The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-06
THE CAMP MEETING,

| The question opened Tor discussion
was: "How shall we get the most out
| OF the camp meeting?" and the most OF
| he ministers who wrote their views to the
Herald displayed deep interest in the
subject, and variety of opinion, al
though not all OF them were OF pronounced
conviction.
New England is pretty full OF camp
meetings these days, from the imposing
city at Martha's Vineyard, to the lesser
settlements acattered about the country
places. As nearly as we may judge of what
appears to be the consensus of opinion of
the symposium, the New England camp
meeting does not accomplish all the good
1t might. That is not necessarily a
pessimistic view for it is not believed tnat
the churches themselves achieve the
highest success in any field. Moth
ing is perfect in any quarter. No good
work is ever complete. There is always
room for greater effort and an improve
ment of methods.
The proposition how to get the most
out OF the camp meeting is reduced to
the simple proposition OF how to get
more out OF II than is now apparent and
the views advanced comprise suggestions
reaching from one extreme OF concen-
trating religious efforts and evangelizing
the camp ground to the othor extreme OF
loosening il up ana max ing II even more
than 1t sometimes appears to be what our
other esteemed contemporary, the Chris
tian Register, has termed without inten-
tional irreverence "religious picnic"
there is prevailing idea that the times
and Methodism have by no means out
grown the camp meetings, that such
religiou gatherings continue to accom-
plish a good work, aud that while they
ought to be made to accomplish more,
there is no good reason for abandoning
them as factor and an instrument of
church processes. Many OF the ministers
VINO participate in the discussion, warn
their fellows never to lose sight OF the
main purpose of the camp meeting,
which is "the salvation of the people,"
One ministers suggests that more free
devotional work by all hands, rather
than the securing OF eloquent and famous
preachers as "card" will, in the end,
be OF the greater influence in camp meet
ing interest, and he does not favor the
mixing up OF the modern summer school
idea with the camp meeting idea.
One, however, believes in encouraging the
summer school in the camp meeting.
Again 1t Is pointed out that the society
prayer meeting was originally at the bot
tom of the camp meeting scope and plan,
and 1t ought, now, to predominate.
One writer expresses whist would seem to
be logical enough, that the first thing
necessary TO the success OF camp
meetings is to get the people to go to
the meetings ana something of this idea
runs through many OF the letters, various
plans for ''sdvertising" the meetings in
advance and working up an interest to
secure a larger attendance being proposed.
Several Of the writer's warn their fell
lows that they should not regard camp
meeting time as vacation for them but
rather a pelod for extra jealous work
along lines more free perhaps than Is
possible in the pulpit-and that neither
ministry nor laymen should be too crit
icai or on the watch to compare sermons
bearing in mind that the camp meeting
is no "preaching match" occasion.
"lt may be as pious to take summer
vacation as 10 pray" suggests one writer.
"Moderp camp meetings are just as
right and as generally righteous as the
bush meetings frOulswhich they sUrans, &"
he adds In. seemi-g plea not to be too
much afraid OF the "picnic' idea. The
old time bush meetings while often
brought 10. a white heat of iervor did
not always show the best result in the
final summing mp OF the saved and
in those days "the unsanctilied
came in mobs and not infrequently
put the saints to route, while today the
peaceful camp Is rarely disturbed 10y
rowdies. II Is pointed out that because
of the frequency OF revivals thorugh the
year that feature OF camp meetings now
ceases to be q novelty, and perhaps we
ough; to to content II we get a quiet
and enjoyable summer outing from II and
a