New-York tribune., 1874-06-23
TENT WORSHIP.
,,r ,,pcr OF THE CAMP MEETINGS.


cHARGR-sMAIL ATTENDANCE AT THE BEGINNING
WHAT Is DOING AND WHAT is ExPECrhp-AN
EARNEST SERMON BY Mr.. INsKIP.
,rvo,, sppcr,1 coRRrsPoSpEST OF TIE TRIBuSE'I
SrrR1ryG. Mass, June 1.-THE mneteehtn
National CampmeetIng OF the Nano"ai O''P n
.,.,,oD ,,o.ar here to-day These grounds nave be-
como vary well known throughout New Enslanu' anu
q, certain extent. among Methodsts III other secuon'
of the country the place or assembly Tor large anu
,mnortant district camp-meeting which has yearly
srawn thousands worshipers and visitors from the
middle mart OF Massachusetts and has reached forth its
annie hand 20 take from Lowell and more dis
tant places. including especially some New-Hampshre
towns and The place Of encampment Is ID pleas
ant grove we'll trimmed and cared for, only little way
from Sterling Junction where the tracks OF the Worces
ter and Nashua Ffchburg and Worcester Railroads
join about the central village Of the town OF
Sterling The easy slope which the cottages
the tents and treeooed church. where IN their sea
ron gather thousands wOrhpers declines toward the
west, giving good drainage making the camp-ground
itself healthy enough. but allowing the drainage 10 ex
pand iuto and sluggish stream close by the rail-
road track From this stream up nocturnal hosts OF
musketoes ready for bloody deeds This stream droops
along into Waushacum pond comelY sheet Of water,
which in August affords great variety OF pleasuring 10
those who campmeeting for recreation well as
spiritual exaaiiou. They who make up the present en-
campment however paw little attention water sports
somewhat graver cast than is common with district
campmeetings There is not much of the light and
lively element except such goes out IN the singing OF
hymns, while the cloud of idlers who almost always
hang the skirts OF tented assemblies have not
yet. But II is early in the the railroads
not put special trains yet and the meeting has
ten days 10
The camp grounds comprise nearly sixtyve acres OF
grove land with something Of adjoining fields and with
wells OF what is said 10 be good water Twenty-Five
acres have been added within year TO the area and
twenty cottages have been put The circle OF
the grove sxty-one large society tents and
small and cottages there 1s5 The cottages
are all dmiuuiiye plain, and hudded together
The general effect then far behind that Marthas
Vineyard but the owners OF these little cots, who are,
for the part. members Of the District Methodist
Association. fnd comfort enough in them to occupy
many OF them for considerable time, both before and
after eamp-meetings.
TIE wORsHIPERS AND THEIR NUMBER.
At the hight OF the gathering OF last August there
were nearly 5000 people lodging upon grounds, and
upon the crowded day IL is estimated that there
1900 persons present II hardly expected that
these figures will be reached during the National Camp
just begun The Summers not vet far enough ad
yanced 10 bring the multitude of those who take
pleasure in camp-meenss. Tue President OF the local
association. " H. Tnurs,on of oxford, expresses the
opinion that the fun capacity OF the tents aud cottages
will Do needed next week The President Of the National
Association the Rev. J. : Inskip OF Sea Cliff. L. l.,
poets nearly large gathering at their Ma
tiOnal Camp at Landisvie, Penn, when there
nearly present. and looks for the supply of the
great majority from the wellpOpulated region fifty
miles about this place considerable part OF the tents
and cottages now stirring with preparations for Oc
cupaon and less prophets than Mr. Thurston
NJ InsSp anticipate that not more than three
quarters Of them Will required the buster days of
this meeting next week. In the large tents, many of
which floors. and frame OF wood
only very small ares yet, the earnest Of larger
companies 10 come. The greater part Of those here
came from New England, and OF these no small share
are from this and adjoining counties There few
from Philadelphia and other parts Of Pennsyly
from NewYork City and state, and from other sections
but there large bodies specially representative Of
churches or districts. sOcai meetings preliminary
the first general meeting have been held OF the at
teudants having been here for two three days one
party bound for Sterling ghtened their way from New
York night with their hymns of lofty cheer"
obuse person 70 inquire with emphatic dis
approbation as disappeared from the cabin of the
Sound steamboat. Is tins a circus or campmeeung
The pilgrims to Sterling Camp ground not entirely
confined 10 the Methodist Church. There are among
them Presbyterans. Congregationaiists and Bap
fists The invitation 10 the National Camp-meeting As
socatou 10 hold one Of their national meetings at steT
ling Junction this wear was given and accepted last
year This Association holds two kinds Of meetings
-" Tabernacle" meetings and National Campmeetings
The first local gatherings city and another,
brought together in the immense Tabernacle tent be-
longing 10 the Association. Many cities IL the extreme
West have been visited with these Tabernacle meetings
within ;ew years. Tae National Association is made
up OF IS ministers and aymeD, but there two
three places OF the member, there are
the President. Rev J. : InsKip Of sea Cliff the
yice-President the Rev W. Mcdonald OF Boston: the
Rev. seymour Coleman Of Pennsylvania, and the Rev.
J. A. Wood OF Madison. y. Y. The other members most
vf~4- n tho ~ tho
meeting OF them being looked for within day
or two are the Rev J. Z. S-irles Brooklyn the Rev.
Mr.. Hughes the Rev. W II. Boole New-York the Rev.
Dr. LOwrey. Cincinnati; the Rev. Charles Munger,
Name the Rcv DR.. wm. Mast, Cincinnati; the Rev. J.
b. FOOte. Central New-YJrk; \. Mclean Of Hudson,
n Y; the Rev L. r Dunn. Paterson. n j.; W. 7. Har
low Of Rhode Island the Hon VIM. Dapauw Of Indiana,
W Perkins O1io Lew Perry of Baltimore, 6. Bru-
baker Of Pennsylvania and C. g. Ries Of Newcastle,
Penn. There are here beside the mem OF the
Association. ciergymen OF several States. Among the
best known Of these the Rev John Allen of Maine,
familiarly called "Camp-meetng John" who has
attended 142 camp-meetngs The number Of clergymen
here expected u be largely increased week. and
some men Of mark are looked for The avowed object
the meeting is 10 awaken deeper interest among
Christians the doctrine and experience Of entire sane
tihcation.
THE OPENING SERMON.
Amid the reverberatiOns OF a thunderstorm and with
The heavy beat Of rain upon the canvasroo the first
general assembly OF this campmeeung held at
J.. n. larger society tabernaces. the small
present making il unnecessary TO use the great
up at the meetings Of the Associations
the broad expanse of which shelter nearly 5000
people. Urgent occupation in preparing their
quarters for occupation kept away part OF the com
pany. and the gathering was comparatively small. But
II was earnest IN spirit The Rev. y. Fellows Presiding
Elder OF the Worcester District, led the meeting The
Rev John Allen OF Maine rected from memory the fifth