Evening journal., 1913-08-20
CAMP-MEETINC
ADIMTRADITION
That Kind Of EndeavOr No
More at RehObOth Former
Resident Says
ELOQUENT PREACHERS
ARE HEARD NO LONGER

J. +. M. writing In the Baltimore
American today concerning Rehoboth
Beach says.
There is still a good, wholesome
Methodist atmosphere about this sea-
side resort, with its scriptural name
and sectarian charter, but the camp
meeting has become a dim tradition,
and | doubt whether many of the
present inhabitants could locate the
site OF the auditorium where the great
congregation assembled for worship.
The eloquent preachers who spoke
from the rostrum are gone-the
younger people, who, by inheritance,
we're attached to this form of Chris
tian endeavor have lost the spirit Of
their ancestors, and are working for
the uplift of humanity upon other
lines and by other methods.
There is nothing SO uncertain. L
might say so illogical, as speculating
upon the ways of Providence. Some
time after the Baltimore excursion
Of 1873, mentioned in a former letter.
the Rev. John B Quigg, at that
time presiding elder of the Rehoboth
district, and vice-president of the
Campmeeting Association, went to
Baltimore to secure additional stock
holders. Money was needed to pay
for contemplated improvements. A
meeting was held in the lecture-room
OF one of the Methodist churches I
have forgotten the name and loca-
tom, at which Mr.. Quigg presented
the attractive features of the enter
prise with characteristic felicity and
especially dwelt upon the wise Provi-
dence that left this magnificent shore
unoccupied until this campmeeting as
ISOLATION was ready TO take possession
and devote it to the highest and
noblest of purposes.
Slngulariy enough, the enterprise pros
pered as the campmeeting declined and
when it entirely disappeared the story
of the place as an established seaside
resort, with a well-deined community
life, began. Until the disastrous fire of
February p, 1913, swept our Maryland
avenue, there were two Methodist
churches. Two other religious denomi-
nations have invaded the campmeeting
reservation and erected handsome edi-
fees in harmony with the surrounding
cottage architecture. No doubt there is
the hand of Providence in this develop
ment, but the result is not what Mr..
Qlligg saw in prophetic vision. with the
in the foreground.
A Progressive Church.
The largest Of the Methodist churches
happened to be too near the combustible
garage and it went down (or up) in the
confagration Of February %. 1913. The
Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church
edifice was smaller structure, near the
head of Rehoboth avenue, more than
half a mile inland. It was decided to
bring this building down to the site of
the burned church on Maryland avenue,
within a square Of the beach, vastly
better location. It was swung off its
foundation into the broad avenue and
for some reason not understood by the
onlookers the rear was put in front, and
thus it progressed down the avenue
backward
The mode Of transit was simple
enough-rollers % inches long and about |
10 inches in diameter. with gudgeons |
and bearings very like single wheeled |
trucks were put under the corners and |
under the main sills and ioists wherever |
supports were needed Boards were laid !
on the street to make a better surface |
for the rollers. but no plans were taken |
to make an even track A capstan such |
as is used on shipboard to pull up the |
anchor. was placed about 100 feet in
front of the buildings; compound pull
lev was hooked to the cross-sill at the |
point where the power was to be ap- |
piled; the free end of the rope was at
tached to the upright cylinder of the |
capstan. and a pair of lightly built and |
rather poorly nourished horses were |
hitched to the lever.
The horses started on their weary |
circuit and travelled a prodigious dis |
lance before the hundred feet of rope |
was taken up by the upright cylinder |
but with the winding of the rope |
On the capstann the church came for
ward nearly a hundred feet.
A new track was then laid, the cap |
stan was moved forward another hun
lred feet and the winding process re-
Deated. Thus, by successive stages,
he church travelled something over
half a mile in four days. The most
liflcult part of the journey then be-
gan. The building had to be lacked
ID to a higher level and swung around
rs if on a pivot, until it stood at right /
angles to its former course Two !,
ots made vacant by the great fire
lave to be crossed, and it is assumed /
hat when the building gets over the
ots another half-circle will be de-
so that the front, and not the
ear, will adorn Maryland avenue A
Sunday intervened while the trip down
7ehoboth avenue was in progress, and