The Portland daily press., 1893-09-04

who dwelt on the hills round about
called it colloquially, 'sThe Hook" 1t
was quiet village during 81 weeks of
the year, but for one week it was full of
life. It's three or four streets were then
crowded with people. Then every fam
lily kept open house. Then the whole
countryside turned out. Then the half
dozen stores of The Hook did a rushing
business. Then the 10 acre grove that
nestled between the village and West
hill was filed with snowy tents. Then
the shadows under the trees were driven
away by blazing fires at night, and ring
ing words Of exhortation and shouts Of
glory and melody of hymns went up to
the blue vault through the branches ev-
cry hour of the "a.
That week was camp meeting week,
and if I couldn't be member of my
grandfather's family during that week
the whole year seemed wasted. The
meetings were held by the Methodists,
and the Presbyterians and Baptists
turned in and helped them enjoy the
week. Camp meeting there and then
was the event of the entire twelvemonth
socially, spiritually and in business.
Camp meeting week always came be-
tween haying and harvest time, when
there was a lull 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
bishing 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 well
attended. From that time on the crowd
would grow till Sunday, when the at
tendance would number 5000 or 900.
Families would drive 20 or 80 miles to
the Sunday services, and to do this they
would have to start from their homes
by 2, and o'clock in the morning.
The sermons were models Of fiery zeal.
Their fervor was beyond description,
and they swayed the assemblage as a
field of grain is swayed in fierce gale.
The singing was congregational" but
it assisted the preacher in controlling the
audience. By Thursday night "the
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 "GloryP and
then fall unconscious to the ground.
Many who came to scott would yield to
the influence of the spirit and go about
the grounds singing with a strange joy,
weeping tears of pleading with friends
who were as yet unconvicted of sin. By
Sunday night the number of those still
unaffected would be greatly diminished.
Every year there were conversions Of
some who had held out SO long that their
friends and relatives had lost all hope of
their souls.
The retaining of s'backsliders" was
as important 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 some especially notable event of one
kind or the other, so that it became a
sort of landmark in the memory of the
entire community. Of course some Of
the young folks who ATTENDED these camp
meetings used to 'scut up" There was
more or less "sparkin'' going on on the
back seats among the shadows. But on
the whole good order was maintained,
and oftentimes some of the widest"
young men and women were 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 camp
meeting purposes. A few years later