Caldwell County MO Archives History .....HOLINESS RELIGIOUS MEETINGS IN HAMILTON 1884 
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Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 8, 2008, 4:32 pm

THE HOLINESS RELIGIOUS MEETINGS IN HAMILTON 1884
	Narrator:  Bertha Booth, Hamilton

     The interviewer herself gives this narration, having had especial memory 
of this peculiar and spectacular religious movement in Hamilton.  The meetings 
were in the park very near our home and we did not have to go to get their 
effect.  Besides, "Brother Manning" while not of my father's religious belief, 
was a close friend of my father.
     It was in July 1884 that a Holiness camp meeting began in the Hamilton 
city park.  They held street meetings also in the afternoons on Main street in 
the true Salvation Army style, altho they were not of the Army.  People went 
up town just to listen to them and then went to the park at night.  It was not 
exactly a religious interest, but rather curiosity about this queer way of 
worship.  If was a free entertainment for some.
     One of the leaders, in fact the man who had brought the camp meeting here 
was Mr. J.M. Manning, who was a man of considerable private means.  He built 
the big brick business house formerly the home of the First Nat. Bank, the 
site of the present First Bank.  He built a splendid home, the present M.E. 
parsonage.  In contrast to his wealth, most of the members here were humble 
even poor.  Finally he got the idea that the Lord did not like for him to live 
in such a home and he sold this fine place.  He and wife and two sons went out 
in a gospel wagon to travel thru the country with their religious messages.
     Except for his religious eccentricities, he was a very popular man among 
the men up town.
     The Holiness preacher, despite his ability to draw big crowds, was quite 
ignorant and declared once that he had told Bro. Manning to pray all the time 
while he was preaching, and that he could feel the minute when Mr. Manning 
quit the praying.  After the revival was over, a chapel was built on Mill 
street, but with the departure of Mr. Manning from town, the movement soon 
died out and the converts drifted to other churches or quit religion entirely.
     The Holiness meetings during the next winter were held in Sell school 
house just over the line in Daviess county.  They attracted much attention 
from all classes from their total unconventionality, their religious ecstasy 
and loudness of worship.  People had not seen the Salvation army methods and 
the Holiness religion made a new sensation.  Of course, many in the rural 
parts, just as in Hamilton, went to scoff or to be entertained.
     Interview  1935.


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