The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-02
BETHANY ASSEMBLY.
Beauties Of the New Resort Arrangements
for Entertaining Visitors.

Special to the Indianapolis journal.
BETHANY PARK. Aug 1.-The first session of
Bethany Assembly begins tomorrow at 10
o'clock. A great many have already arrived at
the park, many coming in time to attend the
Morgan county Christian Sunday school con
vention, which has been in session yesterday
and to-day Every train arriving for the past
two days has been loaded with trunks of per-
sons from all parts of the State, coming to the
new retreat to seek rest and recreation
Bethany Park without question, is destined to-
be the leading summer resort in Indiana. Ma
ture has done all she could do to make it SO, and
what she has not done is to be ac
complished by the Christian Church of
the State The park consists of forty
acres Of rolling woodland, lying quarter
of mile south Of the little town of Brooklyn,
and on the north side of the railroad The
ground gently slopes back from the railroad,
making a most slightly place from the railroad
Across one corner of the grounds flows a stream,
which is to.be turned into a lake by building a
dam. The grounds in many respects resemble
the Acton camp grounds. The work of prepar-
ing for this the first assembly, has been hurried
" done, and the arrangements are not all as
complete as the association would like to have
had them The buildings so far completed are
hotel a tabernacle grocery and other neces-.
sary buildings. The hotel is a twostory build
ing, one hundred feet in length by seventv-fvei
in width, and contains fifty rooms besides large
dining room, kitchen, etc. All the rooms have
been furnished, aud are rented to persons who
have come with the intention of staying through
the entire session. The hotelis not rented to
any one who would be at liberty to charge ex-
tortionate rates, but is managed by the officers
of the Assembly who intend to furnish meals and
lodging at reasonable rates.
The tabernacle is on the plan of the Acton
tabernacle 1t has seating capacity of 1900,
and was built at a cost of $4,000 Something.
over 81, 900 has been spent IN improvements So
far this year. The l. d ". railroad have built
a platform and a telegraph Office at the grounds,
and hence offer all the accommodation tllatcould
be desired. IN
In attition to the visitors from different parts
of the State who have engaged rooms at
the hotel a great many from the
surrounding towns are putting up tents,
which they prefer to hotel rooms Al number Of
the leading ministers of the State are already
here, and several prominent ministers from
other States are expected tomorrow Rev. L.
d. Carpenter of Wabash, is general superin-
tendent of the grounds, and keeps everything in
apple pie order
There is considerable dissatisfaction growing
out of the running Of Sunday trains, and the
charging of admission into the grounds but as
the directors were voted down at the last meet
ing Of the board they have nothing to do but
object The association is badly inIdebt, and
they offer this as their excuse for charging an
admission of ten cents to hear the gospel
preached An admission fee will not be charged
after the association becomes eleariof debt.
The grounds were opened tonight by the
Indiana Christian Sunday school Associa-
ton, A. B, PhiIlputt. Of Bloomington, de-
hvering the presidents address. The
first meal was spread in the hotel to-day at
noon. The site, plan, ETC., Of the hotel, the
grand tabernacle and the footbridge between,
were fayorably commented upon. Tomorrow the
work of the convention begins, and the four
railroad trains each way are expected to bring
large numbers to the park. Among the names
on the programme are the. following:
Ira j. Chase, pastor of the Christian Church at
Danville; Judge j. G. Robinson, Of Spencer:
Llewellyn II Carpenter, of Wabash; Professor
Allen r. Benton, Of Butler University and
Hon! O. r Badger. Of Greencastle. The Sunday
morning sermon is by A. / Hobbs, Of Louisvilie
KY; the dedieatory sermon in the afternoon by
Charles Louis Loos, president of Kentucky
University; and the sermon at night by d. r.
Van Buskrk, Of the Third Christian Church. In
dianapolis. "A Sunday train leaves the Union
Depot, indianapolis, at 3 o'clock A. NJ. returning
at 10 o'clock at night