Smyrna times., 1897-08-04
Temperance Day at Camden Camp.

Yesterday was Temperance Day at
Camden Camp, and to certain extent
it was Smyrna Day" also, for there
were some fifty people from the town,
as we'll as a fair representation from
the country. The day was a charm
ing one, and in attendance and gen.
eral success, it was pronounced one of
the best Temperance Days" the camp
has ever had. Mrs Kate E. Smithers,
President of the Kent County W. G.
7. u, had the responsibility of ar
rangement, and presided at the sue
sive meetings of the day. When the
Smyrna contingent reached the grove
of hallOwed memories, which was
shortly after 10 o'clock, VIM. T.
Smithers, Esq, of Dover, was deliver
ing a carefully prepared address to
large audience, which took the time
until about eleven o'clock. Like those
that followed, it was pointed and de-
cided against the drink habit, the cen
tral thought being that every step in
the direction of the saloon was step
downward, fact emphasized for the
consideration of the young in every
song, prayer or speech of the day.
Rev. T. A. H. O'Brien, of Frederica,
made short collection" speech, fol-
lowed by the second advertised
speaker, Rev. A. Smith, d. D., of
Dover. Mr.. Smith has been heard so
often by the people of this section on
the temperance question that they un-
derstand his pOsitiOn-intemperance is
the dominant evil in wrecking homes
and uniting men for eternal life-that
it is unnecessary for us to refer to it
except to say that he was at his best.
His address was nearly an hour long,
but the audience remained intact, as
if in full sympathy with the speaker.
The afternoon was given to Rev.
Sam Small, prefaced by a service of
song, led by Mrs. r. H. Matlack. In
addition to other music, solos were
sung by L. NJ. Price, Miss Mary Can
non, of Dover, Mrs. Layton, of Will
mingtOn, and duet of unusual sweet
ness of harmony by Mrs. J. L. VOL
colt and VIM. L. Smithers, of Dover.
Small was a drawing card. AS was
the case in the morning, the tabernacle
was filled in every seat, camp stools
crowded in the aisles and at the sides,
and many standing besides throughout
the long services.
1t was ten minutes of three
O'Clock when Rev. Small was intro
duced to his audience of 5000 or 1000
listeners, and he held them at the end
of his tongue for full hour and half.
He was new to the most of his listen
ers, and he held them unmOvable, ex
cept when stiSred by emotion, until
the end. He has the cOnsummate
tact of the OratOr-a dictum of earnest
ness, with enough deliberation to let
the thought ''soak in illustrated
with incident, jokes that lap over to
the ridiculous, but elucidated often
with expressions of thrilling power, and
with all, positiveness and earnestness
that for the time holds the speaker and
his subject supreme before the au-
dience.
The speech was followed by a Cane
presentation-made by Mr.. C. c. Case,
of near FELTON,. First was a presenta-
tiOn to Mr.. Small by Mr.. Smith, and
he in turn was the medium through
which one was presented to Mr.. Smith,
each making proper acknowledge
ments from the platform. Then fol-
lowed presentations to four layman
who were ProhibitiOnists days 365 and
6hOurs in the year-Chas. H. Register,
r. NJ. Cooper, William Denney and
McIlrOy McIlvane.
Temperance Day" has got to be an
important feature of the Camden Camp,
which holds over until next week.