Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-06-02
LINDEN.
Primitive Methodist Conference
Open Meetings.

| Ere the CHRONICLE makes its appearance,
| the 2lst Annual Conference Of the Print
tive Methodist Church, will be numbered
among the things that are past. Old
| friends will have met and parted those
| who long have labored in the vine yard of
Christ, will have rejoiced together at the
success attained during the time since last
they met ; and prayed that God, in His
infinite wisdom, might see lit to crown
| their labors with success in the year which
is to come, They will have gone forth,
cheered and strengthened, to renew the
battle with the worlds adversary. In
| hope, trusting that the time cometh, when
| they shall sit at their masters table, and
partale Of all the luscious fruits to para
| disc. In faith believing, that with the dy-
ing of the material body, the spiritual part
of man, will uprise from its tenement of
clay, and wing its flight to that celestial
world, whose fields are fairer than those Of
earth, and ever clad in living green.
Notwithstanding the well known fact,
chat in times past, many persons have
predicted that Primitive Methodism would
die out, or become blended with some 9TH
er Methodistical demo mination, it still ex-
| lists, aud now promises to live and -four
ish independent Of all other denominations
During the past year it has increased in
greater ratio, as regards numbers than
any other church in this country. Almost
every circuit in the connection has been
blessed with a revival of religion, all
along the line sinners have been coming to
Christ, and Primitive Methodsm has re-
ceived a fresh impetus in the right dTec-
ton. During the coming year, new mis-
sions will be opened and new circuits
formed.
Looking at it from our standpoint, it
does seem that Primitive methodism is yet
destined to become one of the leading
churches in the great northwest. The
bread cast on the waters by the early pio-
neers of the church, is now being found
and gathered in by its present jealous
ministers in hundred fold quantities.
The out door services held in a grove
near the village on Sunday last, were
largely attended, although the morning
seemed to indicate wet day, but as the
forenoon wore along, the cl~uds passtd
away, the sun shone out and the day
which we had thought would be gloomy
and murky proved to be one Of the most
genial days of the season.
AT half past nine A. NJ, in company
with several others, we joined the throng
who were vending their way to the place
of meeting On our arrival there we found
that services had already commenced. On
taking our seat we look around on the
numerous heads about Us; all kinds were
there, the silver haired ones of old age,
the spangled ones of middle age, the
bright tinted ones of youth all bowed
and listening attentively to venerable
old man, whose voice was lifted in prayer.
After prayer TIE congregation arose to
sing, and as voices rise and blend in har
mony, which sounds like angel music as
it floats amid the trees, the beautiful lines
| of Bryant's comes stealing through our
minds. .... t
,"The groves were Gods temples e'ro learn
| To hew The shaft, and lay the architecture.
And spread the roof above them ere he formed
| The lofty vault, to gather ard roll back
| The sound of an thems, in the darkling wood,
| Amid the cool and silence, he knelt down
! And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks
| And supDlicaticn."
The credit for delivering open air meet
ings, belongs to the P. Methodist Some
sixty years ago, there was dispute among
| the Wesleyan Methodists, in old England !;
one party strongly advocating open air
meetings, the other as strenuously oppos-
| ed them. After time they separated, land
the former became known by the appela-
ton of Primitive Methodist the word
primitive" signltylng that they were
Methodists who had revived the OLD apos-
tolic custom of open air preaching. There
are still people who denounce out door
exercise, but Bryant has the right of it
when he says:
All, why
Should we in the. worlds ripper years, neglect
Gods ancient sanctuaries. and adore
Only among the crowd, and under roofs
That our frail hand have raised let me at last,
Here, in the shadow of this aged wood,
Offer one hymn thrice happy. fis find
| Acceptance in His ear.
The first face, of those on the speakers
stand that attracted our attention, was the
genial one of that universal favorite, the
Rev. James Anderson, And according to
his custom, he did not during the day,
forget to favor the people with few spicy
sentences, full of genuine wit, told in
such manner as ne alone can tell them.
The next person we noticed, was the
Rev. John Sharpe, the oldest man on the
stand, and one of the best preachers in
the connection, as his sermon delivered on
that day proved him to be.
Sittino naar him was the Rev Charles