54 



Pa. (June 17) ; W, M, Gabb, Palaeontologist, California Survey, San 

 Francisco, Cal. (June 18) ; W. G. Richardson, Oxford, Miss. ; State, 

 Hist. Society of Iowa; Prof. O. W. Holmes, Boston; H. Challen, Phila- 

 delphia (June 20) ; Rev. A. B. Kendig, Marshalltown, Iowa; N. Paine, 

 Worcester; E. W. Buswell, Maiden; Prof. J. P. Kirtland, Cleveland, 

 Ohio; Wm. Couper, Quebec, Canada; Prof. D. S. Sheldon, Davenport, 

 Iowa (June 22) ; Prof. R. Owen, Ind. State University (June 23) ; Hen- 

 ry K. West, Haverhill ; Rev. E. C. Bolles, Portland, Me. (June 25) ; Prof. 

 S. F. Baird, Smithsonian Institution (June 26) ; John Bartlett, Haver- 

 hill; Prof. A. E. Verrill, Yale College (June 28) ; Ass't Surg. Elliott 

 Coues, U, S. A., Columbia, S. C, ; Thomas Bland, New York (June 29) ; 

 W. F. Goodwin, Lib. N. H. Historical Society; Samuel H. Wadleigh, 

 Georgetown; W. H. Dall, Acting Director Scientific Corps, Behring 

 Strait Telegraph Co., San Francisco, Cal. ; Gen'l Albert Ordway, Rich- 

 mond, Va. (July 1) ; John Krider, Philadelphia, Pa. ; G. Peabody Rus- 

 sell, Haverhill (July 2) ; John H, Thomson, New Bedford ; John Bart- 

 lett, Haverhill; Prof. D. S. Sheldon, Davenport, Iowa (July 5). 



Donations to the Museum and Library were announced. 



The chair made a few remarks respecting the place of the meeting, 

 and the kindness of the Association in allowing the Institute to occupy 

 the grounds, and called on Mr. James F. Almy, of Salenj, a member of 

 the Association for an account of the origin of the " Camp Meetings " 

 held in this place. Mr. Almy responded as follows : 



MR. PRESIDENT : I esteem it meet that a field meeting of the Es- 

 sex Institute should be held cm the grounds of the Asbury Grove Camp 

 Meeting Association. 



Religion and science may well walk with joined hands. If It 

 may be truly said, "The undevout astronomer is mad," so he who 

 searches out the wonderful Chart of nature, must avow the handiwork 

 of God. 



You have invited me to speak of Camp Meetings, of the one that 

 meets in this grove, and the name it bears. The idea is ancient, and all 

 through the history of our race, a sense of duty has seemed to fill the 

 hearts of men, impelling them to withdraw from the daily routine of 

 care and labor, that they might have closer and uninterrupted coramun- 

 ion with God. It was the prayer of Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, 

 that they might, for this purpose, journey into the wilderness. The 

 Jewish feasts were such seasons of worship. Christ and the apostles 

 gathered the multitudes by the way. It was not the purpose of John 

 Wesley, the great founder of this denomination, to break away from the 

 projection or usages of the Church of England, but he met such oppo- 

 sition in his work of reform, that church doors were closed against 

 him, and he was driven Into the fields, where great masses met him to 

 listen to the word. The system of Camp Meetings, like the one which 

 meets annually here, originated in this country. In 1799, two brothers 

 travelling in Kentucky, began a meeting in a Presbyterian Church, to 

 which the people from the surrounding country came in great numbers, 

 It continued for days, the people encamping near by. So the Presby- 

 terians held the first Camp Meeting in America. The Baptists have 

 also held them ; but it was reserved for the Methodists to adopt them 

 generally. 



This|Association was formed in 1859. The first meeting was held 



