The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-07-11
SARGE PLUNILETf.
dldsTitHe Camp meeting Days.
atlanta Constitution.


0ldsTir.e Camp meeting Days.
atlanta Constitution.
Our folks are saving up eggs and
beginning to primp for visit to the
chautauqua at Ponce de Leon springs.
Brown and I have our way some
times=times when there is not much
at stake-but We t1e7gr try to control
the movements Of our households Upon
such an. issue as visiting the chautau-
duas. When woman gets it in her
head that it is an indication of "ad-
vanced ideas" in one to see them TAX
ing hand in these chautauquas, old
fogies like nae and Brown had as we'll
take back seat. #e generally agree
at once and 60 along just to set aid
| wink at each other as the wives look
knowing when the lecturer gets off
some Greek phrase with scientific
flourish. Me and Brown would like to
know if there is any fellow in Georgia
who has women folks, who will ac-
knowledge that they do not exactly
appreciate scientific lectures nor think
operatic music ''just splendid. :"
Brown says that at least q few people
run the world-set the pace and mold
opinion.
AS for us-me and BROWNIE ac-
| knowledge that We had rather sit on
slab benches under bush arbor at
some good, old camp ground and hear
| one of the old "unlarned" preachers
| with q hallelujah lick. These old
| preachers would make you understand
that there was hell, and they would
be so plain about it that you could
almost smell the birthstone and they
would make you understand that there
was heaven, and that over there we
would meet our friends, and generally
at about this stage in their sermon,
some good old sister would begin clap
ping her hands and hollering "Glory,
glory, glory p and in shorter time
than it would take ''larned" lecturer
to sip little ioe water from his glass
the whole arbor was in wild uproar
in praise to God and in love with
Jesus. A scientific discourse never
created such scene and can never
count on such results.
We have been watching the family
getting ready for the chautauqua and
it forced npon us memories of the old
campmeetings. Our old meetings
were held after lay-by. Work time
was over there was no anxiety, a
sweet peace reigned in all the rural
land. Away back at hog-killing some
of the incest hams had been put away
for campmeeting. Chickens had grown
as campmeeting chickens. Preserves
had been kept, eggs saved mp, butter
on hand-everything had been antici-
pated to make the occasion joyful
one.
At the proper time neighbors met
and cleaned up the campground. The
"tents" we're seen to, new brush was
put upon the arbor, old benches were
replaced with new ones, and what a
time the children would have sweep
ing, raking and burning to make every
thing clean. Tents were filled with
new wheat straw at last, cooking uten-
sils and provisions, beds and bedding
and the people began to move in. A
revival was right on hand--a revival
Of old friendship, of brotherly love-
of love and faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. If neighbors had grievances
one with another, they brought them
not to the campground. The sorrow
ing came to be cheered and the weary
came to rest. From away Of the good
old preachers would come. From
other counties friends and kindred
would pour. From the towns the
young cousins would flock end such
times can only be imagined now.
Such feast Of friendship renewed,
such a forgiving Of hearts estranged, :,
such flow of good old-time religion l
am afraid is thing of the past.
How many Of the dear old "unlarn-
ed" could we name to-day whose utter
ances at these meetings saved souls
and set the pace of moral standards.
Sectarian roles were laid aside and the
'.amends" of the staunch old Hard
shell mingled with the "glory halla-
luah" of the shouting Methodist. 10
God was all the glory given in word
and song. A thousand voices would
join in
Gall hail the power of Jesus name,
Let angels prostrate fal!
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown him Lord of ALL"
Under such strains the young people
pressed to the altar and implored the
prayers of these old preachers. Moth
ers wept over sons and fathers kelt by
the daughters, and such an outpouring
of thanks to the Lord as was there
could hardly fail to bring its reward.
For months afterward the result was
| seen, as young men and young women
connected themselves with the church
of their choice and dated their turn in
life from the sermon at the camp
ground at the last camp meeting.
| God bless these old preachers !! They
may be forgot under the pressure OF
so much learning and science, but the
world must get back to their simple
ways and honest methods, or 60 to the
eternal pow-wows. You may hammer
upon the understanding with all your
weight of learning, but the heart must
be touched with brotherly love and
simple faith in Jesus. Sensation in
the pulpit, science in religion, feeds
the mind on diet as unwholesome in
its effects as the overshadowing of the
old-time preacher is damning in its
results.
The young generation may wonder
how such multitude of people could
be fed and slept without great hotel
at hand. II was easy enough and
happy privilege Of the country people.
They wed with each other in securing
the crowd, and if there was ever a jar
in all the meeting it might be caused
by some good old preacher not sharing
the hospitalitv with some one who
thought he hau a right to claim him.
Long tables were set in front of every
"tent' for the hungry, and sweet
scented straw answered for the beds
at night. A partition made by the
stretching of sheets along the center
of the tent generally divided the boys