The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-23
Northfield Summer Conferences.
EAST NoETIlrELD, Mass, Aug. is.

EDITORS lNTELLIGENCER: IL Will nU
doubt sound strange to most OF your
readers to heara man say that he is
sleeping under two quilts and a blanket,
but so am doing nevertheless. North
field is situated in the Connecticut
Valley on the northern boundary of
Massachusetts. Nearby on one hand
are the Green Mountains of Vermont
and on the other the White Mountains
of New Hampshire. The country is
limestone and the kentucky blue grass,
timothy and other grasses seem to grow
spontaneously and luxuriantly as if
indigenous to the soil, and all the face
of the earth is green from the grass,
trees and growing corn. The town of
Northield sits on the hip of the hills,
or mountains, / know not what term to
use, OH the east side of the Connecti-
cut river. 1t was founded in 1868, and
has 1000 population. There are th1ee
churches and public library. 1t is
not a business town but Il town OF
homes and Of beauty. The people
seem to take an interest in preserving
the history of the place. You will read
on huge granite monuments here and
there as you walk about the place:
"Here on this lot was built Il poop in
1G-"(M "Herc under a spreading oak
was held the first public religious ser
vice in 1G-' C) "Here James Dickin
son and William Hamilton, compan-
ion of Dickinson, were murdered and
scalpcd by the Indians in 1747.'
Perhaps themost important feature
of Northfell to-day is its schools.
Here in East Northield, where the
Convention is being held, is the Semi
nary for girls. This school has in at
tendance $50 students. Over the river
on the west side is Mount Hermon, the
boys school, with about $50. The
schools are, in the features of their
work, Clemson and Winthrop. North
field has Clemson on one side and
Winthrop OH the other. Here in the
seven or eight separate brick and stone
halls of the Seminary and in numerous
tents stretched on the green fields and
in the fringe OF the woods the visitors
to the Convention are lodged, and in
three scperate- buildings they are fed.
These schools have been built by the
influence and energy Of Mr.. Moody
The different buildings of each are in
large measure the private gifts of indi-
vidual men. They stand here silent
testimonials to the willingness OF some
Christian men of wealth to give their
money when they are satisfied it will
be usefully and successfully employed.
The meetings OF the Convention are
held here in a large Auditorium, built
by order Of the Convention and paid
for by the same from year to year. The
Auditorium will seat about 5000 peo-
pie and Judge is about 2-3 or sc full
at each meeting. There are three
meetings a day at the Auditorium and
one open air meeting on Ground Top
at G:3O p. N. The attendance Mt the
Conference includes all ages and al
most all names of people-pastors, mis-
sionaries, teachers, and Christian work
ers of all descriptions and from all
parts OF the country. The South is
largely represented here, especially
Georgia. Your correspondent has been
pleased to meet here DR.. and Mrs.
Osburr, from Columbia, and Dr..
Brougllton, from Atlanta. had the
pleasure personally to congratulate
Broughton OH the completeness OF his
victory in Atlanta.
The principal speakers Of the Con-
ference are F. i. Meyer and Campbell
Morgan, of London, and Sidney a. Syl-
wyn, of Bournemoutll, Eng, and r. A.
Lorrey, of Chicago. Meyer is a Bap-
tist, Morgan is Il Congregationalist,
Sylwyn is Church OF England and Lor-
rey Presbyterian. Meyer and Morgan
are princes in pulpit work. Morgan is
master preacher and Meyer is a mas
ter of both preaching and teaching.
All the meetings are presided over by
Mr.. Moody. "He is monarch of all he
surveys" around Northfield. This is
the home of Moody and Sankey, and
Mortified is Moody, and Moody is
Northtield: Everybody does willingly
what Moody says. He is born gene
raj and leader Of men. He is q typical
Yankee in bluntness, practicability and
common sense. The singing is led by
a choir of about 200 voices, which is
itself led by Ira d. Sankey and George
c. Stebbins. The meetings are "In
demonstration of the Spirit and power"
The air is surcharged with Spirituality,
insomuch that a young girl the other
day publicly reprOycd cat for catcll-
ing bird, land that too, 1T North
field"
Well, l know is time for me to
stop, but one other thing. When one
comes up the Connecticut Valley from
New London on the Sound, to North
field and observes the rugged and rocky
country he may form some idea OF the
underlying causes OF the steady, stolid,
frugal, tlinty, rough and rugged char
acter of the New Englander. One
striking feature of the country all along
this valley is the large area showing
signs of a past cultivation but now "