Smyrna times., 1875-08-11
Camp Meetings and Their History.

The camp-meeting, which has become an
Lmerican " institution" so tar as all the
branches of the powerful and numerous
Methodist family and some other religious
denominations are concerned, begins about
this season of the year. 1t is purely OF
American origin. The first camp-meeting
in the United States was held in 1899, on
the banks of the Red river, in Kentucky.
The common idea that it was exclusively OF
Methodist origin is erroneous. The manner
in which it began was this: There were
two brothers by the name of McGee, one
Presbyterian and one Methodist preacher.
Being on a religious tour from Tennessee,
where the former was settled, to locality
near Ohio, they stopped at settlement on
the river to attend a sacramental occasion
with the Rev. Mr.. McGeedy, Presbyterian.
Sermons were delivered on the occasion by
the brothers McGee and by three Presby-
terian clergymen, and the excitement
created seems to have been as great among
those present as that which has followed
the preaching of Moody and Sanlley ir
England When the news of the eXtraor
dinary movement reached the surrounding
country the people, having never heard OF
the like before, rushed i'll such crowds to
the Westinghouse that it was Immediately
over-howed, and the religious services were
therefore transferred to the forest. Many
came from every direction, with provisions
and other neccssaries for encampment, and
continued several days, dwelling in tents.
Sectarian divisions seemed to have been
entirely forgotten in this first camp-meeting.
The services were conducted by Presby-
terians, Baptsts and Methodists. The
result was so extraordinary that it sug
gested another meeting of the kind, and
from this unprecedented beginning these
meetings extended, increasing i'll power
and usefulness, under the special direction
of Presbyterians and Methodists. Because
of this union of sects in their support they
were called general camp-meetings." AT
length, however, the Presbyterians gradu-
ally retired from the field, but the Metho-
dists carried them into other parts of the
country, till they became general i'll the
connection. With more or less effective
ness, they have been continued to the pre-
sent time.
1t is probable that when the camp
meeting was organized its founders had in
mind the original simplicity of Christian
worship, when the apostles :" in sandaled
feet and with staff in hand proclaimed the
everlasting Gospel in the wilderness and
beneath the shade of trees. They may
have also had in remembrance the camp Of
ISreal itself, when, from the period of the
sojourn in the desert to the crossing of the
Jordan, the twelve tribes were formed into
four great armies, encamping in as many
fronts, or forming square, with a grea
space in the rear, where the tabernacle o
the Lord, surrounded by the tribe of Levi
was placed. To worship God under tn,
broad canopy of the sky seems to many t,
bring them in immediate relations with Hin
of whom it has been said that Heaven i
His throne and Earth His footstool
although He condescends to dwell il
temples made with hands Whatever tn,
aims OF its Originators, the first camp
meetings We're distinctly primitive, held ia
from city haunts, the visitors living il
tents and sleeping on beds of straw ant
blankets, their provisions were brought witt
them, and boarding tents . and "refresh
ment booths were utterly unknown
Progress of the age, however, has brough
its changes, and while the devoutness {
the worshippers may be as fervent as {
yOre, there is an advance in the nstheti
arts of the camp almost as marked as tina
in church architecture. The grounds i
some sections are occupied as a perm.
nency, pretty cottages erected, squares an
fountains add to the adornments. the con
missary department as regularly supple
as IS an army, and the camp itself hi
become favorite summer resort. 1t do,
not follow becaH e these movements ind
cate a departure from the practices
primitive MethOdism that the benefciei
influences of the camp-meeting are in an
way diminished. They may indeed reach
larger class Of minds than before. and, as
contemporary truly says, "To commune
any way with woods and fields should tai
US from Nature up to Natures God"