[[60/61]] <this large> circuit alone.
A good work however had already commenced, some souls were converted, and the enkindlings of revival soon became apparent. The gracious work received fresh impetus at the Camp Meeting. For our Pr found that at the last quarterly Conference of the preceding year, it was determined to hold a Camp Meeting, to commence Friday the ninth of October, a few miles above the falls, & about three miles from the River, in a grove near what was called New Chapel or Jacobs’ Meeting House This was the time and place of the first quarterly meeting.
This meeting was looked to with considerable interest, as the new P.E and new Preachers were expected and tho- rather late in the season, it was hoped that they might be favoured with good weather. During the week the ground was prepared and a few tents erected, and all looked cheering, but on thursday + evening, the weather changed heavy clouds arose and in the night the rain commenced falling, and on Friday morning it was found that the first cold storm for the season had actually commenced, all day the rain continued & the atmosphere constantly growing colder, some concluded the meeting would prove an entire failure. A few however who had erected tents moved on to the ground, and in the afternoon they had preaching in the church which stood on the [[61/62]] upper side of the encampment, and at night preaching in the house again, the rain still continuing and the cold increasing, and in the night the rain was mingled with snow so that when it ceased the seats and tops of the tents were said to be white with the snow.
On Saturday morning the rain had eased, but during the entire day it was cloudy, dark & cold, Logs were drawn to the out edge of the encampment, piled and fired, and many stood around them litterally + shivering with cold, The prospect was indeed gloomy and what rendered it more unpleasant, the P.E. did not reach there, having fallen sick with fever, so that the whole charge of the meeting fell upon our young Pr for although there were several Preachers on the ground travelling & local (some of whom were from the other side of the River,) yet none felt that they had any thing to do, only to preach when called on.
At eleven o’clock on Saturday the loose seats were brought from the church & placed in the altar and the first sermon delivered at the stand, and another in the afternoon, but still the people were too cold to hear to much advantage. A man was appointed to preach at night, a council of preachers was called and it was proposed that we have preaching tonight [[62/63]] at the stand, but all, except our young Pr, opposed it saying it was too cold, to this it was opposed that with preaching in the house, while some had to remain at their tents little could be done <and that he thought the weather was moderating> but as all were against him, he reluctantly yielded and the seats were carried from the altar back to the house, & our young Pr, with a heavy heart, busied himself in seeing that suitable preparations were made for the Sabbath, such as, wood for fires, and lights, horses taken to pasture &c. During the entire day it had remained dark and cloudy but just at sunset the clouds in the west were tinged with red, the winds hushed, and it was evident that the indications were favourable for pleasant weather, at last the people were some + encouraged. Just at this time the Rev. C. Ruddle, an excellent local preacher, who lived in the neighbourhood, who had a warm heart and a Big tent on the ground, came [and del] to our young Pr saying Brother Ruter, I repent, you were right and we were all wrong, the preaching should be at the stand,
Said the Pr “I thought so, but the seats are carried back to the house and it is too late now.
No, said the old Preacher it is not too late. We overruled you when we ought not, and if you say the word, there is a barn near by, and I will have the ground in [[63/64]] the altar covered with straw & the Benches brought out before time for the preaching, there is a plenty of young men & boys here who will do it at a word, if you say so,
well said the young Pr, “I would be glad it were so, and you can do as you think best.
“That’s enough” said the old veteran, and in few minutes they were moving briskly, and the work was soon accomplished, The young Pr began to feel a little encouraged, hoping some good might be done, when just as he was having the lights put upon the fire stands, the preacher who had been appointed to preach at that hour, came and told him that he must get another man, for he should not speak in the open air that night, Entreaties were useless, and our young Pr hurried away to find some one to take the place, but to his chagrin, not a man on the ground would consent to take the stand, and of course, having charge of the meeting when he could get no one to take the stand he must do it himself – He requested a man to go to the stand & blow the horn, and feeling weary and almost heart sick, he sat down on the end of a seat near a tent, in order to collect his scattered thoughts, while the congregation were gathering, a pious class leader from a different part of the circuit, sitting near asked him “what is [[64/65]] <the> matter.” you look sad?” He told him he was wearied, and indeed felt sad, that he did not know but his brethren had taken offence, that the preaching was to be at the stand, for the one appointed, had refused, & no one could take his place, and of course it devolved on him, &, he knew not what <to> say.
Said the good old leader, let me tell you, go and take the text & preach the sermon which you preached in our society the last round, I was thinking how exactly it would fit such a time as this, and there are but few here who heard it then, and we all want to hear it again, now do just preach it for us tonight.
Said the Pr I did not think of that subject, I believe however it would be well adapted to this time of darkness, if I could gather up my thoughts & had a few moments for reflection.
Well said the good brother, you just go and try it now, see, we’ll all pray for you.
