Smyrna times., 1878-07-31

and put new ticket in the field forthwith.
----
CAMP MEETINGS.-We are now in the
midst of the camp meeting season. For
month at least they will absorbe large
share of the public mind, especially on
Sundays. Their utility in a religious as
pect has for a long time been question
able by many of the leading minds in the
church and especially by those having the
larger oversight. In the primitive days
when the people were characterized by a
greater simplicity of habits and manners,
and when they were attended but for one
purpose, their opportunity for awaking
and converting those in moral darkness
was sometimes wonderful. The later habits
growing out of tendency to more fash
ionable life of recreation and social pastime
has revolutioned the institution. Even
from this point, that the wants Of the
people for recreation and social intercourse
must be met, is not without its strong
argument, and the question might be
asked, what less harmful than q we'll reg
ulated camp where the spirit of the world
is tempered and regulated by the restric-
tive rules of the camp? But here comes
in the difficulty, and it seems the smaller
the camp the greater the divergence from
the established rules. The New York
Tribune in speaking on the general subject
of camp meetings says:
"The annual camp-meeting season, which
is becoming a feature of both our social
and religious life, opened last week at
Round Lake, and will continue this month
and Augustat Chatauqua, the Thousand Isles
ETC., successfully. For one or two years the
J Tribune, finding that religious papers were
silent on the subject, has called attention
to the abuses common at these places. The
| object of camp meetings was no doubt,
good in the beginning, but it has been
greatly perverted. The crowds of devo.
tional attendants were followed each yeaI
by larger crowds of idlers, and worse than
idlers. The more staid and rational among
| Christians agreed. with us that the forced
mixture of feryor and fun, sanctifcation
and salt.bathing, Irritation and repentance
was dangerous. Very few men or women
whether old or young, could keep the lines
| drawn with decency and decorum, and toe
| few did it.
During the pesent season we learn that
! there has been "a most wholesome change in
! this repect. The services at Round Lake
are but little emotional in character; they are
rather meetings of earnest Sunday School
teachers to consult upon the best method!
of instruction. Textbooks have been com
piled, regular normal classes are formed
the course embraces Bible, scientific anC
theologic study. Even, we are told, goinl
as far as instruction in the ancient Greek
and Latin. The teaching of children is the
chief means by which the cause of the
Christian religion is to be strengthened
and it has long been left too much in The
hands of young, incompetent lads anC
girls. Now that the adult members of thu
church are taking up the work and givinl
up their one holy day in the year to learI
humbly, prayerfully and thoroughly hov
to do it, there is reasonable ground to hop,
that it will be properly done.
"There are, however, two or three prac
tical points which they should not leav
out of sight. Firstly, the class which the,
will teach. The Sunday scholar is, o
ought to be, a child who can receive re
ligious instruction nowhere else. Children
of Christian parents should be taught a
home. 1t is by the uncounted thousand
of ignorant little waits which swarm in ou
streets and alleys that these schools shoul'
be principally filled. Secondly, that an
cient Greek or Latin, Old Testament, his
tory or science is not what they need, bu
the simple broad truth of Christianity
taught by man or woman, with strengtl
and tenderness, to move the heart 10 thei
reception. The teacher who most closel
follows the method of Jesus will be tn
most successful in doing this, and to follov
|, that method he must know how to az
proach every phase of human nature, wit
portion of the brotherly love, the insight
the infinite sympathy of the Great Teacher
Mr.. Vincent (for the credit Of the chang
in the camp meeting work is attributed t
him) does we'll to train his teachers, to Civ
them system and knowledge of facts. Bu
we hope he does not forget to teach ther
that system and knowledge are but
small part of the power which they mu'
bring to bear on the heavy weight that liz
ready for them to lift"