The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-02
THREE THOUSAND THERE
YESTERDAY WAS a BANNER DAY
FOR THE ACTON ASSOCIATION.
Good Attendance at Bethany Park
Services Held Undergthe Trees
The Programme.

weather or the morning. About noon the
clouds disappeared and the sun started in
to show what it could do, and for the rest
of the day the soda pop bottle, the ice
cream can and the refrigerated water
melon were, in the language of a wilted
belle, "the exposures of all eyes" Even
the famous shade of the many elms and
naples would not mitigate the heat, and
though the people sat upon the grass or
reclined in the settees or used the rocking
chairs of the verandas they found their
endeavors to keep cool quite in vain. Some
promenaded about as though pedestrian
ism were a means for reducing tempera-
ture Some seemed to think that standing
around with a vacant n't-know-what-to
do expression was the requirement of the
hour, and yet some there were who
gagged in a fruitess quest for vantage
points where perchance they might catch a
vagrant puff of sea breeze. But these were
principally those who came for an outing
or a picnic. Those who came for worship,
on the other hand, found a forgetfulness
of the heat in attendance at the pavilion
services. One of the good bishops of the
church, John M Walden, spoke morning
and afternoon, and on each occasion a
great audience profited by his wisdom and
eloquence.
The outpouring of the country people was
particularly gratifying, and hundreds of
rigs kept stringing into the gates all day.
The scene reminded old-timers of the ia
nous campmeeting days of the long ago,
when the park was so crowded on some oc-
casions as hardly to admit of stirring
about. 1t was not SO bad as that yester-
day, but it bad enough. The campus
grounds and the leading avenues were full
of people, most of whom were young
SWANS from the farms and their best girls
dressed in Sunday go-tomeeting clothes.
Some of these young people, but only
few be it said, were in the predicament of
the man in the song who had but 80 cents.
These few, after inquiring the price of
dinner at the hotel, could be seen to line
up at the lunch counter and call for pie.
And there was even one young couple who
hadn't the 20 cents admittance fee to the
grounds; so the young man tore off three
fence pailings and let his girl in, all of
which gave Officer yelling some diverting
employment.
The hotel did the greatest business of the
season, and furnished a handsome meal.
Hotels at summer resorts usually do the
contrary, and even at Acton complaints in
past years have been very strenuous. 1t is
therefore a matter of felicitation to the
trustees that a needed reform has been
wrought in this respect The association
secures quite a revenue from the hotel,
though 1t is conducted by private parties.
Besides the meals the hotel diSpenses pop,
peanuts, watermelon and ice cream, and it
is said on good authority that some of the
good Methodist patrons, struggling with
the law of Sunday observance, took the
things they so much desired, but Stipu-
lated that payment be not demanded until
the secular week began. The purveyors
are pleased to note, however, that those
who so strictly adhere to this Sunday rule
are few in number.
HARRY JENKINS'S DANGER.
Some of the boys about the camp re-
ceived a severe lesson late in the after
noon on the evil of swimming on Sunday.
Harry Jenkins, whose sister is a tenter,
went down on the train from Indianapolis,
and in the afternoon yielded to the enticing
GOODNESS of the water of Buck creek. AS
a result he came very near drowning. He
had sunk three times when Lou Steeg and
others succeeded in rescuing him. After
working with him for time he was re-
suscitated and though after the scare was
over he treated the matter lightly, yet he
had very narrow escape, and the day
came near being marked by a tragical oc-
currence.
Evangelist j. D. Hartsock made a little
visit to Indianapolis on Saturday and re-
turned with considerable printed matter
which occasioned some cOmmotion about
the camp in the morning. Among this
printed matter were several hundred cards
fGdQlQSs a
ease in Zion!'' These cards were tackled
on every cottage door and on many trees,
so that every person read them. They We're
intended as the first bugle note of the
eVangelistic period of power and were call
culated to arouse out of their turpitude
the Christian souls of the campers. AS
was expected, they were the topic of discus
sion, and the first manifestations of inter-
est in the coming work for the salvation of
sinners We're to be noted in the talk and
conduct of the people. Other printed ma
terial brought by Mr.. Hartsock, however,
did not receive such a favorable reception.
Desiring TO please the choir, which is made
up of local talent, Mr.. Hartsock had badges
in red and white printed, with the words
Roberts and Jennings Choir, Acton As
sembly, 1897" 1t is now said that some
mutilation of the badges is necessary in or
der to satisfy some scruples of modesty,
and the badges will simply read Choir,
Acton Assembly 1897
held a meeting Saturday night, but adj
journed to meet again on tuesday, owing
The business before the board Is chiefly
that of electing a new superintendent of
the camp, and much interest is being taken
in the result. 1t is said the board is
Robert Roberts, the present superintendent,
being said to have three votes and George
Hodell, the present treasurer, three votes.
THE DAYS SERVICES.
The days programme yesterday at the
pavilion began with an old-fashioned class
meeting at y o ClOCkS lOllOWeQ ny IL sermon
by Bishop John M Walden. In the after
noon Bishop Walden lectured on Africa
and its Evangeization while at night
Evangelist Hartsock preached a stirring
sermon.
The morning class meeting was largely
attended and was conducted on the old-style
principle of exhortation and individual par
ticipation. More than hundred testimonies
of a vivid, definite character We're given
and the religious fervor was wrought UP to
a high pitch The evangelist led in the
meeting and the general topic was "Radi-
cal Conversion the text being found in
Isaiah.
Bishop Walden's morning discourse was
an explanation of the way in which God
works within the soul to influence mans
deeds, and showed that while man is n
helpless creature in many respects, yet he
terry of this paradox is to be explained the
speaker said that were a solution of it
necessary God would have made ii plain
to man, but il was as impossible for the
finite brain to comprehend il as 1t is 10
comprehend the principle of life which
cult to know how the infinite can cooperate
with the finite and yet leave man free
agent There are conditions in the moral
as well as the physical environment against
which man can make no Roadway, but after
all this has been recognized there still re-
mains a large measure of personal respon-
sbilty. God pours His spirit out to all the
world heather and Christian alike, to in
fuence man to will and 10 do, and il is the
duty of Christians to make themselves sus-
ceptible to this influence. God does not
will for anybody. He simply makes it
Afa4tl doc l.. 10