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Editorial Annotations |
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When Bangs prepared materials
for his chosen biographer Abel Stevens shortly before
his death in 1862, he revised extensively
his early account of the Hay Bay camp meeting.
This revised account, extracted by Stevens for his 1863
biography, went on to became the most authoritative and
frequently quoted by subsequent historians. It is also worth noting
that this account is more
extensive than the account Bangs included in
his own four-volume History of the Methodist
Episcopal Church published between 1838 and 1841.
Several links to Stevens's 1863 text are found in the
right-hand pane of this and subsequent camp meeting
entries. The assigned circuit riders for the Bay of Quinte during
1805 were Henry Ryan and William Case. Ryan was the more
senior of the two. According to Bangs's account Case
preached on Friday, Ryan on Saturday and Sunday. |
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[Friday 27 September 1805]
Agreeable to appointment our Camp-Meeting
began at the Bay of Quintie, in Adolphustown on the 27th of
Sep. 1805 at 1 o'C. It was held in an open field. In the
centre of which a Stage was erected and about 10 or 12 rods
[approximately 180 feet or 55 meters] from the stage the
tents were pitched in a direct line forming a right angle.
The worship was introduced with singing
and prayer, and a Short Sermon delivered by W. Case on
"Brethren Pray." [2
Thess 3.1-3] A number of Exhortations followed but with
little movement among the people. After an intermission of
20 minutes a second Sermon was delivered by N.B. [Nathan
Bangs] on Christ
our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption [1
Cor 1.30]:
After which some exhorted and the spirit of the Lord began
to move on the minds of the people. An intermission of one
hour and a half, and prayer meeting was held by the whole
congregation at the Stage. At first it seemed dull; but an
exhortation being given by one of the preachers and then
prayer again the power of God descended upon the Camp, which
soon raised songs of praises to God for Salvation found.
This continued till about 10 o'C at night when a Sermon was
delivered by Br. Madden on "We love him because he first
loved us" [1 Jn 4.19]. The night was now clear and still, &
one who exhorted observed, He believed God had driven away
the clouds from the sky in answer to prayer. Several
exhortations were given much to the purpose, and a solemn
awe rested upon our minds whilst the spirit of God
powerfully opperated [sic*] upon our hearts. The exercise continued til
past 12 o'C [midnight] when the majority retired to their tents. During
this siege 4 sinners were Justified and 2 Backsliders
reclaimed.
* Rawlyk has "operated" (149)
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