Temperance > Autobiography and personal recollections of John B. Gough

EXPERIENCES IN NEW YORK.
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of tents or booths, such as are used at fairs. The next was the
voice of prayer in every direction. About fifteen engaged in
prayer to God at the same time, at different prayer-rings, which
consisted of about fourteen or fifteen men and women met
together, and a log to separate the males from the females. After
we had been there about an hour and a half, the trumpet sounded
for preaching in the camp. The average number was from five
to seven thousand.
After preaching the prayer-meetings were held for the space
of two hours in the tents. In the course of the forenoon I went
to see the Indians’ camp, where I saw the red brethren praying
and calling upon God. I also saw them fall to the ground, and
lie for the space of an hour or more, seemingly lifeless. Again,
after dinner, the trumpet sounded for preaching; and again they
were all collected together before the preaching-stand to hear
preaching. The rule of the meeting is, that when the trumpet
sounds in the morning at sunrise, it is for them to get up; when
it sounds from the stand, it is for family prayer; when it sounds
from the stand again it is for preaching. The males and females
are separated at preaching, the men on one side, and the women
on the other. The meeting lasts about five days, and at the close
of this meeting there were forty-five awakened.
CHAPTER IV.
EXPERIENCES IN NEW YORK.
We went to a farm in Oneida county, where I remained
two years, during which period I was never sent to either
a Sabbath or day school. I felt this much, as I had an
ardent desire to acquire knowledge, and, tiring of so un¬
profitable a life, and perceiving also that no chance existed
of my being taught a trade, I sold a knife for the purpose
of paying the postage of a letter to my father, in which I