The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1869-07-23
The Camp Mccting---An Ameri-
can Institution.

can Institution.
The New York HeroM of the 1lth
had an article in regard to camp meet
ings. As sort of relief to the reader
from the political bosh and bunconbe
with which the papers are generally
filed, VIC copy from the Uerald rs fol-
lows:
The camp meeting is peculiarly an
American Methodist institution. II was
introduced with the doctrines of John
Wesley, the founder Of Mcthodsm, n
century ago. Through all this time it
has admirably served the cause of his
Church. In sparsely settled sections of
the country, the camp meeting has been
and is y high social as well rs great re-
ligious icstival-a holiday recreation.
highly priced among the backwoods and
country people, with their festivals and
past;mcs limited to the camp meeting.
the county fair, the county court. the
political mass meeting, the race course
nnd the strolling circus. And it is chief
y aTsFyy these people that the Method
ists nbonIld. Throughout The Iaud .hcir
churches are counted by thousands and
their brethren by millions, in city. town
and country; but among the smaller
towns aud in the rural districts Meth
odism has made the deepest impression.
TO become Methodist the sinner
must pass through peculiar ordeal.
First, he is impressed with the magni-
tudc of his sins. and the danger and
horrible punishment of everlasting fire {:
the he mourns his fallen condition on
the altar set apart for mourncrs: he
wccps and walls and crys aloud for
mercy to the Lord Jesus. the Savior of
sinners. aud to the Father. aud some OF
the brethren pray with him: and next,
from the depths of despair a reaction
comes. He feels that he is forgiven by
the Holy Ghost: he springs to his feet
and shouts and wccps in the ecstacv OF
his joy, and he is converted and added
to the Church. SanctiiiCntom follows
as he feels moro and more strengthened
in the faith. Now, if the philosophical
reader will consider the impresSiblc
character of the human mind in refer
cncc to future state, and the almost
universal training Of the people OF the
United states in the general dogmas OF
Christianity. and if he will bring his
mind into r"ppor with the prevailing
spirit OF Methodist camp meeting. lie
will understand something OF the won
dcrlul effects in the conversion Of siu-
nCrs from the energetic and earnest
preaching, eXhorting, singing, mourn.
ing and shouting for joy of a camp
meeting vigorously kept up. day and
night, for a week ortrn days. And the
la 1 hn h. La. Il
and contagious become the preaching,
singing and PRAYING, and the more
abundant the healing showers ct saliva
ton. Hence the camp meeting has be-
come the iayoritc institution of the
Mcthodists IN the conversion OF sinners ::
for like Il gront and resistlrsS army il
cannes The stroHghoids Of Satan by
moving upon the cncmy'S works. The
SCeptic may say that all these phenomc.
na OF religious ccstacy may be seen
among the dervi~heS of Muhammel (:
hut the genuine Methodist proves in his
lie that in his conversion he has under
gone Il new birth--l most wonderful
and enduring transformation in charac-
ter beyond the reach Of philosophy.
The wonderful spread OF Methodism
III this country is due to the facts that ii
is a simple, earnest, democratic aud pos
tive religion that its followers. with
lew exceptions, are good men and wo-
men, and that in thousands OF cases it
has changed the most vicious characters
to the best and most amiabla in their
everyday life. Hence the universal re-
spect which these camp meetings COM
mand, Notwithstanding the reports OF
evil tongues concerning them; for they
have come to be regarded rs sure to re-
claim and reform some Of the black
sheep OF the community.