The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-30
THE END AT ooEAN eRoTE.
atman ..soprs In the Nisht- the CAMP
Meeting Feature.


OCEAN GROVE, n. j., Aug. 29.-This was the
last day Of the great camp meeting. The ser
vices began with q ~lovcfeast ut $3.50 o'clock this
morning and continued all day. The camp
meeting this year has not been as successful
materially or spiritually ms in former years. by
all odds the feature OF this seasons services was
the Songs in the Night given by tho Rev. c.
II. Yatmnn at the Auditorium on the evening OF
Aug 10.
Nothing like It had ever before been given
here, and there were many who predicted that
1t would prove n failure; but so great was its
success that next year 1t will he repeated prob
ably several times during tho season. 1t is
probably the only public religious ceremony
ever held in absolute darkness in this part of
the world.
Mr.. Yntman conceived tho idea when he was
at a service in the Greek Cathedral at st. Peters.
burg. There the service Is conducted by the
light of candles which in that vast cditicc threw
only a very dim light. To the mind OF tho
American revivalist. skilled in the mechanism OF
emotional religion, tho influence OF the darkness
on tho worshippers Immediately suggested 1t.
self. Later he went to the various churches in
Moscow, where he heard the wonderful chimes
and the fine music. These matters he revolved
In his brain until on his return he evolved q
scheme Of service in the darkness. This required
tho llhlhlb VI lNh "iu NbV POI
lection of a carefully arranged method. Under
Mr.. Yatman' 8 supervision choruses were trained.
music was arranged, and an electric switch was
contrived whereby from the preachers desk tho
entire auditorium could be lighted up and dark
ened by pressing a button. After various do
lays tho date was set.
To advertise the service was quito unneces-
sary. 1t had been the main topic OF conversa-
tion in this place from the time whom the first
N,n ri 1 onrnn.t nhrnnH I'm h Nnnhny
night OF the performance the auditorium was
packed to the doors with an audience of fully
no one knew what the service was to DO other
than that the lights were to he turned out. Al
s9aGT!SSfi s is M To- be- Ssl a ser name fd 5pr the sos and f Il : a
solemn, holy thing. I will ask everyone to keep
perfect silence during the service"
hall went out. Except for the bars OF pale green
opposite the windows; where the radiance from
tho audience. everything was in darkness. A
nervous rustic went through the hill, but al
organ @SsS 'P besan singing n very y, y0 softly !,' Beyond esai%i the the
As the voices grew stronger and louder the
effect was that of n band of singing pilgrims
marching in from a distance; Then the song
emn tones Of a GFesoEian chant, and as
they rolled through the building there
the sndd ePDe of e iiEhtni Ms.' Gui sSpyeP head T't OF
Christ. Through the senses OF sight and hear
Ing the emotional natures or the audience were
thus strenuously appealed to. and the response
could be felt in a certain thrill that went through
the thousands.
After the flashing revelation of the Christ the
rest was in danger of becoming an anti-climax.
but the continual appeal of the music. now from
a violin, now from a woman's voice singing
alone somewhere far of in the darkness, now
from a tremendous chorus OF the thou
sands present. successfully sustained tho
fervor. 1t was an hour and a quarter before
the audience sang Home. Sweet Home, and
the lights were turned on. Outside a thunder
storm was raging, but few had noticed il. so in
tense vas the interest in the service. Mr.. Vat
man was congratulated on all sides. and
hundreds begged him to repeat the Songs in
the Night" but he said that 1t would bo i'm
possible.
Next year." said he afterward to a reporter.
there will be other services Of this sort, but
the labor entailed is immense. Any one who
has ever trained choruses and knows how diff
cult It is to get people to sing well together I'M
der leadership. can imagine how that difficulty
is magnified when the singers must lead them.
selves.
20 course, in tho darkness it was quite i'm
possible to have "A leader. My principal fear was
that when the lights were shut Off some OF the
hysterical women might faint or shrek and
start a panic. To guard against this I had fifty
trusty men stationed, in various parts Of the
house, ready to 9uell the beginnings Of any
could instantly have turned on the lights. Tho
service. l am glad to say. was a complete sue
cess. and .! believe 1t has done much to stir up o
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