Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-08-21
f.ai,sg Rrassli Cassr Nesting.

tue Topic OF conversation IN
this city a we'll as the central and
northern part of this and the whole OF
Monroe county-has been the camp
meeting on Long Branch, in Monroe
county. and which closed last Mon
day.
The time of the meeting-just after
harvest when the farmers needed
rest and before tall blowing and seed
ing full opportunity was given them
to enjoy-was most opportune. The
place of meeting was pleasantly To-
Gated and easy of access alike to dem
izen of city and county, together with
the novelty of the doctrines taught by
those in whose interests the meeting
was held, all combined, attracted
crowds during its entire session.
We were there last Sabbath-the
"big day. of the meeting-others
were there by the thousands, various
ly estimated from five to fifteen thou
sand souls. He who guessed the
numbers at eight thousand, most
nearly approximated the truth. One
half of Mexico were on the grounds,
and it would seem oil of Paris-with
large and respectable delegations from
more distant towns and cities, while
everybody with their sisters and
aunts and cousins" from the rural
districts were on hand and swelled
the multitudes that mo man could
number
Everything for the material comfort
of nan and beast was amply provided
and furnished, while order reigned
supreme at ''that Warsaw" Such
complete and universal good behavior
on and around the grounds was a
marvel under the circumstances, and
commanded unbounded and common
commentator; not, that at such
grove meetings in our section Of the
county good order is exceptional and
hence noticeable, but in this instance
because, for the intellectual, moral
and religious entertainment of the
vast throng, absolutely nothing had
been provided, or if provided was not
furnished. Thousands, many thou
sands of enlightened, educated,
moral and religious people
were present, starving and ask
ing for intellectual and relig-
Ious bread, and nothing, absolutely
nothing but Observation-Disclosures
ly and graceless stones were furnish
ed. In this regard the entire assem-.
bly, were disappointed, and with such
complete disappointment were dis
gusted. yet all seemed determined
that no exhibition of their disgust
should be made.
The meeting vas under the auspices
of that class of religiOnists who claim
to be ''holy''-so far sanctifed as tc
be above and independent o.
temptation; in short, a people who
have SO successfully ''bruised the
serpent's head" as to enable them tc
extract from his open mouth the uen'
0m-bedring fangs, and hence, howso'
ever hard or often he may bite them,
still such bite is as innoxious anC
harmless as the kiss of an infant
Such is their claim, but added to thi;
is the further claim that all Others
not only may aim at the same state o.
condition of holiness, but not only
this, but infinitely beyond this, they
claim that it is the duty of all to &C
qulre or arrive at the same state o.
condition of holiness in this life a
3 the forfeit of eternal life. "Withou
holiness no MAJ shall see Cod il
: their bugle note-their battle cry.
Thousands upon thousands 0
thoughtful and good men and womel
, last Sabbath went to the meeting t
hear this faith explained, their claim
~vindicated, the alleged duty demon
: strated, if possible-hoping, man,
, even praying, that some new, O
brighter, or steadier light might Shin
upon the sacred page, in the blaze 0
which tempted, betrayed and strug
Cling mortals could find a redemption
in this world from the malice ant
I skill of satan. These thousands hat
a right to expect that on this ''bi!
day" of the meeting some command
: ing mind, some thoroughly educated
divine, some profound reasoner, som
gifted orator, entertaining this faith
r should by sound and expert exegesis
y careful, compact, clear and %convinc
ing logic and argument, give tho
| reasons of the faith within him, ant
1 enforce the same by analogy-beau
tify with all the imagery Of Biblica
, literature. But of all this there wa
absolutely nothing. Neither exc
-logic-authority
nalogy--eloquence-.noteve even pathos
A Mr.. Allen seems to be the apos
tie of this faith in this locality, an
who preached to an immense, wait
ing, e%xpectant, but at the close, ter
riDly deceived, disappointed an
grieved audience-and such preach
9 ing! Should only such preaching b
u had for twenty years, our peopl
would forget that there was any pre-
tence that God reigned, and tn
0 whole grand tragedy of Calvary, tn
- .I.oI, a. o-.Al -