The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-10-05
JOYS OF GaDNP-D1EETIUG
At an "Old Dominion "
COIOred COnVOCatlOn.
Happy Negroes Find Much to Interest
Them at 4 Religious Gathering
The Services and Med
orators Sermon

When balmy September makes its ar
rival in the c"Old Dominion all things not
pertaining To evangelical dOings sink into
insignifcance with the resident negro.
70 him this month il something 10 pleas
antly anticipate long before it arrives.
1hi. * 50 because September means camp
meeting time, and camp-mceting time
means To the colored race in general not
only fresh opportunities 10 acquire "A new
fund of religion. but. a. well. an excellent
chance to put temporary quietus on an
abnormal craving for watcrmelons and
other things
In Virginia, by all odds. the greatest
number of church going Airo-Americans
profess strong predilection for the Bap-
tist faith. The convocations which they
hold annually at certain meeting points
in every State district are not strictly
camp-mectings. As their assemblies are
ON the same order, however, it Is all one
and the same to them.
Few colored citizens fail to enthuse
when n synod is held within eiriurisdic-
ton. Every man, woman and child oi
dusky extraction living within twenty
five miles Of the selected spot puts in his
or her appearance. Not all who cOngre-
gate are Baptists-sOme are assuredly
not OF the elect-yet, one and all alike
listen in entranced rapture to the chosen
orators of the occasion.
Recently the colored Baptists in an
eastern district of the "Old Dominion
held their camp-meetin', ~ or, properly,
association. at a large church of their de-
nomination in n county not far distant
from Washington city. This convention
of harmonious spirits did not last long
three days only, in fact-but it lasted
long enough to make nearly six thousand
Philippians inordinately happy. Aside
from the hundreds OF laymen who at
tended the meeting dozens OF prominent
ministers and theological exhorters were
present. Many delegates from the various
churches in the circuit were there also.
In fact nearly the entire AfrO-American
population of the neighbOrhOOd turned
out en- masse. Only few unfortunates
who were compelled TO stay at home
failed to grace the ecclesiastical occasion.
1t was a time for Scriptural jubilee, and
the opportunity to extol the event and
magnify their knowledge of Biblical con-
ception was not to be lightly passed
over.
Several days prior to the one on which
the assembly opened extensive prepare
tions were made for the accommodation
of the expected multitude. Booths were
erected here and there all about the
church grove and surrounding ground.
In these booths the dusky proprietors had
installed nearly everything in the edible
line most likely to attract the visitors
epicurean palates. Watermelons were
piled about everywhere, barrels of lemon
ade assisted in filling space, while Ice
cream. fried chicken, bread, cake and
candy were conspicuous on all sides.
In addition to the booths containing
eatables temporary stables had been put
up hastily. Ateach one OF these hostler
was in attendance to carefor the visitors
horses.
On the whole, by the time set for open
ing services the arrangements for aiding
the elated darkies to dispose of their cap
ital were fully and admirably perfected.
On the opening day the first delegation
to reach the church were the nearby
members. The second, following pres
entity, consisted OF preachers and brother
parishoners living at a greater distance.