Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-09-06
Camp-Meeting.


the recent Methodist camp-meeting held
at Bethel Grove in Lafayette County,
and considering that comparatively few
people attend these meetings, | con-
cluded that a few pointers on this sub
iect in the HERALD would not come
amiss \ religious camp-meeting Is
something at which one must be in order
TO understand. Some people don't be-
lieve in religious meetings of this kind,
and must confess that | belonged to
the number until went to this one and
saw the workings of it through my
own eyes, and not by means of the OPP
tics of woulc-be critics, who perchance
never attended one themselves, but SIM
ply Judge at distance from selfish or
prejudicial standpoint There are nu-
merous things connected with these
meetings that tend to commend them to
public favor Most people who attend
of course consider the religious part of
the proceedings the most important,
and perhaps it is. None but those
church people who become thoroughly
aroused at these meetings can appre-
ciate the enjoyment they must have with
their fellow enthusiasts in their-to the
ninitiated-rather boisterous COM
munion with their Creator. 1t gives
them great pleasure to lay aside all
worldly cares for season, to turn their
backs upon the busy, moneY-getting af-
fairs of life, to take their tents and camp
ing utensils cut in Natures refreshing
woods and pure air, unpolluted with the
various necessities of modern civiliza-
ton, and to enjoy themselves in Utopian
style with those friends and neighbors
whose inclinations run in the same di-
rection.
Aside from its purely religious ele-
ment, a campmeeting is an excellent
place for the business and professional
people to go for the purpose of gaining
that yearly recreation and rest which is
absolutely essential to good health in
body as well as in mind, and also to the
prolongation of healthful and enjoy
able life. Many who seek recreation
and worldly pleasure only rather avoid
| the services, but ever and anon they are
irresistibly and unconsclously Idrawn
beneath the protecting shadow of the
! tabernacle by the attractive and sonOrous
voice by some more than ordinarily elo-
quent preacher, and before they are
aware of the fact, they are regular at
PENDANTS at meetings which at first they
merely glanced at with supreme indiffer-
ence from the outer edge of the tent cir
| Gle. While some of these may become
converted. others, who show no outward
signs of change, without doubt, again
go out in the world and become involved
in the busy affairs of life, with whole
some moral precepts lodging in their
IIlIiltiS, anu Will q bClOtA UNDERSTANDING
of their needs and requirements for the
great Future beyond the mortal shades
of existence.
Ministers of the Gospel as matter of
course, are numerous. The circuit rider
Cor rather driven who dispenses spirit
ual food at the diminutive villages and
at the country crossroads, the fashion
ably dressed, energetic preacherof the
larger towns and smaller cities, the
theological student from the ministerial
colleges, enjoying his summer vacation,
the evangelist whose circuit is limitless,
and the genial presiding elder who often
is courted on account of the power he
yields in supplying desirable positions
all are to be found, gathering strength
and encouragement from the religious
enthusiasm common to such gatherings,
as well as uniting their efforts to create
an interest and to reap L harvest from
the result Of their combination. The
local preacher also, who often convent
emily fills temporary appointments, is 4
factor not to be despised, while the class
leader, who ranks next to the preacher,
and upon whose ability, enthusiasm and
energyth prosperity of many a church
depends, is to be found here in all his
glory.
Together with great deal of religion
at this camp-meeting, there incidentally
came to the surface very little of poll