Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-08-15
CAMP MEETINGS.
How They Originated I'm Amer
lea.
New York Times.

| The first camp meeting in the Uni
ted States was held in 1899, In Ken
lucky, on the banks of the Red River
| Two brothers named MCGEE, one I
Presbyterian minister and the other {
Methodist, were on a religious tou
from Tennessee town, where tht
Methodist brother was settled, to s
place called "The Barrens," in Ohio
Arriving at town on the Red River
they stopped to attend a sacramento
service with Presbyterian clergyman
named McGreedy, John MCGEE, the
Methodist, was asked to preach first
and did so, with unusual power and
effect. His brother and the other
Presbyterian minister followed him
with sermons, which also proved oil
great effect. Tears flowed from many
eyes, and shouts OF joy were heard
from all parts of the house. Three Of
the Presbyterian ministers left the
church, but the McGee brothers felt
themselves too powerfully affected to
leave under the circumstances OF so
much interest. John MCGEE was ex-
pected to preach second sermon, but
when the time came he arose and de-
clared to the people that the Overpow-
ing nature of his feelings would not al
low him to preach and exhorted them
to surrender their hearts to God. Cries
and sObs were heard in every part of
the house and the excitement become
Intense. Accounts of this extraordina-
ry movement soon reached the sur
rounding country, and the people
crowded to see what these things
meant. They had never heard the
like before. Many came from dis
tance in wagons, bringing provisions
with them. The meeting house could
not contain ell who came, and an altar
was therefore erected in the neighbOr>
ing forest. This novel procedure gave
new impulse to the public interest, and
tents being procured with provisions
and other neceSsaries, a camp was
formed around the altar. The meet
ing was continued several days. Sec
tartan divisions were forgotten for the
time, and Presbyterians, Baptists, and
Methodists assisted each other in the
work of saving the uncOnverted. The
result was unparalleled, and suggested
another meeting of the kind, which
Was soon after held near the Muddy
river. A third meeting Immediately
followed, and both were attended by
vast thrOngs. From these beginnings
the meetings were extended, increas-
ing in power under the special direc-
tiOn Of the Presbyterians and Metho-
dists. Because Of this union of sects In
their management they were first call
ed general camp-meetings." The
roads leading to the groves In which
the meetings were held, were often lit
orally crowded, and entire nsighbor-
hoods were often left without inhAbi-
tants while the meetings were in pro-
grees. AT one of the early meetings
held in Kentucky, no less than 10000
people were present. The PreSbyteri-
ans gradually withdrew from the field
after the excitement WAS over, but the |
Methodist5 carried them into other !
parts of the country, and they soon
became general throughout the demon
inatiOn. With more or less efficacy !
they have been continued to the pres
ent time, though not without earnest
on the part Of many In the
Church. During the eight years fol- |
lowing the introduction Of the camp
the net increase in the menu
bership of the Methodist Church was
1000, with corresponding increase
in ministers.
Camp meetings were introduced into