INCIDENTS AND CHARACTERS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF METHODISM

By

The Reverend John Elmore DuBois

Edited by Elizabeth A. DuBois
(c) 1998  DuBois Publishing Co, Simsbury, Connecticut. All rights
reserved.

TEN
Camp Meetings [cont.]

	Preachers were of different timber too; that is, externally.  Their
jeans or copperas suits formed no striking contrast with these
surroundings.  But when they entered the rude pulpit they were full of
the Spirit, and preached with convincing power.  Some of the finest
exhibitions of moral manhood, and some of the finest specimens of pulpit
oratory and eloquence, have been witnessed at camp meetings in Alabama. 
While these meetings have been attended with much good, and have ever
been an important factor in the growth and development of Methodism,
they had to suffer trial and persecution at the hands of the sons of
Belial; but have been pushed on over the head of every opposition and
are still the means of much good.

Preach Frolic; Out-praying the Priest

	 While living in Perry, I attended one of these meetings in Marengo
county.  It was a glorious occasion.  Mr. Lambuth, the father of our
Chinese missionary, was there and did some good preaching.  He
introduced one of his sermons by saying, "There are persons in this
congregation that have been circulating false reports, and I intend
right here and now to expose them." After continuing in this way for a
while until he had riveted the attention of all, he announced his text,
"Ye have said it is a vain thing to serve God."  It is useless to say he
had an attentive congregation, and much good was done by his sermon.

	At this meeting were some working women.  They were all the time in the
front ranks of the battle--praying, talking and singing.  There was an
Irish Catholic in attendance, who afterward told some of his people that
he had a woman there that could "out pray the priest."

[Tomorrow: Necessary Fried Chicken; Protracted Meetings that End Too
Soon]

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