Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-08-08

lFr0m the Lou.t filla Nourler-Johrnhl.
The dawn of lie present century found
The various sects Of the Protestant faith
10 Kentucky 10 a condition by no means
favorable to the prcpG CATION of epifitlal
truth. The Presbyterian aud Baptist
churchtE particularly had become split
no into several factions which seemed
more ineliued to boast and storm about
their 'principles" than to testify to the
same by gU.. mess OF department. An-
other discoIdsnt element mat seemed TO
intensity as we'll as prOlong these moral
perturbations was the Introduction OF
democratic Methodism, that essayed TO
gather all within Its arms Of mercy and
protection. Thus, while each OF these
labored to make themselves proselytes
unto itself, they could not consistently
foregO that doglnatic spirit Of lnto,er-
ance which too often defeats a noble or
legitimate purpose.
But while this spirit OF sectarian tumult
had, as It were, reached its acme, and all
hope Of fraternal harmony seemed more
remote than ever, an uncommon degree
Of religious excitement In Logan county,
KY, liked all eyes In that direction, and
operated as a truce, temporarily, TO
moral hostiiies. This ianRtical excite
ment, seemingly 40 well-timed, spread
Ike an infection, ill no. only the entire
state, but the States and territories ad.
ioiniug, succumbed TO Its influence. This
widespread result, however. was accom-
plished In period ranging from 1890 &c
/ 1903. Besidci the gsu1l ordi .ary sessors
aud methods Of worship, there were he
during the summers Of the years 1890 to
| 1908 large out door gatherings called
"comp meetmgs," which oflen lasted ia
/ different neighborhoods several days at a
time, when the hours we spent 10
almost incesslnt religious exercises. At
these meetings hundreds, and even
thc-.SrGs Of people might have been
seen and heard at one and the same time,
engaged IN singing, prayer, exhortaliou,
preaching, shouting, dispu'ing and con-
versing.
These excuses of 'exerclses" we're re-
ducible TO sundry clsssiications, accord
irglY as the participants were variously
affected. There were the falling, the
Jerking, the running and the climbing
exercises, all Of which are sufficient. )
indicated BY their names. It was fire.
qusnt occurrence for a number Of people
to gather round tree, some praying aud
others Initiating the barking ef dogs,
which operation wss called, IN familiar
parlance, "treeing the DEVIL" Il was
stated also, concerning some people, that
in their religious assemblies, or other
places of worship, religious professors oi
zeal aud standing would get out in the
broad aisle and go down upon theii
knees and fall to playisg marblel
together, under the impression that they
we're obeying the saying of the Saviour
Except that Sc be CO. rerted and become
as little children ye Co uot enter into The
kingdom of heaven OTHERS woulf
ride up and down the le Of the church
on sticks, etc.
1t was said, further, that the religious
lcaders, or at least one Of them by To,
name Of Mcnamara, would affect to per
senate Satan that on a certain occasion
during camp meeting he was creeping
about among the feet Of the audience ex'
claiming, ~ am the old serneut tha
, tempted Eve" When Rpproac aing Il
tLis manner a scoichman, who was on III
GROUND as a 81 eciator, the man lifted ul
, his heel and etc ping on the face Of ID,
minister replied, The seed of the woman
shall bruise the serpent's head !" Th'
! picture tba, drawn by Col. Stone. O
l New York, about the year 1895 or 1872.
/ is not only not exaggerated, but ever
/ falls short of the original in many o
It's features.
An eyewitness OF undonbted veraclt,
D stated that IN passing one Of the CAM
!. grounds he noticed man in the "bsrk
ing exercise" clasping q tree with hi
arms aud dashing his head against
I until 1t was all besmeared with blood
shouting all tho time that he had tree
the Saviour /"