Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-07-18
WOODS MEETING AT QUARRYVlLLE.
AN IMMENSE CROWD OE PEOPLE
ATTEND IT.

AN IMMENSE CROWD OF PEOPLE
ATTEND 1T.
stirrics Sermons BY Kevs. klehls and
Frances.
The colorcd woods meeting at Quarry
vile took place in Hess's woods yesterday,
and the crowd in attendance was = tremen-
dous one. Early in the morning people from
the surrounding country began pouring into
the ground, and long lines of buggies were
seen going in the direction Of the woods,
until late hour in tie afternoon.
Two special trains were run from
this city by the Reading rail.
road company. Each train had five
cars and they were all packed with people
before they reached Quarryville. A great
many people drove from this city to the
camp, though the whole pumber of cOlored
people was not moro than 80. The woods
was filled with vehicles Of all kinds,
and at last persons were compelled to leave
their teams outside. The weather was
very pleasant, 4 stiff breeze blowing all
day.
The services began shortly after ten
o'clock in the morning. Rev. W. IL. kiehlS,
Of this city, seemed to have charge OF the
meeting. a rough board pulpit had been
erected in the woods and besides Rev.
Kiehls, it was occupied by 1sevs. John
Frances, Matthew Mark Diggs aud a num-
Der of well-known cOlOred men from the
city and county. The first sermon of the
day was preached by Rev. Frances. He
is very old darkey. who for years
resided on the Welsh Mountain
and recently removed to Neffsville.
He has attended 4 great many woods
meetings in his time and has always been
their feature. John informed his audi
ence that he could neither read nor write,
but was an ignorant man. He spoke for ten
minutes. but not ON any one subject. His
sermon was listened to with the closest
attention by the immense audi
ence. He became very much excited
toward the close and spoke with 4
great deal of feeling. Snch responses
as "Oh yes !"' ''You did ~ ''GoOd Lord ~
Amen" "IIe will :" were heard from
the colorsd people during the close. After
John had concluded several songs were
sung when Brother Kiehls announced that
services would be suspended until o'clock.
Now Matthew Diggs, the leader OF the
choir, mounted the pulpit, around which
the white folks crowded, bent OH hearing
the singing. Matthew announced that IL
4 collection would be taken up for them
they would sing. There was no mays y
to this proposition and the singing pro-
ceeded. Such pieces as Roll JOrdon
Roll" " Gospel Traip," '' They Stole My
Brother Away" and others were rendered
in good old campmeeting style. after
which the next religious act v:z.-thc lift
ing of the collection w.s done with en-
couraging result.
After dinner the crowd began to grow
larger and larger, and long before the
services began every inch Of space around
the pulpit was taken up. by a crowd who
desired to hear Bro. kiehls speak. Mr..
kichls is 4 we'll known rag and bone ped
dler Of this city, and at times gives his
whole attention to the cause OF religion.
He addressed tho audience at great length
and astonished them by his OratOry anu
use of words heretofore unhcard-of in the
English language. After the regular ser
vices the choir took their places in front
of the stand, where Matthew Mark Diggs
delivered his little speech ON the ''tinan-
cial question:" informing his hearers of
the great Importance OF their dropping
their nickels into Rev. Frances $
hat, which would soon be put
in motion. The audience again voted
IJC Sbt,t JuC "Soi OSFS"h, eAAS
songs being the same as in the forenoon.
The meeting came to close shortly after
five o'clock when the crowd began leaving
the woods, and in short time no one was
left but the managers Of the camp.
The campmeetins WAS got up by Hiram
IIambright and John Bissinser of this
city, who had charge of the only refresh
ment stand on tho grounds. They sold
enough lunch including sandwiches,
cheese, ham, ice cream, real red lemon
ade, peanuts, &C., to feed an army, and
long before tho meeting was over the stock
of provisions had been exhausted. Every
one seemed to be hungry yesterday and
the crowd around this stand was large all
day. There was no spring nor
pump in the woods and persons were
compelled to take to the lemonade, sew
eral bOgsheads of which were manufac-
tured and disposed OF. The management
certainly made considerable money and
worked hard and long. Other refresh l.
ment stands, which were located some dis
tauce from the grounds and were in
charge of men from this city did thriv-
ing trade. A dealer in canes stated to
our reporter that he HAD disposed of 4SO
sticks during the day. Everyone who had
anything to sell made money.
All the hotels in the village were kept
closed during tho day, and not dDp of IL
quor could be had. For this the proprietOrs
deserve credit, for if liquor had been sold
the disorder would have been great. As it
was, number of people came to the
grounds from their homes with Il supply of
lickcr," and few became intoxicated.
Several little skirmishes were started dur
ing the days, but they were all promptly
squclched, and the order was very good.
taking into consideration that the crowd
was so large and the motive SO commercial,
The management at least deserves credit
for having no liquor on the grounds, as ut
many such gatherings liquor is freely sold.
At this there was nothing of that kind,
and the only drink was "pure unadulter-
ated lemonade" and a man might drink a
street sprinkler full of that and would not
become excited.
The colored folks seemed to be we'll
satisfied with the meeting. They were
paid by receiving the proceeds of the col
lections which were taken up through the
woods during the day. The hats of Revs.
Frances and Diggs were used for that
purpose and the collections were so num-
crous that these two reverend gentlemen
were compelled to 60 bareheaded
during almost the entire day. The
men who managed the hats were ex-
cellent collectors and they would not be