The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-16
THE FIRST YANKEE CAMP MEETING.
Six or Seven thousand Persons Present In.
cluding a yender of Grog.

cluding yender Of Grog.
The first camp meeting held by Meth
odists on which / can find any record
was enjoyed at Bolton, Conn, i'm the
early days OF June, 1906 My authorities
maintain that it was 1.-THE very first, Z"
but while not positively assured of this,
it is safe, think. TO claim that it was
the initial meeting OF tho kind in New
England.
Ii was held by Lorenzo Dow. Qf tht
reader will permit me l will not adop'
the custom of using the phrase, tho
eccentric Lorenzo Dow" a designation
which is but partly deserved) 1t was in
the course OF. one Of his famous "pere-
grinations." Reaching Bolton on FRI
day, the last day Of May, his respect
full desire to preach was not received
with favor by Parson Cotton of the
Presbyterian Church, who somewhat
brusquely declared il TO be ian en-
croachment on his own field" His people
in the thickly settled neghborhood y (O
shared his opinions i'm this, as in almost
every other matter, and were much pre-
JUDGED against Mr.. Dow and the Metho-
dists in general.
So bitter was their opposition that the
preacher spoke Of them with telling sar-
casm as the Federal Presbyterians.
They issued hand-worded commands
that the meeting should not be held in
the place, *prating about trepass-
ing" Finding that houses of every
kind were forbidden him, the intrepid
itinerant bethought to go out into the
fields to preach This true Wesleyan
idea set hard on the hearts OF Parson
Colton's flock, and Dow was given to
understand that il he preached in the
open air at any place in Bolton parish
the taking OF water from any brook or
well would constitute just cause for
prosecution for trepass. However,
Dow goes on TO say "a report having
prevailed that the, Indians in their times
had "a spring on the hill, to which they
resorted, | caused man to go in search
OF it. After some difficulty he struck
upon fountain beneath rock which
Afforded a sutli cient supply This was
a spot in the wood, solitary,
and not any mans owned land"
To it led "a lead-oT road, there ending
on the spot" The location, Dow is care
full TO state with ill-concealed exultation
was still in the township OF Bolton, on
the Andover parish line" Dow doubt
lessly believed that il was really, mo
mans property" but l am confident that
IL was at the time portion of Charles
Hutchins's farm POSSIBLY this namo
should be Church Hutchins instead Of
Charles.) The land is now owned by
Messrs. William Is. and Charles Kings
bury.
The preacher opened his meeting
Saturday, and records in his journal that
he had an agreeable time. In the
evening the work OF God began, and
from that time the work and the con-
gregation increased" So many people
came from distant places TO the ground
that Satan hoisted his standard near by;
for grog-man brought his liquors for
sale, but was constrained by threats,
when reason would not do, TO give il
over, the law being against him"
1t does not appear rs To how long the
meeting was held. The preacher says:
Sunday, June 2, some thousands APP
peared on the ground. Several found
peace. and (nirdbHe dicfu prejudice
seemed to wear of the minds Of the peo-
pie DR. Sumner OF Bolton says there
were six or seven thousand people on the
ground on that memorial Lords Day,
and adds that tibet was more than
have ever been in Bolton since. Chris
tian Advocate.