The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-26
AT THE CAMP MEETINGS
HISTORY OF THE ASSEMBLIES RE-
LATED BY MR. DAsHIELL.
First of Them Held i'm This Country
Was I'm 709-GeneraI News of
gatherings.

The third day at the Acton Park camp
meeting presented a livelier scene than on
the days preceding. The cottagers awoke
yesterday morning refreshed greatly after
Wednesdays nights cooling breeze. At
times during the night the strength Of the
wind became so great as q cause apprehen-
sion. The cottages are OF frail build. and
for a time CONSERVATION reigned in many of
the homes. The wind passed over, however,
with no serious results.
a report that the Big -Four Railroad
Company would not stop the late trains
at night at Acton was circulated through
the camp and caused much discussion. Ii is
the desire of the residents OF the park and
the members OF the association TO have in
teresting social events during the evenings
throughout the season, and owing to the
railroad company's order this will in a
large measure have to be abandoned. A
committee was appointed yesterday as soon
as the news was circulated to wait on Mr..
Van Wrinkle, of the Big Four. The COM
mittee is composed Of Mr.. Olin, Mr.. L.. G..
Akin and the Rev. c. w. Tinsley. The
committee will report to-day.
HISTORY OF CAMP MEETINGS.
Another large crowd attended the after
noon service yesterday at 800 o'clock, at
which time the Rev. Mr.. Dashiell, president
Of the association. delivered a short ad-
dress OH the early camp meetings and gave
a resume OF the present associations his
tory. He referred to camp meetings of
biblical times, which, he said, were called
The Feast OF the Tabernacles." These
events, the speaker SAID, were of yearly Oc-
currence, and were celebrated for seven
days with great solemnity ana jOyousness
by the IsraeliteS. The first camp meeting in
America, he said. was in 1893, on the banks
of the Red river, in Kentucky. The meeting
was in charge of two brothers named Nc
Gee, one a Presbyterian and the other "A
Methodist, who were on their way 10 Ten
nessee to a religious meeting. The two
brothers stopped over at the home of a
man named Mr.. McGreedy. John MCGEE,
the Presbyterian, was invited to preach.
lie delivered a speech with such force that
ii aroused the people of the locality. The
speakers who followed MCGEE also spoke
with great effect, The brothers remained
there for some time and it was in this way
that the first camp meeting in America was
formed.
our present association was formed in
the year of 1859" he continued. "A meet
ing was called in London, Shelby county
by the Rev. John A. Brouse. The associa-
ton was formed at this meeting and a COM
mittee appointed TO buy twenty acres of a
tract of ground lying near Acton. The
price paid was $5 an acre. A few years
later the whole tract, consisting of forty
acres was purchased. The meetings have
been held here continually with only three
Interruptions. The first was in 1861, when a
lot of soldiers returning from Kentucky
set fire 10 the few cottages erected and the
fire swept everything from the field. In
1874 a great flood again made ii impossible
to hold meetings that year. During the
many years in which this association has
been organized many preachers of note
have attended these meetings"
Last night an interesting entertainment
was given in the pavilion by DIR. kennedy,
of Denver, Col. The programme consisted
Of stereopticon views from the Rocky
mountains. showing Denver and its prog
ress: Cripple Creek and miners at work
digging out gold.
The programme for to-day will be more
elaborate than OF the few days preceding.
The Rev. w. II. Hickman. chancellor of
De PAW University, will address a meeting
at 1880 a m; DIR. c. w. Lewis, president
Of Moore's Hill College, will speak at $3.50
p. m. In the evening at 7:45 a special song
service Will be held.