Smyrna times., 1882-07-26

the agriculturist, and the possible alb
sorption of many minds in the political
affairs of our State.
The campmeeting is legitimate in
stitution of Methodism, and has waxed
and waned in public appreciation ac-
cording as it has been made to conform
in purpose, to the original type. This
has been hard to do because of the
very changed social habits of the people
and abrogatiOn of the strongly marked
denominational lines. There is less
intensity of doctrine and greater cathO-
licity of faith. In former days watering
places were unknown to the masses
and the campmeeting was recreative
and social necessity. The preacher
absolutely knew nothing else. Aweek
at the worldly resorts was not for a
moment entertained. Hence it was no
trouble to hold a campmeeting man
ned" with preachers acceptable every
where for their ability; and, there
were "giants" in those days. Now,
when there are SO many religious re-
sorts, these men are to be had as special
favors for particular days.
The taste for good, viz: cultivated
preaching has increased, and many
persons had as leave go without alto
gether if they cannot have it. In for
mer days, the people in their simple
habits and uncritical minds would
tolerate anything and were very ex-
cusing if the scriptural food admins
tered from the preachers stand was
stale and unsavOry. They are now not
so tolerant. The man who takes al
hour to deliver himself of platitudes
that have neither pnngency of feeling
or an illumination of thought; the mar
who knows so little of elOcution rs tC
emphasize the wrong words and ges
ticulate where it is meaningless the
man who includes a sermon in {
prayer and mistakes exhortation an(
recapitulatiOn for supplication, is no
the kind of man the people go t.
campmeeting to hear preach. If th'
fire of the fathers has burned Ou
and must be substituted by something
else, they want at least the intellectual
force and prudential thought retained
in an individualism of manner.
The campmeeting spirit is not de
clining only where there is local cause
as stated above. 1t is diverging il
other directions, but the foundation i
always that of a strong religious princi
pie. Campmeetings are now held il
the interest of Sunday school, temper
ance, and other educational and mora
reforms. The Sunday school camp
at Chautauqua Lake have welded
wonderful influence in educating larg
numbers in Sunday school work: thel
are mere imitatOrs of Chautauqua. Th
widespread and effective agitation {
temperance dates from the agitation {
this subject at Summer gathering
That at Old Orchard Beach, Main, wa
the real start of the Francis Murphe
movement. And in Kansas and low
Summer temperance camps precede
the adoption of the constitutions
amendments in those States.
Thus they are made a positive fore
in educating and controlling popul;
sentiment, but it is not in the evangeli
tic method entirely of the early camp
The Summer camps have become IL
seed-sOwing places of moral reforr
The evangelistic spirit is not lost sig
of, as is witnessed at Ocean Grov
Round Lake and many other place
but it is noticed that those places a
the most popular where the preachil
2 has intellectual force and eloquen
| coupled with religious fervOr.