The Tabernacle, which celebrates its 125th birthday this season, still feels young. A structure suited to a vast range of human activity, the Tabernacle - which towers above Trinity Park in the heart of the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association in Oak Bluffs - remains a living landmark.

 

The word tabernacle refers to a temporary shelter, such as the tent sanctuaries used by the Israelites during the Exodus. But the Camp Ground’s Tabernacle has proved anything but temporary.

 

The new Methodist Tabernacle was formally dedicated Wednesday forenoon, in the presence of a goodly number of the clergy and an immense congregation. Rev. Dr. Morrison had the general charge of the exercises, which opened with singing, followed by scripture readings by Revs. Messrs. Brown and Hamlin. Prayer was the offered by Rev. L. B. Bates, followed by singing, after which Bishop Foster arose and commenced his sermon, taking for his text Ephesians IV, 30: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

 

There was a time at the Oak Bluffs Camp Ground when a bell atop Trinity Church rang the beginning of summer’s festive events, just as it would each Sunday’s call to worship. Its sound was crisp and sweet and its music sounded out over the Oak Bluffs rooftops and beyond.

 

Each summer, “Hezekiah,” as the bell is called, rang before Illumination Night’s first lantern was lit and prior to each religious event across the street at the Tabernacle. There are those who can remember. And there are those who would like to hear it again.

 

At last Sunday’s service in the Oak Bluffs Trinity Church on the Camp Ground, Hezekiah began ringing again. The bell atop the belfry began ringing as it had rung back in 1966 before it suffered a fall, its yoke broken from old age.

 

For 16 years the 1,500-pound bell, made in 1888, lay dormant at the foot of its base. As a poor substitute, the bell’s sound was replaced by an electronic recording.

 

A hundred years ago the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meet­ing Association, having decided that the time had come to assure a settled state, acquired by purchase its extensive acre­age at what is now Oak Bluffs. “The cost of the grove, rights of way etc.,” Hebron Vincent recorded, “was thirteen hundred dollars.”

 

Mr. Lemuel T. Talbot, formerly superintendent of streets in Taunton, has contracted to build the horse railroad at Vineyard Highlands, to be run the coming Summer, and the cars, in the style of the Summer cars of the New Bedford & Fairhaven road, are ordered of J. M. Jones & Co., West Troy, N.Y., the builders of the cars of the latter road. This is good evidence of the enterprise of the Vineyard Grove Co., and we hope it will be a success in every respect. [New Bedford Standard.

 

The carpenters are busy, notwithstanding the recent severe cold.

 

The first baby ever born on the Camp Ground was born on Wednesday, 6th instant; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Frank P. Vincent.

 

A mite society was held at the Vineyard Grove House, Capt. Dias, proprietor, on Monday evening, for the purpose of raising funds to purchase books for the library of the new Sabbath School. About one hundred persons were present, and an evening of social enjoyment was passed. Forty dollars were realized as the net proceeds of the gathering.

 

In the absence of our regular correspondents, we copy from the interesting letters of the N. B. Standard, the following facts relative to the Tabernacle.

 

The approaching campaign at Wesleyan Grove is so full of matters of interest to readers far and near that we are induced to publish a daily paper, to be called the Camp Meeting Herald, which will contain a concise report of all transactions upon the ground; a brief report of all sermons, a historical sketch of the prominent itinerant clergymen, and all local items. Within this sheet the reader will find a perfect transcribe of each day upon the camp ground. It cannot fail to interest you. Send in your subscriptions.