River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-08-16
Monona Assembly Correspondence.

MOnOud Assembly Correspondents
The Ninth Annual Encampment of
the Monona Lake Assembly closed
August Sd, having had the most sue
cessful session in every respect that
has yet been held.
An immense number of people has
visited the grounds and enjoyed the
beautiful scenery and the entertaining
and instructive exercises.
The institution is growing year by
year,-and no wonder. It is deserving
of growth, and can't help but grow
under the present management. 1t is
not a making concern but a
highly moral one, working for the
interests of humanity at large, instead
of self.
OF course they take in a great deal
Of money, but they expend it freely
for the good of all that may visit the
grounds, securing the very best ora
tors, musical talent, ETC., that can be
procured in the country.
1t is not UNCONVENTIONAL concern,
but is devoted to the interests of Sun
day school work in particular, and
moral education in general.
The encampments are held annually
on the south bank of Monona Lake.
which is lovely little body of water
just south of Madison. 1t would in
deed be a difficult matter to find a
more naturally beautiful spot than the
one selected by the Assembly. The
scenery is magnificent, the location
healthful, surroundings moral and
instructive, and everything conven-
lent, and / see no reason why MonOna
Lake in connection with the Assembly,
will not, in few years, be as famous
as Chautauqua Lake.
This season perhaps not less than
40, 900 different persons visited the
grounds. There were about 900 tonte,
making quite city of tents, regularly
laid out with streets and avenues. No
doubt, next year there will be even
more than this large number.
Among the orators that have lee
tured here this season, we may men.
ton Rev. Sam. Jones, who is known
to nearly everybody; Col. G. W. Balm,
called the silver-tongued orator OF
Kentucky: Bishop Warren, of the NJ.
E. church; Rollo Kirk Bryan, the
chalk.talker; and a number of others,
all very entertaining.
Ofthese Sam. Jones took the lead in
attracting crowds. Although he uses
short. peppery sentences but loosely
connected, and makes some gram
NAUTICAL errors (perhaps Intentionally
yet there is something about him that
gives him a wonderful control over
his audience. They will hear him tC
the end. There is no struggling away
nor any sign of WEAKNESS even when
he speaks for two hours or more.
understand the Assembly paid him
$500 for his two lectures here; and
of course he can afford to sit up a
little late nights, to study up and III
troduce into his speeches those queer
little expressions for which he is SC
noted, and to which his notOriety is
largely due. But the Assembly lost
nothing by paying him such large
sum, for at each lecture 5000 persons
were gathered under and about the
tabernacle. Not the mythical thou
sands often reported from political
gatherings, county fairs, ETC., but
actual personages paying their little
quarter at the gate.
The musical department has beer
under the management of DR.. II. r
Palmer, of New York, probably the
best instructor of music to be found
in the whole country. He has giver
instruction to two classes every day
during the session, and also presented
a number of fine concerts.
The stewart Grand Concert Co.
has been on the ground during thu
whole session. They have given fou
concerts, all of very high merit. Thi
company used to be the "Wilberforc'
Concert Co., and is composed OF mu
Iattoes and quadroons. The member
are all finely educated, being graduate
of Wilberforce University. Mrs
Stewart probably received the great
est number of encores, being repeat
edly recalled during each concert.
| Another pleasing feature of the en-
campment has been the Ladies idea
Band" from Mansion, Wis. The BAN
is composed of fifteen young ladies
educated and refined. They have bee
here during the whole eleven days
discoursing enliyening music.
Take it all in all, there is not BET
ter place to be found for recreation
enjoyment, and instructions and thos
that come here once are more tina
DESTROYS to come again. predic
that 1889 will indicate larger growt
than any previous session. May tn
good work prosper.