GROVE
I
Ken Weeks
n the relatively short history ofthe Missionary Church, several
traditions and practices have made significant contributionsto the
spiritual lives of its constituency. If you were to ask one of the
elderly saints of the church what they remember as noteworthy
events in their spiritual history, you would get several answers.
Almost certainly some of their recollections would include references to camp meeting. If, in fact, you were to survey the pastors
and missionaries of the Missionary Church, a good percentage of
them would testify to the role which camp meeting played in their
upbringing and perhaps even their call to the ministry. Many are
the stories of camp meetings past in which people sang and
shouted, hankies waved, God's Word was preached, and people's
lives were forever changed.
Within the history of the Missionary Church perhaps one camp
meeting stands out above all others. This camp was held in a place
called Fetter's Grove just south of Elkhart, Indiana, on July 30,
1880,and continued for ten days. The Fetter's Grove camp meeting
stands out for many reasons. Perhaps the most substantial reason
is that this gathering of 3000 people began what has become the
longest running Mennonite camp meeting in North America.
Fetter's Grove was the beginning of the rich camp meeting history
of the Missionary Church. Finally, from this first meeting, many
people were positively impacted for the Kingdom of God.
HISTORY
To better understand what happened at Fetter's Grove it may
be helpful to look back at the history ofAmerican camp meetings in
general. The early camp meetings evolved out of necessity. "Evangelistic meetings . . . attracted such large crowds that they had to be
held outdoors. In Kentucky and Tennessee these became occasions
for protracted outdoor services. Perhaps the best known early camp
meeting was that at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, in 1801,where 20,000
people gathered. Visitors brought their own provisions and slept in
covered wagons or put up tents. Stands were erected for four or five
preachers to speak at once. At night the grounds were lighted by
camp fires and the exhortation, weeping, praying and singing
continued."' Out ofroots such as these the fires ofthe camp meetings
grew and flourished.
The developmentof the camp meeting was not always smooth and
without controversy. One cause of controversy was a disagreement
about the purpose of the camps. To some, the meetings were seen as
a means to enlarge the church membership rolls. Others held a
different view of the purpose of these gatherings. Camp meetings
were seen as an opportunity for the nurturing of holiness, pure living
and sanctification. The promotion of holiness was one of the main
reasons for which the Fetter's Grove camp was convened.
Often the camp meetings were considered noisy and troublesome.
Not all of these feelings were unfounded. "With such a strange
collection of listeners, these outdoor meetings were not always sedate
affairs. Some folk had come to hear and others to jeer. ..and the field
meetings were marked by disorder. Members ofthe audience amused
themselves by throwing stones or dirt at the speakers." Some also
condemned the use of an emotional appeal in order to reach the
attendees.
The United Mennonites, who were precursors to the Missionary
Church, were familiar with the negative feelings surrounding
protracted meetings. However, they felt so strongly about their
importance that the followingresolutionswere passed at their union
conference in 1875:
Resolved, That no person be received into the church except
those who can testify that they have found peace with God in the
Early Campmeeting setting.
5
forgiveness of their sins through faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Since, we believe that protracted meetings are an especially beneficial means to bring sinners to repentance and
conversion, therefore:
Resolved, That our ministers make use of such means
to gain such end.3
Obviously, some ofthe early fathers ofwhat became the Missionary
Church had some Godly insight into the importance that these
protracted meetings would hold.
As the turn of the century approached, camp meetings were not
unknown to Elkhart County, Indiana. Indeed several references are
made in the periodicals of the time to various camp meetings held in
the area. One such meeting was the 6th Indiana State Holiness
convention. This announcement appeared in the Goshen Times.
"The Sixth Indiana State Camp Meeting will be held on the fair
grounds near Goshen commencing tomorrow and continuing ten
days. Arrangements are made to accommodate those who attend,
either with tents or other lodging. The railway will cany passengers
to the meeting at a reduced raten4A similar announcement appeared
. ~ camp
in the August 15, 1880, issue of the Gospel B ~ n n e r This
meeting was met with apparently mediocre success. While the
attitude ofthose in attendance was good, attendance itself was lower
than hoped.
CONTROVERSY
It would be nice to say that the way was easier for the Fetter's
Grove camp meeting which met two weeks before the state meeting;
however that was not the case. The Fetter's Grove camp was born
amidst controversy. In 1873a group of delegates from the Mennonite
Church went to confront Solomon Eby, who was a Mennonite
preacher and a founding father of the United Missionary Church.
