Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-08-14
Meaningless Grove Camp Meetin<

Washington Grove Camp Meeting.
tSpeeiaI Corrsspcndenee Of fas Star.l
WASHINGTON GROVE. MONTGOMERY Co..
FRIDAY morning, August 18th, ISa4.
The camp was visited on Wednesday night
A TERRIFIC WIND AND RAIN STORM,
which greatly purified and refreshed it. wash
ing the dust from the trees and leaving them as
bright as though they had just received a fresh
coat OF paint. The rain continued falling mod
erateiy until midnight, and was preceded by
quite Q gale, which at one time threatened
serious results. The bic oaks bent and swayed
feared that some of them would be blown Nv y.
Fortunately they are all we'll put up and stayed,
and not one OF them suffered In the least.
The storm was followed by most charming
morning, and the exercises at the camp were
well attended. About 200 came up from Wash
tngton In the morning, and more than til az num-
Der came IN from the surrounding country In
teams.
THE FIRST SERMON
was delivered at half past ten By Rev. Mr..
Black, of Wesley Chapel. About zoo parsons
Brown came forward and asked for another
collection, saying that At the three collections
taken up 30 Tar, only sl60 had been realized,
and as he had twice told them of the great ex-
pense of the camp and the necessity OF pro yidiny
for Its payment, he would beg of them 20 pat
their hands down deep into their pockets aud
pull them ND full of money and let IL fall into
the hats. After the collection Mr.. Black an
nounced his text from Matthew, 81 chapter ami
10th verse: Now therefore is the axe laid at
the root of the tree. Now therefore any tree
that bringeth not forth fruit shall be he wn down
and cast into the fire." During the sermon
Rice, of Washington, as on the ground m akins
preparations for taking a large Photographic
view OF the scene, and Just BEFORE the bensdic-
ton was pronounced the presiding elder re-
quested the ladies to lower their parasoIs and
everybody to remain perfectly quiet for a few
min utes, during which time fine view. look
ing towards the stand, secured. The
exercises at the stand generally close about half
past twelve, and at one O'Clock the big bell
THE HOUR FOR DINING.
Scarcely does its first tone reach the ear than
Bakers bell and Milliken's gong start a racket
in response equal to that at some railwsy dining
place, where there are competing hotels. The
crowd Immediately fill the dining-room, and
some one, perhaps G. A. Hall or W. K. Wood
ward, thump on table to attract attention,
and when quiet is obtained. "ssy grace" by
singing the long meter dOxology. As soon as
TINS Is over, the CHATTER that follows is equal to
the fixing and unfxing of bayonets by q regi-
ment OF infantry at dress parade. Eighteen
walters at Milnken's keep the carvers and the
eaters busy, and it has been observed that the
most Jealous Christian is just rs anxious TO be
waited upon first, and Is Just as impatient as
the wickedest sinner. When it comes to eating,
mankind gets down to level, and saint and
sinner have no distinguishing traits.
Fer two days notice had been given out that
THE FEMALE MISSIONARY SOCIETY
would hold meeting at 2 O'Clock yesterday, to
be addressed by Mrs. DR.. Hubbard, of New York,
and Mrs. Keen, of Philadelphia; but the two
speakers did not put in an appearance, neither
did they send a word of explanation, so the
meeting did not take place.
At O'Clock, as previously announced, a
meeting was held to allow the officers to explain
the objects and plans Of
THE WASHINGTON GROVE ASSOCIATION.
Baker the reading of the minutes of the pre-
yious meeting and the regular order of business
was dispensed with, and Rev. b. p. Brown was
called upon to make statement, to give those
upon the ground a fair understanding of mat
tiers, and to answer some objections that had
been made, and to stroke down the backs of
some OF the grumblers. He stated that the asso-
citation had purchased this property to provide
a suitable place for the Methodists to hold their
annual camp-meetings, and had fitted it up
for such purposes. They proposed, also,
the city could take their Families por-
ton OF tie year into locality where thew
would be surrounded by good moral influences
free from danger and everything Objectionable
and to That end they, intend speedily to lay OF a
portion of the ground into lots and lease them
to proper persons. upon which they could erect
cottages for permanent residences. To carry
out this plan they have built the new road, and
asked the county commissioners to close the old
one, as its continuance on its former line would
be fatal TO the plans OF the ciation and they
thanked the commissioners for having acceded
to their request. A stock company had been
formed TO carry out the above purposes, aud
during the past winter the legislature of Mary
land had unanimously granted them a charter,
The provisions Of the charter we're explained,
and the government of the grounds alluded 10,
after which objections TO the management were
answered.
He then said: We have been charged with
making money out OF this thing. The executive
committee have given their time, and borne all
their own expenses in travelling over the road
to and from Washington and Baltimore, aud
have never received one cent for their services,
either directly or indirectly, and we challenge
any one TO prove to the contrary. We have done
all this work because we love the cause, aad if
we are not appreciated here We hope to be no
yOnder, and to receive our reward there. But
1t Is said that the water has given out. Well,
we are sorry about that; we had too much water
last year, and were dissatisfied; now, in a dry
time, We find We have not got enough, and be-
tween this time and next year we propose to
take up the wells, enlarge them, and dig them
deeper, and put them in a condition to supply
all our needs in that respect. We think now
that we have answered all your complaints.
Shares of association stock were then sold,
one each, TO about twenty five persons. Glenn
Tuck of Washington, and DR.. Tuck of Annapo-
liz, bought FIVE shares each. and in ali thirty
five shares were sold at $50 per share. The
meeting was then turned Into prayer meeting,
continuing for nearly an hour.
EVENING SERVICES.
AT O'Clock Rev. T.. ID. Owens preached from
Matthew, 9th chapter 18th verse, and was fol
lowed by Rev. MIR. Norris in powerful exhor-
tation, during which many came forward to the
mourneTs' bench. Religious exercises were
continued until half-psst ten, and nine persons
professed to have been converted, making over
thirty since the opening OF the camp. The
meeting was one of the most enthusiastic and
earnest OF any yet held. The colored praying
band continued their exercises till IL O'Clock as
usual.
INCIDENTS.
Boyd and few others improvised horse race
on the county road above the camp, at which
Boyd's fast nag got beaten by one OF the coun-
try colts.
Hon. Montgomery Blair spent the day on the
camp ground among his constituents"
This morning everything is pleasant and
cheerful, and indications point to a good at
tendance.
The interest e increasing, and the remaining
days will probably be profitably spent.
The camp breaks up next Tuesday morning,
so Monday night will be the "last night" b.