The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-06
GERMANS In CAMP MEETING
TIE RELIGIOUS BODY HOLDING
SBRPICES AT SEA CLIFF
Band OF Christians whose Numbers and
Influence are Constantly lncreasing-Their
Manner Of Doing Good to Other Men.

Band OF Christians whose Numbers and
Influence are Constantly Increastnv-Their
Manner Of Doing Good to Other Men.
SEA CLIFF, L. J., Aug. 3.-The German
Episcop alian Metbod,sts OF the vicinity Of New
York opened camp meeting at this place last
evening that Ia expected, II the attendance
proves favorable and the spirit takes good hold
OF the multitude, to last about a week. This Is
only the second time that Germans had a camp
meeting here. Sea Clif has long been conse-
Grated to camp meetings, where our verDacular
is the language OF prayer and exhortation. but
German gatherings OF that kind are rdreties.
II Va not generally known that the Methodists
have any following among the Germans, nor
that the German tempersmeDt is sufficiently
emotional to take favorably to the love feast,
and the worship In the tent and on the field, as
those are ordinarily conducted.
called yesterday on the Rev. Mr.. G. Jost, the
pastor Of the Second Street German Methodist
Episcopal Church Of New York, who, during the
summer, resides here permanently with bis
family 10 his neat cottage overlooking the
Sound, going to New York every week to CON
duct the Sunday services In his church. lie
gave me some interesting Information about the
present state Of the German Methodists. both In
the United states and In Germany. Twenty
years ago the denomination was hardly known
had established q small society la Germany, but
they msoe no converts. Tnen botn the NJ. Il.
Cnuron and tho Evangelical Methodist ChuIo Oh
a foot6oId, and have been spreading ever
since. The Methodist Episcopalians have
to-day a college IN FranEiort;on,ths ,Sn
ton OF Sir. John n Martin OF BrooRlynj, and
have n conference extending over GefmsnY and
sr. asd sas cons,tu . Of 400 or soo pep
sons. The Allorisnt or EysneelieL Methodlsts
man who was one Of the fathers Of the denomi-
nationl have also Done well In Germany, and
s,eadiiv. In the United states the N. T. Church
German Evangelical Meth gdists 70 the United
states are est n tod AT nearly $1,000. The Bap-
tists are not doing SO well among tue Germans
10 the United States as they are In Germany.
The doctrine OF rebsptism does not take well
with them, the Germans being usually baptized
In their Infancy, and feeling dislnclined to have
II done over again later In life.
NUMBER OF cosrERnscEs.
The N. X. German Conferences of the United
States mum Der ave or six. The largest follow
ing Is in the W sstern States. The New York
Confersnee extend: over all TIE Eastern states,
and embraces about twenty congregations.
Last year the N. b. congregations Ia aud around
| sociation for tho purpose OF holding yearly
| camp IN lettings. These lots are In the woods on
been erected on them. They had q camp meet
Ing there last year. and In those tents, aud 10 the
big, open sided, roofed.ln tAosrn. Gle, belonging
TO the Sea Clin Association, they are coDd Quoting
their worship tpis year. The churches taxing
part In tho meeting are four In New York, two
in Brooklyn. one In Melrose, one Ia Mount Yer
non, two In Newark, and one In Elizabeth.
These churches appointed n conference month
| or two ago and resolved upon the present cam
meeting, for tue purpose Of quickenine the con-
| sciences of those members whom they already
haa, but more espscisily vito view Of gaining
| new members by making converts. Presiding
| Elder Rev. John &. LUZ, OF Ninamsbursb, was
appointed to preside. ana the Kew. Messrs Jest
liamsburgh aud tue last Of New York, were
named 10 assist hun. lhe Rev. Aessrs. Elsm-
man and kastendiesk. OF Newark, have al.o
| New Yoik ana Its vicinity. but In -,x ,v.n,
there are German. s::...-.. resident In Sea Clln
sna :'.,inu mere for the summer 10 make up
pleasant prayer meeting alone.
Tue catnp meeting oDsned last evening at
o'clock In the tabernacle, of whlcn the use was
tion, free OF rent. The attendance Was com
posed of men and women OF all ages and condi.
lions, with large infusion of bows and girls for
| whom IL seemed very hafd to maintain proper
degree OF seriousness and righteousness. The
proceedings consisted of hymn singing. PRAYER,
| exhortation. ana u sermon. Many OF the hymns
| were original German productions. some OF
| them dating back to Luther's time. but here
were also transla ions OF the more popular Eng
hsh hymns, such as " The Beautiful River"
| Fountain Filled with Blood" aud "In Jesus /
Arms" when we're sung to the same tune as In
| English. At pra, or all tire folks knelt upon the
straw-covered moor. and bowed their heads
upon the bac - OF tue benches. Unul after the
| tion,. bu- the presiding elder seemed then "a
! have concluded that IL was time to awaken the
audience and put some life into them. Fol.
lowed BY half u dozen assisting ministers, be
| descended from the platform to the door 10
front OF tue pulpit. ana there PRAYED long and
earnestly, with nm accom- ihnlnlent OF loud 81 c.
uations from bis associates of "On, my Re
desmsrv' my beloved Jesusi'
lhen the presiding elder ad cressed himself
particularly 10 the young folks, begging them ia
! come forward and drink OF the Hol, Spirit that
the Lord offered free 10 all. and was outDOurin I
nd
| drink here and now VINO will drink2"
ANXIOUS SEEKERS.
One by one persons In the audience left theIr
seats. and stepping forward to a row of benches
tina stood In seni-circle about the ministers
| knelt down before them and bowed their head 5
upon the wooden backs. There were boys and
| were mourners Tor relatives recently dc eased
| y hers we're merely moved by the religious
| spirtt. Then all The ministers knelt down, too,
aud took turns In praying. As they proceeds ed
| they became CONSTANTLY louder and more Ter
vent. one OF them wept while praying to such
| All extent that It almost checked his utterAnoe,
| Another on-tantly 81 culated aloud during the
prayers Of the others, :" on, my Redeemerl''
over the woIshippers that we're kueeline before
| them. and threw their arms ABOUT aud caresss ID
them, PRAYING WITH aud Tor them, aud min n :
II was 10 O'Clock before the meeting was over,
aud by that time the state OF religious fervoT
that had been awakened was pronounced TO be,
for beginning. quite gratifying.
Al clock Ihis morning there were prayers
! In the tents IN the woods that we're well attend
ed. At half past 10 there were services In the
tabernacle. Thls evening there IS . be reps-
Il Ton uf last evenings meeting. with the feeling
| OF religious oxatatipn. however, constantly In
orsasIng. by tue end OF the week the soirit q
expected TO possess the multitude about as
| thoroughly as IL usually the case In English
camp IA ceilings.
Tne Minister declare the notion that the G er-
man. are not dapted for such religious demo on
STATIONS uDfounded They are not so sensa-
tional as their American brethren, but when
| once aroused they are said To be capable Of
considerable exsitation and enthusiasm. The
German MethOdists, more singular 10 say, are
also fully as strict AS their English and Ameri-
can brethren In relation TO aancinR, Theatrical
AIN usements, drinking ~ beer, and other spir-
ituous INKS, whicn ARE strictly ITohibited In
diligence in those things are dlscountenanc ed
Ia the laynau, aud In tne Clergy are absolutely
interdictrd. And still the denomination 10
spreading.
Piucky Fellow.
from che B.us RsR's CAicten.