Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1884 — A Mighty Multitude. [ARTICLE]

A Mighty Multitude.

Items of Interest lu Regard to the Colored Camp-Meeting.' Last Sviqday was the great day at the colored camp meeting. Early in the morning the people from the cduntry began to roll in by the wagon load, and a. little later the long line of hacks and private conveyances from flip town set in towards the Fair ( Grounds in a constant stream. During the entire day, forenoon, afterndoii and evening, not less than 2500 people, we have gdod authority for saying, passed thiough thd gate iiito the grounds. The representation of the parable of the Progical Son was witnessed by at least 1500 persons, and by many the number was estimated to be ifiuch greater: Last Thursday evening the G. A. _R. post attended the camp meeting in a body. The Rev. Mat Henderson welcomed the post in an address which received the commendations of every one who heard it. Mr. Henderson is still quite young, probably udder twenty-five, but a man of really great abilities, j His features are regular and hi? coiriplexioii so light as to indicate more white than negro blood in his veins. The gamins were rather turbulent w'hen the fatted calf was distributed, but otherwise, so far. as we have heard, excellent order has prevailed throughout: with the exception of tlie row at the gate, Sunday evening, for which no one blames the colored people. Hundreds of people who, like Jack Falstaff, Have forgotten wliat ttye inside of a church is like have been present and heard the gospel preached at the camp meetings. The Camp nieeting proper clos* ed Monday evening, but as the company are remaning until Saturday, they gave a J übilee Concert at the Opera House Tuesday evening. This evening they will give a Concert at the Fair Grounds, and tomorrow a free lecture amt Concert by Elder Henderson and the choir, will be given on the street, at McCoy’s bankFrom this place they will go to Logansport on Sjinday. Mr. Alfred McCoy propounded the question to this pastor of the Catholic congregation, “ Why don't you finish yoiif church building ?” The pastor replied that they lacked the means. “How much will it take?” said McCoy. The reply was, about S4OO. “Well,” said McCoy, “go ahead find finish it, put me down for I want to see tlie, boards pulled diit of those windows.” Mr. McCoy had already majle a donation of SIOO towards the building. , r urrgn The Common Fate.—Mr. Frank S. .Bedell, of Crown Point, the Post Office Inspector, has met with the very common affliction of losing an umbrella, and being an extra good one, —a sl2 especially valued as ji present—he is anxious to secure its,, return. He lost it while returning from the Congressional convention at Monticello, on June s6th. In it in the postal car of the Michigan City trpin and lust as the Chicago trail!, on board of which was Mr. Bedell, was pulling dUjt, the postal clerk ran with the umbrella and handed it .to a man who reached through a qar window for the purpose. Mr. Bedell thinks that the man who took the umbrella got off the train at Rensselaer, bitt hoWever they may be, if this notice meets his eye, he will know to whom it belongs and will confer a favor by leaving it in care of Mr. James, the postmaster at ; Rensselaer, who will i return it to its rightful owner. A Jubilee concert givqn by the choir of the colored camp-meeting company at the Opera House, for the benefit, of the W. C. T. U., Tuesday evening, was attended by a fair audience, and much enjoy--1 e<L evidently t by all present., The only unpleasant feature of the 1 entertainment was thfc great annoyance caused by the loud and offensive demonstrations of the boys. A large gang of them in the gallery were especially offensive. We respectfully suggest that Well * behaved people have rights which even street arabs are ' bound to respect; and if our Rensselaer Opera House audiences are not to lose their high reputation * for good deportment then such coni dpct as that of last Tuesday evening . must be suppressed at once.