The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-06
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Thoughts ON a,np-Meetings.

Shy III tnlb country. our cities, tOWuo
and country are full of churches,
pastors and the best of Christian
workers. As places of resort for social,
physical and mental Improvement,
when properly conducted, they may be
made. and are, In many instances, q sue
cess. But our limited observation goes to
show that meeting of the sort conducted
upon purely church revival principles has
come to be failure. That some consider
able religious influence prevails at times
should be expected. from the fact that
some of the church workers from many of
the congregations within what may be called
the patronizing territory are together for
song and prayer, and it would be marvel
If they did not have enjoyable services
just as they would if they were
together in any one of the church buildings
within the radius mentioned. But as
places for powerful and extended religious
awakenings they are no longer a success;
and they should not be expected to produce
such results now. The country and the
church do not need them, as God has pro
vided His children with better facilities
for the conversion of sinners.
CamR-meetings are now run by hired
men. Some man is paid to take the lead.
who contracts for. the preaching
and the singing, and generally they
lance, and have no more interest in the peo-
pie of the locality. beyond the present en-
gagement, than they have in any other
people in the United States. AS rule,
human sympathies and personal interests,
when spread out to such a vast extent, get
to be very thin. Suppose a case-call 1t
hypothetical. Some man with pass,
able talent and strong physical
force is given 81 600 to n conduct sI,
phia, Chicago and elsewhere and engages
men who are good and true, but who have
what we call hobbies, men who have a
crOtchet. and who make living by preach
ing them, and from some other place a
friend or an acquaintance is procured to
lead the singing, and other minor eXpenses
are paid out of the 81 900. and what is left
the conductor gets as his fees.
Do worldly men, who say such camp
meetings are 'farmed out" tell the truth!
OF course there are plenty of ministers,
good and true, who have the talents and
culture to have maintained themselves in
such localities for fifty years and more,
churches, cultivated the fields, built the
roads, created the moral sentiment of the
country, and made it possible, even easy,
for modern men who have somewhere else
to preach pure salvation-a new doctrine.
of course-while they and the churches
they have organized foot the bills. Is it
right Yes it is right. Vox popuH vox del.
The writer has no complaint to make; so
far as he is concerned all is we'll But he
f man b with cTotefet say s
began to try to improve, and has been
thinking and somehow his thoughts would
run along on this line. We conclude, there
fore. that camp-meetings farmed out or not
brains and grace, by men with crotchets or
without crOtchets as means of powerful
religious awakenings have come to
be. failures, but as places of resort
and recuperation for men. women and chill
dren may be made grand success, and
that without detriment to the morals of
any. The money part of such meetings Is
an essential part, because they. could not
get on without it. Let us all therefore
patronize them as far as we can without
Sunday schools at home in our own
churches 1t won't cost us much.
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 2. NOT u. L. SEE.
Something More About the elixir of Life"
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
June the Sth Brown-Sequard's cOmmuni-
cation to the Societe de Biologie was p.ib-
lished in the Prague Medical. and from
that date the scientific medical world have
been in a state of excitement and bitter
discussion; praise and condemnation are
being INDUCED in without much regard for
facts. Hammond thinks the elixir wor-
thy of being tried. DR.. Mills, professor of
mental diseases in the University of Penn
sylvania, says "Brown-Seauard is in his
dotage." DR.. Mears, of the Jefferson Medi-
cal College says Hammond is fraud"
while Parvin, of the same college, says, 1T
is one of the vagaries OF an old man," and
"A. w. b. who wrote the Newss article,
condemns the whole thing, saying
eS and in nf ns ao ssnsy
He compliments Hammond by the
intimatiOn that he needs little of the
elixir" himself, and follows by denominat-
ing every medical man; who puts faith In
it. "a medical blatherskite."
Now, BrOwn-Sequard is regarded the
world over as the father of the study of
cerebro-spinal physiology and pathology;
it is true that he is now seventy-One years
old, but as far from dotage as Gladstone,
who is his senior by ten years. DR.. VIM.
A. Hammond: whom l might denominate
the father of experimental physiology in
America-he was so regarded by the late
Professor DaltonI,was the first to test the
value of various kinds of food, by expert
ments made upon himself; he is sixty-One
years old and has done more to advance
the study of brain and nervous diseases
than any man III the United
States Including the superintend-
who regards Hammond as usurper in their
special preserves); he is denominated a
fraud" because he thinks there may be
possible benefit derived from Brown
Sequard's discovery.
In "A. w. b., who. the News says, is "a
well-knOwn physician" we recognize a
well-known teacher of biology. and gem
tleman of high scientific attainments-One
who is thorough believer in the germ
theory of disease, and publicly deprecates
the ignorance of his professional brethren
| who do not follow Pasteur. the ch enlist. in
the idea that a certain germ (bacteIia) pro-
| duces rabies another kind consumption,
| another lung fever. ETC. Is it not possible
that if there be fluid containing germs cap
| able of producing lasting and destructive
disease, of years duration. tendin to death,
that fluid teeming with tho primOrdial
germs of animal vitality may be introduced
| into the system which will tend to build
up the decaying powers of the human or
| ganisn. If there be germs which destroy,
| there can be germs which renew. "a w.
| B." should be constant in his philosophy.
| The true physician and scientist should
'.prove all things and hold fast to that
which is good" w. Is. FLETCHER.
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. A.
Let the Sugar Duty Alone.
| To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal
Your recent editorial treating upon the
subject of Tariff Rates on Sugar. con-
| slider worthy of the highest commentator,
both on account of your position and your
invitation to an early and candid discus