Evening journal., 1910-08-02

OLD AND NEW
Great Changes Have Come in
Methods in Recent Years
DISAPPEARANCE OF
MANY OLD TIME SCENES

ings, is here. Not the oldtime shout
ing campmeeting, at which worship
ers displayed great and sometimes
uncomfortable religious fervor, but
the campmeeting which consists of a
cluster of permanent and cosy cot
/ tages I'm beautiful groves of oaks,
where religious services are held and
where hymns are sung, prayers ut
tered and sermons preached In much
/ the same conventional way as in city
and town churches, says the Balt-
more American.
In some remote sections, far from
cities and larger towns, tho primitive
campmeetings Of rude shacks and Of
rough and-ready outdoor life I'm the
woods, Of the blazing torches at
night. still exist. but Rley have lost
much Of their oldtime quaintness and
prOvincialism In some spots on the
Eastern Shore the worshipers gather
by the thousands. making their pill
grimage in all sorts of vehicles and in
all kinds Of boats. the waters In the
vicinity being alive with canoes, and
the old-fashioned rules are strictly
observed. Tho horn blows, and the
sinners. meet for repentance, pour out
Of the tents and the bushes and, after
filling the benches, cluster in num-
bers about the platform, whence the
preachers make their appeals. The
most persuasive divines travel long
distances to give assurance to the
faithful and excite anxiety in the
hearts of the unregenerate.
Modern Changes.
But campmeetings, like other
phases OF religious life, have under
gone a revolution. In the Old-fash-
toned campmeetings the pleasure was
marred by the discomfoTts OF print
! tive tents. unwelcome mosquitoes and
bugs and rain. There have been
campmeetings when It rained every
day. and, with a singular perversity,
usually began to pour just as the
horn was blown. for service. The
only expedient was for the preachers
to go round to the individual tents
and hold short services under the
dripping flaps The new idea Is to
build houses instead Of tents, and in
closures for the services instead of
holding them in the open air Such
campmeetlngs are deprived of many
of the elementary attractions Of the
old gatherings.
Who can ever forget the campmeet-
ings Of olden days. II he has seen
one and has been imbued with its
spirit? The first essential was a leafy
grove, high and dry Around a cir
Gle the tents" of rude boards we're
constructed In the center was the
preachers platform, which was al
way elevated and covered. In front
we're the seats of rough boards laid
across logs and many were the dress
es and n ousers that were rent by
splinters. In the spaces between the
platform and seats was circle, at
| which, at regular intervals, were
raised boxes filled with dirt. On
these boxes blazed at night the light
wood torch, illuminating scene that
at times seemed uncanny and weird
But when the boys and girls from the
neighboring farms 'promenaded'
around the circle. arm in arm or hand
In hand, the view was charming, even
If odd or quaint.
On the Peninsula.
On the Maryland and Delaware
Peninsula the campmeeting is still
an annual August institution. This
section was early a stronghold OF
Methodism.
lt was here that Asbury first found
favor and protection among public
officials and where he had sanctuary
during the threatening days that fol-
lowed Gloves rebellion" Although
the campmeeting may be said to have
had its real origin on the Western
frontieres, where It first attained it's
celebrity and demonstrated its power
for the church. the Peninsula has al
ways been one Of its favorite seats
The rivals on Deals Island, in the
days Of Father" Joshua Thomas, and
throughout the territory between the
Chesapeake aud the Delaware, OF
which accounts have come down thai
SAVIOR Of the miraculous, form one Of
the most glowing chapters of Metho-
dist history. In the past the camp.
meetings have been the means of con,
verting thousands upon thousands
and uniting them with the denomi
nation of Wesley, but IL is so no long
er. The Jesse Lees no longer fal
In harness on the Peninsula CAM
grounds.
Over n Century Old.
Campmeetings have lived and &C
complished their good for over a cen
tury. IL Is Just 10 years since tn
b most remarkable wave Of religious
enthusiasm which swept over Amer
lea brought the campmeeting int
popular favor and gave rise to tina
extraordinary phenomenon known a
% the Jerks. II began In 1893 and con
{ tinued until 1906
$ In 1893 sacramental meeting wa
held IN the old Red River Baptis
+. Church, near Port Royal. Ky. Elder
Hodge, Rankin, McGready and job
g MCGEE We're present. After a ferven
e address by Elder Hodge the emotion
8 OF the vast crowd became uncontroll
Il able. Two aged ladies, Mrs. Pacel
Il and Mrs. Clark, commenced shout
= ing sentiments OF praise Despite tn
l. attempt Of the preacher to continu
l. singing, the shouting increased. TIL
minister, descending from the pulpit
s passed along the aisles, vehement
k shouting. The clamor and confusion
3 increased tenfold; screams 70
Q mercy were mingled with shouts q
Joy; a universal agitation pervade
the multitude Suddenly individual
began 10 fall PROSTATE on the foo
=, as If dead, where they lay for some
y time unconscious and unable to rise.
n The elders were so surprised an
h astonished that they retired for
n conference. They concluded tina
h nothing could be done. arguing tina
II It were the work Of the devil
d could not last, and n Of God any el
forts 10 control Il would be In vair
- They re-entered the house and foun
- nearly the whole congregation on tn
J, floor. Two or three at a time bega
III IN rise ahotff,,cy ,,r.fgo g.. ~, -