The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1907-02-23
GOSPEL IN EARLY DAYS
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played aa important pars ~hlch tte
ussn aud ~oruen ~ today are lnclin-
81 to msnimis. The rssaa @as never
too iouE. she way ~ss newer tos'
rough th. aaF too DARK noF the
nisht too black for them 10 penetrate
tn. Wilderness, carrying the vora af
God 10 sho~s who hungeresi for II.
and whc embraced the opportunity
to listen 10 preaching. often by rid
ing fifty and ono hundred miles to
attend the twa and three weeks
meetings that, wero held under
brush arbur. erected especially for
this purpose, says a writer in the -.
Worth star
Cody men we're these circuit rid
ers and early preachers. Men 10
whom the CRY of the Mild had no tor
| rors Bands of hostile Indians or
| hordes of bad men would find IL they
attempted 10 break up these western
meetings that those who conducted
them could rep.l force with force
| and could muster the Divine Spirit
when the battle was over and either
| preach a funeral sermon over the
fallen that had the heart of earnest
ness In 1t. or could say amen with
| fervent grace when the ruffians sued
| for peace
] And the coming OF the preacher
was just az much of an event for the
pioneers as the changes of the seas
| ons Usually these men who spread
the gospel of Gods saving grace
went to where the population was
| the most scattered in the late sum-
| mer and the early fan. Word would
be sent ahead that such and such
district would be favored about such
and such time ~ circuit rider.
news would spread over great area
| like a prairie fire made wild by high
winds. It was at such times that the
| bravest and the strongest would as
semble at the designated place for
the meeting and would make ready
flor the coming of the preacher. A
huge brush arbor would be built hard
| by some stream with living water,
and near some grove of trees beneath
| which those who desired to attend
the camp meeting could pitch their
camps and have outrageous rest
between the hours of meeting.
| The arrival of the preacher was
! always a matter of universal inter-
est to the community. He would be
taken care of at the camp of that fol-
! lower where he was sure of the best
| Giving" His horse was usually car
| ed for by one of the flock and the
good sisters saw that he was remem-
bered every time wild game was
brought into camp.
These camp meetings were not
meetings where play had any swing.
The work of saving souls in the early
days was strenuous work indeed.
| Oftimes the preacher would begin
his days labors by holding a sunrise
| meeting These early gatherings
would be followed after breakfast
by a morning meeting, which would
begin promptly at 10 O'Clock ana
would usually last for an hour and
! the hosts would again assemble at
the arbor at 8 O'Clock, where the
word of God would again be preach
ed for at least an hour. After the
hosts had finished supper again
would they assemble at the brush
arbor and there, with the Pickering
rays of huge fire close by the
| x..f.. 81
knots beneath the brush arbor, or
| perhaps. should there be an organ,
from lanterns placed thereon, which
4 illuminated the preachers stand,
would they again listen.
! And the music at these camp
| meetings was feature worth men
4 tioning True il was not the music
of the great pillared churches, but
it was as honest as all nature about.
1t came from the hearts of the sing
ers. and the melodies would float
out on the night air as gently as a
summer zephyr. They would I'LL the
heart of man with love for his fell
lows and would rise like incense from
beneath the house OF leaves aud
twigs Of the arbor,
And many Is the message Of cheer
aud hope that these old fashioned
hymns have delivered. In Fort Worth
today there ara men and women who
received the story of salvation aud
who believed when the heard
This ls old fime religion,
This Is old lime religion
This is Did timy religion.
Buf its guod enough tur mr
"tt was good for oar fathers
On Was suud iur oar fathers,
N Was soosi for cur fathers.
} Aud l's sood enough fer mr
This SONS. rendered hy a chuiF 90
p,supiy Nhn Naug ts Gals thcy cuuid
, sting snd Shuee hArmoniss bad %"