246 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



fierceness that I was nearly dragged off the bench. 

 " Come to glory," he yelled. " Come to salvation. 

 Come to the blessed of the Lord, and learn the Way." 

 I am anything but a weak man, and at this time was in 

 the zenith of my strength, weighing over thirteen stone ; 

 but I was nearly powerless in the clutches of this wiry 

 youth. He clung to me like a cat, and I could not 

 shake him off. Pity withheld me from throwing him 

 roughly, for I was convinced that only insanity could 

 show the superhuman strength of this miserable stripling. 

 At length my friend and some of the brethren inter- 

 fered on my behalf; but it took the united strength of 

 three or four powerful men to compel the young fanatic 

 to relinquish his hold of me. Some years afterwards, 

 being in that neighbourhood, I made inquiries after John, 

 and learned that he died suddenly in one of his fits of 

 " communion " when he was about eighteen years of 

 age — not a surprising fate. Few, I think, will disagree 

 with me when I describe his end as a case of death from 

 religious excitement. 



I have devoted more space to this strange community 

 than I intended to do when I commenced the chapter, 

 and I cannot therefore describe several other strange 

 relisfious sects as I had intended to do. As is well known, 

 nearly all denominations in America have " big tents " in 

 the woods and wastes during the summer months ; and 

 perhaps it is as well that I do not describe some of the 

 disgraceful scenes that take place in these religious 

 picnics, especially in the " coon " tents. 



It can well be imagined that where people camp 

 promiscuously together in the woods for perhaps six or 

 seven weeks at a time, strange, not to say indecorous, 

 scenes take place, especially as Uncle Sam is fond of 

 novelty in his religion as well as in other things. 



I have described New Lebanon as being situated in 

 the State of Massachusetts, It seems, however, to be 

 in New York. I cannot now say how the mistake 



