CHAPTER XXIII. THE CAMP-MEETING.

theneighborhood,hadcomeuptocamp-meeting. "Allthosethings,"saidfatherDickson,"belongtotheoldcovenant,whichPaulsayswasannulledfortheweaknessandunprofitablenessthereof,andhavenothingtodowithus,whohaverisenwithChrist.WehavegotpastMountSinaiandthewilderness,andhavecomeuntoMountZionandoughttoseekthethingsthatareabove,whereChristsitteth." "Isay,brother,"saidanotheroftheministers,tappinghimontheshoulder,"it'stimeforthepreachingtobegin.Youcanfinishyourdiscussionsomeothertime.Come,fatherBonnie,comeforward,here,andstrikeupthehymn." FatherBonnieaccordinglysteppedtothefrontofthestand,andwithhimanotherminister,ofequalheightandbreadthofframe,and,standingwiththeirhatson,theyuplifted,instentorianvoices,thefollowinghymn:— "Brethrendon'tyouhearthesound? Themartialtrumpetnowisblowing Meninorderlistinground, Andsoldierstothestandardflowing." Asthesoundofthehymnrolledthroughtheaislesandarchesofthewood,theheadsofdifferentgroups,whohadbeenengagedinconversation,wereobservedturningtowardthestand,andvoicesfromeverypartofthecamp-groundtookuptheair,as,suitingtheactiontothewords,theybeganflowingtotheplaceofpreaching.Thehymnwenton,keepingupthesamemartialimages:— "Bountyoffered,lifeandpeace Toeverysoldierthisisgiven, Whenthetoilsoflifeshallcease, Amansionbright,preparedinheaven." Asthethrongpressedup,andcamecrowdingfromthedistantaislesofthewood,thesingersseemedtoexertthemselvestothrowawildervehemenceintothesong,stretchingouttheirarmsandbeckoningeagerly.Theywentonsinging:— "Youneednotfearthecauseisgood, Letwhowilltothecrownaspire: Inthiscausethemartyrsbled, Andshoutedvictoryinthefire. "Inthiscauselet'sfollowon, Andsoonwe'lltellthepleasingstory, Howbyfaithwewonthecrown, Andfoughtourwaytolifeandglory. "Oh,yerebels,comeand'list! Theofficersarenowrecruiting: Whywillyouinsinpersist, Orwasteyourtimeinvaindisputing? "Allexcusesnowarevain For,ifyoudonotsueforfavor, Downyou'llsinktoendlesspain, AndbearthewrathofGodforever." Thereisalwayssomethingawfulinthevoiceofthemultitude.Itwouldseemasifthebreaththatacrowdbreathedouttogether,inmomentsofenthusiasm,carriedwithitaportionofthedreadandmysteryoftheirownimmortalnatures.Thewholeareabeforethepulpit,andinthedistantaislesoftheforest,becameonevast,surgingseaofsound,asnegroesandwhites,slavesandfreemen,saintsandsinners,slave-holders,slave-hunters,slave-traders,ministers,elders,andlaymen,alikejoinedinthepulsesofthatmightysong.Afloodofelectricalexcitementseemedtorisewithit,as,withavoiceofmanywaters,therudechantwenton:— "Hark!thevictorssingingloud! Emanuel'schariotwheelsarerumbling Mournersweepingthroughthecrowd, AndSatan'skingdomdownistumbling!" Ourfriend,BenDakin,pressedtothestand,and,withtearsstreamingdownhischeeks,exceededallothersintheenergyofhisvociferations.Benhadjustcomefromalmostafightwithanotherslave-hunter,whohadboastedabetter-trainedpackofdogsthanhisownandhadbrokenawaytohurrytothecamp-ground,withtheassurancethathe'd"givehimfitswhenthepreachin'wasover"andnowhestoodthere,tearsrollingdownhischeeks,singingwiththeheartiestearnestnessanddevotion.Whatshallwemakeofit?PoorheathenBen!isitanymoreoutofthewayforhimtothinkofbeingaChristianinthismanner,thanforsomeofhismoredecentbrethren,whotakeSundaypassageforeternityinthecushionedNewYorkorBostonpews,andsolemnlydrowsethroughverysleepytunes,underadim,hazyimpressionthattheyaregoingtoheaven?Ofthetwo,wethinkBen'schanceisthebestfor,insomeblindway,hedoesthinkhimselfasinner,andinneedofsomethinghecallssalvationand,doubtless