The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-07-31
THE GROVE NBErING ATT GERvAIs.

THE GROVE MEETING AT GERvAIs.
In accordance with previous an
nouncement, goodly number of the
Spiritualists Of Oregon, and such others
as desired to investigate the phenomena
of Spiritualism, or witness the proceed
ings Of the meeting, met at the new
picnic grounds, near Gervais, on Friday,
July oath. We are informed that the
attendance was from the first good, con-
sidering the busy season Of the year,
and the discomforts attendant upon dust
and dog-days.
Arriving upon the grounds late on
Saturday evening, we found quite a
number of tents spread, while gathered
around them, or seated upon the rude
benches provided underneath the over
hanging trees, were groups Of the faith
ful, quietly and pleasantly chatting, per-
chance of "free will or fore knowledge"
more likely of the invisible agencies,
whose subtle influence is supposed to be
striving ITO guide our wayward foot
steps into the ways of peace and rest"
1t was announced that the evening hour
would be given to conference meeting,
and the people gathered around the
stand In the fast falling twilight, aud
one after another proceeded TO give 3
reason for the faith that was within
him. This part of the programme was
strongly suggestive of the good old class
meeting, or morning "loye feast" OF a
Methodist camp-meeting; the analogy
between the two ended, however, with
the close Of the conference meeting, for
no sooner had the last speaker said his
say, than dance was proposed, and
these cheerful believers, or such of them
as so desired to do, stepped to the music
of the violin, as lightly as the uneven
surface of mother earth would permit,
and as joyously as il in attendance upon
Fourth of July ball, instead of a camp
meeting. They evidently believe in q
''time to dance" and, In accordance with
''free will and that sort of thing" chose
their own time.
In the morning came another confer
ence meeting, then an interval given TO
social converse and stroll about the
grounds. At IL o'clock the audience,
greatly augmented by the arrival of the
morning trains and numerous convey
ances from the country, gathered around
the stand and grew silent, while Mrs.
Addie L. BaIlou delivered the morning
discourse. Her subject, "From Mole
cule to Man-from Man to Angel" was
discoursed upon in language so eloquent,
and yet so Ineligible, as to carry hel
au Hence TO the sublime nights of hel
own imagination and interpret to them
the wonders there displayed. We shall
not attempt even a synopsis of the lee
ture, but will apply to it the descriptive
language of the lecturer, in reference tC
the writings Of Shakespeare: She "ab-
sorbed with an intellectual sponge the
purest fountains of the English Ian.
guage, and threw them out in shower:
of brilliant crystals"
We were compelled to return upon
the afternoon train, therefore cannot
speak from personal knowledge of the
lecture in the afternoon, nor the closing
evening exercises.
We publish elsewhere the Secretary's
report of the proceedings OF the meet.
ing. 1t is not our present purpose tC
criticise any of these proceedings; We
prefer rather to state and allow the so
ciety through its Secretary to stat,
them and leave every one to form hi!
own opinion. Good order was main
tanned upon the grounds, and the ut
most good feeling seemed to prevail. A.
we turned away from the scene, anC
now turn our thoughts backward
in contemplation of it, we felt and fee
that one of the chief blessings secures
to US by freedom, is that which allows
each individual the right to worship Goo
according 10 the dictates of his own con
science.