Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-25
UNDER GREEN TREES.
Pleasant Opening of the Summer
Meeting at the Valley Camp.
MANY COTTAGES ALREADY FILLED.
Arrangements Made for Worship, Music
and AmuSements.
SUNDAY EXCURSIONS TO BE BARRED

All day long yesterday at the beautiful
little station of Valley Camp, preparations
were in order for the opening of the camp
meeting season. which was effected last even
ing with brilliant sermon delivered BY
Rev. T. j. Leak, and some excellent chorus
singing under the leadership Of Rev. Charles
Miller, by a number of the trained singer!
of the city, among them Mrs. Leak and Mrs
Porter and Misses Smith and George.
Trains bound for the charm ing spot Sc
lected some 15 years ago by the Methodisti
for summer rest and worship, were filled
with ladies and little ones who, during the
tages and awaited the coming of evening
trains to complete the family circles.
Those who were already in possession Of
the many tasty, cozy little cottages were
busy in giving additional touches of beauty
to the dainty furniture and snowy draperies
in anticipation of the influx of welcome
visitors that would leave the noise and bus
tie of the city to be present at the opening
services of the campmeeting series.
| A CHEERFUL GREETING.
The avenue leading from the railroad sta
ton to the auditorium where the services are
held, like the city for which it is named.
| Pittsburg has discarded the cloak of gloom in
| which it has hitherto been shrouded and with
| the twinkling of many lights beams forth a
greeting to the many who traverse the recently
| laid broad walk that leads up through the tall,
| wide-spreading trees, past various cottages,
! where familiar faces may be seen on piazzas
| and in hammocks; on to the summit which IS
| crowned with the little building devoted to the
| praise of the Divine Creator, and. which
| has also taken on an added br1lllancy
| that last evening shed its rays over a congrega-
tion consisting not alone OF prominent
Methodists, but including many from other
denominations attracted by the popularity of
the camp.
The sermon delivered by Rev. T. j. Leak,
DID,, was clear. concise discourse based
upon the Evidences of Gospel Truth" as
furnished in verses of the epistle of st. Peter.
l6 to 49, in the first chapter. His remarks in
substance, were that there is a system of
religion in the world, known as Christianity, its
TEACHINGS ARE INFALLIBLE,
but as some minds do deny and have denied its
claims it becomes us now and again 10 inquire
into the foundation upon which we build In
the text is given three-fold evidence of the
gospel, made up of eye witnesses, prophecy and
the day star rising in the heart. This apostle
claims for himself and others that they were
eye-witnesses of various conclusive and i'm.
portant facts relating to the birth OF Christi
aniry. Paul declares they were not done in a
corner. When at 30 years of age Christ ap-
peared at Jordan to be baptized of John, and
received heavenly acknowledgment as the
spirit descended in the form of dove, it was
in the presence of multitude.
He performed his miracles in public. He
opened the eyes of the blind by the wayside, in
the wilderness he fed the hungry thousands
with few loaves. On the public highway he
stopped the funeral cortege and bade the
widows son arise. He was crucified in public.
He appeared after his death and resurrection
in public. In the presence OF 500 brethren he
took his flight to the skies. Peter had been an
eyewitness of all these things and relates the
story with all the zest of an old warrior re-
viewing his warlike life.
EVIDENCE THEN AND NOW.
Evidence in his time is or should be evidence
now. Eighteen hundred years does not impair
the testimony of an eye witness. Immediately
after the fall of man God said to the serpent,
''the seed of the woman shall bruise thy head"
and Jesus Christ, born of woman. was the
first in all the long line of men to conquer
Satan. Again. Moses said, as he was closing
his earthly career. "a prophet shall the Lord
your God raise up unto you like unto me-"
Many prophets arose among the Hebrews,
but none filled the description until Jesus
Christ came. Moses and Jesus Christ were
both born while their nations were subject to
foreign control, efforts were made by the
ruling powers to destroy them both, but they
were singularly saved. Both were leaders of
and the other from sin to Righteousness. Both
were mediators between the people and God.
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness
that the bitten 1sraelites might be cured
Jesus Christ was lifted up on the cross that
mankind might be saved. The bodies of both
after death were lost to the world, Thus they
were alike and yet the one always the type, the
other the antltype.
A PROPHETIC DREAM.
That dream in which the stone was hewn by
unseen hands from the mountain side was the
prophecy of the Christian Church, which has
rolled on for ages, accumulating power and
carrying conviction and comfort into the most
distant parts of the earth.
Another evidence of the truth of these
things suggested by the text is the refer
ence to the day star that was to
reach mans conscience through other
may be defective but God furnishes proof of
His love and saving power sent directly to the
conscience of the man, stronger than could be
given in any other way. Peter caught the rays
of the day star and learned that Jesus was the
Christ. Paul saw it and henceforth gloried In
nothing cave the cross of Christ. John Bunyan
saw 1t and was lifted to where he caught
vision of the beautiful land.
1t is the breaking of the light Of the day star
through the crust of sin formed on the heart
that seals the soul a child of God. With the
day star shining in the heart the Christian
plants himself upon the philosophy of expert
ence and declares that one thing he knows that
whereas he was once blind now he can see.
FOR THE CHILDREN.
At 1890 this morning Rev. c. L Smith, pas
tor of W esley Chapel, will deliver the sermon,
and this evening Rev. John Miller will occupy
the pulpit. On Sunday Bishop E. G. Andrews,
of New ork, will address the meeting, and
Presiding Elder Miles will of1ciate in his ca
pacity over all.
Next Thursday will be children's day, one es-
pecially interesting always. The Valley Camp
Mission Band cOmpOSed of about 40 tinV MEM
bers have been making extensive preparations
for the exercises of the day under the super
vision of Mrs NJ. E. Johnston, Miss Hunnings
and Miss Baldwin, the latter having succeeded
in drilling tine little ones beautifully for the
graceful tamborine drill, which will be a
feature, while Mrs. Johnston and Miss Hum
nings have successfully rehearsed them in "A
sionsyv nae Clock the Iittie Workers" and
various other dialogues and single recitations
that, with the singing of pretty songs by the
childish voices, will complete the programme.
for 1be purSose s of Fl eectipg oficers FOR the en-.
suing year. and discussing improvements and
changes to be made in and about the grounds.
NO SUNDAY EXCURSIONS.
One of the proposed changes, as stated yes
terday by Mr.. ]. H. Nobbs, an incorporation,
who not only has a cottage that has been occu
pied for Is summers, but also diminutive one
in which his lutte grandchildren make merry
on rainy days will prohibit the Sunday excur-
sionists from making Valley Camp their OBJ
iective point. Those desiring to spend Sab
bath within the grounds will have to do as is
done at Chautauqua, register Saturday even
ing.
One of the enjoyable features of the camp
to the young people this year is the organiza-
tion of the Valley Camp Athletic Association,
which will indulge in lawn tennis, eroquet ana
baseball. The first contest In the tennis court
will be given Saturday evening. A concert
and entertainment Is in order by the club in