,whilethetearsstreamdownhisface,thepoorfellowmakesanewresolveagainstthewhiskey-bottle,whilehismorerespectablesleepybrethrenneverthinkofmakingoneagainstthecotton-bale. Thentherewashisrival,also,JimStokes,—asurly,foul-mouthed,swearingfellow,—hejoinsinthechorusofthehymn,andfeelsatroublous,vagueyearning,deepdownwithinhim,whichmakeshimforthemomentdoubtwhetherhehadbetterknockdownBenattheendofthemeeting. AstoHarry,whostoodalsoamongthecrowd,thewordsandtunerecalledbuttoovividlytheincidentsofhismorning'sinterviewwithDred,andwithitthetumultuousboilingofhisbittercontroversywiththelawsofthesocietyinwhichhefoundhimself.Inhoursofsuchhighexcitement,amanseemstohaveanintuitiveperceptionofthewholeextentandstrengthofwhatiswithinhimselfand,iftherebeanythingunnaturalorfalseinhisposition,herealizesitwithdoubleintensity. Mr.JohnGordon,likewise,gavehimselfup,withoutresistance,tobeswayedbythefeelingofthehour.Hesungwithenthusiasm,andwishedhewasasoldierofsomebody,goingsomewhere,oramartyrshoutingvictoryinthefireandiftheconflictdescribedhadbeenwithanyotherfoethanhisownlazinessandself-indulgence—hadtherebeenanyoutward,tangibleenemy,atthemoment—hewoulddoubtlesshaveenlisted,withoutlossoftime. Whenthehymnwasfinished,however,therewasageneralwipingofeyes,andtheyallsatdowntolistentothesermon.FatherBonnieledoffinananimatedstrain.Hisdiscoursewaslikethetropicalswamp,burstingoutwithalushabundanceofeverykindofgrowth—grave,gay,grotesque,solemn,fanciful,andevencoarsecaricature,provokingthebroadestlaughter.Theaudiencewereswayedbyhimliketreesbeforethewind.Therewerenotwantingtouchesofrudepathos,aswellasearnestappeals.ThemeetingwasauniononeofPresbyteriansandMethodists,inwhichtheministersofbothdenominationstookequalpartanditwasanunderstoodagreementamongthem,ofcourse,thattheywerenottoventureuponpolemicground,orattackeachother'speculiaritiesofdoctrine.ButAbijah'sfavoritepreachercouldnotgetthroughasermonwithoutsomequitepointedexpositionofScripturebearingonhisfavoritedoctrineofelection,whichcausedthenextministertorunavehementtiltonthecorrelativedoctrinesoffreegrace,withaeulogyonJohnWesley.Theauditors,meanwhile,accordingtotheirrespectivesentiments,encouragedeachpreacherwithacryof"Amen!""GlorybetoGod!""Goon,brother!"andothersimilarexclamations. Aboutnoontheservicesterminated,protem.,andtheaudiencedispersedthemselvestotheirrespectivetentsthroughthegrove,wheretherewasanabundanceofchatting,visiting,eating,anddrinking,asifthevehementdenunciationsandpassionateappealsofthemorninghadbeenthingsofanotherstateofexistence.UncleJohn,inthemostcheerypossibleframeofmind,escortedhispartyintothewoods,andassistedtheminunpackingahampercontainingwine,coldfowls,cakes,pies,andotherdelicacieswhichAuntKatyhadpackedfortheoccasion. OldTiffhadsetuphistentinasnuglittlenookonthebanksofthestream,whereheinformedpassers-bythatitwashisyoungmas'randmissis'sestablishment,andthathe,Tiff,hadcometowaitonthem.Withagood-naturedviewofdoinghimapleasure,Ninaselectedaspotfortheirnooningatnogreatdistance,andspokeinthemostgraciousandencouragingmannertothem,fromtimetotime. "See,now,can'tyou,howrealqualitybehavesdemselves!"hesaid,grimly,toOldHundred,whocameupbringingthecarriage-cushionsforthepartytositdownupon."Realqualityseesintothings!Itellyewhat,bloodseesintoblood.MissNinaseesdeseyerchil'enan'tdecommonsort—dat'swhatshedoes!" "Umph!"saidOldHundred,"suchamussasyekeepupaboutyerchil'en!Tellyouwhat,deyan'tnobetterdanoderwhitetrash!" "Now,youtalkdatarway,I'llknockyoudown!"saidOldTiff,who,thoughapeaceableandlaw-abidingcreature,ingeneral,wasdriven,indesperation,tothelastresortofforce. "John,whatareyousayingtoTiff?"saidNina,whohadoverheardsomeofthelastwords."Gobacktoyourowntent,anddon'tyoutroublehim!Ihavetakenhimundermyprotection." Thepartyenjoyedtheirdinnerwithinfiniterelish,andNinaamusedherselfinwatchingTiff'scookingpreparations.Beforedepartingtothepreaching-ground,hehadarrangedaslowfire,onwhichasavorystewhadbeenallthemorningsimmering,andwhich,onthetakingoffofthepot-lid,diffusedanagreeableodorthroughtheplace. "Isay,Tiff,howdelightfullythatsmells!"saidNina,gettingup,andlookingintothepot."Wouldn'tMissFannybesokindastofavoruswithatasteofit?" Fanny,towhomTiffpunctiliouslyreferredthequestion,gaveabashfulconsent.ButwhoshalldescribetheprideandglorythatswelledtheheartofTiffashesawabowlofhisstewsmokingamongtheGordonviands,praisedandpatronizedbytheparty?And,whenNinaplacedontheirsimpleboard—literallyaboard,andnothingmore—asmallloafoffrostedcake,inexchange,itcertainlyrequiredallthegraceofthemorningexercisestokeepTiffwithindueboundsofhumility.Hereallyseemedtodilatewithsatisfaction. "Tiff,howdidyoulikethesermon?"saidNina. "Dey'sprettyfar,MissNina.Der'sagooddealo'qualitypreaching." "Whatdoyoumeanbyqualitypreaching,Tiff?" "Why,datarkinddat'sgoodforquality—fulloflongwords,youknow.Ispectsit'sverygoodbutpoorniggerlikemecan'tseehiswaythroughit.Yousee,MissNina,whatI'sstuddin'on,lately,is,howtogetdeseyerchil'entoCanaanandIharsfuswithoneear,anddenwitht'oder,but'pearslikean'tclar'boutit,yet.Dere'saheapaboutmoseeverythingelse,andit'sallverygoodbut'pearslikeIan'tclar,arterall,aboutdatar.Deysays,'CometoChrist'andIsays,'Wharishe,anyhow?'Bressyou,Iwanttocome!Deytalks'boutgoingindegate,andknockingatdedo',and'boutmarchingonderoad,and'boutfightingandbeingsoldiersofdecrossanddeLordknows,now,I'dbegladtogetdechil'enthroughanygateandIcouldtake'emonmybackandtravelallday,ifderewasanyroadandifderewasado',blessme,ifdeywouldn'thearOldTiffarapping!IspectsdeLordwouldhavefurtoopenit—wouldso.But,arterall,whendepreachingisdone,deredon't'peartobenothingtoit.Derean'tnogate,derean'tnodo',nornowayandderean'tnofighting,'ceptwhenBenDakinandJimStokesgetjawingaboutderdogsandeverybodycomesbackeatingderdinnerquitecomf'table,and'pearslikederewan'tnosuchtingdey'sbeenpreaching'bout.Datartroublesme—doesso—'causeIwantsfurtogetdeseyerchil'enindekingdom,somewayoroder.Ididn'tknowbutsomeofdequalitywouldknowmore'boutit." "Hangme,ifIhaven'tfeltjustso!"saidUncleJohn."Whentheyweresingingthathymnaboutenlistingandbeingasoldier,iftherehadbeenanyfightingdoinganywhere,Ishouldhavecertainlygonerightintoitandthepreachingalwaysstirsmeupterribly.But,then,asTiffsays,afterit'sallover,why,there'sdinnertobeeaten,andIcan'tseeanythingbetterthantoeatitandthen,bythetimeIhavedranktwoorthreeglassesofwine,it'sallgone.Now,that'sjustthewaywithme!" "Deysays,"saidTiff,"datwemustwaitfordeblessingtocomedownuponus,andAuntRosesaysit'sdemdatshoutsdatgetsdeblessingandI'sbeenshoutingtillI'smostbeatout,butIhasn'tgotit.Den,oneofdemsaidnoneofdemcouldgetitbutde'lectbut,den,t'oderone,heseemedtotinkdifferentandindemeetingdeytellsaboutdescalesfallingfromdereyes,—andIwisheddeyfallfrommine—Idoso!Perhaps,MissNina,now,youcouldtellmesomething." "Oh,don'taskme!"saidNina"Idon'tknowanythingaboutthesethings.IthinkIfeelalittlelikeUncleJohn,"shesaid,turningtoClayton."Therearetwokindsofsermonsandhymnsonegetsmetosleep,andtheotherexcitesandstirsmeupinageneralkindofwaybuttheydon'teitherseemtodome