Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-08-14
Arcadia.

Arcadia.
&c. R. Wadlow in Centerville Outlook.)
Arcadia! The very name sounds
beautiful. Reverting to the history
of ancient Greece you will recall that
one of the most important provinces
of that country, the one lying in the
center of the Peloponnesua, bore the
name of Arcadia. Surrounded by
lofty mountains it's people we're
among the last to succumb to the raw
ages of the barbarians. Indeed they
retained their rural simplicity and
maintained their country like serenity
SO long that the name Arcadia became
a synonym of rustic simplicity. Some
one fully acquainted with the rustic
beauties of the ancient Arcadia, no
doubt, has aptly applied the name to
little valley in Iron county. l have
just returned from the Methodist En-
campment located in this valley, and
if it doesn't eclipse it's ancient name
sake, then the namesake was in
describably beautiful. The Methodist
church owns 247 acres in this marvel
ously beautiful valley. This 247 acres
covers small hill II ON which a splen-
did view can be obtained. On this
hill the woods are primitive, and be-
tween large primeval oaks has been
erected a huge steel tabernacle with
red tile roof. The whole hill is dotted
with tents in which Methodist families
are living and for the most part doing
their own cooking on oil stoves.
There are supply tents, college tents,
Photographic tents, rest ttents and all
kinds of tents. Ice water and every
other convenience is furnished. A
large dining hall furnishes meals to
those not wishing to do their own
cooking. Swings and hammocks are
numerous throughout the shady
groves and children find themselves
in Paradise. Nearly every town in
Southeast Missouri was represented
as we'll as Arkansas and Tennessee.
The services at the tabernacle con-
sumed the mornings and evenings,
while the afternoons were devoted to
recreation. DIR. McMurry of Nash
vile, Tennessee, Secretary of the
Board of Church Extension, was Mas
ter of Ceremonies and as such won
the admiration of all. Later he will
come to Ellington to dedicate the
Methodist church there. Dr. Gross
Alexander, editor of the Methodist
Review, of Nashville, delivered some
of the most scholarly lectures to which
we have ever listened, while at night
evangelistic sermons of great power
were preached by the Rev. DR.. Mann
of Lexington, Kentucky, editor of the
Central Methodist. DR.. Anderson Of
Little Rock and DR.. Paul III. Linn of
st. Louis, delivered creditable ad-
dresses. DR.. @. F. Reid of North
Carolina, secretary of the Laymen's
Missionary Movement, by his mastery
missionary sermons plainly demon
strated on the university of man. The
Wisdom sisters sang the sweetest and
most angelic songs possible, the effect
which was wonderful. After each
song one felt as though he would ex-
ert every fiber in him to be better
man. And / must not fail to mention
the wonderful address of Hon. @. M.
Hay on "What the Citizen Owes to his
State" He will be Governor some
day. Each evening at 7 o'clock sun
set service was held outside the taber-
nacle on the brow of the hill facing
the West. These were impressive in
the superlative degree. Way yonder
in front were the beautiful clouds
crimsoned with gold, little to the
right lay old Shepherds Mountain like
la monstrous sleeping giant. The
panorama was simply sublime If not
e-inspiring. What a scene one can
get from a hilltop in Arcadial Nc
wonder the Ancients used to worship
on the mountains. No wonder Mt
Sinai and Mt. Nebo inspired Moses;
no wonder Christ was transfigured on
Olivet. II you want more religion, il
you want more inspiration, If you
want an intellectual feast and all sorts
OF restful recreation, plan to 60 to Ar
cadia Methodist Encampment next
year.