CHAPTER XXIII. THE CAMP-MEETING.

Theplaceselectedforthecamp-meetingwasinoneofthemostpicturesqueportionsoftheneighborhood.Itwasasmall,partially-clearedspot,inthemidstofadenseforest,whichstretchedawayineverydirection,incool,greenaislesofcheckeredlightandshade. Inthecentralclearing,asortofrudeamphitheatreofseatswasformedofrough-pineslabs.Aroundontheedgesoftheforestthetentsofthevariousworshipperswerepitchedforthespendingofthreeorfourdaysandnightsuponthegroundisdeemedanessentialpartoftheservice.ThesameclearstreamwhichwoundroundthedwellingofTiffprattleditsway,withamodestgurgle,throughthisforest,andfurnishedtheassemblywithwater. TheGordons,havingcomemerelyforthepurposesofcuriosity,andhavingaresidenceintheneighborhood,didnotprovidethemselveswithatent.Theservants,however,werelesseasilysatisfied.AuntRoseshookherhead,anddeclared,oracularly,that"Deblessingwassuretocomedownindenight,anddemdatwantedtogetapartofitwouldhavetobedar!" Consequently,Ninawasbesettoallowherpeopletohaveatent,inwhichtheyweretotaketurnsinstayingallnight,ascandidatesfortheblessing.Incompliancewiththatlawofgood-humoredindulgencewhichhadbeenthetraditionaryusageofherfamily,NinaaccededandtheGordontentspreaditssnowysails,totherejoicingoftheirhearts.AuntRosepredominatedaboutthedoor,alternatelyslappingthechildrenandjoiningthechorusofhymnswhichsheheardfromeverypartofthecamp-ground.Ontheoutskirtswerevariousrudebooths,inwhichwhiskeyandwater,andsundryarticlesofprovision,andfodderforhorses,weredispensedforaconsideration.AbijahSkinflintherefiguredamongthemoney-changers,whilehiswifeanddaughterweregossipingthroughthetentsofthewomen.Infrontoftheseats,underadenseclusterofpines,wasthepreachers'stand:arudestageofroughboards,witharailingaroundit,andadeskofsmallslabs,supportingaBibleandahymn-book. Thepreacherswerealreadyassemblingandnosmallcuriositywasexpressedwithregardtothembythepeople,whowerewalkingupanddownamongthetents.Nina,leaningonthearmofClayton,walkedabouttheareawiththerest.AnneClaytonleanedonthearmofUncleJohn.AuntNesbitandAuntMariacamebehind.ToNinathescenewasquitenew,foralongresidenceintheNorthernStateshadplacedheroutofthewayofsuchthingsandhershrewdinsightintocharacter,andherloveofdrollery,foundanabundantsatisfactioninthevariouslittlepointsandodditiesofthescene.TheywalkedtotheGordontent,inwhichapreliminarymeetingwasalreadyinfullcourse.Acircleofmenandwomen,interspersedwithchildren,weresitting,withtheireyesshut,andtheirheadsthrownback,singingatthetopoftheirvoices.Occasionally,oneorotherwouldvarytheexercisesbyclappingofhands,jumpingupstraightintotheair,fallingflatontheground,screaming,dancing,andlaughing. "Oh,setmeuponarock!"screamedone. "I'ssotup!"screamedanother. "Glory!"criedthethird,andatempestof"amens"pouredinbetween. "I'sgotasperience!"criedone,andforthwithbeganpipingitoutinahighkey,whileotherskeptonsinging. "I'sgotasperience!"shoutedTomtit,whomAuntRose,withmaternalcare,hadtakenwithher. "No,youan'tneither!Sitdown!"saidAuntRose,kneadinghimdownasifhehadbeenabatchofbiscuits,andgoingonatthesametimewithherhymn. "I'sontheRockofAges!"screamedaneighbor. "Iwanttogetonarockedgeways!"screamedTomtit,strugglingdesperatelywithAuntRose'sgreatfathands. "Mindyourself!