Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-19

tent worship. but to enjoy it at Ocean Grove, the location of tho most famous camp meeting in the world, instead of going to the meetings they had so many years attended in Brother Fosdick's woods"
 They had made the journey from their inland home fully prepared. they be- lieved, for the unexpected, but not for such a crowd of persons, to their eyes thoroughly "citificd'' in dress and man. ner, nor for such noise and hustle, nor for tho policemen that were scattered about. But after bit they pluckcd up courage and took seats in one of the carryall-likc stages that navigate he tween the station and "the Grove" The fare was 10 cents apiece, and later they learned with dismay that all but cents of the 20 they expended for the trans portation might have been saved by walking n half mile or thereabouts and paying a fcrriagc fee of cent each across tho little lake that divides 'the Park" and "thc Grove"
 It had been their intention, on the advice of friends who knew of the ar engagements for temporal comfort at Ocean Grove, to rent a furnished tent and live under canvas there, as they were wont to do at home, but when they learned that tents rent for $1 a day. tables for 90 cents a week, chairs for 25 and other things in proportion they figuerd up the cost when the food should be paid for. considered the trou- ble of keeping house and decided to board at tho hotel at which they had been set down by the stage driver and devote their time to worship and rest and decorous sightseeing.
 During their first day at ''the Grove" they met with but one experience at all familiar. It was repeated often during the fortnight to which their stay was extended and was furnished by the fer vor of the love feasts- No other feature of these gather ings was like the love feasts they had enjoyed at home There 1t was an extremely well attended love feast if 200 were present, and in such cases the feast would be held under the trees in front of the preachers stand. Often tho attendance would not exceed a score or so, and then the gathering would be under the canvas of one of the larger of the brethrcn's tents. At Ocean Grove the love fcasts were held in vast auditorium, and the attend ance varied from 5, 900 to 1000. The size of the building and tho immensity of the throng at first quite took their breath away. At tho feasts they had been accustomed to the brethren and sisters
 broke bread together and drank water from the same cup. Here they could do nothing of the sort because of the vast .,ft h,,f ,hssg ta was introduced that warmed the hearts | of the visitors nightly.
 "Let every brother and every sister,
 said tho leader in loud, clear tones,
 'shake hands with every brother and
 sister within reaching distance" Then every one stood. and there was
 swaying of the multitude as if q
 mighty wind had swept over it. Here and there every one reached for hands,
 and the man with the fringe of snowy chin whiskers and the woman with prunella shoes found that, though the
 hands extended to them were softer than those of most of the brothers and sisters met at the love fcasts at home, they were not less cordial. Above the rustling | of garments and the murmur of low spoken greetings, too. werc heard the
 familiar ejaculations of Praise the
 Lordr' and "Halleluiahr' and there
 came from the lips of the fervid up
 oountryman himself O soul satisfied
 "Amenr' as his being was permeated
 with the spirit of the time and place.
 After little tho voice of the leader.
 penetrating every part of the building.
 was heard again-
 "Now shake hands with mer' he
 cried, and every right hand in the throng