The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1893-09-09

WHO dwelt on the. hills round about
called it colloQ1lially, THE Hook" 1t
was quiet village during il weeks OF
the year, but for one week ii was full of
life. Its three OF four streets were then
crowded with people Then every fam
lily kept open house. Then the whole
countryside tnrned out, Then the half
lozen stores Of The Hook did rushing
business. Then the 10 acre grove that
nestled between the village and West
hill was filled with snowy tents. Then
the shadows under the trees were driven
away by blazing fires at night, and ring
ing words Of exhortatinn and shouts Of
glory and melody of Lvlnns went up to
the blue vault through the branches ev-
cry hour Of the 24. ..
That week was camp meeting week.
aal if couldn't be Il member of my
-ra1dfatlei's family during that week
the whole year seemed wasted. The
meetings We're held by the Methodists,
and the Presbyterians and B;jp1ists
turned il and helped them enjoy The
week. Camp meeting there and then
was the event of the entire twelvemCntb
socially, spiritually and III business.
Camp meeting week always came be-
tween haying AM harvest time, when
there was !; lrll in the hard work Of the
summer.
The meetings used to begin on Tues
day. Monday was devoted to the pitch
ing of tents, and the repairing of the
plank seats, and the getting together Of
pine knots for the fires that should illu-
inmate the evening services. and the fur
bislin@ Of the preachers stand. The
tenters would not all get moved in be-
fore Tuesday night, and so the first day
OF the meeting was usually not VERY we'll
attended. From that time on the crowd
| would grow till Sunday, when the at
tendance would number 5000 or 4 00O
| Families would drive 20 OF 30 miles to
| the Sunday services, and to do this they
would have to start from their homes
| by 2 3 and 4 O'Clock in the morning.
The sermons We're models Of fiery zeal
Their fervcr was beyond Description
and they swuyed the assemb1aye #s a
| field Of grain is swayed III !, fierce gale
| The singing was congregational, but
it assisted the preacher III controlling the
audience. BY Thursday night ''tlle
power would be present. By Saturday
night there would be dozens Of cases
All day Sunday men and women would
jump into the air shouting ''Giory!" and
then fall unconscious To the ground
| Many who came to scoiT would YIELD to
| the influence Of tie spirit and go about
| the grounds singing with Il strange joy,
weeping tears Of pleading with friends
who were as yet uncouvicted OF SIN. By
Sunday night the number Of those still
unaffected would be greatly diminished.
| Every year there We're conversions OF
some who had held out SO long that their
| friends and relatives had lost all hope of
| their souls.
The reclaiming of ''backsliders" was
as important a part of the work done at
| the camp meetings at The Hook as the
conviction and conversion Of sinners,
and every years meeting was marked
by SONG especially notable event Of one
kind or the other, SO that it becane {:
sort Of landmark in the memory Of the
entire community OF course some OF
the young folks who attended these caml
meetings used to ''cut up There was
more OF less ''sparkin'' going on on the
back seats among the shadows. But on
the whole good order was maintained
and oftentimes some of the ..wildest'
young men and women We're convicted
and converted, to become powerful allies
of the preachers among those who were
still in their sins.
In those days the owner of the grounds
charged no rent for their use for calnI
meeting purposes. A few years late1