St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-27
CHAUTAUQUA.
The Famous Assembly--A Popular
Summer Resort.
Recreation Combined with Literary Work
and Christian Culture.
The Chautauqua Literary and Scien-
tific Circle.

Especial Correspondence of the Globe.
CHAUTAUoUA, New York, July 25.-While
the summer assemblies at Mahtomedi and
Menona lake are in session, and are attract
ing the attention of the Sunday school work
ers of the northwest, it may interest your
readers to hear a word from Cautauqua, the
original source and fountain head Of the nu-
merous assemblies that have sprung up in
various quarters during the past few years.
and which are all SO nobIy doing their par
towards pushing the good work inaugurated
by DR.. j. H. Vincent, the noble founder of
the s'Chautauqua Idea.'
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION.
Seven miles from the eastern shore of
Lake Erie, and over seven hundred feet
above the level of its waters, in the most
western county of New York lies the beauti-
full little lake whose melodious Indian name
has become so famous in the past few years.
Its blue and placid waters, its gently sloping
banks covered with the green's and yellows
of waving forest and fertile grain field, and
dotted here and there with comfortable farm
houses and capacious barns, its attractive
"points' stretching themselves invitingly
out and mirroring their lovely villas and
elegant hotels upon its silver surface, all pre-
sent picture whose mild and pleasant
beauty is unequalled even in this land OF
wonderful and diversified scenery. ~
The lake is twenty miles long, and varies
in widt tn from half mile at the s'narrows''
to five miles, its greatest width. 1t is ap-
preached from the south by the Chicago &
Atlantic railroad at Lakewood and James
town, and at the north the Buffalo, N. Y.
q Pittsburg R. R., connects with the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern, making it
easy of access from all parts Of the country.
Although it has long had local
celebrity as fine hunting and fishing
its climate has long been the boast of the
jewellers upon its banks; it has only within
the last ten years grown to be the popular
summer resort which it now is.
But the name Chautauqua, calls up for
other associations than that of most s'popu-
ular summer resorts.'' 1t stands for some
thing else besides fashion and frivolity. 1t
stands indeed, for healthful summer rest, for
life in the open air; for fishing and rowing
and sailing and open air recreation of all
kinds, but it stands also for the idea that
rest and recreation may better be found in
change of scene and occupation than in alb
ject idleness; that giving the body healthful
exercise and the mind noble and cheerful
thoughts is the best way to rest, not only
nervous houskeepers and fatigued bellies
of society, but also weary men of business
and tired school teachers. 1t stands for the
awakening, through the length and breadth
of the land Of a new interest In literary
work and Christian culture
This is the home of the first national Sun
day school assembly, and all that has grown
out of that first movement Of ten years ago
has come from the head and heart of Chau-
tauqua.
Twelve years ego, when the winter first
visited what was then called Fair Point, the
only human habitations to be found here
were the doorless and windowless cabins
in one of which our party camped for two
weeks amidst the silence and solitude almost
of the mineral woods. One little steamer at
that time made daily circuit of the lake.
Now write from city in the woods of a
thousand cottages, many Of them tasteful
and elegant summer homes. Fronting the
lake, surrounded by flower beds and smooth
grassy lawns, stands an immense hotel with
accommodations for five hundred guests, and
which in all the luxurious appointments for
the comfort of its inmates is rivaled by only
one of the thousand summer palaces of our
land, that is the Grand Union of Saratoga.
vast amphiteater, containing magnif-
cent pipe organ, and capable of seating eight
thousand people, spreads Its broad roof over
the crowds that flock nightly to listen to the
marvellous stories Of the latest discoveries In
science, to the soul-thrilling words of some
great teacher of men, to the sweet melody of
some great singer. or to wander with some
modern magician with his wonderful Alad-
din's lamp, the stereopticon, through long
dreamed Of foreign lands, and view strange
scenes, ancient ruins, and famous works Of
art.
An auditorium, under the trees, where
many meetings are held, seats three thou
sand people, and the "Children's Temple"
the ''Chapel,'' and the ''Hall of Philosophy"
the last modelled after the Greek temples,
are other large audience rooms, built in the
woods Electric lights shine through the
trees and illuminate the hotel and audience
rooms, and the telegraph messenger brings
nv dispatch to the door. The great railroad
depot. five bundled feet long, (whose top
serves as delightful promenade), has its
hourly trains, while seventeen steamers,
large and small, ply up and down the lake a
all hours of the day.
The National Sunday School assembly
holds its meetings here in August and is
visited by thousands of people daily. 1t is
composed of earnest laborers In the Sunday
school and in almost every other good cause,
who work together in as close an organiza-
ton as is possible in their homes in every
part of fhe country, and who meet here at
this time to help, cheer and encourage one
another in the work of regenerating the
world.
They have here every device that can be
thought of to make relistic and vigorous the
study of the Old and New Testaments.
Along the shores of the lake, which there re-
presents the Mediterranean Sea, extends for
three hundred feet, the s'Model of the Holy
Land,'' which enables one TO see with his
own eyes the exact location Of many familiar
bible places. little further on is ssModel
of Jerusalem and another of the Jewish
tabernacle, while up the hill rises a section
of the s.Great Pyramid - and sNewton Hall''
contains museum of sacred archaeology.
THE C. L. s. G.
Here in 1878 was organized the Chautau-
qua Literary and Scientific circle, which has
done so great work in organizing and en-
couraging home study, especially in small
towns and rural districts.