The New York herald., 1875-08-30
A CoLoRED "BUsH MEETING.

avoid IT, The experiences OF every true Christian
showed that there safety In adopting obedience 10
God
A COLORED "BUSH MEETING"
PORT WASHINGTON AND RosLYN METHoDIsTs IN
THE wooDs-THE REAsoNABLENEss OF CHRIS
TIANrrY FROM coLoRED PArRIARcH's STAND
POINT.
The steamboat seawanhaka took pretty heavy cargo
of passengers yesterday morning the several points
ON the Sound between this city and Rosyn where she
regularly calls Some went TO enjoy lager and fun at
College Point and cold water and religion at Sea
Gill, and all TO become reeuperated by the SAIL though
they could hardly be said 10 have rested very much,
judging from the tired and aded condition in which
very many OF them appeared on their return
goody number debarked Point and took stages
to Port Washington, at the end OF Cow Bay few miles
beyond which point a colored Methodist bush meet
ing-hat is, camp meeting without the dwelling tents
large boarding tent pitched in apple orchard
on beautiful hill at place called Highland Valley
and here for three days the coored people of Rosyn
Port Washington and neighboring villages have
gathered to hold religious and sandwiches
and water melons by day, retiring night to
their homes such hosptable quarters as they
could find by. Friday and Saturday were
of little account but yesterday their field day and
their biggest guns trotted out Indeed the after
noon service yesterday was the only OF any
quence Then patriarch from Roslyn held forth
He had good pair of lungs, and could make himself
heard very readily the ground Like most of the
udoor religious gatherings this year, this colored
bush meeting not There compare
lively few colored people present and those who
were more intent making money by vending eata-
bles and drinks than attending the ministry Of their
brethren. The larger part Of the afternoon
the surrounding and villages Perhaps
400 500 altogether is many the ground
at any time The venerable preacher gave out hymn
and read 1t through and then nterlined each verse
leading the singers 'to the of common metre"
The metre was so common" indeed, that har
dozen hymns sung by them while the writer
present put to the same tune, and that
dcred chiefly by two young men and aged disciple.
The time measured by the waving of the bodies
they sung. After prayer the choir started one of
their songs with which the coored people present
seemed to be familiar and joined in heartily Its
burden was that fathers mothers brothers and
sisters were crying aloud to Jesus to take them.
IN THE LIPEBoAr.
When this song finished the preacher shouted
out to the money makers the tent to shut up shop
and and hear him, though he very naivcly added
they were very much need of money and IL
person could be lett there money making and Gospel
hearing could be very nicely combined. His text was
Acts iv, IL and 12This is the stone that was set at
nought of you builders, which Is become the head
OF the corner. Neither is there salvation in any
other; for there is none other name under heaven
gwen among men, whereby we must be saved. ="
These words said the preacher, sermon
in themselves, and you can't get over 1t no
way Casting side glance toward the tent the old
gentleman that his advice had not been taken and
again. with peculiar emphasis on the money part,
intended TO prepare the congregation in time for the
collection he shouted Please close your there
Though want the money L told while
we have order and attention here and your noise
disturbs metz This was put in as much for the benefit
of a knot of white men, from Port Washington who
standing discussing the foul murder of Captain
Lawrence in that vicinity on Friday for any others.
Then, with quiet SMILE the old man added philoso
phically "Wcll live till we die any way" Resuming
his discourse, he said In the Scriptures Of divine
truth we nave tne woIa Oh 1oa snaaowea OUT 70 Us
Here it Is stone The theme that he found in the text
that the Christian religion is reasonable religion
There are religions that are not reasonable; but the
Christian religion is and that shall make TO appear
to this intelligent congregation. And second, If we
have time wel show the incapabty OF men and women
sitting in Judgment ON the evidences Of experimental
revelation, of which they know nothing. five under
take to recommend or to condemn anything should wo
not have knowledge Of the facts about y Is not
that reasonabley Isn't It common senseS He then
went on to demonstrate
THE RRAsoyADLEsEss oY CHRISTIANITY
by showing how little children have received It in the
nursery larger ones in the Sunday schools and
very bad folk like himself when he young man,
in bush camp meetings In camp meeting 100 miles
from the place where he standing, he said he re-
ceived this religion and he was led to the Saviour by
man OF small stature And when that camp meeting
he went to another and he has been going To
them since for more than half century. This re-
ligion is good to live by and 1t is good to die
by There is nothing on earth like man. There
is nothing like the intelligent structure of man. which
is designed to bring everything into subsection to him.
David says he is fearfully and wonderfully made. |
think II you have read physiology you will be ready
say man is feariuly and wonderfully made Look at
the circulation OF blood in man. and isn't he fcarfuy
and wonderfully made Certainly he Ia. So
that we have made that point and will pass
Daniel says he saw stone cut out OF
the mountain without hands Brethren, can't
you pray that this stone that Daniel may
roll against the dumb gods at Port Washington 1t
rolled against the dumb gods that Daniel saw in his
and destroy themS Men have been trying in the
name of these gods for number Of years TO kill
God Tom Paine tried IL but where Is heY We must
look for him in the great abyss Votare tried it but,
great God where is Voltare today He is gone too
You opposers OF our religion tell you you might
well stop at any time You don't live long
enough to finish job like this TO do any
judgment revelation about which he
knows nothing? ] think have got that
point settled We have got the living evidences
of holy religion to-day, and II all
the people this American continent were in pos
session of this religion should not need any more
folks who have come here from the city 10 hear what
these babbers have 10 say you had better get this
religion.
The old man went on still demonstrating his points
in his quaint way and with every point raising the
enthusiasm Of his colored hearers to the shoutng and
shaking pitch, that when the service closed they
not so ready TO run to the tent TO make money
as they had been.
Dau~rnC AraDEHrrrs