He went to the stand the services were commenced, and the text (31) read Isaiah 50 th 10.11 th and surely the people did pray, After briefly describing the characters addressed, he then <spoke> of the darkness (Providential) in which they sometimes walk, (this was sensibly felt here). But when enforcing the Exhortation “Let him trust in Name of the Lord, & stay himself upon his God,” [[65/66]] Then it was that Jehovah made bare his arm in the sight of the people, (32) darkness was dispersed and light shone all around. A few words of warning founded on the latter verse & the discourse was closed by inviting penitents to the altar, and the invitation was not in vain, many came, and untill + a late hour in the night, the cries of the penitent and songs & shouts of the redeemed, rose in mingled harmony from that altar.
On Sabbath morning the sky was clear, the atmosphere Pleasant & balmy as a morning in May. The people in crowds collected in from every direction, a sermon was preached at ½ past 8, and at eleven it was arranged to have two sermons in succession, but the Lord ordered otherwise. Rev. Jas. Ward of Ky, Preached at eleven with much liberty and power, and at the close there was no call for more preaching from the stand, but the preacher <Bro Baker> appointed to follow rose and commenced but finding that such was the deep and intense feeling that he could not be heard, he paused, and [there was del] a call was made for penitents to come to the altar, and then it was that the great battle began, then it was that the voice of the Lord appeared to shake the wilderness, (33) sinners in Zion were afraid, (34) and [[66/67]] scores fled for refuge to the altar of prayer, and there they were successfully pointed to the “Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” (35) From this time (about 1 o clock P.M.) there was no cessation, but evidently an increasing interest throughout that large assembly, while ever and anon the shout of a new born soul rose clear and shrill above the deep wailings of the penitent, and others, as the number of the sorrowing would appear to be lessened in the altar others would be seen wending their way from different parts of the encampment, leaning on the arm of some faithful Christian friend, and pressing to the mourners bench, in the altar, or some tent set apart for the purpose, and thus the day passed & night closed in, and yet no pause, no marks of we<a>riness or want of refreshment, The fires were lighted, but no preaching necessary, indeed it would have been impracticable to speak from the stand so as to be heard. Yet there was little of that tempestuous effervescence which sometimes characterises + scenes of this kind, but a <strong> [illegible del] upheaving of <the> deepest feelings of the heart, like the continued murmuring of the restless ocean, occasionally broken by shrill shouts of triumph. It was indeed evident to all [[67/68]] that God had taken the work into his own hands, & his people, with full hearts could but wonder and admire, no one attempted to interrupt the worship, but all seemed to stand in awe to see the salvation of God.
Thus passed the entire night, without the least apparent weariness – and on Monday morning all appeared as fresh, and as much in earnest, as the first hour after the work began. What was to be done, this was the day on which it was expected the meeting would close, most of the travelling Preachers from abroad, were about to leave, tho with reluctance, After consultation, it was determined that about nine o clock we would endeavour to clear the altar long enough to have the sacrament of the Lords + Supper administered. This was done and Bro. Ward officiated, and many that morning, who came there in the gall of bitterness, at the sacramental board for the first time pledged their vows to God. So soon as the sacramental service was over the altar was again crowded & the work went on as before. The . called on the tent holders and all agreed to stay until Tuesday But there was no preaching to be done, none was, needed. Thus the work went on during the day, till [[68/69]] about four o clock P.M, when it was thought that prudence would require that an effort should be made to get the people to their tents, as some yea many had neither eat + nor slept since Sabbath morning. Our young Pr went into the stand and succeeded in making himself heard. He told them the ministry would continue till next day, and as they had yet bodies as well as souls, he thought they ought to leave the altar, however endeared the spot, long enough to go to their tents and take a little refreshment, after much persuasion he got them to leave the altar, but some went directly to the tents, or to the woods and commenced singing & praying there, in a few minutes the horn was blown, and the congregation quickly came together again a short sermon was delivered, when penitents had leave to come again to the altar, and all that evening, and all that night, the work appeared not in the least to wane, but on the contrary to increase in interest, but it was concluded to close on Tuesday, as the travelling Preachers all must leave to attend their appointments, and the tent holders [[69/70]] were not prepared to stay longer. A short address was delivered, and an attempt made to ascertain the number of conversions, and altho, many had left, there remained upwards of Eighty on the ground, hence it was believed that at least one hundred had been happily converted during the meeting. About eleven oclock the congregation was formally dismissed, tho, many remained till evening and some till next day.
From this meeting the work spread with increased rapidity, and nearly every appointment was visited with revival influence, and during the year between five and six hundred were received on probation, comparatively few turned back, many became pillars in the church, and out of the young men received, that year into the church some ten or twelve became Ministers of the gospel and some of them eminently successfull + in the itinerant field. In the fall of 1820 W m W Redman of Clark County a young [[70/71]]