The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-14
PEOPLES FORUM
Virginia's Great Varied Chautauana.

Editor of The virginian:
sir,-The call of the country" possesses an
added lure when accompanied by a special in
vtation to attend the far-famed Chautauqua of
Loudoun at Purcelville, and when to this attrac-
ton Is super added the welcoming postcard of
"a prince and princess of the house of Hoge-
well, there is no resisting it, and my consort
and I came, saw and were conquered"
After pleasant eight hours trip via Wash
iington and thence forty miles in Washington
and Old Dominion electric lines neat and com
Portable, dustless and smokeless train.
rive at the pretty little village of Purceve
and met by genial host and hostess,
the Rev. Howard NJ and Mrs. Hoge who convey
us In their double carriage, first to the grounds
Iof Loudoun's Chautauqua, hard by the village,
where we presented to many of the goody
people who are attending the great "bush meet
ing" coloqualism for the annual Chautauqua
of the prohibition and Evangelical Association
OF Loudoun County" And where in the world
did all these people come from? 1t lis now half
after O'Clock and hundreds have left the
grounds for their homes but the whole face of
the earth hereabouts is covered with people and
horses carriages and automobiles, There are
old and young men and women, boys and girls
aged coup Piles who are facing ifes sunset, middle
aged pairs the newly welded, the soon to be
mated and the trying to be's'--aI radiant and
happy!
In the center of three-acre enclosed grove
stands a pretty and substantial tabernacle of
three thousand holding capacity and this three
acre plat Is a portion of twenty-acre beautiful
oak grove. Inside the three-acr enclosure.
ltastefuly arranged around the outer edge, are
numerous cottages and "bide- wees" tents and
industrial exhibits. Outside this inner enclosure
are the merry rounds and other amusements,
and are sufficiently removed from the tabernacle
for their noises not to interrupt the services
Great tanks into which water Is piped and lead
ing from which are numerous dispensing pipes
with their attendant faucets supply the multi
tude with an abundance OF pure cool water
The sanitary arrangements are model. and moth
ing has been overlooked for the comfort and
convenience of the patrons.
! A brief history Of this unique Virginia asso-
citation will not be uninteresting The years OF
t1S76-76 were periods OF great agitation in Lou
Idoun county over the injurious effects OF the
liquor traffic within Its borders The Good Tenn
Iplar organization the first united agency
THAT sought to relieve the situation and twenty
eight new lodges sprang up as II ny magic IN
March OF 1878. at a special meeting of the Gooo
ITemplars it was resolved to hold bush OF
tcamp meeting devoted to the gospel and tenn
lperance at Purcellville In the month OF August
This marks the origin Of the present-day Chau'
tauqua, which is now celebrating us thirty
sixth anniversary. and this scribe heard the
celebrated evangelist, Rev. H. M wharton, ae
clare but yesterday that he believed this lnstl'
tuition had been a greater inspiration and I'M
pulse to the great prohibition sentiment no"
abroad in the land than any other one agency
But though prohibition was and Is the cnle
aim and end OF the association. Its sphere =
by no means confined to the temperance WORK
mt 1t Is a modern and model Chautauqua II
EVERY true sense of the word, and has Its edu
lcati NAL days evangelical days farmers Gays
patriotic days and what not. IL Is no" uui'
chartered and the expenses are met ny nom,
nal admission fee TO the grounds, and there
never any collection taken up. This funi ma
been quite sufficient to defray the running OK
Ipenses including always the very best talen
on the lecture and concert platform. The exer
cises are varied. always attractive ana neVe
lmonotonous At night there is generally a mig a
class musical and literary entertainment u
, which the people come for many miles around
After a delightful drive to the handsome NONE
f- oYr charming host and hostess 'af1out thre
p,r,es from the Chautauqua grounds and near TN
snug little town Of Lincoln, and delight1ul en-
,ertainment we were the next morning con
, ivayad IN the bush meeting again and nad TN
privilege of hearing the Hon. Eugene Cnahi
flate presidential candidate on the pronioiuo'
. ,inkatt deliver a splendid address on Govern
tment by Administration. The speaker uace'
w. graat successive epochs of our government
~ historv and very Interestingly pointed gu
Wat regardless of what the law is or Is sup
nosed to be- 1t Is ever just what the admins
: ltration wants II to be- and hence the importane
~ having an administration we IKE he ui'
-ravt-brish -hePesefthe
Iof nrohibitory laws administered ny oflc'ai
Ewhose minds and hearts are not in active syi,i
nathv with the laws. The bright thing Is the ihui
lnnation that the prohibition people are awakinl
Inn 70 the Importance of this thing and are pc
Inviting 10 see that is is folly to vote a Stat
l5rv and a State house wet, or a county dry AM
. IL county constahulary wett' Mr. Chains argu
lrront for nationwide prohibition was a cain
l,na strong presentation of the dry contention
. lrhat IN. legal sanction of the beverage Hquo
ltrafIic is clearly against the genius and polio
: ~ orr fundamental institutions and that 1t can
, ~ economic grounds. He waxed eloquent q
Q times and was frequently interrupted by sound
I of applause .
! After dinner-and oh, that dinner in tn
splendid shade Of those giant oaks-we wer