Greenbrier County, West Virginia - 160th Anniversary Booklet - Part 31

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Historical Booklet - Greenbrier County
160th Anniversary - 1778-1938
Published 1938
Transcribed by Lori Samples <dawg @mail.us-net.com>

RECOLLECTIONS OF BRUSHY RIDGE CAMPMEETING

"A boy's eyes are not wholly reliable when it comes to measuring the size of
things, but my recollection of the tabernacle is that it was an immense
thing, with very hard seats.  And it may be because my visits were confined
to Sundays through the hospitality of two aunts who owned and were proud of
their 'tents,' but it seemed that there was something going on continuously
at the tabernacle - singing, or the giving in of testimony, or hearing
'experiences,' but mostly preaching.  I can't remember who the preachers
were.  There were many of them and they were no doubt the ablest that the
county and section could afford.  The tabernacle had no sides, and a fidgety
boy could, and did usually, take an edge seat, so that when no longer
interested spiritually, he could slide out without attracting too much
attention and retire to Aunt Nannie's 'tent'.  As there were literally
oceans of ready prepared picnic things to eat there and an indulgent
housekeeper on hand to pass the good things out, the children of the colony
were back and forth a good deal - mostly back.  The tabernacle, however,
seemed to stay well-filled all the time, and that is not to say that all the
older people were all the time gathered there.

"Around the camp ground were vast throngs of people, and in front of nearly
every 'tent' could be seen hot and heavy elderly ladies rocking in chairs,
fanning themselves, talking to neighbors and friends, while from the
distance in the tabernacle an exhortation by a strong voiced preacher might
be heard word for word anywhere on the grounds.  Some, perhaps, never got
nearer than the portico of their cabins, and still heard 'the Word' and
were blessed thereby.  I remember that my mother preferred the remote
reception, while father, because of his voice, was usually on the choir
platform.

"All the conversation of the grown people, especially of Sunday, was
confined entirely to religious subjects, whenever they were about the
campgrounds.  I do not recall even overhearing any frivolous or worldly
gossip, not connected with a religious purpose.  Everybody knew everybody
else, and it seemed that here were gathered one great family in
spirituality, as it might well be where all these good people hoped and
confidently expected to live through eternity.  Everybody, too, know the
'hard' sinners and they were marked men and women - not for harm, but for
their own good.  They were the central subject of discussion in many groups.
Perhaps they knew it, too.

"Looking down the camp street from one of my aunt's 'tents' toward the
corner around which was the tabernacle, one would every so often see a
herald or messenger coming with hurried steps, stopping here and there in
front of a cabin as he came and announcing something important to eager
groups.  As he approached my aunt's, his face beamed as he shouted:
"So-and-so has at last come down," which meant that another notoriously
stiff, hardened soul had been conquered and converted.  'Coming down' meant
to the mourners or penitents bench.

"Amidst choruses of fervent Ah's and Amens another runner hard on his heels
of the other would explain a sudden pause in the preaching and a surge of
sustained singing by the choir and all of the congregation who weren't
engaged in wrestling with her, but the announcement that 'Sister Kate has
gone to shouting!'  Aunt Kate's shouting was an emotional manifestation of
happiness over a redeemed soul.  Even so, it was a manifestation that had
long since come to be expected, though unscheduled on the formal program 0
and only the Spirit knew when -

"Such was life for two weeks or longer at old Brushy Ridge Campmeeting, to
one who spent many Sundays there."