Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-01-23
miscellaneous.
Camp Meeting John Allen.

The following report of the Lecture
Of this we'll known clergyman, from the
Lewiston journal, will tuit many of
our readers better than story:
cAAP-MEErrNG JOHN BEGINS.
Camp-meeting John rises like q boy
Of sixteen, on being in >duced to the
Park St. audience by Mr.. Clark.
and utters q simple i. r. Then he
says, 81 am q little hoarse tonight,
but in few minutes l shall warm up
SO that you can hear me-" He repeats
the 9th Chapter Of Ecclesiastes, till it
seems as though You are hearing Sol
oInon himself painting life's vanitics.
Then follow Chapters from Paul $
epistles, glowing with triumph and
hope, cheerfulness and courage, till
you imagine Paul's self is discoursing.
There is no elocutionary effort. but a
spontaneous, complete infusion Of the
spirit Of Paul, in manner and pres
ence. The camp-meeting visage seems
TO pulse with fervor, and TO the tips Of
his fingers his flesh quivers with sim
cerity. He speaks. all over. His
heart is q tabernacle Of Faith. One
thinks Of the rich imagery of the
Revelator-of white raiment, golden
vials-and places all as an aureole
around the head Of this disciple Of the
tabernacle.
Having repeated Scripture till one is
ready to conceive that the good old
man is himself a polyglot Bible, Mr..
Allen says: III YOU don't get any
thing more, there's something in that.
Yet don't commit Scripture like a
schoolboy, but l get full Of it, and it
pours out of me-" Hear him repeat
1t, and one will confess the claim is
we'll put.
Then the famous stickler for no.
manuscript-preaching, hauls out big
roll Of paper, and people begin to be
curious TO see the droll picture of
Camp-meeting John Allen, reading a
discourse. "J've written out what l
intended to say, but ! shall roll it up
and give it TO you witAont notes, in my
awkward way" You see he has tried
hard to be inconsistent, and couldn't !.
Then he proceeds to the
AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
was born, he says, in 1895, in
Pennington, Maine,-it was before my
remembrance. Three years after this
event. my father remsved to Industry.
HOW HE LEARNED TO SPELL.
NV first recollection is of attend
ing school in barn. NY teacher used
to teach US to spell, and give the def
milton Of words. For instance: She
gave rs this word, acoenting the sec.
ond syllable, ''a-nec-dote."
sBoy, what's it mean:"
"Dunno."
ats what people eat between meals.
intelligently replies the teacher. The
word ''biscuit" she pronounced bis.
gsa, and she told US 1t meant ''to
stop, or quit" Don't know but you
think I'd better quit now, myself. But
this was sample Of my early instruc
ton.
If there was anybody in school t.
get drubbing, the luckless boy wal
myseIf. 1t was always thought safi
to swear of all the deviltry upon me
I POLITICAL PREACHING.
In 1912 politics ragged tremendously
remember an old sea captain invited
minister to preach political sermon
At his house. He came and took 70
his text, "Curse ye the inhabitants
&c. The preacher said the Federal
ists we're just those whom the inspires
writer meant. The Captain sqdihl.
responded; .Yea, curse EN-" On
En6iishman ohanced to be present An
Old ont ssyou us." The go captai