Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-05
ON FAMOUS CAMP GROUND.
Meeting to Continue Ten Days in Pros
pect Near Odenton, Md.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
ODENTON. Nd, June 3, 1903
The old camp-meeting ground, known in
the early part Of the last century as
Paynes camp ground, and in after years as
Jacksons Grove, situated mile or so north
of this place, will be occupied this season
by the Methodist Protestants for a camp
meeting, to last ten days. The pastor or
Nichols Memorial M. P. Church here, Rev.
c. E. Redeker, and Rev. A. A. Birchell,
former pastor, now serving at Keen Me-
mortal Church. Baltimore, are making the
arrangements and have issued circular,
which fixes the date from Friday, July IL,
to Monday, the 2Ith.
The location is well known to many
Methodists of the District, Baltimore and
in the state, and is famous as one or the
best grounds for camping purposes to be
found anywhere. The water supply, COM
Ing from springs which flow into the Sew
ern, is abundant and of superior quality.
When the first camp meeting was held
there is not known, but 1t is quite certain
that Payne's camp meeting was one of the
events looked for in the twentieS, Few
persons being yet alive who as children
were on the ground in 1925. Almost annu-
ally thereafter, until the civil war prevent
ed, a circuit camp was held on the ground,
and representatives of the appointments on
the circuit. which extended from the Dis
trict line to the Patapsco. and from the
west line of Montgomery county to the
Chesapeake. attended, as well as a con-
tingent from Baltimore. In those days such
of the old preachers as the elder RosZell
Is. c., John Davis. C. B. Tippit, Beverly
Waugh (bishop. John A. Collins. James
Turner Matthew Turner, Alfred Griffith,
the Morgans IN. ]. B.. L. F. and T. A.,
Henry Furlong, Thos. Sewall. Ben F.
Brooke, Henry Slicer, Elisha P. Phelps,
Basil Barry, James Bunting were heard in
exhortation at the camp.
1t was then slave times but the colored
Methodists were allowed a portion of the
grounds to hold meetings at such times as
would not interfere with the others. and it
was but seldom that they were unrepre-
scented at Payne woods.
During the civil war the usual camp meet
ings did not materialize, but a few years
after, during the pastorate of Rev. D. w.
Arnold of Severn Circuit of the NJ. E.
Church, circuit camp OF thirty or forty
families was held. This was successful
a meeting that 1t was determined to hold
one annually.
camp OF Washington District NJ E. Church,
and under the charge of the presiding elder.
Among the ministers prominent in the serv-
ices were Revs. John Danahan, McKendric
Reilly, w. F. speake, J: J. Sargent. B. Pey-
ton Brown. Richard Norris. r. W. Black,
Prof. B. M. Harmon and w. T. D. GLENN.
Then the Washington people went out on
the and O. railroad and established
washington Grove. but the circuit people
under Rev. ]. D. Still, continued the meet
ings for a year or two.
Mr.. Stitts meeting here was a unique af-
fair, as well as successful one in a religious
sense. and to some extent differentiation
al, for all branches of Methodism with
some of other creeds tented there. While
the preaching was mostly by NJ. E. minis
tiers. Rev. DIR. Sunderland of the Presby-
terrain Church. Rev. Mr.. Graeff of the Luth-
eran Church Of Washington, and some of
other denominations were frequently heard.
About 1880 the Methodist Protestants of
this vicinity and number from the Dis
trict held meeting. over which Rev. DR..
David Wilson. afterward a chaplain of the
United States army. presided. and for sew
eral years 1t was the leading camp meeting
of the denomination in Maryland. From
the District Capt. ]. D. Cathell. ex-Mayor
WEIGH. Rev. Alvin Cox. G. B. Wilbert, F.
J. Bartlett. Mrs. Parsons, c. w. Perkins,
Mrs. Pearson and others were among the
attendants. Among the leading ministers
were DR.. Wilson, e. ]. Drinkhouse, Rev. J.
8. Mills. D. L. Greenfield Kilgour, Kinzer.
J. R. Nichols. 8. w. Bates. Under this
branch of the church the meetings were
continued for nearly twenty years.
Already some thirty Baltimore families
and number in this neighborhood have
spoken for tent sites.