The daily gazette., 1878-08-20
THIRD EDITION..
A Religious Resort.

A Religious Resort.
OCEAN GRovE-ITs RECREATIoNs AM
REGULATIoNs-sURF MEETINGS, FL C
Correspondence of the Gazette.
OCEAN GROVE, August 10, 1873.
The problem of the organization of 6
seaside summer resort, where christian
people may enjoy the pleasures of sea
bathing, boating and other health giving
amusements, free from the vices and temp
tations usually found at fashionable re-
sorts, seems to have found a successful
solution under the able management ol
the members of the Ocean Grove Asso-
citation. The grounds are under the con-
troll of thirteen clergyman and thirteen
laymen of the Methodist church, but the
religious work is not exclusively under
the discipline of that church, all denomi-
nations being represented at the meet
ings. No liquors or tobacco are allowed
to be sold on the grounds, and stringent
rules and regulations govern the hack
and baggage lines, the boats, stores and
all establishments that would otherwise
have chance to overcharge visitors. An
agreeable result is reasonable charges for
the many little luxurits which are so ne
cessary to summer trip.
Adelightful ride Of fully a mile t0
Sunset Lake, can be had for five cents,
and any part of the grove reached for ten
cents
Wesley Lake is beautiful little sheet
of still water, extending from an em-
baukment at the ocean front, half mile
inward and from one hundred to three
hundred feet wide, separating Ocean
Grove from Asbury Park, On this lake
three hundred pleasure boats are rowed
up and down, besides several sail boats
and one steam yacht. On fine moon
light night, the water is nearly covered
by the moving boats, and the warning
cry Of ''boat ahoy" is heard Oh every. side
The canals of Venice never held such an
animated scene.
The surf bathing is not the best that
have experienced, the shore being rather
abrupt and the bottom pcbbly. The eX-
cellent arrangements make ii perfectly
safe and any one bathing at the regular
hours would not be allowed to drown un-
der any circumstances. a regular pro-
gramme of the bathing hours during the
season is published the time changing
each day with the tides. During these
hours the bathing grounds are under the
charge of a chief bathing mastcrl with
trained assistants' An efficient police
force patrol the grounds. Nearly four
hundred sottages costing from 5000 to
5000 are erected, and several thousand
people dwell in tents during the entire sea
son. When the camp-meeting is in prog
ress, the number of tent dwellers is great
ly increased.
A summer resort with "Grove" tack,
Ell to It's title, does not always denote al
abundance of foliage, but at Oceai
Grove the trees are eYeryW here; rather
stunted, perhaps, yet far better than 9
barren waste Of sand. Flowers seem tC
thrive easily, and the large urns in the
public squares and the hower-beds sur
rounding some of the cottages are scenes
of beauty. The first Sunday | was here
while taking an early morning rambl'
/ was surprised to see what appeared Il
be an endless procession of persons, ,larg
and small; some neat and some slip
shod, patrr-familias, and mater-famila,
bud aud sis, cook and scullion, each wi
pitcher or can, all vending their way #
the principal entrance; and on joining
the crowd found that they were intent oil
procuring the daily supply of milk, on
of the regulations being that no vehicl
of any kind is allowed to travel the ave
nues on the Sabbath. Last evening
surf meeting was held on the beach, a
its junction with Ocean pathway, and TO
great distance in either direction tn
sands were covered by an immense con
gregation. | cannot imagine where sue
sea of heads could be seen elsewher,
The people commenced to congregat
long before the hour announced, an
half an hour before saw streams of wol
shippers pouring down Pilgrim an
Ocean pathways, Mt. Zion Way and til
other avenues leading to the spot. Car,
full estimates give the number OF peopl
rom eight to ten thousand.
Very few of these Of these howevt
took part in the exercises, though bl
few could fail 10 be impressed with IL
solemnity of tile occasion. While the pc,
pie were still congregated on the beacl
steamer OF the Old Dominion lin
passed up the ocean not far from shor
The waving Of one hal dkerchief cause
hundred 20 appear, and soon Thousand
of tlutlering signals could be seen a
along the shore.
TINS evesing camp-meeting con
mohces, and in my next | will give yt
some account of it, and OF the ordina
religious exercises which take place he
daily.