Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-07-28

Tho e6sct or the kcGee brothen'
preaching especially o. John NEG
Set y Presbyterian quarterly meeting on
\ me hanks of the Red river, Kentucky. 4
- - startling ana seemed 70 clearly
70 indicate that 1t was the result OF
dyke agency or some mysterious force
posseasAd w the preacher. that the
news ot the occurrence spread rapidly
"a directions throughout that part
! state and attracted unbounded
writes Clifford Howard in
s' Home Journal. III It did
moi ace awaken responsive re-
ligi cling, It at least excited Curl
sosit when 1t was learned that the
1 McEs.s brothers were to hold meet
; Ing q Rnssellyills. Ky-.-a newly sset-.
tied town IN Logan county, near the
Muddy river, persons from all parts Of
the adjoining country, irrespective Of
their religious beliefs or church al
glegiance, prepared Is attend. It soon
\ became evident that the four walls OF
q country meeting house would not suf-
ice to hold the large numbers. that
were MAX Il ready to. 80 to Russell-s
vile. The problem thus presented was
\ solved by determining to hold the
4 meeting IN the open air. Those COM
4 ing from distance were prepared to
\ camp; It would be no hardship to them
to remain out Of doors. The recent
experiences at Red river had proved
this. It was not expected by those
who were coming that the lodging ac-
commodation at. the village Of Russell-
vile would be SUFFICIENT by any means.
Why, therefore. attempt to house .Ae
people Prepare camping ground
! and let the meeting be a camp meet
ing. This, then, was the origin of
camp meetings; and the first one held
IN America was on the banks Of tne
Muddy. near Russellville, KY, in the
month Of August, 1899 100 years ago.
Not that religious. worship had never
before been held in the open air, but
the special feature Of camping out and
the nature Of the services made the
camp meeting distinctive institution
and characterized this particular gath
ering on Muddy river as the first OF Its
kind 81. KS 2Es1s ,.,. .'s
Horace Greeley once was discussing
In general company the faults and
needs Of his own nation. ''What this
country needs" said he, in his piping
voice and Yankee accent, sis q real
good licking!' An Englishman pres.
4ent promptly said with unmistakable
English accent: 'Quite right, Mr..
Greeley, quite right. The country
needs q .liclking.''" But MI. Greeley,
without glnncingin the Englishman's
direction or seeming to pay any atten-
ton to the interruption, went on in
the same squeaky tone: Slut the
troublesis there's no nation that can
give it to us. . ss.sss
During the first years of his career
Us an actor, Colonel w. T. Cody had
in one Of his theatrical companies a
westerner, known as Bronco Bill"
There were Indians in the troupe and
q certain missionary had Joined the
aggregation to look out for the morals
Of the Indians. Thinking that Bronco:
4 Bill would bear little looking after
also, the good man secured . seat by
his side at the dinner table, and re-
marked, pleasantly: "This is Mr..
Bronco Bill, is it moi? ~ Yaas. And
where were You born?' Near Kit
Billiards mill, on Big Pigeon" Re.
ligious parents, suppose" s'Yaas. +" :
..What is your denomination?" o.
ah--yaas; Smith & Wesson."
: Eve had her faults to contend with;
but, then, Adam had Eve.