The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-23
A Colored Camp.Meeting.

Describing camp-meeting of colored
people, a Washington correspondent OF
the Chicago Inter Ocean writes: In
the heat of August the colored armies of
the Lord move out of the towns and
cities, come from the plantation, the
/" timber and swamps, and camp in the
woods, to wage with increased and
united vigor the old battle against sin.
They come by hundreds, old men and
youths, matrons and maidens, children
and babes in arms, with tents and camp
equipage, cooking utensils, beds and
provisions, and the weapons of faith.
Invigorated by the pure fresh air OF the
forest, and inspired by hepowerful mag
netism of many minds gathered together
for single end. that holy purpose,
they find new meaning in the old truths,
they sing the old song with new enthu
siasm, and pray the ldprayers with new
fervor. I'd 1t is no idle holiday that these
people expect to enjoy at camp-meeting.
The children may romp in the woods,
and dusky young lovers may steal away
to green and shady hooks to tell each
other the same old sweet story that the
birds are warbling overhead, but the
older and more serious know that there
is earnest work in hand. From day
break until midnight the preaching,
praying, exhorting, and singing con-
tinues, with but short intermissions.
Before the morning mists have lifted the
bell rings for rising, and at six o'clock
the morning prayer-meeting begins and
lasts until breakfast. Then the routine
commences and continues until the ex-
Il, &c fha 10 OF
vice at night. The interest in the days
proceedings eliminates in the night
service.
The scene is there highly dramatic.
The Pickering light of pine knots burn
ing upon the tops Of stumps covered
with sand deepens the darkness OF the
surrounding forest, and as the blaze
mounts up or dies away the rapt, earnest
faces of the throng of worshipers now
are plainly distinguishable in feature and
emotion, now are lost in semi-obscurity
The more steady lamps about the pulpit
show the long row of black -facedpreach
ers sitting in solemn state under theil
rough board canopy. The cleaning
white walls of the encompassing lines o
tents bound the view on all sides. Th'
voice of the preacher mingles straDgel,
with the droning monotone OF tn
"katydids " in the tree-tops and th'
soughing of the wind among the leaves
Whether the looker-on be saint or skep
tic, he feels mysterious awe in the all
The mourners on their knees in front Q
the pulpit and the dense group tina
crowds around them make great mag
net or electric battery, radiating it
strong influences to the very edges c
the vast crowd. The night wears Oh
; The pine torches give but a feeble, III
certain light. The crowd begins
ravel out around the edges. But the1
is no cessation of work at the ALTA
where the strange, weird medley {
groans, shouts, sobs, shrieks, vail
prayers for mercy, and songs of trump
arise. The crowd dissolves under
!, benediction of peace, the lights go ou
t and there is darkness and silence, say
f that the katydids, who have it all
= themselves now, keep up their que
i ulous questioning in the tree-tops, as
:, ing each other the meaning of IL
s strange sounds that have disturbed I'll
v ancient quiet of the woods.