188 CAMP-MEETING BARN. 



kneeling and tossing on the ground like others, or had she a 

 part to act ? 



At the time of my departure, there might be nearly three 

 hundred people on the ground, including all descriptions, 

 amongst whom were fifteen or twenty females, unconnected 

 with the sect, and a great many boys. On walking from the 

 meeting, many youths were met on their way to it. 



It is but justice for me to say, that I did not witness any act 

 of impropriety or indecency by the attenders of the camp-meet 

 ing ; but whether this arose from the character of the people, the 

 time of night, or my want of discernment, others may deter 

 mine. The meeting was, however, a small one, and in a part 

 of the country not likely to have furnished many examples of 

 disregardless profligacy. Whether camp-meetings are favour 

 able to the cause of genuine religion, is matter of dispute, and 

 the greater part of those whom I heard speak on the subject, 

 supported the negative side of the question. Perhaps the mat 

 ter is oftener determined by feeling than reason. It would be 

 presumption to give a decided opinion on so serious a subject, 

 with such limited opportunity of judging ; but something ex 

 traordinary will occur to induce me again to visit a camp-meet 

 ing. This may be prejudice. 



On leaving the camp-meeting, we proceeded to a tavern 

 five miles distant, on reaching which we learned that the beds 

 and floors were so occupied, that we could not gain admittance. 

 We, however, obtained permission to lodge ourselves in the barn, 

 which, on scrambling over several rail fences, we found open, 

 and occupied by human beings snoring in full chorus. The 

 mows of grain being of different heights, we ascended to 

 the attics, where we passed the night. The grain seemed to 

 have been lately carried in, its upper surface being moist from 

 sweating, which, joined to currents of air passing through the 

 openings in the roof, rendered me so cold, that I had recourse 

 to my flannel shirt for the first and last time between leaving 

 Montreal and New York. Next morning I awoke from a 

 sound sleep, and, like a dog, put myself to rights by a shake, 

 shouldered my knapsack, and took the road at half-past four 

 o clock, in as good walking trim as at any former period of 

 my life. 



