The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-07-20
PRIMITIVE WORSHIP.

Whether these have in the progress of
the age been left behind, or whether
chance and change and circumstance
have caused our path to have a wide di-
vergence therefrom, we know not; but
we do know that visit to the old-time
half-forgotten dream.
Awaiting ourself of a kind invitation,
We took seat in a carriage behind a |
pair.of lively-stepping bays on last Sun |
day, and were whirled away toward |
"Ames' Chapel" about eight miles from
this city, where, in the grounds contig- |
uous to white and solemn-looking lit !
tie church, camp-meeting was in prog
ress. Preparations for the meeting were
exceedingly primitive, and-as we were
told-in comparison to those of two de-
cades ago, were exceedingly meageT.
| Rough board shanties, weather beaten
and moss-grown, rude benches, without
backs, a ruder pulpit decorated with
evergreen, the well-worn Bible, and
Methodist hymn-book, fianked on either
side by pitcher, each filled to its ut
most capacity with gorgeous poppies,
marigolds, and snap-dragons; the table
in front covered with the snowy linen,
whereon lay the emblems of the 'shed
blood and broken body" of our Savior;
these were the preparations for worship.
The July breezes sang a psalm of quiet
thanksgiving to the soft and dreamy ac-
compartment of the swaying branches
of the giant frs that seemed to vie with
each other in their efforts to catch the
first ray of sunlight, as we took a seat
in front of the white table and rudely-
fashioned pulpit and hearkened to the
voice of the presiding elder, while the
words, "As the hart panteth for the
water-brooks, so panteth my soul after
Thee, o, God" stole up and out upon
the sultry nOontide air.
! The sermon ended-perhaps before
we glanced about US. Relics, as it
seemed, of bygone age, were the gray
. bearded fathers and bowed and bent
mothers in Isreal who sat upon chairs
5 in the shade of the moss-grown build
/ ings or shifted their position on the
: rough benches to escape the rays of the
scOrching sun, that as the day advanced
came here and there through the tall
tree-tops. Living in the depth of the
3 deep green woods, many of them have
= spent a quarter or third of a century in
\ er,hCfcfnpao e,
r and children from the soil which nature,
, resentful for their trespass upon her
? wild domain, struggled ever to reduce to
= a state of primeval luxuriance. In the
e hard and unceasing struggle these men
e and women have been partial victors,
for here and there through the woods
I, are small clearings, in the midst oi
Y which comfortable homes appear, and
t from their doors on Sundays and gala
t days step smiling and healthful daugh-
D ters, whose bright ribbons scarcely rival
t the damsels' cheeks, and stalwart sons
: content to live where their fathers have
: lived, and wrest by the same slow ant
: toilsome process their living from the
d soil.
: Here, leaning against a tree, the
/. trunk of which has been worn smooth
: by the annual friction of jean and hick
e ory, is a group of old men, their hands
= misshapen from toll, clasped across
r their knees, while with white head
e bowed they listen to the preacher
words. But look The treacherou
a wind has loosened from its fasteuings
10 rude lantern which has been swayinl
% over their heads, and down it come
l. with crash that causes them to glanc
s about them in blank amaZement for
D, moment, thinking, perhaps, of the fina
throes of nature; then, as the trutl
,r slowly dawns upon them, they ruefull,
if gather up the fragments of broken glas
,e through which their evening light ha
10 been accustomed to shine and resum
"a their former attitude of devotion
g. Grandmothers are here who speak wit
e. pardonable pride of the enthusiasm tha
Sc attended the early camp-meetings upo
at this ground, bending low to catch tn
eS ldiBllldI MOIuSi yOuuS ulOLuSIS WI
" plainly bear in their countenance tn
a. impress of the "double curse" are here
ur soothing the restless two-yeaI-old, keep
n ing an eye upon the five-year- old, an
lie dandling the nursing, while they en-
IN deavored to derive comfort from divin
promises, and with the closing hymn
mingled many wall of tired infancy
Dinner under the cool shades, serve
- by women whose stained and battere
NJ hands had prepared it, accompanied b.
"A social chit-chat, subdued because {
:, the sanctity of the day and the occasion
~ and again the voice of the minister call
together the scattered congregation, an
as his voice in dining" the hymn
ns heard, we turn our faces homeward, sal
se isfied that primitive camp-meetings ar
n not entirely recollection of bygon
ey era.
90 Hmper'S Weekly, commenting upo
:er General Grants reception in England
Of says: "Could old King George ope
his eyes upon his great-grandson cor
al graduating the realm that Generi