The sun., 1894-09-02
The Camp Meeting Season Closed

Inc sanip Ntettnk Seusoh SioSeu.
The camp meeting at Ocean Grove. in New
Jersey, was brought to a close on Thursday
after season remarkable for the great at
tendance on its religious exercises, but not
distinguished by its fruitfulness in spiritual
conversions.
Never before have the crowds at
Ocean Grove and its neighbor, Asbury
Park, been larger than this year.
The trains going thither have been
packed with people, both those running
regularly and those provided specially for
excursion parties and associations. Materi-
ally the season has been prosperous. The
hotels have been FULL the shops along the
board walk have been extensively patron
ized, the places of refreshment In the towns
have had reason TO be satisfied with their
gains, and never has the multitude OF bath
ers at the beach been greater. The colored
brother has not been the cause Of contention
he was in former years. The race question
has not forced itself into prominence. Gen
orally il has been fortunate season for the
region 80 far as the things Of this world go.
Martha's Vineyard, also, according TO the
reports, has prospered equally in the same
way; but at neither campmeeting ground
has there been an outpouring Of the spirit
such as would have gladdened the souls of
the Methodists of the earlier days before
camp meetings were made the basis OF
successful real estate speculation. More
of the world than of heaven has been ap-
parent The exhorters have not stirred sin
ners after the fashion OF former times.
Conversions have not been many, even
Nl,aaa
ance on the camping grounds, they have
been few. Under the milder warnings OF
this Kind the people are not fleeing
from the wrath TO come with the old
alarm. They seem TO be losing their
fear OF hell, probably because there is
not the same conviction of it's reality.
The change that has come over even the
Methodists with respect 10 belief in future
tlamnatiOn is very great. BriRgslsm, too,
has affected them enough to cool the ardor
OF their faith, The criticism Of the Bible
which has been going on among the theOlO-
gians themselves has not transformed the
declared sentiment OF representative assem-
blies and conventions, but il has spread the
seeds Of skepticsm among the body Of the
members of the churches. They are less
aggressive and more defensive.
The closing exercises of the Ocean Grove
camp meeting were marked by celebration
of the Lords Supper, in which more than
1000 communicates took part, The meet
ing beEan with this ceremony and IL ended
with II. But even into that holy mystery
there entered thoughts incOngruous with its
profound religious solemnity and its high
spiritual elevation. The discussion of the
danger OF the communication of disease by
the common chalice has now become 50 gen
eral and 80 serious that il must have AFFECT
ed the minds Of many OF the thousands To
whom the sacrament was administered at
Ocean Grove on Thursday. Ii is inducing
an alarm which Is having the consequence
of preventing members of all Protestant
churches from communicating in more than
one kind, and even deterring some
from the Lords Supper altogether.
The papers especially representative
Of their religious divisions are
careful 70 avoid reference 70 the subject,
but its discussion is proceeding and extend
ing in spite OF them, and before long they
will be compelled to engage in it, for the
question raised is Of the greatest Importance
70 the very existence of the practice Of com
munion Of both kinds. Scientific opinion,
nay, scientific demonstration, Is OPPnreA to
the use Of tbs common Chaliee As dangerous