The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-11

other similar enterprises Offering prizes OF
concerning schemes devised and intended
TO deceive and defraud the public" Is the
one you speak Of I" illegal?"
sEt
A Camp-M Getting Incident.
How BISHOP EAvANAUGH AND BROTHER GREG
DRY ELECTED A R0wDY PENITENT FROM
ssBORS&Y's CAMP-GR0UNDs.
fCorrcspondence or the Courcr-Journal.l
Among the many characteristic anecdotes
pf this veteran minister and distinguished
prelate, some OF which may perhaps be apoc-
Tynhul. the following rather musical Incl
dent, in which he comes forward with an
assistant coadjutor, may be regarded as per-
fectly reliable, though only remarkable as
one of thousand of the kind so often
woven into the itinerant history OF such
man as Bishop Kavanaugh:
Camp-meetings OF the long-time-aso type
seldom failed Of developing racy incidents
that were sure to enrich the verbal history
of this kind Of religious gathering, 10
be transmitted from minister to minis
ter by those inimitable story-telers. the
Methodist itinerants. A camp-meeting
i'm the bosom Of romantic forest.
where some sylvan plateau rears itself
an in a shadowy beauty, at the base or
which eushes out the limpid waters OF the
ever ceaseess, wooded spring was curlos-
ity-the wide, wide marvel OF the rustic
surroundings for miles and miles away.
Ambitious little towns and villages within
reach OF it were usually all agog about the
camp-meeting," and the miscellanies from
a hundred localities were sure to be repre-
scented there, and often to the no small an
noyance Of the quiet Christian people ac-
customed to meet there for spiritual ben
eft.
People all over this part OF Kentucky will
not have forgotten the dorsey camp
grounds" some twelve miles up the river
from Louisville, where, year after year, this
primitive style of worship was regularly
conducted, and often with powerful reli-
gious results.
1t was at least twenty years ago that the
meeting was held there to which this little
yerncious Renaissance has reference. Ii
was under the personal supervision OF Bish-
op Kayanaugh. who, it is well known, bad
princely capabilities for managing such
meetings; especially for manipulating such
homogeneous elements as were sure to sweep,
in restless masses, through every recess OF
the consecrated grounds.
At this meeting many Of what, in CON-
mon parlance, were called the great guns OF
the Church were present. The able and
eloquent Bishop Early, Of Virginia, and the
great religious orator, Henry B. Bascom,
with other scarcely lesser lights Of the
Church, were in attendance. The fame Of
these distinguished speakers was potent
throughout oil ranks in reach OF these once
famous grounds. People from all quarters
gathered there. Expectation was on tip
foe to hear the great preachers, and great
good was expected to result from the 10
- u, MON
outside of the religious element there
were congregated those men Of different
type-men who cared little for the preach
ing, whether great OF small. They were
seli:constituted delegates from the nameleSs
rowdy lotteries that lay at the base OF socle-
ty In hundred adjacent localities. They
were there to have 'time." They were
men OF mark, some Of them, at least, in the
bar-room socialisms Of home life, redolent
OF chyalry, and rich in capabilities for
deeds Of fame, in playing high game with
religion and the camp-meetiDg perform
ances."
Among these was stalwart, sinister-look-
ing specimen, dark-haired, with heavy
beard and an inquisitive motion OF the eye.
He was evidently representative rowdy,
to whom the smaller fry would naturally
look up for leadership in the common cause
OF ridicule, or as they would more elegantly
express it, OF g making fools OF somebody"
The role, this leader was to play was
to take on penitential character-that is,
10 be, as his contrfrcS understood it, a
Atgreat mourner,' and ''would see what
these fanatical, loud-singing, loud-prayinS
speople would do about it," 1t was daring
conception, and required distinguished
qualifications TO carry it into execution.
But the plan he evidently considered well
laid, and deemed his nerve, and, II ncces-
sary, his muscle, sufficient to carry him
through and work discontinue among the
long heads and sharp-eyed managers ut the
meeting.
For awhile the exercises progressed ia
Yorably, and the interest manifestly deep
ened. The watchful eye OF Bishop Kava-
naugh scanned the whole scene. and at the
moment that seemed to him propltlous 4
movement was made to test the impression
madeupon the audience by calling for those
who desired the prayers Of the people OF
God to rise in response. A goodly number
arose, and movement was Immediately
made to clear the front seats and call for
ward the penltents. or, as they were usually
denominated, "the mourners." Among
the number coming forward was the
dark, stalwart figure referred to. There
was a very unique show Of the peni.
fential on his part, though he showed
agitation, but ii seemed to lie ali on the sur
face, and bis eye rolled about inqtlisitively,
as II taking notes Of the situation, or, as
military men would say, "getting ready to
take position Among those on the
right side OF the aisle, appropriated to the
male suppliants and the protesting Chris
Sians or :. aborers," our special "mourner"
took his place. As the exercises pro-
gressed this particular mourner became un-
expectedly demonstrative He was properly
attended to and labored with, but there
was something about his manner and utter
ances that made those near him scrutinize
his style OF penitence very carefully, and
The more ferrent he became, the more
suspicion grew upon them that he was not
approximating the "kingdcm" at all in
proportion to the vigorous efforts he was
apparently making in that direction. Before
the exercises closed he had greatly disturbed
the serenity and hopeiulness OF the occasion.
at the same time, by the way, one pair OF
penetrating eyes had taken In the situation.
They were those OF the good Bishop. he
had read clean down below the surface, and
was satisfied that mischief was lurking
there, and that, from first appearances. it
would be no easy matter to get rid OF II.
The meeting, however, progressed; great
Interest was, created under the great
sermons that came In their appro-
pirate order. But with each railying OF
The penitentiat the dark-yisaged meurnerI
eaMe forward for religious eounsel and