The Republican journal., 1903-10-08
A VACATION IN BELFAST.
And How 1t was Enjoyed by Family
From New Jersey.

Grove Dutch Reformed church. of New
Durham, n. j., with his family, spent
the summer vacation in East Belfast.
The Grove Church Endeavorer, little
paper published in the interest OF the
church, under the auspices OF the Y.
z. $. c. E., has the following account
of the pastors vacation.
The vacation days of the pastor and
his family were most enjoyable. Bel
fast, Maine, was the chosen place, and
The pastors college and seminary
chum, Rev. William Vaughan, for
many years pastor of the Knox Me-
moral Chapel, New York City, obliged
to give up his charge through threaten
ing disease, has taken up his abode on
the shores of the beautiful Penobscot
Bay. The bonds of old associations
drew the pastor and his family to this
neighborhood. Rarely does the sum-
mer trip ot the pastor come Oft with
out some member of the congregation
to enjoy it also. This year it was Will
HutcneSon who made cheerful and
congenial companion. The trip began
on July 9th at A. NJ, with a delight
full ride over the New York, New Haven
and Hartford r. r. to Boston. Bunker
Hill was visited Oh the route and at )
P. NJ. we left RoWe's wharf or the pa
latial steamer City of Rockland'' of
the Eastern Steamship Line. The sail
out of Boston Harbor in the early even
ing was beautiful and a smooth sea
made easy sailing for those easily af-
fected by Sea-sickneSS. At daybreak
our boat was at Rockland, Maine, and
the land of the pointed frs greeted us
with bright sunshine and cool breeZes.
The Maine coast is proverbially beauti-
full, with its islands and bays, and our
stops at Camden and Northport were
no exception. Camden is a beautiful
town nesting among the hills, and
Northport is the camp meeting ground
of Maine Methodists. Belfast was
reached at A. NJ, and we were soon in
our lodging place, comfortable COT
tage, the home of an old ea-captain,
who from his doorway could look up
the ships on the bay. We named our
home "Camp Comfort" and the name
truly expresses the place and the days
spent there. Only two rainy days in
four weeks, with cool weather, cool
enough for wood fires in the evening.
Our hosts, Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Towle,
with their accomplished daughter Miss
Isabel, attended to our oft-returning
wants with entire satisfaction. The
shore was only few minutes walk
from camp, and clambakes and shore
dinners were frequent. Haying was in
progress and the young people Of the
party had lots of fun and some work.
Hayrides also were feature of the wis.,
it. One to Swan Lake, beautiful sheet
of water seven miles from Belfast, will
linger long in the memory. Belfast
kept its semi-centennial celebration in
Old Home Week, and the presence of
Uncle Sans training ship "Essex" in
the harbor for week added to the cele-
bration. The middies made good
showing in the parade. Our party
helped to make things lively in the pa
rade, and the snapshot caught them in
the garb of witches, Indian, Highlander
and cowboy. The people of the neighbor-
hood made it very pleasant, and many
a good evenings gathering in Camp
Comfort will be kept in mind. The
pastor found opportunity to preach on
three of the four Sundays in the little
schoolhouSe and also to make an ad-
dress to a chapter of the Brotherhood
in the Baptist Church. The vacation
was in many respects the most restful
and satisfactory that we have ever
spent. Perfect health, perfect weather,
perfect comfort, perfect environment,
what more could one seek in a summer
outing? The bay furnished good salt
water fishing and the brooks in the
neighborhood yielded some trout to the
pastors persistent fishing. One of our
party started a deer in the evergreen
thicket. The days soon passed and the
home trip was made in twenty-four
hours, ending on August 25th. A kind
Providence guarded the congregation
and nothing at home marred the pleas
ure of the vacation of 1908.