The reason for the confrontation was to bring him to his senses
0
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me*
Historical Perspectives
Some of the camp grounds a t which the former Missionary
Church Association held its camps through the years include Beulah
Beach (Ohio),Milford Park (Pennsylvania),Camp Tamarack (Flint,
Michigan), Cedar Ridge Presbyterian Youth Camp (Louisville,
Kentucky), Woodbine Ranch (Sedalia, Colorado), Kansas Bible
Camp (Hutchinson, Kansas), Forest Home (southern California),
Mission Springs (northern California), Granite Dells (California),
Winona Lake (Indiana).
regarding his insurrectionary practices. "[The delegates] pointed out
his 'errors' to him-he was holding prayer meetings, testimony
meetings and even revival meetings. What would be next? Probably
camp meetings!
Eby7sreply to the aghast delegates was that, if camp meetings
were as beneficial as these other meetings, in all probability they
would start holding them too. Seven years later his words came
true."6 The Fetter's Grove camp, it seemed, was a direct fulfillment
of his prophecy.
As with other camp meetings previously mentioned, there were
many reasons stated for why the Fetter's Grove meeting should not
take place. Of Daniel Brenneman, also a founding father of the
United Missionary Church, it was said, "'This is ridiculous! Daniel
Brenneman has become quite obsessed with his new ideas. Where is
the sense in taking a lot of people out of well-built churches and
propping them up on planks in a grove of trees? "I This opposition
came in the form of several different arguments. "It was acknowledged that [camp meetings] had their advantages, but there were
those who thought that more harm was done than good. What was
the need of going into the woods to preach when there were so many
churches? Was it not a loss of time and talent for a dozen preachers
to be sitting in the congregationwith the lay members while one was
preaching? Some objected to the waste of time and money in the case
of those who came quite a distance to attend. Others questioned
whether services shouldbe held on Sunday, saying there was sure to
be a great deal of confusion,which would distract from keeping God's
day holy.
"To these objectors it was pointed out that camp meetings helped
greatly to encourage the faith of God's children. Many unsaved who
did not go to any church, were attracted out of curiosity and oRen
~onverted."~
One point of interest involvingthe Fetter's Grove camp meeting
is its noticeable lack of coverage in the local press. One would think
that if a gathering of 3000people were to convenein a rural area such
as 19thcenturyElkhartCounty,that it would receive notoriety. This
does not seem to be the case. One humorous exception to this point
is an entry in the Elkhart WeeklyReview.The entire article consisted
of two short sentences. "Numbers went out to Harrison Township to
attend the camp meeting yesterday. They had a dusty ride.7q
FIRST CAMP
In spite of the negative sentiment and largely through the efforts
of Daniel Brenneman, the camp was organized and plans were
carried out. ''The first camp meeting at Fetter's Grove was promoted
by word of mouth and through copies ofthe Gospel Banner,the official
publication of the denomination."1°Indeed the following appeared in
the July 15,1880, edition of the Gospel Banner. "Now that the time
for the Bethel camp meeting is drawing near, we hope that all
interested in the cause of the Master, may be earnestly engaged in
making the necessary arrangements to attend by all means. Provide
your tents, and arrange your domestic affairs in good season in such
a way that there may be no obstructions to contend with when the
meeting commences, thereby, measurably a t least, marring your
enjoyment of the occasion. To fully enjoy the full benefits of
the meeting we want to be there from the beginning to end."ll
Apparently many heeded the advice the Banner had to offer as 3000
people showed up.
Those who came with a spirit of expectation were not disappointed. Fetter's Grove was conducted in the finest traditions of the
holiness meeting. "The normal atmosphere of the meetings was
usually intense and emotional. Holiness was preached as a second
experience of being cleansed by the Spirit &er one had become a
Christian. This was called 'the higher life' or 'the blessed state of
sanctification.' "12 Many people were blessed through the ministry of
the meeting.
Historical Perspectives
Seventy to seventy-five years ago, the following types of notices
typically appeared in The Gospel Banner, as camp meeting time
neared:
Ludlow Falls Camp (Ohio)"Order your tents early. Price $3.00
for the ten days. Size of tents 12x14. Board floors extra."
Yale Camp (Michigan)Tent prices ranged from $4.00 for a 10x12
tent to $15.00 for a 14x24 family tent with partitions. The notice
continued: "Cots and beds will be furnished free if you send in your
order in time. We have double deck cots, which, if placed side by side,
will furnish sleeping rooms for four. We also have a few single cots,
also rope beds."
