The Portland daily press., 1871-08-28
Poland Camp Meeting.
EMPIRE CAMP GROUND,
Aug. 26, 1871.

Aug. 26, 1871. J
To the Editor Of the Press.
The annual camp meeting upon these
grounds commenced Tuesday evening last, ana
will continue until Tuesday morning OF next
week. The meeting is under the charge OF
Rev. Dr. Weber, p. e. of this district anu
thus far most excellent order has been main
tanned Very great improvements have been
made upon these grounds within few years.
The old plank seats have given place to others
built in better style, with high backs, all neat
ly painted These, 1 am told, are sufficient to
seat about 5000 people.
The grounds have been graded and street
avenues opened, which afford excellent facili-
ties for erecting tents and passing over and
around the encampmept. Excellent spring
water is brought upon the grounds in aque-
| ducts and several wells have been sunk at
convenient points upOnbthe premises. The wa
| ter from one at least of these wells, in taste
| and purity, is nearly equal to the Poland min
| eral springs.
A spacious boarding house one hundred feet
| in length, with all necessary APPENDICES for
cooking purposes has been erected, in which is
| furnished an excellent table for all who desire
| convenient stable has also been built for the
accommodation of those attending these meet
| ings.
| There are about one hundred tents upon the
| grounds Among these are goodly number
of beautiful cottages fitted up in excellent
style and occupied by families-sOme of them
several weeks before the meeting commenced.
| This is great improvement on the old camp
meeting style, of congregating together in one
common tent. Family cottages and Large can
vers tents for social meetings, will, to very
great extent hereafter be the arrangement on
all we'll regulated encampments. Of these
"Hamilton'' and "Marthas Whey ard''-in the
old Bay State-are excellent types.
There has been preaching at the stand at 10
a. "a, and 2 and IL p. M, of each day. A
prominent theme in the dscourses already
given, has been the doctrine of holiness, or
Christian perfection. In this particular, a
very visible change has, within few years
come over camp meeting religious exercises.
| Whether these special efforts for the church in
the direction just indicated, as a substitute for
the old-fashiOned way of laboring to bring the
unconverted to Christ, is an Improvement in
the management of camp meetings-s, to a
very great extent debateable question, even
among Methodists.
The preaching thus far has all been good, but
the sermons of Rev. DR.. Telt of Brewer, B utle
of New York, and Reys. Strout of Conway and
Day of Auburn, have been very fine speci-
mems of pulpit oratory.
The attendance has been large thus far-but
tomorrow Sunday if the weather continues
good, will undoubtedly be the great day of the
| feast.
An efficient police force are in attendance
| and the best of order is maintained both OF
| and about the grounds.
The charge of an entrance fee of % CENTS fol
each carriage, serves the double purpose of fur
nishing means to defray the expenses of the
meeting and keep off the grouId set of row
dies and horse jockies, which, before the rule
was adopted, more or less annoyed those at
tending these meetings. Yesterday the Dis
trict Steward, held meeting and elected Johr
j. Perry of Oxford, S. r. Bean of Lewiston, G
P. Knight of Bethel. F. A. Plaisted of Gar
diner, and E. Clark of Bath, lay delegate.
from the Gardiner district to the next Main,
| Conference.
The religious interest of the meeting is eoot
and on the increase Ola prejudy formerl,
existing against camp meetings are fast dyin.
out, and among the Methodsts they have be
come an institution" fully recognized by tina
large and influential denomination. T.