Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-08-21
IN THE GROVES.
Campmesting Yesterday at Burrs
Mills.
An Immense Crowd Of People From All
Parts of the CountY-Some Ideas
in Regard to Campmeetings
and Objections Thereto.
soceiul Correspondence orAe Register.

a1O UDleCuOHS IHSlC"
s,ccial Correspondence the Register.
The crowd at Burr's Mills yesterday was
estimated BY the thousands They came In
some instances, from Columbus, Newark
and Zapesyille, while hundreds came from
distances ranging from twenty to tfty and
seventy-five miles. The B. & y. trans
were all packed, and the regular trains
brought hundreds who were unable 70 take
advantage of the specials. Burr's Mills
camp ground is one of the most beautiful
IMAGINABLE and its facility of access makes
q trip TO il most desirable. The GROUND IS
only a few steps from the station, and'
being almost level. there is nothing IN a
walk aboyt il to tire one. The trees, which
are abundant, are large, grand ola oaAs'
whose outrageous foliage Is always ltnPeh'
e.rable to the August SUD, ana on iuiS DC
count the grove is always cool anu peas,
ami The tents and cottages on the GROUNDS
ave regularly and comfortably disposed,
and they are furnished in homelike man
ner. So patent and potent are the charms
az this grove to the gO-to-the.country-ih
The summer person that with the hrst not,
uncomfortable day in June comes the de-
Sire 10 seek its shelter and enjoy its com
fort. Yearly this desire increases, ana us
consciousness is attested by the NUMBER
of houses on the grounds and the annual
INQUIRIES for more space.
The crowds that resort to Burr M'ils Oh
a campmeeting Sunday are almost uneA-
ceptionally of the most orderly character
They come, OF course. out OF curiosity, or
more properly because everybody else
comes, and consequently 1t is fashionable
TO do So The dust that flies in acres over
the grounds, the rough roads, the crowded
cars, the scarcity of eatables, and all the
other thousands of discomforts that should
deter sensible people from going 10 such
places, only appear TO stimulate them 10
The endurance.
THE UTILITY
of campmeetings has been discussed Tor
years, some very intelligent ministers OF
the NJ. L. church maintaining that in this
day and generation they are of no oene'
fit. and should be discontinued, but the
popular clamor is in favor OF their coht:n-
nance, and the concession is made 70 TINS
clamor, it Is asserted, rather than on account
of the benefits accruing to the church by rea-
son Of their holding.
ANTIQUITY OF CAMP MEETINGS
are rather of an ancient date. indeed they
sntedatc churches themselves. Groves have
always been popular places OF worship
with all denominations and sects. The
children OF Israel worshipped in groves for
sges. The nomadic tribes OF the East had
no other Sanctuaries. The Drulds OF Eu
rope held the oak as sacred and their myS-
n a.
the shades of some forest monarch, ami the
history OF their groves Is more explicit
than that of the tribes themselves.
The services Yesterday were well attend
ed the President of the Wesleyan Col
lege at Delaware, preaching powerful ana
elrouent sermon in the morning, which
was listened 10 by those who could get
within earshot with respectful attention
The tent prayer meetings the Iove-teaSts,
and the other incidents TO grove services dli-
fered in nothing from those OF former years.
The usual supplemental interest IN TIER
spiritual welfare was excited in some OF
the sinners, under the influence of the elo-
0uenCe OF the minister, and it tOated for
a hour on the surface of their feelings, but
was soon lost in the whirlpool OF excite
ment that succeeded the services. only to
be recalled at the next funeral or revival.
as the case may be. A camp meeting Is an
admirable place for the study OF human
nature, and no man knows this fact hall so
well as Methodist minister who is Oent
on sudden salvation. He anticipates the
YEARLY grove meeting with much pleasure
and calculates with sinleSs PRIDE
the probable number OF souls
that will be saved through his
instrumcntaity. His most eloquent dis
course is prepared with special reference to
its effect in all directions. The beauueS OF
a Christian life are demonstrated win al
Turing effect The contrast between godh'
ness and ungodlinesS is striking. The In.
cycusableness for ignorance in this day OF
light is made plain. The opportunities for
the acquisition OF divine knowledge and
edneSs Of the world, the suffer
ing and death Of the Saviour in
behalf OF present rebellious population.
And fer tie salvation of the unborn
millions. is favOrte topic, ana
finally in a peroratiOn of matchless elo-
quence and vivid Imagination the agonies
OF hell prepared from the beginning for a
pervcrSe an goddess people closes the aver
age Campmeeting sermon.
The custom of worshipping in groves was
very popular CampmeetingS in the NJ. h.
Oh urch are coeval with MethOdism in the
United States, and their extinction or dis.
continuance would be regarded as a pre-
cursor Of the downfall 81 the institution
itself But to return 10 the utility
Of the campmectinS from which
depressed just now in pursuit of its
origin | find in convcrsiEg with many
ministers and members of the
NJ. L. Church that there is a growing senti
ment against the camp meeting OF the pres
ent. on account Of the fact that the grounds
is the resort Of persons who have no good
ness nor care tn acquire amy, and who come
there merely Us curiosity hunters and idle
roameIS through the ground; often ut lewd
women and loose men who make the
vicinity Of the grounds places OF aSsigna
tiCn. or all classes OF people who are at
tracted thither. not on accounted the sacred
nature OF the meeting, but on account OF
low rates of boat or rail merely TO pass the
day in idleness and lounging BurrS Mill
is not open to many of the objectionable
features noted above, but is not alb
solutely free for all OF them.
and OF course goes into the list II
the meetings could be carried on. Invested
Of these draw backs, they would be source
of plsasgre to all people and popular
resort TO them and their friends and fami-
lies but rs it is, they are bound TO be re-
eardcd with suspicion, anC in many cases
will not be attended by many people
Meetings will continue until Thursday or