The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-08-07
cslIral o
KING GEORGE.
Meeting OF the Rappahsnnock Association al
Shiloh.-Large Attendance Successful
and Pleasant Session

Correspondence oi THr FREE LANcr)
King George TO-, Va Aug >. 1902.
AZ n We Olien time all roads led to
home. 80 for three days this week have all
the highways OF this county led To
shiloh. and not only the highways but
the cross roads and bride WAYS. foot
paths and helge rows all pointed in the
same Erection. Through these channels
there hOwed each morning an incessant
stream of .perspiring humanity that
filled, long before high noon. the large
Baptist church building and the ample
grove surrounding Vehicles of all sorts.
sizes and description rendered service:
there came the bicycle with it's lonely
ri--r- followed by the numbering farm
wagon whose rolling stock and living
freight. compared with the horse power
bore Bryans familiar ratio of Ii to / !:
with these came the family carriage. fine
aud stately. with it, spanking span OF
blOcded trotters bearing the lordly far
mer or the thrifty merchant who caught
and bore without complaint the binding
blast OF stiiling dust kicked up ahead hv
the shuiiliDg feet of little sand pony
that carried some humble but worthy
peasant I'm a superannuated roadcart
The people came without regard to class
or creed. color or condition: the jew re
erived friendly greetings from the Gentle
the ritualist met the nDncOnfOrmist at a
common altar of social communion.
while the followers Of Roger Williams
under whose auspices the great meeting
was held. EXTENDED the glad hand of wei
come to the disciples Of John Wesley
May not such meetings be viewed as n
sort of prelude To the millennium? This
thought occurred To the writer a. he sat
NJ a convenient point and observed the
happy throng ns u moved and mingled
in social communion aud fellowship.
The cccasiou oi this great gathering
was the annual meeting of the Baptist
Sanhedrian. better known as the Rnppa-
hammock Association, which il composed
oi the ministers aud deleg ates from sew
enty or more church societies in this and
neighborng counties. Being an outsider
we are unable IL give any acrount of the
business proceedings OF the Association
We were not present at the opening eX-
erciscs Tuesday morning, but this we
know. that the meeting was PROMPTLY
opened at the appointed hour. 10 o'clock
Tor as we sat upon our front porch. a
quarter OF "A mile away. we caught the
first notes OF the opening hymn, Perro-
net = coronation. that grand old an
them the Christians jubilee song, which
has so long been sung around the world
and has 50 often stirred the hearts and
quickened the zeal of lions militant
hosts. Ii may have been favorable
condition of the atmosphere or a freak of
our own imagination, but it seemed to
us as we sat and listened that no other
vocal notes could have come To us SO
clearly and distinctly through the tangled
piiSssges OF the intervening woods and
at such n distance. An angel choir might
revise and improve the lines of this grand
old hymn and the thrilling music TO
which il has been set. but we doubt
whether they would find it expedient to
do so.
Other counties contributed largely to
the general attendance While business
matters proceeded in the house. the beau
tiiul church grove swarmed with beaux
and bellies. Stafford sent " Doctor Rail.
the perennial and ever blooming old
bachelor whose heart has so long been
besis ged but has never surrendered TO
cupid = darts. Among many Others from
caroline there came Mr.. Lewis Gouldin
ot Moss Neck, and his neighhor. the volu-
bic, but versatile aud entertaining. Joe
lakewood. Port Royal sent over its
budding young statesman, ID. Il Jr. He
came fresh from the halls of legislation
at Richmond and gave us an interesting
account of how the House blocked some
pet schemes OF the Senate. There is no
truth IN the report tnat he urged and Sc
cured speedy adjournment of the Legis-
lature so that its members might attend
the big meeting at Shiloh.
The weather bureau unkindly sent sew
erai hasty showers Of rain on the second
day which seriously interrupted the open
air exercises, and il was amusing to
note how quickly the church grove could
be cleared OF its occupants upon short
notice. the ladies' new hats and wraps
running oil with thei.' owners to find
shelter in the church, while the deserted
beaux, all forlorn, hugged the trcnks of
dripping trees or found refuge in or un-
der the carriages
Altogether 1t was most successful
ana pleasant meeting. The business of
the Association proceeded harmoniously
and smoothly under the guidance of it's
accomplished Moderator, Judge A. b.
Evans, who has for so many wears Dre-
sided over its deliberations.
Much credit is due to the Committee of
Arrangements for the admirable manner
in which they provided for the comfort
of the vast throng and for the good or
der which prevailed throughout the
whole session. There was an abundance
of good things served at the dining
tables, where all were invited, and at
night the ministers and delegates as well
as visiting friends found a hearty "wel-
come inscribed over the gate-ways and
door posts of npiUhbOrinU homes