all, and until it should be determined how best to utilize the flow. This was done, and the fountain flashed in the sun for the first time on Saturday morning, August 25, 1883, while the gathered multitude sang with grateful hearts, "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow."

NO MOSQUITOES

At this time of Ocean Grove's anniversary it is well to remember a practical incident bearing on its location.

The present site had been carefully considered, but because of its generally wretched unsightliness had been deemed so unpromising as to be unworthy of further consideration. Another location, near Cape May, was selected and a committee of which the Rev. Robert J. Andrews and the Rev. William B. Osborn were members, visited the place prepared to purchase the land at once. But something occurred to prevent closing the deal until the day following their arrival, and they were obliged to remain overnight. This apparently trifling circumstance caused an entire change of plan.

THE MOSQUITO MAP

During the night Andrews said to Osborn, "There is one thing we have forgotten."

"What is that?" said Osborn.

"The mosquitoes," replied Andrews. "We don't want to buy the mosquitoes."

"That's so," said Osborn. Long before the night was over the committee decided that it had not come to "buy the mosquitoes," and with the appearance of daylight the deal was declared off. Back they came and reconsidered the abandoned site, with the result that Ocean Grove was located where it now is, within reach in twenty-four hours or less of more than forty millions of the people of the United States and Canada.

There were no "mosquito maps" in those days to be consulted, but a reference now to such a map issued by the State of New Jersey, shows that Ocean Grove and its vicinity as about the only location along the New Jersey shore which is free from mosquitoes. Who will say there was no overruling Providence in the selection of this location?

A study of the official record of 1869 shows that for the property now occupied by Ocean Grove, Asbury Park, and as far south as to take in a part of Sea Girt, the assessments aggregated a total of $23,500. Ten years later, in 1879, the same property with its improvements was assessed at $2,065,308—and all this happened during a period of financial depression unparalleled in the history of the country. This was acknowledged "with grateful emotions," and it was all attributed "under God, to the influence of the Church of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

"It is now clearly revealed," said Dr. Stokes on a later occasion, “that we have on our hands a vast and responsible enterprise, vastly greater than was at first anticipated, and, unless I greatly mistake, far beyond what our present comprehensions grasp."

Constant improvements have been made until to-day Ocean Grove alone is assessed at about $4,500,000, while the same territory as was assessed in 1869 at $23,500 is now assessed at $121,694,679 (1918 ratings).

THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES

The first religious service, as already stated, held at Ocean Grove was in a tent on a spot in Thompson Park (now Founders' Park) marked by a vase. A few days later it was decided to hold a "kind of camp meeting." The spot chosen was a little east of Pilgrim Pathway. "Two loads of boards were hauled from Long Branch. Pine logs were cut, and on these the boards were placed for seats. A stand rude as could be, holding three or four persons; a little straw scattered around, invitations sent to a few people of the neighborhood-and all was ready for the first camp

meeting. Edgar Orville Howland, of Troy, New York, an exhorter, held the first religious service at this little Camp Meeting. The theme of his discourse being 'Partakers of Christ,' suggested by Hebrews 11. 14. The congregation numbered thirty to forty persons."

FIRST CAMP MEETING

The first real Camp Meeting commenced Tuesday, July 26, and closed Friday, August 5, 1870. "It was well attended; the weather was delightful, the order perfect, the influence from its inception to its close heavenly and divine."

To accommodate this meeting and that of the succeeding year, tents were hired from the Round Lake Association.

At the Camp Meeting in 1874 "over two hundred ministers were present during the meeting, and most of them in some way took part in the exercises."

In 1881, on Camp Meeting Sunday, the Auditorium was crowded to its limit while the Rev. G. Lansing Taylor preached. The Tabernacle was full, where the Rev. J. S. Inskip preached; likewise the Temple, where Dr. Ballard conducted the services; and at Ross's Pavilion (now the North End) on the beach, where Dr. Munhall preached.

Much might be said about the Camp Meetings, but space will not permit: How the greatest preachers of the day have been the preachers on those occasions; not only bishops and clergy of the Methodist Episcopal Church, North and South, but many distinguished preachers of other denominations, and from foreign countries. Practically all of the greatest preachers of the day and generation have spoken in the Auditorium on one or more occasions.

Somewhat of a departure from the usual plan of conducting the Camp Meetings was adopted in 1915, when the evening preaching services at the Camp Meeting were in charge of the Rev. George Wood Anderson, until recently pastor of the Elm Park Methodist Episcopal Church of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and who resigned to engage in evangelistic service.

Dr. Anderson, during the Billy Sunday campaign at Scranton, was in charge of the personal workers, and thereafter, it is said, felt called to engage especially in evangelistic work. It may be mentioned that he came as a stranger to nearly all who listened to him at Ocean Grove, but his departure was marked by all the tokens of sincere friendship and esteem.

The attendance at all the evening services was larger than for several years past, and the attention given by the people to the preaching was more apparent. To be sure, there was the added interest in the services caused by the presence of the large choir under the leadership of Mr. Homer Rodeheaver, a circumstance which was frankly acknowledged by Dr.

Anderson himself, who observed naïvely near the conclusion of the first service and before the people had become fully acquainted with him, "I know you have come to hear Mr. Rodeheaver and the choir and not to listen to me." But while this may have been in a measure true, for the reason that the work of Dr. Anderson was unknown to the vast majority at Ocean Grove, the few remarks he had already made had won the hearts of his hearers, and there was a response, unheard but nevertheless real, "But

we are remaining to listen to you preach the gospel." And this the people continued to do through every service, until even the closing service of Sunday night the great Auditorium was filled to overflowing, hundreds of those who could not obtain seats standing throughout the entire preaching of the sermon.

It is a cause of real regret that there is not space to reprint the sermóns for the benefit of those who could not be present, but from first to last, and with growing appreciation, the people listened with great attentiveness to the preaching of the word.

Dr. Anderson's presentations of his subjects were made

in a unique but dignified manner, and his earnestness and sincerity won him the closest attention of his hearers. It is not for us to count the results of his labors at Ocean Grove-that will never be fully known herebut many have carried away with them a strengthened purpose to profit by what they have heard from Dr. Anderson.

MR. RODEHEAVER AT OCEAN GROVE

The story of how Mr. Rodeheaver came to Ocean Grove to lead the Camp Meeting singing in 1915 may be of interest to the many thousands who attended the services.

The musical director of Ocean Grove-Mr. Tali Esen Morgan-and Mr. Rodeheaver had been friends for years. During the early stages of the Billy Sunday campaign in Philadelphia Mr. Morgan called on his friend