Year: 1874




Grove, Staten Island-Prayer, Song


and Prenching-A Successful Meeting


Scenes and Sentiment.


ANY camp meeting Is o curious ana interesting
sight In any circumstance. but colored camp
meeting has even more than usual claims to
public notice. The character OF the negro is 50
enthusiastic and so buoyant that in moments OF
religious fervor 1t rises TO height OF excitement
or which our colder Saxon nature Is utterly in
capable. And while we seem to be gradually
losing our faith much that IN the regular
Methodist camp meetings there is not one tithe OF
the old time fervor, the coored relgonists
still cling to some OF the bygone ira
ditions of the creed and often let their
eXuberancc of feeling lead them to what may
seem extravaganza with the mere locker on 1t
of the mockery which is sometimes induged In at
their expense and we do not pause to think that
such mockery at such time may do lncalculable
HARM for the religious idea once destroyed never
comes back, while we must all avOw that its pos
among the masses is desirability, If not q
necessity, and that as mere matter Of good gov
ernmenJ its incubation Is pralseworthy instead Of
Its destruction. Every population Is better for
being religious, and in the orderly conduct OF the
colOred population in this city we may see to
great extent the effect OF such training.


There is at present going on colored camp
meeting at a place on Staten Island known as
Wlnanls Grove, on the Morning Star road, IN the
town OF Northfleld Staten Island. The location Is
reached by boat from Deg street to Elm PARK and
then by stages to the grove. 1t Is pretty spot
and well adapted for camp meeting OF the Kind.
The country about the spot is nat, but with slope
toward the water and scenery Of more than ordi-
nary attractiveness around. The camp meeting
itself was started last Saturday week. and since
that time has been more than we'll patronizeu by
crowds of people who have not only gone
there from this city, but also IRON oil the
country around, including the island itself and
New Jersey. 1t is, properly speaking. an offspring
OF the Zion colored Methodist Episcopal church in
Blocker street, and the pastor OF that church,
the Rev. Jacob Thomas, has the spiritual ana tenn
poral direct,on OF the whole AFFAIR, assisted by
activity Both have worked with no small en-
thusiasm in all the muititudlnous details which
are necessary II 1t be wished to make camp
meeting success. Some thirty tents were hired
by the pastor, and all were erected in the enclos-
ure Ol the grove, and besides, several OF the con-
gregation and others outside the congregation
with the permission OF the committee, have brought
tents and erected them on the spot. 1t makes up,
indeed, an encampment of no small proportions
Besides Rev. jacob Thomas, who has been the
principal agent IN the whole AFFAIR (and well has
he done his work) there have been numerous col
among them the Rev. W: Il. Decker, Of Tarrytown;
Williams, OF Brooklyn; Charles Robertson, Henry
DumpsoE and Jaspar Barkrof, all men OF sub
stance and standing in the Church. These have
divided up the work among themselves OF con-
ducting the services and the meetings. There
have been two services each day, besides prayer
meetings morning and night, and alter these the
regular eXhOrtatlOnS.


| Yesterday the services were conducted by
the Rev. jacob Thomas. 1t was picturesque
| scene from morning to night, aud particularly as
| the services were proceeding. Then the crowd in
MISUNDERSTANDING possibly 800 persons, and
including no small sprnkling OF wntes-all gath.
cred along the benches and around the preachers
PLATFORM and the various eating booths were de-
serted for the time being. Stages were constantly
coming up crowded with passengers, all anxiOusly
seeking the encampment and determined to MN
gle rural enjoyment with religious exercise. The
praying was very fervent, and all bowed their
heads in humble thankuness the voices of the
the greensward. The hymns rung out with all
the old melody so peculiar to the cOored race and
sounded curiously in this open space, with the
heavens above and the trees waving a faint ac
compartment to the song OF praise and peace
There was something inspiring IN the scene and
one could not help feeling better for the expert.
ence, momentary though 1t may have been. Then
followed the sermon, which was short ana to the
point, and again the singing. The eXhOrtatiOn
was then proceeded with and was strong plea for
religion and the benefits 10 brought to the hungry
the present meeting, though strong re.
ligiOus spirit has been manifested by the
attendants. Alter the meeting the crowd
broke up and repaired TO the tents LOT dinner the
regular restaurant booths doing rushing business
for the time and hardly able to supply the rush or
custom, which was excessive. Again in the after
noon another service took place.


During the week the attendance has been large
and very respectable Some OF the wealthy
colOred people OF the city have been present; 1t
has been mainly made up OF the congregation OF
the Zion church. and altogether it has been
promising success, both religious and pecuniary.
The attendance was very large as it is the last
Sunday OF the meeting. On Tuesday the camp
meeting will finally break up.