The Portland daily press., 1872-08-21
Martha's Grove Camp Meeting.
SATURDAY EVENING.
There is an old nursery song beginning,


There is an old nursery song beginning,
''How pleasant is Saturday night,
When we have tried all the week to be good,'
that must express the feeling of every Metho-
dist heart in this grove. The brethren and Sis
ters have been trying to be good all the week,
and they have been very successful. They feel
happy, too. Several have arisen in meeting
and exclaimed "Oh, 1 feel complete r' Here
comes young man up Circular Avenue who is
gerry happy. He also, though not Methodist,
has been trying to be good-to his Angelica
who is leaning on his arm. He has given her
peanuts and candy and sheet gingerbread; and
oh, it has been so sweet! This couple have been
walking in this avenue one hour and thirty-five
minutes, having traversed its entire length
three times, and have not yet discovered that it
is circular.
Now the bell rings, the lamps are lighted, the
fire CLEANS, an odor of burning pine knots fills
the grove, the leafy maple arches give back an
uncertain light, and beneath the branches the
people assemble to worship God. The moon
soon rises and looks down kindly upon the
scene. Northwestward is the channel Of the
Sace. 1t is almost full tonight and the voice
of the rapids is deep and strong Msrtha's
Grove and its surroundings are lovely beyond
expression. The man who cannot worship this
evening must have cold heart indeed Elder
sanderson wants to know IL his hearers are
aware that tomorrow is the Sabbath. and II
they have prepared their wood He will have
any man arrested whom he finds ehOpping
wood tomorrow. He has seen such thing. At
camp meetings. The Rev Mr. Saaborn, of
Cape Elizabeth is the preacher Of this evening.
AT the close Of the service several went forward
to the altar for prayers
There Is something inexpressbly Wild about
the camp tonight Never before did hear
such strange MIXTURE Of sounds. Singing.
praying, crying, in every part Of the encamp-
msnt Half dozen fine hymns are trying 10
mingle and harmonize. but they can't Half
dozen men seem 10 be engaged in shouting
match, in which their lives are the STAKES. To
ose who stands in the eenter Of the grove and
listens all this is very bewldedng.
IL is 10 o'clock. The monarch (vho il no
other than Elder sandersonl strides majesti-
sally about his domain aud the decree goes
forth :-"An persons not accommodated with
lodgings on the grounds will please retire"
The din ceases, and all the people betako them
selves 10 the tents and the coushes.
sUSDAr-sIxrH DAT.
was aroused from my slumbers in the board
ing house this morning by the voices of men in
the couches near me, who were commencing To
pray sudibly even at early dawn
At o'clock goodly number of people as
sembled at the stand to enjoy love feast. Ii
was at this meeting that the Rev. Mr.. Lufkil
stated that he was neither prophet nor the
son OF prophet, but he believed the time was
coming when there would be branch railroad
from the Portland & Ogdensburg to the camp
ground. This meeting was made very lively by
the large number of speakers. The Rev. Mr.
Luce preached the forenoon sermon. He held
the attention of his large audience to the very
close.
In the afternoon an audience OF at least 1900
occupied the seats. A successful appeal for
contributions to the Association was made by
the Rev. Mr. Strout The Rev. Mr.. Atkinson
preached from the text, make to yourselves
friends of the mammon of unrighteousness !"
His success in keeping his hearxs from leaving