The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-11
ORANGE, N. J.

Tho ColOred Camp Meeting There Yester.
day-Sevcral Sermons and an Original
Poem by Mrs. r. X. w. Harper-Cost "
the Average Colored Camp Meeting and
Its Spiritual and Material Advantages
A Representative African Hymn and
Idyilic Camp Meeting Photograph.
ORANGE, N. j., August 10, 1873
Any attentive observer who walked through
Maple and Central avenues to-day would have per-
seived that something or more than usual interest
was on hand Those OF the butchers and grocers
stores and lager beer saloons that ordinarily
open on Sundays formed no exception TO the rule,
for. though Orange Is beautiful and moral
town, it owns among its inhabitants
large number Of shrewd bargain drivers, to
whom the first day Of the week Is O
day when, if you get the better Of your neigh
Dor, the act is SO much the more meritorious. 1t
was not therefore, the butchers and grocers and
lager beer sellers that attracted regard. 1t was
something much more wholesome and edifying,
something in much closer connection with mans
spiritual than with his material wants. 1t was
colored camp meeting, which, during the past
week, has located itself in Peck's Woods, beautl-
ful epitome of forest, just on the southern verge
Of East Orange, and owned by the gentleman
whose name it bears. Was there not book re-
Gently published named ''The Moral Use Of Dark
ThingsS' The author probably would not
have included coored camp meeting in
his category, and yet the morality, to
say nothing of the religion, Of these dusky repre-
sentatives provided most piquant and pictur-
esque study. Only 1t must be understood that the
dark part of the assemblage in reality constituted
an insignificant proportion. Both last evening and
to-day especially white auditors poured In in in
stalments which left the colored portion Of the
I hell Mt 10 q pan
orally, If not always, the case The white popula-
lion, from whatever cause attracted, generally
cOntrive to attend in the proportion Of ten or
twenty to every cOlored person. The church
which is represented here is the African Meth
odist Episcopal. Tomorrow Newark joins hands
with 1t, and the meeting will conclude on August
Is with a harvesthome and an ox-roast, novel
celebrations in this part Of the country. The Rev.
T. A. Cufr who has church in East Orange, has
been presiding. He is amiable quiet and unctuous.
His face is full OF flowing lines, AID his manner of
speech Is urbane and rolling. When he sends
round the box and invokes dollar bills and bills
OF whatever larger denomination the audience
choose to give, 1t requires hard heart to with
stand him. Some of the congregation have hard
hearts, however, or else they have not got dollar
bills At any rate, the distressed ear OF generosity
nake-like lightness OF the crisp greenback.
THE COST OF A CAMP MEETING.
The average colored camp meeting is not an eX-
Woods may fairly be taken as representative.
About four hundred planks were rented from an
orange lumber merchant. The cost, inclusive
Of the charges OF transportation and cree
ton into seats, is not more than fifty
dollars as, after the meeting is 8, S eyer G the
successful in efIectlng sale of them however
(Which is very often done, q stipulated sum is
of the rent deducted. To this expense must be
added that Of securing the presence OF one or two
men, whose home educatisn has not been
the most perfect and whose manners are not the
sweetest like to visit the camp meeting, make fun
troduce other unseemy episodes. man must
also be engaged TO keep the grounds in order, and
repair any injury which may be done to the seats
or wooden structures. These trining expenses
however are usually much more than covered by
contributed by the white part OF the congregation
BY this means hundreds OF dollars are frequently
raised at single camp meeting. church debts are
basis. In tins manner the Rev. Mr.. Cuff Is grad
ually liquidating church debt of $1,000.
TENTS AND REFRESHMENTS.
The number Of tents on the ground is small-not
more than i've. They range in line, and almost
respectable meals may be had for fifty cents. Your
correspondent sat down to-day TO dinner in
which, at TINS price, roast chicken, boiled ham,
and butter, tea and coffee, and whortleberry pie
were constituents; and were further refreshment
roosSeer 's and soda water, were ep at hand
Pork and beans supplied an humber meal
at thirty cents. One beauty OF the
you might wander among the cooking stoves at the
back oil the tents and smell your dinner IN progress
Two hours beforehand. peep into the oven and
among the pans and Kettles informed you OF your
bill Of lare, and you OWNED by comey Chloe's knack
OF peeng the potatoes whether a savory set q
dishes would be set before you by and by.
SATURDAY NIGHT.
Despite the frequent showers that set in last
evening the Rev. N ii. Turpin preached very ener-
get1c discourse from portion OF Kings will, 3s-
(which shall know every man the plague of his
own hearth Mr.. Turpin believes that the satanic
Influence Of the deviln Is at the bottom Of the
moral disorders with which modern society teens,
and thinks that too many men and women would
lust as leave kill their own fathers and mothers
people would chicken hawk In times past and
gone.n He was succeeded by Mrs. +. f. W. Harper,
the parting between Moses and the daughter Of
Pharaoh. Mrs. Harper recltes with grace and feel
ing evidently sympathizing strongly with that
emotional condition in which she must have been
however is faulty but this defect was
happily lost upon her hearers. and was atoned for
nv the fervor OF her delivery. In spite Of the rain,
which by half-past nine threatened to degenerate
into settled storm, she held her audience longer
than any OF the male speakers could nave hoped
to do.
A more lovely bit Of time than to-day has turned
out to be could scarcely be desired. The morning
services began ut eleven O'Clock, and the congre-
cation was snug rather than extensive. The SER
mon was preached 10y the Rev. Charles Wycon,
FROM Psalm cxix !, and was principally noticeaDle
for It's heat and enthusiasm. Ihe acme was reached
only with the peroration, after an exuoeIant trlD.
the service was the singing oil hymn when ,
have never seen In any prayer DoOk, anu
which, If ever printed before, has been 80
rarely printed as to deserve republication now.