Daily Republican., 1885-08-10
Meaern Camp nseslngs.

AO0orm ComP AO0SnmBo.
There are still number of very good
people who wonder why the Methodist
Damp meetings have apparently lost 90
much Of their spir itual power. Their
idea Of camp meeting seems to be q
place exclusively for religious worship
in the good old Methodist style, when
men like Peter Cartright preached
powerful sermons, under which scores
and hundreds Of hardened sinners
would get converted and would find nc
rest until they realized pardonipp
sense Of sins forgiven, which plain old
time Methodists called "gettinl
through" In looking back over the
past these good people see the primiti ve
camp meeting in large grove neaI
some sequestered ripping spring.
Everything Is rude about 1t. The
brethern and sisters attend in the large
family wagon, which on It's arrival Is
formed very good table, upon which
to spread their biscuits, pies, clipped
beef and sliced ham to eat, while the
wagon, IL covered, formed luxurious
sleeping apartments. A few OF the
more aristocratic had small tents, rude
ly constructed OF sheets and blankets,
but with no other fl DOT than the soil pro.
vided by dame nature. The preachers,
stand WAS as rude as the tents In
front was the altar enclosure called
"sheep pen" with its fence of piles
and hickory withes. Into the pen the
faithful and convicted crowded, while
the sinner stood outside. The sermons,
the singing and the prayers were In
keeping with the other surroundings
In many years after this period, organs
made such discord In the church, satan
himself, had he suddenly appeared,
| would hardly have created more dis.
cord than if one Of these musical instru-
ments had been set within the sacred
sheep pen enclosure.
Now, all Is changed. These same
good people, If still living, see the
luxuriously furnished tents with brus-
sells carpet, a palace compared with the
rude structure of even itty years ago
| The big store, the big bo ,rding tables,
the great enclosed pavilions, the fash
ionable organs, the large chcirs, the
avenues with high sounding names
the costly dresses and the social PRONE
nades, tho fAshionably attired minister
| with polished education, laundering
elcquence from the stand that tickle.
the ear and leaves the heart untouched
they see all this and wonder II th'
good old times of refreshing will eve
come again. We are not ''astonisheC
that they are surprised. The chang
is a great one, the old times for which
they sigh will never come again. Th
march Of education, improvement
science and art have carried this coun
try on wonderfully rapid beyond tn
camp meeting period Of the past. |
will never come again.
There are now churches figurativel
f on every hill the camp meeting is nc
3 needed any more as a place especially 70
the conversion of souls. 1t has becom
the place of recreation and socia
enjoyment, tempered and kept withil
proper bounds by moral restraint
, Where one goes to a camp meetin
: purposely to epj ~ religious services
q hve 60 to enjoy lis social pleasures
d Poor, weary, tired humanity is glad
d leave the dust and heat of the city an
> go not TO the crowded sea shore whel
Y no moral restraint is enforced, but
the grove where camp meetings ar
% held, where they can rest, where the
q can meet neigh bors in social convers
= where they can listen 10 learned al
g eloquent discourses, where cultivate
d m usic charms the ear. and where int
:. ligence and refinement hold sway. n
,. the Did primitive camp meeting Is nun
70 bered with the past. The world NOV
>, on let the people lose no time in va
u u attempts to turn back the tide, but wi
u q pure, vlrtuous and determined pu
q pose push on with the work OF refo
e nation wherever they can do the mo
good.