The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-09-04
THE PECULIAR CHILDREN.

/ meeting OF 4 singular sect OF reng1OnlStS
known just at present in Northwestern
Wisconsin as the % Babes in the Woods, >
though the name by which they are call
ed by themselves Is the - Peculiar Chill
dren," and | am much mistaken if, after
perusing this letter, readers of the
Graphic do not agree that it is a good
name for them. The sect was founded
some time ago in the town of Osakana
by an honest farmer named Benjamin
Roe, who was formerly a Baptist, but
who, having been informed - bv the
spirit that a literal Interpretation was
to be given to the third verse of the
eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew, set
about to preach his new revelation on
his own hook, and as his former breth-
ren did not take kindly to his doctrine,
withdrew from the Baptists altogether
and finally succeeded in making quite a
number of converts in this and neigh
/ boring towns. He is a large and rather
| gOod-lOOking man, about 90 years old,
awkward in his movements and uncouth
in speech, and, rs to his earnestness,
| there is no possibility of doubt. Regu-
larly he holds forth at what was form
erly the Methodist Westinghouse at
Osakana, but now in the summer many
of his followers have come with him to
the woods, whittier a number of outsid-
/ ers have also been drawn by curiosity,
and certainly they are well paid for their
! visit. Singular as it may seem, several
converts have been made during the last
three days, and there is promise of
many more, for the fervor is rapidly
! growing to fever heat, and it is proposed
to continue the camp meeting for two
weeks, that time to be further extended
If the interest shown shall warrant an
extension.
The meeting is conducted as such
| gatherings were in the old Methodist
days. The people are summoned to the
preaching by the blowing of q conch
! SHE'LL and the preachers stand is d
sort of wooden box containing plat
/ form, at the sides of which are seats for
/ the speakers. Immediately in front of
| this stand boards are arranged, on which
sit prominent members of the sect, both
male and female, as also persons who
/ are - anxious Behind these are seats
for the congregation at large and for
visitors. On the day of my arrival ut
the camp grounds the meeting had been
| in session four days, and as | have said,
| considerable 81 interest had been mani
! tested. l arrived in time for the after
noon service; indeed, they were singing
| the first hymn as | reached the ground.
| This hymn, which was sung with great
/ fervor, was followed by prayer by Sis
/ ter Lawson, after which came another
hymn and then the sermon by Mr.. Roe,
the founder of the sect. 1 can not hope
| to reproduce this strange discourse,
which was thoroughly doctrinal, the
/ text being the one of which | have al
ready spoken: % Except We be convert
ed and become as little children We shall
l not aDta1s tb. lin Of boo,-or, TTl,a
necessity of a radical conversion was in
! sisted upon as Il preliminary to becom-
ing as little children; it was shown in 4
way that seemed to produce full cOnvic-
! ton, that conversion was so radical and
! thorough a change of the whole nature
! that a converted man will no longer
+ have the fear of man before his eyes and
will be willing-eveg happy-to endure
! the filings and quipS of a sinful world, so
| that he will care no more for them than
| innocent children. What is it that is
the peculiarity of childhood? Innocence,
! sincerity, and above all no care for land
or gold, but, instead, love of innocent
enjoyment and play. To become really
as little children we must cast aside all
love for pomp and vanity and enjoy
those things alone which are intrinsical-
ly worthless. This, said Mr.. Roe, is the
1
the text, and he who fears or is ashamed
to become thus like little children Is but
as other men, and can not hope to be-
come one of the Peculiar Children. Il
| lustratiOnS of his meaning were given in
great numbers by Mr.. Roe, and had it
not been for the absurd conduct which
| followed the sermon, one might have
been almost willing to accept his doc
! trine, at least, as a logical one. Shouts
of ''Ameni' and ''true, brotheri" were
frequent during the discourse, and when,
at last, the preacher stopped, with per-
spiratiOn streaming down his face, it
was evident that all had been profound
| ly impressed. After the sermon, the
peculiar exercises of these strange
enthusiasts were entered upon in the
way which L will now proceed to explain.
Mr.. Roe retired from view for a moment,
and while he did so the brethren and
sisters immediately in front of the
platform began to tie strange little caps
and bonnets on their heads and long
checked aprons around their bodies,
while others drew marbles aud tops
from their pockets. | made my way to
the front, curious to see what was forth
coming, and presently Mr.. Roe re
appeared in jacket and with his trOus-
ers rolled up to his knees. Stepping to
the front of the platform he gave a
mighty crow, and, whirling his cap
around his head, he cried Justify,
- Schools out Schools out, boys and
girls!' Then jumping from the stage he
grasped a sister by the hand, and said,
- What let's play?' Then amid a tumUlt
of voices and such hustling and crowd
ing as may be seen in a school yard
during recess, some called for - King on
! Il Il
or - BOYS and Girls Come Out to Play,
while others shouted for Z" ball - or
- shiny" One poor old enthusiast,
| who could not have been far from three
score years and ten, dragged away with
him several others, and set about to play
- Follow My Master, - by standing on
/ his head Ito the imminent danger of his
neck) against a tree. 1t was rather
! painful than amusing to see these old
! fellows, lettering on the verge Of the
/ grave, try to throw handspTings and
] somersaults, but they did as well as they
were able, and evidently the spirit was
willing though the flesh was weak A
| group of old ladies sat at the right of
the platform comparing dolls and bick-
/ ering over sugar candy, while another,
composed partly of old gentlemen, had
/ been formed into ring, and with shrill,
CIdChcu NplSSS, bue y - SPAN Aiiis5 WIN
eXaltatiOn, sang:
Come Philander, lets be a-marching,
See in your ranks there's no descrtiOn:
Choose your true love now or never,
see that you don't choose any other.
Love. farewell Love, fareweIi
We must all be marching,
Love, farewell.
Then a seXagenarian man would
| choose his love from among the old
ladies, kiss her and stand still while the
same performance was repeated until a
procession had been formed, and
/ marched about sinOinr. 0iO0linp and