The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-28
RELIGION OUT DOORS
characteristics Of a Georgia
Camp Meeting.
LOVE AND THEOLOGY MIXED
Young People Have Good Time,
hut Are Good Listeners AT the SerV-
iees-Abuses of the Camp Meeting
Abatcd-PeOpIe OF All Denomiaa-
tfons Enjoy Religious Exercises.

Edward ]. CLARK IN the Atlanta Constitution.
At a Georgia camp meeting is a trite
but expressive phrase which has literally
swept round the globe and mace famous
the Bible Institutes rallies. conferences,
or season reyivaIs whatever it may b
desired to call them, which are distinctive
features Of Georgia religion.
To Georgian and to all outsiders who
have ever attended a good old-time
Georgia camp meeting the very mention
Of the name fills the heart with recolIec-
tons of good things Of all kinds ana
creates a longing for those good old day
10 come back again
For a time. some years ago, il looked
ike the camp meeting was on the dc
cline. but Of recent years it has taken q
bound forward again, and is now beinE
placed on a drmer and more substantial
basis than ever before.
Instead Of temporary tents and arbors.
the camp grounds are being covered with
solid wood and stone buildings. and TN
less all signs fail, the Georgia camp
meeting is destined 10 become a certain
and solid factor in the distinctive religious
features Of the world.
The camp meeting 10 Georgia church
folks is largely what the conference and
Bible institutes are 10 other places. Bur
at the camp meeting there is greater free
dom than at the other meetings.
II is a time when religion runs riot, and
also when the happy hearted feel free to
worship God C2rcfrec under the spTeadinr
trees and away from the hustle Of hu-
manity-
Time of Love-makinE
It is a time OF double love-msking. The
sincere and holy are making love % God
and giving up their entire time and en-
ergy 10 q whoIe-souled and blissful com
munion with Him. away from the critical
and exacting forms Of the city or even
the village church.
The young folks are largely making love
10 each other This does not mean 20 say
that there are not hundreds Of yoUuS
folks who arc deeply concerned religiously-
during the progress OF the camp meeting.
but BOYS viii be boys and girls will IT,
girls. and when thrown together there is
bound to be loye-making between the
hours of service.
There Is "a happy couple living iR q we'll
ordered home that spoke their first love
messages 20 each other in the tents Or
cottages OF under IEft NiiN. uitCHiLAaLeiI
trees Of the camp ground.
And not only is the human love spread
abroad lavishly at the camp meeting. bur
God learns more Of the love of his true
servants at such times than He ever
knew before. With the world and it,
cares left behind, and all the friends who
arc 10th TO look and laugh. If the spirit
ual side is given full swing. and hearts
burst with their load OF love and joy
there Is a riot of love fiung up at tn
throne OF grace and shOwered on the men
and women Of the earth. and thus human
and divine love inteTmIngie together and
form a bsodless riot which wraps the
soul Of men and women in JOY and fills
the heart Of God with that satisfaction a.
can only come when He sees His children
and followers laying down the things
which are temporal and laying hold TO the
higher things which are eternal and fun
Of glory.
Revival of the Camp Meeting.
The abuse of the camp meeting Was
what caused its decline a few years agc.
But those who saw its value and loved
the refreshing season which IL gave both
10 body and the spirit Of the Christian
went 10 work TO guard it against it,
abuses
1t is now well-kHowu fact that tho~a
who are irreverentiaI and disrespectfuI
10 God are frowncd down upon and not
desired at the Georgia camp meeting
whether il be of one denomination OF an
ether
This typical Georgia religious feast.
planned by tho foTofathcrs To- refresh
both the body. mind. and spirit of Chris
tians. il is now evident. will never die,
but will grow in strength and individ-
uality as the years pass.
One of the most noteworthy facts in
connection with the camp meeting Of the
State is that Jhe camp-meeting spirit Is
not possessed solely by any one dcnomi-
nation.
The staId and orthodox PresbyterianS.
those OF the blue-stocKing variety; even
those who sit erect in church and never
crack "a smile, have camp meetings in
Georgia. and are proud Of them. too.
For years the only Presbyterian camp
meeting in the world has been held at
COnyers. Ca, and 10 il each year flock
the most solid and orthodox forces of the
Presbyterian Church. and there recreate
and loosen up their religious natures.
All Denominations Represented.
The Methodists have camp meetings.
and the shoutings of good old Methods
hallelujahs mingle often with the fervent
and heartfelt ''amens' Of the Presbyte-
rianS and Baptists. The praise the
Lords and the glory 10 Gods of the
Holiness sects are also heard lifting their
heartfelt. and no less sincere. refrain ia
the King of Kings and Lord OF Lords
Thus in Georgia, instead of having tn.
summertime as Il season of religious
dearth and sleepiness. il is a time when
religion blossoms forth from every hill
top and revivals and camp meetings shout
their joyful and soulful acclaimS to God
and the musical and even unmusicaI lift
their voices and make noises which tell
strongly 10 the listener Of religious fervor
and heartfelt religion
IL has proven . great boon TO the Geor-
gia religious forces. because il keeps them
up 10 the highest notch possible during a
season ordinarily of relaxation. and there
are thousands Of Christians in the Empire
State who take no vacation save the on
spent at camp meetings. and who have no
relaxation OF their religious life caused By
the attendance upon some fashionable o.
goddess summer resort
This Is one reason why there's so many
good folks in Georgia The kind OF
good folks that people of all stations and
opinions like To meet with and chat with
and have FOR friends The kind that are
honest and free and happy and LOWRY.
rather than critical
Can't sleep with a Clock.
Er1rr the Nevr WORT s,r