—I'llcrackyouover!"saidAuntRose.AndTomtit,stillcontinuingrebellious,wascrackedoveraccordingly,withsuchforceastosendhimhead-foremostonthestrawatthebottomofthetentanindignitywhichheresentedwithloudhowlsofimpotentwrath,which,however,madenoimpressioninthegeneralwhirlwindofscreaming,shouting,andpraying. NinaandUncleJohnstoodatthetent-doorlaughingheartily.Claytonlookedonwithhisusualthoughtfulgravityofaspect.Anneturnedherheadawaywithanairofdisgust. "Whydon'tyoulaugh?"saidNina,lookingroundather. "Itdoesn'tmakemefeellikeit,"saidAnne."Itmakesmefeelmelancholy." "Whyso?" "Becausereligionisasacredthingwithme,andIdon'tliketoseeittravestied,"saidshe. "Oh,"saidNina,"Idon'trespectreligionanythelessforagoodlaughatitsoddities.IbelieveIwasbornwithoutanyorganofreverence,andsodon'tfeeltheincongruityofthethingasyoudo.Thedistancebetweenlaughingandprayingisn'tsoverywideinmymindasitisinsomepeople's." "Wemusthavecharity,"saidClayton,"foreveryreligiousmanifestation.Barbarousandhalf-civilizedpeoplealwaysfindthenecessityforoutwardandbodilydemonstrationinworshipIsupposebecausethenervousexcitementwakesupandanimatestheirspiritualnatures,andgetsthemintoareceptivestate,justasyouhavetoshakeupsleepingpersonsandshoutintheirearstoputtheminaconditiontounderstandyou.Ihaveknownrealconversionstotakeplaceunderjusttheseexcitements." "But,"saidAnne,"Ithinkwemightteachthemtobedecent.Thesethingsoughtnottobeallowed!" "Ibelieve,"saidClayton,"intoleranceisarootedviceinournature.Theworldisasfullofdifferentmindsandbodiesasthewoodsareofleaves,andeachonehasitsownhabitofgrowth.Andyetourfirstimpulseistoforbideverythingthatwouldnotbeproperforus.No,lettheAfricanscream,dance,andshout,andfallintrances.Itsuitshistropicallineageandbloodasmuchasourthoughtfulinwardwaysdous." "Iwonderwhothatis!"saidNina,asageneralmovementonthegroundproclaimedthearrivalofsomeonewhoappearedtobeexcitinggeneralinterest.Thestrangerwasanunusuallytall,portlyman,apparentlysomewhatpastthemiddleoflife,whoseerectcarriage,fullfigure,andredcheeks,andacertaindashingfranknessofmanner,mighthaveindicatedhimasbelongingrathertothemilitarythantheclericalprofession.Hecarriedarifleonhisshoulder,whichhesetdowncarefullyagainstthecornerofthepreacher'sstand,andwentaroundshakinghandsamongthecompanywithafreeandjovialairthatmightalmostbedescribedbythetermrollicking. "Why,"saidUncleJohn,"that'sfatherBonnie!Howareyou,myfinefellow?" "What!you,Mr.Gordon?—Howdoyoudo?"saidfatherBonnie,graspinghishandinhis,andshakingitheartily."Why,theytellme,"hesaid,lookingathimwithajovialsmile,"thatyouhavefallenfromgrace!" "Evenso!"saidUncleJohn."Iamasaddog,Idaresay." "Oh,Itellyouwhat,"saidfatherBonnie,"butittakesastronghookandalonglinetopullinyourichsinners!Yourmoney-bagsandyourniggershangroundyoulikemill-stones!YouaretootoughfortheGospel!Ah!"saidhe,shakinghisfistathim,playfully,"butI'mgoingtocomedownuponyou,to-day,withthelaw,Icantellyou!YouwantthethundersofSinai!Youmusthaveadoseofthelaw!" "Well,"saidUncleJohn,"thunderaway!Isupposeweneedit,allofus.But,now,fatherBonnie,youministersarealwayspreachingtouspoordogsontheevilsofrichesbut,somehow,Idon'tseeanyofyouthataremuchafraidofowninghorses,orniggers,oranyothergoodthingthatyoucangetyourhandson.Now,Ihearthatyou'vegotaprettysnuglittleplace,andalikelydrovetoworkit.You'llhavetolookoutforyourownsoul,fatherBonnie!" AgenerallaughechoedthisretortforfatherBonniehadthereputationofbeingashrewderhandatabargain,andofhavingmoreexpertnessinswappingahorseortradinganegro,thananyothermanforsixcountiesround. "He'sintoyou,now,oldman!"saidseveraloftheby-standers,laughingly. "Oh,astothat,"saidfatherBonnie,laughing,also,"IgoinwithPaul,—theythatpreachtheGospelmustliveoftheGospel.Now,Paulwasamanthatstoodupforhisrightstoliveasotherfolksdo.'Isn'titright,'sayshe,'thatthosethatplantavineyardshouldfirsteatofthefruit?Haven'twepowertoleadaboutasister,awife?'sayshe.AndifPaulhadlivedinourtimehewouldhavesaidadroveofniggers,too!Nodangeraboutusministersbeinghurtbyriches,whileyoulaymenaresoslowaboutsupportingtheGospel!" AttheelbowoffatherBonniestoodabrotherminister,whowasinmanyrespectshiscontrast.Hewastall,thin,andstooping,withearnestblackeyes,andaserenesweetnessofexpression.Athreadbaresuitofrustyblack,evidentlycarefullyworn,showedthepovertyofhisworldlyestate.Hecarriedinhishandasmallportmanteau,probablycontainingachangeoflinen,hisBible,andafewsermons.FatherDicksonwasamanextensivelyknownthroughallthatregion.HewasoneofthosemenamongtheministersofAmerica,whokeepaliveourfaithinChristianity,andrenewonearththeportraitoftheoldapostle:"Injourneyingsoften,inwearinessandpainfulness,inwatchingsoften,inhungerandthirst,infastingsoften,incoldandnakedness.Besidesthosethingsthatarewithout,thatwhichcomethuponthemdaily,thecareofallthechurches.Whoisweak,andtheyarenotweak?whoisoffended,andtheyburnnot?" EveryoneinthestateknewandrespectedfatherDicksonand,likethegeneralityoftheworld,peoplewereverywellpleased,andthoughtitextremelyproperandmeritoriousforhimtobearwearinessandpainfulness,hungerandcold,intheirspiritualservice,leavingtothemtherightofattendingornotattendingtohim,accordingtotheirownconvenience.FatherDicksonwasoneofthosewhohadneveryieldedtothecommoncustomsandhabitsofthecountryinregardtotheholdingofslaves.Afew,whohadbeenlefthimbyarelation,hehadatgreattroubleandexpensetransportedtoafreestate,andsettledtherecomfortably.Theworldneednottroubleitselfwithseekingtoknoworrewardsuchmenfortheworldcannotknowandhasnopowertorewardthem.Theircitizenshipisinheaven,andallthatcanbegiventheminthislifeislikeamorselwhichapeasantgivesinhiscottagetohimwhoto-morrowwillreignoverakingdom. Hehadstoodlisteningtotheconversationthusfarwiththegraveyetindulgentairwithwhichhegenerallylistenedtothesalliesofhisministerialbrothers.FatherBonnie,thoughnotasmuchrespectedorconfidedinasfatherDickson,had,fromthefranknessofhismanners,andacertainrudebuteffectivestyleofeloquence,amoregeneralandapparentpopularity.Heproducedmoresensationonthecamp-groundcouldsinglouderandlonger,andwouldoftenriseintoflightsofeloquencebothoriginalandimpressive.Manywereoffendedbythefreedomofhismanneroutofthepulpitandthestrictersortwereknowntohavesaidofhim,"thatwhenoutheneveroughttobein,andwheninneverout."Asthelaughthatroseathislastsallydiedaway,heturnedtofatherDickson,andsaid:— "Whatdoyouthink?" "Idon'tthink,"saidfatherDickson,mildly,"thatyouwouldeverhavefoundPaulleadingadroveofnegroes." "Whynot,aswellasAbraham,thefatherofthefaithful?Didn'thehavethreehundredtrainedservants?" "Servants,perhapsbutnotslaves!"saidfatherDickson,"fortheyallborearms.Formypart,Ithinkthatthebuying,selling,andtrading,ofhumanbeings,forpurposesofgain,isasininthesightofGod." "Well,now,fatherDickson,Iwouldn'thavethoughtyouhadreadyourBibletosolittlepurposeasthat!Iwouldn'tbelieveit!WhatdoyousaytoMoses?" "HeledoutawholearmyoffugitiveslavesthroughtheRedSea,"saidfatherDickson. "Well,Itellyou,now,"saidfatherBonnie,"ifthebuying,selling,orholding,ofaslaveforthesakeofgain,is,asyousay,asin,thenthreefourthsofalltheEpiscopalians,Methodists,Baptists,andPresbyterians,intheslavestatesoftheUnion,areofthedevil!" "Ithinkitisasin,notwithstanding,"saidfatherDickson,quietly. "Well,butdoesn'tMosessayexpressly,'Yeshallbuyoftheheathenroundaboutyou'?" "There'sintohim!"saidaGeorgiatrader,who,havingcampedwithacoffleofnegroesin