Smyrna times., 1886-09-01
FOR the Smyrna Times
A Soiourn Down by the Sea.

A COTTAGE CITY OF PHENOMENAL
GROWTH AND NATIONAL REPUTA-
TION.
Sir Hundred Tents and SeUen Hun
dred Boarding Houses md Hotels.
MIR. EDITOR Seventeen years ago
this beautiful cottage city was a will
/ derness, not of Sahara but Jersey sand,
a tract of timber and briars. cOmpara-
lively valueless, being part of the
beaten ocean strand, where the wierd
murmerings, we presume, have not
ceased since God planted its boundar-
| les, saying thus far shalt thou come,
and here shall thy proud waves be stay
ed" Drs. Stokes and Adam Wallace,
two of the original founders are in ac-
tive positions to-day The former is
president and general manager of the
meetings from day to day, and the lat
ter is proprietor of the Ocean Grove
Record
Methodism has always proved itself
able to discover the "signs of the
times" which demanded a place for
religious recreation and christian fell
lOwship. Then Ocean Grove loomed
up above the horizon, which at first
was intended to be Tented Grove :"
midway between Philadelphia and
New York and equally accessible to
both. The above plan caused them to
lay off the lots thirty by sixty feet,
which is too small for large buildings
unless grouped together. But as no
million dollar hotel or great wholesale
establishment is likely to be needed,
the GROVE will grow in spite of it.
The feature has been wisely main
tanned which some call the blue lalUs,
preventing the introduction of intoxi-
eating spirits, tobacco, cigars and the
desecratiOn of the Sabbath. Not even
Il newsbOy is allowed to peddle papers,
nor milk wagon to roll inside of the
gates of the sacred city on Sunday.
This is the camp meeting week and
the population of the Grove and As
bury Park is sWelled to 10000 many
say more, but it expresses it to say
there is jam of people on every side
and demand on hotels and boarding
houses for more accommodation is in
creasing and will until the ten DAYS of
camp are over. DR.. Stokes manages to
get in a dozen services a day beginning
at 5.45 A. NJ, and closing at 10 P. NJ.
The pavilion, or great preaching stand,
seats 5000 people and seems to be filled
about every time. On Sunday last
preaching was conducted i'll two places,
simultaneously. The preaching has
been ola higher order Ofadvanced relig-
ious thought from Bishop Hurst's open
ing sermon until the present. The fact is
the commercial world has commenced
to acknowledge the influence of Chris
tan effort in foreign lands by our mis-
slonaries who are introducing Ameri-
cans first as grand people into the
homes and down by the fireside Of
Aslas teeming millions, removing their
prejudice to foreigners and the Gospel
following which is u demand first for
medicines, then merchandise in all of
Its forms, until now the Mikado of
Japan has ordered that the English
language be taught in all their public
schools and at this time Count Ysugi.
son of the Premier, is in Chicago ar
ranging with publishers of school text
books, for a supply for Japan. With
the commercial world at our back the
success Of missions is assured, and for
mer prejudices will vanish away.
The seashOre amusements are well
patronized during hours allotted for
that purpose, and everything is run
ming full as the boarding houses, that
have exhausted the circle of ancient
and modern literature for fancy names.
We rejoice in the success of the ell
terprise and in the fact that rowdyism
and immortality are Outlawed in the
place, IN the presence of so large a
number as fifty thousand people.
Evidences at this and every annual
meeting come to light by the voices of
living men, from the West, Southwest
and South, of good fruit from seeds
sown at Ocean Grove in time gone by.
to scatter Scriptural holiness over these
lands.
The signs of the times are propitious.
The late revival in the Southern States
is traceable to Ocean Grove through
the Rev Mr. Garold, of the Georgia
Conference, who years ago went home
from this place a flaming torch, and
lighted the camp fires of Southern
MethOdism which has spread through
out that section, cropping out of which
came the Rev. Sam Jones, whose mag
netism and personal influence attracts
as large audiences as Rev. D. L.
Moody.
This year visitors are here from the
States on the Pacific slope and nearly
every corner of the Union.
Every day is temperance day in pre-
cept and in principle, but we do not re-
member to have heard a sermon in
which it was not distinctly touched.
1t requires very many things to
make a completed city and Ocean
Grove has advanced and is advancing
in that direction, and stands to-day
quite in advance of anything in that
line.
Wewish ourown Rehoboth was as fair
a city as she, but with her superior
beach and sea bathing privileges, much
money and mind will have to be ex-
pended to make it rival the fair name
Of this place
1t is too soon at this writing to sum
up the results of this years meeting
but they will be large. RAMBLER.
Ocean GroUe, N. j., dug. 24fh, 1856.