Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-11-07
UneOraten Chapters in Georgia History.
eY GEORGE c. SMITH, WinevlIIe. Macon, Georgia.


club where they had weekly rides with
the hounds and where there was sup
ply of brandy, ale. porter and game.
and a roast of beef or a ham for lun-
cheon. There was, however. a few
places where there was some religious
life lefti In the newer counties the
Baptists. Methodists and Presbyterians
were at work. Daniel Marshall after a
life of wonderful saintliness was dead
and there was none like him but
there were q few earnest IL not Guilt
waited men among the Baptists. The
Methodists had about covered the new
er counties with their circuits but
preaching was rare and matters were
gloomy enough when the new century
dawned. It was not only the case in
Georgia. but In Tennessee and Ken
lucky which were like Georgia on the
frontier. The first settlers on the
pr1iries taen known as the Barrens
of KENTUCKY were Presbyterians and
they had annual communions Ike
those in Scotland. At the one IN 1879
there was a wonderful awakening and
the revival FIRE blaEed for days. The
people came In wagons and camped
out.
And thus campmeetfngs began. They
their coming came men wonderfully
capacitated for the work Of conduct
ing them. Baptists, Methodigts and
Presbyterians at first united. Then
the Baptists had meetings Of their own
and the Methodists and Presbyterians
met together. A grove was chosen, a
bush arbor was built, trees were cut
down and logs rolled in their places
for seats. A stand Of split logs was
provided for the preacher. Great pine
knot fires were made to give light at
night The people car7e in wagons and
carts and built booths. They brought
with them cookeds food and slept In
their wagon bodies or on the ground
They did not have night meetings.
but they had a dinner for everybody
and the people near by spread beds ON
the floor for all guests.
The Meehodists had their great camp
meetings; 5000 people were sometimes
present. They had many local preach
ers and a few itinerants. The Presby-
terians met with them. Sometimes
there were five preachers at once. A
sermon without a shout was pretty
much OF a failure and II the sermon
did not melt the people the song did.
The leader of the Methodist hosts
was Seth Mead. He was a Virginia
gentleman, a kinsman no doubt OF
Burk Meade. He was a great singer,
a warm, earnest preacher and had
mighty power over the people. He
built the first Methodist church in
Augusta and laid the foundation for
the future Of the church in the interior.
Among his helpers there were men OF
great power with the people. Hoke
Hull was one of these. He was a man
of large frame, great eloquence and
mighty influence. He was not trav-
cling preacher, but was local, but be-
ing a man Of means he went everywhere
preaching without fee or rewards He
was one of the strong friends and one
of the first trustees of the State uni
versity, but the oldest and most re-
marked man of his times was down
easter, Lorenzo Dow. He wore his hair
long, never shaved and never failed
to attack the Calvinist, whom he called
t:le all part people. He sent his app
pointments a year a head and always
met them. He was the free lance Of
those days. but claimed to be a Meth
odist. During this period Lovick
Pierce and his brothers, Reddick,
James RupeIl and many others who
were famous in aftertime. began TO
preach. None Of them were educated.
they could barely read but many OF
them become famous.
This revival reached all classes out
of the cities and changed the face OF
the country. All churches shared In It
and from this time the rural people OF
Georgia began to be noted for their
substantial piety. II was Georgia's
first great awakening and in its ef-
fects perhaps the greatest the state
has ever known.