The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-09
OCEAN GROVES AUDITORIUM.
Beginning OF the DedicatOry Exer-
clses Today

Special to the Jersey CaU Ne,cs.
OCEAN GROVE, Aug. 9, 1S94.-The old
Methodist pioneers, who twenty-five years
ago pitched their tents on what was then
sandy MASTERS and organized the Ocean
Grove Camp Meeting Association, consider
this the greatest day in the history of their
association. For this morning began the
three days dedicatory exercises OF their new
auditorium, which they say can accommodate
10000 people and which is universally ack-
nowledged to be one of the largest buildings
of its kind in the country. Some of the
more enthusiastic breathern going SO far as
to declare That it is the largest. 1t has al
ready been described in IL JERSEY CITY
NEWS.
Totlay's services are more of an introduc-
tory nature and consisted almost entirely OF
ermons The usual Young peoples meeting,
under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Yatnlan,
and the Holiinsis meeting We're held III the
morning, and at ten O'Clock people began TO
flock to tine new auditorium to hear Chap
lain C. c. McCabe preach. Mr.. McCabe is
one of the most eloquent preachers of the de-
nomination. He was a chaplain in the Army
during the war. and being captured by the
CoHfederates spent some time in Libby
Prison. He is famous throughout Metho-
distdom as the "best beggar" in the Church,
and whenever a burdensome debt Is to be
raised or a big collection is to be gotten from
a particularly stubborn congregation, his
services are always required. He has a most
entertaining way of singing and preaching
the dollars out of the pockets OF men and
women, and the fact that the auditorium
cost more than the original estimates which
additional amount is to be raised this week
accounts for the Chaplain's presence here
today.
Some attempt was made to decorate the
fnta,inr of fhn auditorium hnt the lHAot
was lost in its vastness. Over the reading
desk was a gold and black sign bearing the
legend, 'slS69, Ocean Grove, 1894" while at
the back of the platform in huge letters of
evergreens was the text, Peace on eartn,
good will towards men," Masses of bright
hued flowers were placed upon the platform.
An immense audience filled the 1900 or more
seats when the services began.
Chaplain McCabe preached one OF his
characteristic missionary sermons which
was in a measure an historic retrospect of
Ocean Grove. He traced the growth of this
place from its inception in those DAYS when
the devote Methodists of the New Jersey
conference chose it as a spot at which to
worship God and lead sinners to Christ in
the not summer months, down to the present
day. He also told of the great good it had
done in the past and its possibilities i'll that
direction forsthe future. He closed with the
usual exortation to the vast audience to CON
tribute to the cost OF the building, and re-
ceiued a liberal reply.
Dir, C. EsF Maddenville of Chicago will
lecture this afternoon on .'The Seven
Churches of ASIA, and in the evening DR..
McCabe will deliver his famous lecture on
1.-The Bright Side. of Life in Libby Prison."
Bishop Bowman, the senior Bishop of the
Methodist Church, will preach tomorrow
morning, and on Saturday Bishop Walden
will occupy the pulpit.
The formal dedieatoTy services will be
held Sunday. At the morning service Bishop
Bowman, Senator Bradley, DR.. Thomas
Hanlon, principal of Pennington Seminary,
and others will make brief addresses, and
Bishop Fowler will preach i'll the evening.
At the close of the Bishops sermon the
Auditorium will be dedicated to the service
and worship of Almighty God by Bishop
Bowman, according to the discipline of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.