New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-24
LEADERS AT OCEAN GROVE.
SKETCHES OF. MEN PROMINENT IN THE
CAMp.MEETING SERVICES.
THE REV. MR.. YATMAN's sUccEss-PRoFEssoE
swEESEY's ENTHUsIAsM-ocEAS GROVE,


OLD AND NEW.
Ocean Grove. ~ j. Aug 90 tspeciaD.-This Is
camp meeting week at Ocean Grove. The time set
for opening this dlstincvoly religious meeting Is
GENERALLY about the middle OF August This year,
however. IL was a little later than usual At the
oIdtime camp-meetings the sisters generally felt
well dressed in a new calico or gngham gown and
rough and ready straw hat, or even sunbonnct.
while the brethren. their kersey jean suits were
at home by their tent-doors in shirt sleeves. In
tho modern camp meeting with its intelligent. well
bred and fashionabIy dressed crowds. the od-tlmer
misses many things that ave zest TO esmpneeting
week
In tho old DAYS the people used 10 come here
from fifty miles around In vehicles OF every descrp-
ton All the rough element Of the country side came
too. and as tho midnight sermon was promnens
feature of the night two OK tho meeting, tho
camp was then annoyed By rowing crowd. bent on
finn or mischief. Sometimes these fellows came into
conflict with a sturdy camper or preacher VINO was
determined to have order preserved
The nrcachtnc OF those days directed straight
AZ the sinners heart Often hundreds would break
down under the power Of the truth, and wonderfn
scenes were witnessed. hardened sinners, VINO came
to scof and to break M the meeting. knelt in the
straw before the altar. While shouts and cries ana
tears mingled together as DiVine hercS 'ouone
the hearts of the sUpplan,s.
advantages Of a quiet Christian sabbath. Tine gates
are closed at II O'Clock saturday night, and no
vehicles allowed TO pass through them uh'h MOD
day morning; any wagons seen IN inc s'ree's
of Ocean Grove in that interval NO Sunnsy papers
are sold. No nois, or din dlst,rbs the worshipper
on only one or two occasions Of extreme emergency
has even an undcrakcrs wagon been admitted on
Sunday.
This rigid observance of the sacred hours receives
the cordial sympathy and hearty cooperation of the
thousands Of Christian people who come mere year
after year. Instead OF wearyng Of the socalled re-
straInts, the people, with scarcely an exception, "ouio
deprecate any sIackening OF them.
The Rev Charles IT, Yatman came to ocean Grove
seven years ago to lead the young peoples meeting
The temple I'm which the meeting held seated only
$50 persons. The temple, built two years ago.
was 1t was believed, large enough to accommodate
the audiences for years TO come. Inc meetings.
however, became large as the ouidlhs
would hold, and now the size OF the audience Is
limited only by the comparative smallness OF inc
ROOM Not only are the 100 chairs all In demand,
but generally all the standing room also Is taken
This daily SUMNER gathering of young people Is the
most unique I'm the world. Every year, IN August
Mr. Yatman conducts workers training class mere
Last year this class closed with 1000 members This
year the class is proving extremely popular, and Is
attended by many earnest thoughtful people ms
year Mr. Yatman has added two features to his
ruling out the ministers, far a; speaking is con-
cerned so that the former may have absolute freedom
in their expression of religious thought or experience
Ministers may come In but only as listeners. Then,
too, in conjunction with the young peoples meeung.
Mr. Yatman has established curriculum OF study,
covering Bible knowledge and ethics This he calls
his summer College,
The prominence of his work here secures him hun
drcds of invitations for his cvangcstic services, but
he ig all
ont Of hundred Mr.. Yatman, who Is an ordained
minister OF the Gospel, was born in Northern New
Jersey. lie secured his education outside OF the
schools by dint of hard study He first became
widely known through bis success in the work OF the
Young Mems Christian Association at Newark n; }:
that city mis- work extended 20 other cities
and other States Lending hand In evangeIlSilo
work, in raising money for buildings he was In
strumental in giving decided Impetus TO the 4. NJ;
G. A. work, and raised thousands OF dollars I4r me
different branches His evangestic labors are charac
erized by ZEAL earnestness and devotion. he mas q
holds them He has great tact and skiil IN getting H
writer His brief erse articles acceptable and
command the readers attention lie Is me aGVn0r Si
Ills fall and winter work will be mainly In and around
Ohio During the camp meeting he conducts tnTe
ncased in a strong body, well trained and developea
by vigorous exercise 1t would be mpU cS l'r '''
David NJ Brown, who has been from the beginning
the treasurer of the Ocean Grove Association ana
whom James A. Bradley has immortalzed In his history
Of Asbury Park was born in Monmouth County, SIX
miles from Ocean Grove. His grandfather ana three
of his great-uncles fought I'm the Revolution his
father and mother both died when he was but an nfahI
His mother was Wesleyan Methodist When only
thirteen wears Of age he went to NewYorh to learn
a trade Instead of taking mp with evil associates no
went into the old John Street Sunday school, and az
sixteen he became a member of the Forsyth Street
Church in that city. In 1910 he moved TO BroOhlyh
and began the manufacture of builders hsru"are, III
which business he continued for nearly twenty years
Then he went into the white lead and Oil business WIN
his son-in-law. Every summer for iftyeght years Mr.
Brown has visited the ses-shore lie Is we'll
known figure here he marshals his forces Tor that
essentially Methodist part of the service at the
Audtorum-takng up the collection. He IS a leading
member of St. Johns Methodist Episcopal Church,
BROOKLYN lie was a member of the South Second
street Church Brooklyn, for over thirty years.
Professor John II. sweeney whose short round
figure has been familiar here for the last sixteen
years IS a native of West Chester, Penn. lie has been
professor OF music In the military academy at Chester
in his profession When in the meetings
there IS a hoOltde OF religious enthusiasm :
turns from his we'll trained choir TO the great c1nsre
cat on with voice and gesture he leafs tue singing o
gend Than when the vast congregation sing some of
the noblo old hymns which have been sung loI nun
rcd wears by the Christian church Professor sweeney
has published seventeen sunday-school hymn oooS
besides number of anthems and seect pieces
d" Beulah Land perhaps the most popular Vi his
pieces has been sung In every land. -. ,,.o,
Who plays he troRl,onei Why, that psle-faced
man with gray hair, William 5. Sulger. OF trenton,
r. j. lie was bern Of Baptist parents III inc SaS
Of Philadelphia few years later his parents moved
"a Drigtol Penn. where young Sulger grew up 10 De
| a wild boy. He became a scholar in the Episcopai
sunday school at BRISTOL One SUNDAY dog came
| into the schoolroom. Young Suger and some other
hoys thinking to have fun with the animal ~sn'
| %,rtber than wa deemed decOrous by me minister,
he Rev William - Perkins, who turned the 4oy ous
with a broom Sulgor then went int the claSs VI
| lanes Kcene through whose efforts ne was c ,{
ycrted ioinIng the Methodist Episcopal Chnich' s an
snzcr who Is a tin-oofer by trade put on INC p Us
- rocf s-en at Ocean Grove. He has Dcen III w
| hah,, ~ coming here for nearly twenty year, ~. ~
Was the leader Of band OF seventeen po@rs III ~, uf
va pannsvIvnnia Reserves, during the laie war iio
onicted disease in the army which dlsaoisa hin
o,m any active employment Mr. sulser eAn nnda1
lin comrnendable pride s,iNoi romoy's
Viii him for rescu!ng General Phllp hesrhey
gNou 1.n,, tho state House in Trenton, wneI itic