The Bossier banner., 1891-02-05
FIRST oAMP.MEEIlNa-
SIX or Sewn Thousand Persons Present, In.
cluding yender of Grog.

GA Ut sew N Thousand Persons Present, Ins
Guiding yender of Grog.
The first camp-meeting held by
Methodists of which / can fnl any
REGARD was en- nioyed at Bolton, Conn, in
the earl y days Of June, 1905. My au-
thorites ma ntain that it was ''thc very
first" but while not positively assured
OF this, it is safe think, TO claim that
It was the initial meeting of the kind
In New England
1t was held by Lorenzo Dow (If the
reader will permit me / will not adopt
the custom of using the phrase, ''the
eccentric Lorenzo Dow. " designat on
VIII eh is but partly deserved.) 1t was
IN the course of one of his famous pere-
grinat ons." Reach ng Bolton on Era
day, the last day of May, his respect
tui desire to preach" was not rece we'd
with favor by Parson Cotton OF the Pres
byterian church, who somewhat brusque-
ly declared it to be ''an encroach-
ment on his own field" His people
In ''the thiclzly settled neigh borhood'
shared his opin ons in this, as in al
mostevery other matter, and were much
prejudiced against Mr.. Dow and the
Method SITS in general So bitter was
the oppos tion that the preacher spoke
OF them with tell ng sarcasm as the
Federal Presbyterians They 'issued
hard-worded commands that the meet
ing should not be held in the place
prating about trespassing."
Finding that houses of every kind were
forbidden him, the intrepid it nerant
"bethought to go out into the fields to
preach. " This true Wesleyan idea set
hard" on the hearts of Parson Coltons
flock, and Dow was given to understand
that if he preached in tho open air at
any place in Bolton parish the taking
OF water from any brook or we'll would
constitute just cause for prose-
cution for trespass. However, :"
Dow goes on to say. ga report
having prevail cd that the Indians in
their times had spring on the hill, TO
which they resorted, | caused man &c
go in search of it After some d fficuliy
he struck upon founta n beneath a
rock VIII ch afforded suffic entsupply. ;"
Tn was "a spot in the wood, (
solitary, and not any mans owned
land
To it led "a lcad-off road, there end
ing on the spot" The location, Dow is
careful TO state, with iil-concealed exult-
alton, was ''still N the township of
Boston, on the Andover par sh line. !"
Dow doubtless believed that it was
rea ~ no mans property" but am
confident that it was at the tine por-
ton OF Charles fiutchini' farm (possibly
this name shoG1t be Church llutch:ns
instead OF Charlesl. The land is now
owned by Messrs w liam B. and
Charles King55usy
Tho preacher OF ened his meeting
Saturday. and records in h s journal that
he had an agreaab Q time In the
even m the work of God began" and
from that time ''the work an the con-
gregation increased. > $50 many people
came from distant places to he ground
that Satan hosted his standard near by:
for a grog-nan brought liquors for
sale, but Was constrained by threats
when reason would not do, to give it
over, the law being against him"
1t does not appear as to how long the
meeting was he d. The preacher says:
sunday, June 2, some thousands APP
peared on the ground. Several found
peace and (mirabile dictul prejudice
seemed to wear off the minds of the
people DR.. Sumner of Bolton says
there were or seven thousand people
on the ground on that memorial Lords s
Day, and adds that ''that was more than
have ever beer in Bolton since. -
Christian Advocate.