Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-08-27
Pioneer Camp Meetings.

EXTRAORDINARY Scenes in Ken
tucky during the Early Spread
of Professionalism.
From the Louisville Courier Journal.
The dawn of the present cen
tury found the various sects of
the Protestant faith in Ken
lucky in a condition by no
means favorable to the propaga-
ton of spiritual truth. The
Presbyterian and Bapti t
Churches, particularly had be-
come split up into several fac
tiOns which seemed more in
clined to boast and storm about
their principles" than to testi-
fy to the same by godliness
of department. Another dis
cordant element that seemed to
intensity as well as proIong these
moral perturbations was the in
PRODUCTION of democratic Meth.
odism, that essayed to gather.
all within its arms of mercy and
protection. Thus, while each
of these sects labored to make
proselytes unto itself, they
could not consistently forego
that 'dOgmatic spirit of int0l-
erance which too often defeats
a noble or legitimate purpose.
But while this spirit of sec
tartan tumult had, as it were.
reached its acme, and all hone
OF fraternal harmony seemed
more remote than ever, an un-
common degree Of religious ex-
citement in Logan county, Ky,
fixed all eyes in. that direction,
and operated as a truce, tempo
rarily, to moral hostilities. This
fanatical excitement seemingly
so well timed, spread like an in
fectiOn, till not only the entire
State, but the States and Terri-
tories adjoining, succumbed to
its influence. This widespread
result, however, was accom-
.plished in period ranging from
1900 to 1903. Besides the usual
ordinary seasons and methods
of worship, there were held du-
ring the summers Of the years
1900 to 1903 large outdoor
gatherings called scamp meet
ings," which often lasted in DIFF
ferent neighborhoods several
days at a time, when the hours
were spent in almost incessant
religious exercises. At these
meetings hundreds, and even
thousands, of people might have
been seen and heard at one and
the same time, engaged in sing
ing, Prayer,exhortation, preach
ing, shouting, disputing and
cOnversing.
These eXcesses or F'excrc:se,v
were reducible to sundry class
tications, accordingly as the par
ticipantswere variously affected.
There were the falling. the
jerking,th running and climb.
ing exercises, all of which are
sufficiently indicated by their
names. 1t was a frequent &C.
curcnce Tor a number OF peo-
pie to gather round a tree sofae.
praying and others initiating
the barking of dogs, which op-
Grafton was called, in familiar
freeing the devil"
1t was stated also, concernino.
some people, that in their rell-
gious assemblies, or other pla-
ces OF worship, religious pro
lessors Of zeal and standino
would get out into the broad
aisle ana go down upon their
knees and fall to playing mar
bles together, under the i'm
preston that they were obeyinc
the saying Of the Saviour
Except We be converted and
become as little children We can
not enter into the kingdom OF
heayen! Others would ride
lp. and down the aisle of the
church on sticks, &c.
1t was said, further, that the
'eligiousleaders, ,orat leastoneof
Of them by the name McNama-
a, would affect to personate
satan; that on a certain occa-
,ion during camp meeting he
vas creeping about among the
eet of the audience exclaimino.
4 am the old serpent that
empted Eve" When approach
ng in this manner Scotchman.
VINO was on the ground as
spectator, the man lifted ND his
leel and stamping on the face
II the minister replied, "The
seed OF the woman shall bruise
he serpent's headp The pic
.ure thus drawn by Col. Stone
IF New York about the year
1925 or 1880 is not only not ex-
aggerated, but even falls short
Of the original in many of its
features.