The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-28
THE CAMP MEETING AT "BRIAR CREEK
DY Mrs. N. f.. WHITAKER. AUTHOR or ALBERT
HAsTIEGa ETC.

3A hASNs' y" - AtaAA n flt AdJHDH nF ALBERT
HASTINGS, EIu.
"lBrIar CfGek' flowed through an oalJ nnd
hickory country remarkable for atalwaft
trees and rich soil lis banks woro fringed
with china briar long .etom'd wild vlolofa.
bell-shapod jaasamines aud blue lowering
indigo. Near II gently Undertaking hills, ono
after another. rose clad III ycriure which
only tho beautiful South produces va VIII
not pause to speak or fragrant shrubs scent
Ing the air, Ut eglantinc. heneysucRlc. white
fringe bushes. pala elder Il ,wors, and tall hay
trees with thoir yarnished loavca and waxon
blooms. Only William BLACK, who. ,inrying
Tho pru''ent tasto Of tho ago made glorious.
with bis descriptive power. tho lords ana
ehasms and dark proud beauty 81 tho
Hebrdea. could venture 80 portray . Different
see merry and be forgiven.
But we were talking Or the camp meoilng.
and accordingly conilne out attention to that
Here are number Of uuaCr looking danf-
ellis. They are low. with canvas tucked
around their sides. covered, however WITH
shingles split from anntn fnllsn traeR scarce
missed IN the forest. These surround an
open space. and in tho midst of tina III erected
q homeiy pulpit. whence any speaker nIght
effectively address hundrods of pcopIe, II
ieafy canopy over his hcal. composed or lina
boughs anu supported by trunks OF trees im-
proyaed as rolnmha 10 sustain thu ahtltor
henehth which his oloqucnco should e de-
HvarGd
Tho tents, MS they worn chilled showed IL
queer aaRemhlaga Of Lhnga. calculated to
tempt Inc eye and provoke tho appo-
lite. What piles Of grAnNR Watnr-
melona. poars. peaches. tlga. what
we'll stocked enops II poultry what
Astounding painters Of baked bread ANA WI
rtous cakes corn. rtGo and wheat vol
unH mud hnntt iF1tlI,r
riages barouphCs AMI bngslcs were drawn
up, u sort OF outpost bchud these tcltA. IT.
aeemod rs though y small city had sprung
into lifn in the wild woods and acarra away
the splrit OF solitude Groups of pnople
some In tho acant hahiIiments Ut poverty.
some in rich dressCa and with airs Of fash
lonable elegance. were wandering - ana Iro
Fora time ariatoGratiN protfneo was nbAn-
donad, and people met there who might mower
meetagain ostonshly. tnoy had conltap into
tho wilderness To Worship tuEathur anI all
seemed Intent Oh that object. THIS might lo
SO, but certain groups II Young pe"pl" pa
raded tho camp ground in rich array. There
was the country belle. silk OF satin clad.
and by hor aide the ohsequious hehu With
erect form, shining chapcAu and
an elegant suit1 IL hroadcIeth, |
surerbly whiakrrrll. In csntraiia-
tineilon to these tho pinoy woods
people put In M Appearance. Caararlv rlrN4H"a |
uncouth. but with eertatn air 81 tndepend |
ence aud honesty which invariably mark |
their class. Again. there were crowds Of ne |
groes tthoso woro antc-haIum days be 1t rc- |
and Samho HtrHttrd FORTH almost |
with tho authority OF his master. directing /
the arrangement IT the tents. aiding Thorn
himself. aud giving. hy contrast, piqtaury 10
the scane Sable daul"a. too with largo Eit |
hoops In their cars, hrGht-eoorod halduuua
keFehiefs wound, turhan fashion. about their
heads were ngoasantly active. Among thr4r
disputes woultf<tftrn arlsn and tho Sllperin-
fnudnDnn pf them md their HfsDpnnIInIrt.
intrnsted 10 some humble friend Or
dependent Of the family owning III tent. Ihe
office was no sineeure, for their mportinenoe
10 poor buokra." as they denomtnated those
who were not In afiuent circumstances WAS
But tho hour OF II had arrived. Mr. Cal
oway. tho Etder and most popular preacher
expected Mt the camp meeting, IT WAS ru-
mored. had come. Tho horn blow thls blow
nR of a horn always preceded an introdue
sory dlscoursel and grOun after group seated
themselves on Pine benches surrounding the
pulpit and leaving m open space IN front OF
{. multitude OF homogeneous elements In
was thus thrown together, and the
s115t u.fftS waited IL slence FOR tho
sdvent OF good MIR. Galloway. llo came mt
ast--tall, angular, mennly dressed. aud with
IN air which plainly Judi 'ated HIS abstraction
rom any surroundings witch might influence
,thcrs. His stern. strong features wore bold
y and clearly developed. Ills brow, though
scanned by wrinkles. was expansive and over
VI tSil u N'tlUu vi NON GI1S iltii lliS
ienoting tlrmness and not devoid Of henevo-
enee. But the mans at,lnlille dark eye
spoke of enthusiasm and power. Amidst II
lush OF expectation ne mounted tnthc pulpit,
ind, in deep-tonGd voice. said. Let us pray. ;
With reverence and teryor was his prayer ut
cred, and thcn arose the voices at the multi
ado as hymn was sung. And now Mr.. Cal
oway, reading few verses from sacred writ,
commenced:
"My dear hearers and beloved brethren
terily my soul rejoiceth In bcholding this
.oodly assembly, who. for u short time aban-
Ioning the pursuits of passing life, have como
nto tho wilderness saying, larry ye there
III 70 up yonder to Worship: keep. | be- ,
eech YOU, that In YOUR minds. and don't
aako this camp ground q place for worldly !,
FORK; peradventure some OF You arc hoping !,
o make friends or yet votes by ilattery and
air promises amongst the people. on but
10 not this thing Leave the world. beloved
hearers, behind and turn your eyes toward ,
iton-the city OF the Great King. u We do
his thing, We shall hn visited BY the Lord OF !
osts with thunder and with earthquake, md
Tith great noise. with storm and with tenn ,
est, and the flame Of devourng fire. Per
dventure some Of you are beguiied by van ,
~ and love OF heholaiug your beauty and
our pomp. setting you above others.
"Ahl my friends, this Is 4 crying sin also, :
nd OF d surety will call down Judgment from =
Ieayen. Look Mt the rea trumpet flowers, i
he wood pnks and the lilies. Are you morn =
omely or better dressed than the dying
o vanity of vaaitiea, saith the preacher.
he frost OF death Is about your path aud the =
inter OF Old age will surely oyertake you.
like sheep shall We be laid In the grave; =
cath shall feed on you. Yea verify, and your =
aauty shall consume In the grave from Your !
yelling. Turn your eyes. now In the days
your youth, up TO the celestial city, even
) the new Jerusalem" Here Mr.. Galloway = =
auscd, and assuming an expression Of ma I
site disdain, Numbered forth: ),
''W hat do behold? Yonder on the outskirts y
this temple Id the forest (my soul abhors !
le sight y are sons of BetIal pa wing at games =
chance. Yes, gambling and giving OF their
to ungodly man. The highway Of =; =
le upright Is To depart from evil; he that
eepeth his way preserveth his soul. Verify
Is evil way lies there under the droppings Of
he sanctuary. We! for the perverse genera
on whose eyes stand out with fairness; who q
re waxed bold and defy Us with their evil o