Pacific Camp (Wilarcie Grove near Ferndale, Washington)
"Board, tents, straw ticks free-Everybody bring your bedding and
come!"
North Camp (Carp Lake, Michigan) . . . 'Watch the Gospel
Banner for prices on tents. Order your tent in due season."
The August 15,1880, issue of the Gospel Banner reported that as
a result of the meeting, 'We are several days late with the present
issue on account of the camp meeting. Hands all attended, and the
remaining unconverted ones yielded to the call of the Spirit and gave
their hearts to God, so that for once we can all say, all the hands in
the Banner office, profess to love Jesus. Praise the Lord."13 Indeed,
most of the August 15 edition of the Banner was devoted to the
expression of praise to the Lord for the services.
Like all things the time finally arrived when the ten days of glory
were over. The end ofthe camp was met with a certain sadness. "The
meeting continued ten days and yet many seemed loathe to leave the
grounds. The place where it was held will doubtless remain sacred to
the memory of many of those in attendance."14
CAMP TODAY
How true these words were. Prairie Camp as Fetter's Grove has
come to be known, is still a sacred place. Still after over 100years the
tradition of holiness preaching continues. "For Daniel Brenneman
camp meeting was an innovation and experiment. Now it is a
wholesome influential ingredient of many people's spiritual lives." l5
The success of Fetter's Grove was the example which leaders such as
Daniel Brenneman used in order to encourage the inception of such
meetings in other districts. "In 1882 Michigan conducted its first
camp and three years later the Ohio people pitched their tents in a
wooded area near Englewood, inviting Daniel Brenneman to be the
speaker. He brought with him eighteen men from his district while
another group came from Ontario.Anumber of people were saved and
many sanctified at that time."16
Today the success of the camp meeting has even spread overseas
within the Missionary Church. The Missionary Church now has
active camps in many other countries such as India, Haiti, the
Dominican Republic, Brazil and several others. The same elements
which made Fetter's Grove successful are still present in these
camps.
Occasional conflicts still arise concerning the camp and its
practices. There are those who would condemn it when the music is
too loud in the youth tent. Some may even occasionally get upset
because of what is preached from the pulpit. These problems, as the
problems of the old days, will someday fade away, too. The eternal
things are those which are important.
As history has unfolded itself the same principles which were a
part of the original camp meetings are still with us. Holiness is still
an integral part of the teaching which goes on every summer.
People's lives are changed as they are saved and sanctified. Young
men and women are still called into the ministry or to missions.
Marriages and families are mended. And the trees of Fetter's Grove
still echo with the songs of those praising the Lord for setting
them free.
END NOTES
1. The Mennonite Encyclopedia. Hillsboro, KS: Mennonite
Brethren Publishing House, 1955. p. 499.
2. Johnson, Charles A., The Frontier Camp Meeting. Dallas, TX:
Southern Methodist University Press, 1985. p. 26.
3. Huffman, J. A., History of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ
Church, New Carlisle, OH: Bethel PublishingCompany, 1920. p. 54.
4. The Goshen Times. Goshen, IN: Star and Beyerle, August 5,
1880. p. 3 ,col. 1.
5. The Gospel Banner. Goshen, IN: EvangelicalUnited Mennonites,
August 15, 1880. p. 3, col. 1.
6. Storms, Everek Richard, History of the United Missionary
Church. Elkhart, IN: Bethel Publishing, 1958. p. 171.
7. Lageer, Eileen, Merging Streams. Elkhart, IN: Bethel
Publishing, 1979. p. 65.
8. Storms, p. 172.
9. The Elkhart WeeklyReview. Elkhart, IN: August 9,1880. p. 4
col. 1.
10.100Yearsof Spiritual Growth. Elkhart, IN: Bethel Publishing,
1980. p. 5.
11.TheGospelBanner. Goshen,IN: Evangelicalunited Me~onites,
July 15, 1880. p. 3, col. 1.
12.100 Years, p. 6.
13. Banner. August 15, 1880. p. 2, col. 1.
14. Banner. August 15, 1880. p. 2, col. 3.
15. 100 Years, p. 8.
16. Lageer, p. 67.
Ken Weeksis an ordained minister in the Missionary Church and
former youth pastor in the North Central and Michigan Districts. He
is currently living in Plymouth, Michigan.