The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-07-20

The National Camp-MeetinS---SIe
Scenes Of the Mecting---The Sermons
and Praycr-NcctinGs---T Mefho.
dist Episcopal Church North and
South.
ROUND LAKE, July l6.-Thc National
Methodist Campaigning closed this morn
ing, and the encampment is rapidly break
ing up. A great number left yesterday,
the trains, Of sixteen passover cars each,
being crowded to their utmost capacity.
The regular exercises terminated at a. M
with procession composed of all the preach
ers and church members, who marched
around the circle singing camp-meeting
hymns and bidding each other farewell.
The last sermon was preached last night by
the Rev. G. l.. Taylor, of New York, the
subject being Sanctitcation OF the
Church" Praycr-meetings were kept up
until u late hour of the night, and early
this morning class-meeting, at which new
converts narrated their brief Christian ex-
pericnce and were counselled by the
urea cheers, was held in the altar.
The delay incident to the removal OF the
many families and their baggage will de-
tain many until Monday, and irregular
services will be held from time to time
until all are gone, but these will possess nc
particular interest except to the few par
ticipants in them. 1t is estimated that over
100000 visitors and 400 preachers have
been on the ground since the commence
ment of the meeting, and on Sunday last
there were over 80, 600 present at one time:
The meeting throughout was characterized
by perfect good order and the total abstl-
nencc of those eXcrescences which usually
attend such gatherings. 1t is noteworthy
fact that there were but two intoxicated
persons seen on the grounds during the ten
DAYS. and these arrived in that condition on
the train. No noisy idlers disturbed the
exercises, and, to the surprise OF all, the
attendance of the denat monde, who gene
rally flock out from adjacent cities to a
mp-meeting, was unnotlceble, except,
nerhaps. in one or two instances, to the
police.
The religious exercises have been widely
different from those of similar occasions
hitherto. The object of the meeting seems
to have been the perfecting of the Church
in holiness rather than the conversion OF
sinners, and this no doubt accounts for the
comparatively small number OF converts.
No record was kept of those protesting for
riyeness of sin, but it is estimated that they
will not exceed one hundred. Nearly all
the sermons were upon the subject Of holt
ness. and celebrations to sinners were ex-
ceptions to the general rule. Sanctifcation
was discussed and enioined from the stand
by all the leading preachers present, and
the prayer-mcetings were i'll almost every
;nstance conducted with the same object in
view. The purpose of tic annual national
communicating is to stir up the Church to
it's Christian work, and send out the
preachers and members who assemble
there into all sections of the country
with renewed zeal for enlarging and per-
fectinr the Church. The thorough theolo-
pical education of ministers, and the total
abstinence from the use OF tobacco, which
il characterized as debasing III Its effects
and unbecoming devout Christian, were
enioined upon all no less than perfect sane
LITIGATION, and great many pledged then-
selves to abandon chewing and smoking al
together. .,.-.,
The subject of reuniting the northern
and southern wings of the Methodist hpls,
copal Church was occasionally discussed
among the clergy, but without any dehnlte
result. An attempt was made some tame
aoo to effect a reiinion, and Bishops SImp-
son and James visited st. Louis to consult
with the southern bishops on the subject.
The reception of the two bishops and The
friendly tone of the conversation encou-
ragged the hope that now, since slavery, on
which the Church split, had been abolished