Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-13
RECEIVED the other day a beau
tifully written letter from the
trembling hand OF an OLD Seor-
4

II
tifuIlv written letter from the
trembling hand Of an old Seor-
gian which read thus: 81
Rev and Dear Sir:
II have been much interested and
edited by your articles IN Inc jour,
nal. of Atlanta, giving historical
sketches of great interest
.Pray allow an old man 70 ask IL you
can give an accurate account OF
great and wonderful exhibition OF the
divine powers as made at a camp
meeting in Putnam county, Ga 1 thlnk
under the preaching OF William Capefs,
afterwards Bishop Capers, OF tne
Methodist church, as far back as lSzO'
IL am not In error as to date. have
heard so often of that wonderful man
Hesitation OF divine power and its Ell
feet in transforming the character OF
many of the leading man of that day.
Years ago / heard Bishop Pierce say
his father OF sainted memory referred
10 that occasion as being the most
memorable display Of the holy spirits
power In the awakening and CONVEX
sion OF scores and hundreds OF people,
among whom were some or the
most influential men Of high station IN
Georgia and have heard others say
the same, describing the sermon Of DIR.
OdDtIS dc the AAAort NtyAoNAAN 49,
towering pulpit oratory. that brought
the instantaneous conviction of sin to
a great number.
why is II. my dear doctor, that we
do not hear such masterful sermons
from the pulpit now?
s'While It Is we'll enough to read OF
Crawford and Troup and Clark, and
other worthless of the world. can you
not tell in your interesting way OF the
great and good men who planted the
seeds Of truth in the Righteousness OF
Goodness, men who. as pioneers, die
more to make our country great God
liness. you will pardon me for making
any suggestion to You.
sit is the liberty Of an old man who
reveres the memory Of our great
preachers OF the long ago.
Il write with difficulty as 1 am pass
ed my seighty-seveHth year. My trern-
bling hand holds now unsteady the pen.
May our Heavenly Father bless you.
Very respectfully and sincerely.
ROBERT GILL SHORTER
This is a remarkable letter and
shows what class Of readers The Jour-
nal has.
1t has been a humiliation to many OF
us who are Christians, to see the esti-
mate in which we are apparently held
by some daily papers. who never omit
an opportunity to publish what they
know must be offensive to us. We do
not ask our secular dailles to advocate
Evangelical religion, or total absti-
nence. or the Sabbath observance. We
consider lest, but we have right TO
ask them not to use the paper we in
troduce into our families, as organs
for agnostics, or anti-Christians OF any
q a.. a.. s.fH call.
ing or drinking.
The Journal does not claim to be
strictly religious or temperance jour
nal and II subscribers certainly do not
expect to find it such. Jews, Catholics,
or Protestants have an equal part in
its news columns and as far as posi-
Bile IL gives all OF them a hearing. and
always a respectful one, and so / do
not. as one of its contributors, go be-
yond my province when my articles tell
Of religious occurrences, or of distinct
lively Christian customs.
cAAdPMEETINGs OF OLD TIMES.
The campmeeting has been a tremen-
dous power In Georgia. Its mighty in
fuence has been largely and mainly for
good. and to the students of Georgia
history an account Of campmeetings as
they were, can but be Of interest.
These meetings begun with the Pres
byterians in Kentucky. The pioneers
in western Kentucky were Presbyte-
rians who came together In the prai-
RE country then called The Bar
rens, for a sacramental meeting in
l7e9.' They expected to spend two
days, Saturday and Sunday in relig-
ious service, but grand revival began
and they continued the camp several
davs longer. A revival that swept the
continent thus commenced. The fame
Of these meetings spread The people
were nearly ALI rural people, and there
was little concern for comfort; so they
chose a central spot where there was