Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-07-30
ADAY THE WOODS.
Temperance and Sabbath school Picnic At
Oak Grove.
NearIy a Thousand People Present.

No. s, the Grand Division of East Tennes-
see Sons of Temperance, held their regular
quarterly session at that place on Thurs
day last, the 9th inst, which was an oc-
cason that will long be remembered by
the members of the Order present.
Leaving Knoxville on the o'clock train
on the Knoxville and Ohio Railroad We'd
nesday afternoon, your correspondent
found himself not alone, being joined by
| VIII a. McTeer, G. w. p, of Maryville,
and Messrs, a. NJ. Gamble and VIM. Muir
rim, of Ellijoy, Blount county. Arriving
| at PowelPs Station, the delegates were met
| by the Committee of arrangements with
| wagons and conveyed to the families as
! signed to entertain them, each vying with
the other in their offers of hospitality and
regretting that the entire membership had
! not turned out so they might have enter
famed them all.
MEETING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
| After discussing the viands of the well
! spread boards of their several hosts the
members of the Grand Division assembled
| at the hall of Oak Grove Division, where
an open session was held, during which re-
marks were made by Messrs. Bomar, Nc
Teer, Gamble, NIurrin and Irish, suitable
to the occasion, interspersed with anec-
dotes illustrating the ideas intended to be
conveyed, which were well received by all
present.
After q pleasant interchange of opinion
the meeting adjourned and all wended
their way homeward, to seek the repose of
which they stood in need, to fit them for
the exercises of the succeeding day.
CELEBRATION AND PICNIC.
The sun rose in unclouded brilliancy on
the morning OF the oath, suspicious of the
day designed to be observed, which was of
rather an amalgamated nature, being a
celebration of Oak Grove, Beaver Ridge,
Valley Grove, Beaver Creek and Union
Grove Sabbath schools, and of Oak Grove
Division Sons of Temperance. This was
done in order to attract as large q crowd as
possible, in which those having the man
agement of the affair were eminently sue
cessful.
From the early hour many commenced
to arrive, it is legitimate to infer that the
matutinal meal was partaken of unusually
early for even the residents of sylvan
homes, the meadows still sparkling with
drops Of diamond brightness, and the corn
resembling plumes of emerald, as the dew
glittered in the sunbeams, nOdding a well
come to youth and maiden on their way to
the rendezvous.
A LARGE AUDIENCE.
BY nine o'clock the crowd on the
grounds numbered hundreds, every family
bringing baskets of provisions, which
were in number sufficient to have fed a
brigade, showing that ample preparation
had been made for the creature comfort of
all present or to come.
At ten o'clock
PROCESSION WAS FORMED,
composed of the Oak Grove Division and
visiting members of the Order, the men,
bers of the Grand Division led by Will.
y. McTeer, q. w. p, in front next, mem
bers of Subordinate Divisions, and last,
but by no means least, the Sabbath Schools
before mentioned, the whole under COM
mand of Mr.. Charles Mason, Marshal of
the day, ably seconded by his assistants,
Messrs. A. p. Bishop and G., w. Dunn,
which marched from the school house
through the grove, and countermarched to
the stand, which was beautifully decorated
with an arch of evergreens gemmed with
flowers.
The stand was occupied by the officers
of the Grand Division and speakers, while
Immediately in front sat the choir.
BIBLE PRESENTATION,
One of the most interesting features of
the occasion occurred just before the COM
mencement of the speaking, being the
presentation of Bible by the ladies of the
neighborhood to Oak Grove Division. The
presentation was made by a committee,
composed of Mrs. Henrietta Dalrymple,
Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Parker, the form
er delivering the address, which was re-
| sponded to in fitting terms by Mr. Thomas
| Collier the Worthy Patriarch, who, on
| behalf of the Division, received the Book
THE EXERCISES.
The Grand Worthy Patriarch, Will A.
! McTeer was then introduced by the
! Grand Scribe, and delivered a most enter
| tanning and instructive address, replete
with apt illustrations and anecdotes
| throughout, which kept the interest Of the
audience excited from the commencement
to the close of his remarks.
| Mr.. McTeer was followed by J. +. j.
! Lewis, Esq, of your city, who entertain
! ed the large crowd with one of his best eff
| forts, which TO those who have had the
pleasure Of hearing Judge Lewis,
| needs no description. His remarks
were chiefly devoted TO the Sabbath
/ School Interests, though paying a Just
mead of praise to the noble Order to whose
influence was due the happiness that now
J surrounds so many family circles, which
would else have been the scenes of woe
and misery. .-. ra....
At the conclusion Of Judge Lewis
speech, announcement was made that
BASKET PICNIC DINNER
| would be served, and in a few moments
the grove was dotted with groups of men
women and children seated around snowy
clatter on which were piled the contents OF
| the Wickered lardeT, while the cheerful
cloths of Knives and forks drove away
thoughts of aught else for the time except
satisfying the wants OF that thinner man
IN oftan and facatiouglV mont iOnpd i'm IN *