal OF the many
families and their baggage will detaln many until
time to time until all are gone but these will possess
no particular interest except to the few parucipatos
aud 400 preachers have been the ground since the
commencement Of the meeting, and on Sunday last
there were over $4,000 present at one time. The
meeting throughout was characterized by perfect
good order and the total absence OF those excres-
cences which usually attend such gatherings. II Is
q noteworthy fact that there were but two intOXi-
Gated persons seen ON the grounds during the ten
days, and these arrived In that condition on the
tram. No noisy dlers disturbed the exercises and
to the surprise Of oil the attendance Of the DENT
monde, who generally flock out from adjacent cities
to camp meeting, was unnotceable except per-
haps in one or two instances, to the police.
The religious exercises have been widely different
from those of similar occasions hitherto. The OBJ
leCt Of the meeting seems to have been the perfect
Ing OF te uch In no mess rather than the
sion Of sinners, and tins no doubt accounts for the
comparatively small number OF converts. No record
was kept Of those protesting forgiveness Of sim but
1t is estimated that they Will exceed 100. Nearly all
the sermons were upon the subject OF holiness, ana
exhorlations to sinners were exceptions to the
rama lrula M.
joined from the stand by all the leading preachers
present and the prayer meetings We're In almost
every instance conducted with tine same OBJECT in
view. The purpose OF the annual national camp
meeting Is TO stir up the Church 10 It's Christian
woIx ana SEND ont se preachers ana ma eeeIs VINO
renewed zeal for enlargng and perfecting the
Chur h. The thorough theological education OF min
isers and the total abstinence rom the use or TO-
bacco, which Is characterized as debasing IN Its ef
feels and unbecoming dev0ut Christian, were en-
joined upon all less than perfect sanctrf1cation,
chewing and smoking altogether.
The subject OF reunltlng the Northern and Southern
wings OF the Methodist Episcopal Church was occa-
sonally discussed among the clergy but without
any definite result. An attempt was made some
and Spe es Visited ST. Louis a to coas1 with the
southern bishops on tue subject. The reception OF
the two bishops and the friendly tone OF the CONVEX
satiOn encouraged the hope that now since slavery,
on which The Church split had been abolished, the
Church would soon be reunited; but the official reply
Of the Southern bishops, communicated after The
termination OF the conference, was 80 bitterly Sec
tonal that IL not only destroyed all prospect OF re-
union, but mortified the two Northern bishops VINO
fn1tnIed the undertaking. Since that time there has
been attempt al bringing the two wngs together,
ind 1t Is not probable that another effort will be
made very soon.
1t has not yet been decided where the next national
camp meeting Will be hed, and no final decision Will
be made until next fail. Each section OF the cOun-
try Is inviting the National Committee to locate next
years meeting ia their respective localities, and
some OF them offer extraordinary inducements ia
the way Oh accommodations. new camp meeting
association New Jersey lust purchased tract
OF 1870 Shark river, near Its mouth and pro-
poses to make additional purchase, SO Us to OBJ
tain 500 acres with long sea beach. the grounds
are to be handsomely laid out, and 1t Is reported
that some Of the members OF the National Committed
national camp meeting there next year.
The Round Lake Association will mold its camp
meeting in September, and Will have Tor Its object,
Is ual with such assemblages the conversion Of
sinners.