In The Beginning...

Welcome back to "The Book Of Historical Secrets." In this post I would like to give those unfamiliar with Ocean Grove's beginnings, a little historical background in preparation for my next post. The subject of the next post will be "The Secrets of the 1883 Anniversary Vase."

This an excerpt from "Pioneer Days of Ocean Grove" written by Mrs Osborn, wife of Rev. W. B. Osborn, founder of Ocean Grove. She used historical documents of the day and her own personal experience in writing this book. Here is the account of the beginning:

"It was a well-known fact in the early days of Ocean Grove and it was reiterated by Ex Governor Stokes in his address on Founder's Day, July 31, 1914, that Ocean Grove grew out of the National Holiness Camp-meeting Movement. Rev. John S. Inskip writes in "Penuel," a book published in 1869, that Rev. W. B. Osborn becoming deeply impressed that there should be a camp-meeting held for the promotion of holiness hastened to New York and coming into my study said with great emphasis:

"I feel that God would have us hold a holiness camp-meeting." 

His manner of speaking gave the fullest assurance that he was persuaded of the truth of his statement. With unusual emotion he presented his views of the practicability and advantages of such a meeting. We prayed, waited, wept, and believed, and the heavenly glory came upon us. We arose from the mercy seat and said that at the contemplated camp-meeting there would be, at least, two tents. Those in favor of holding such a meeting were invited to meet in Philadelphia, June 13, 1867. The result was that the first National Camp-meeting for the promotion of holiness was held in Vineland, July 17 to 26, 1867. It was marked by great spiritual power. At that meeting Mr. Osborn and the pastor of Vineland Methodist Church said: "Let us select a camp-meeting ground by the seaside, and then the desired rest and the great salvation can be secured at the same time." The coast was somewhat explored and the Seven Mile Beach, Cape May County, was fixed upon, as the spot, and was to be purchased by Andrews and Osborn for $50,000- a pretty round sum for two Methodist preachers- but they had faith and zeal, though little money. They went to Philadelphia to complete the purchase, when Andrews said to Osborn, "There is one thing we have forgotten." "What is that?" said Osborn.' 'The mosquitoes. We don't want to buy the mosquitoes," replied Andrews. "That's so," said Osborn, and the purchase was abandoned. Mr. Osborn was appointed agent for Vineland Seminary and in that capacity traveled through the State and talked up a seaside summer resort for ministers and the long- cherished idea of a camp-meeting by the sea. In the selection of a suitable place the whole New Jersey coast from Cape May to Sandy Hook was carefully explored. Mr. Osborn told the writer—that he sought especially for three things- the highest ground and beach, the best grove, and the place freest from mosquitoes. Meantime at the preceding spring Conference Mr. Osborn had been appointed to Farmingdale. Here during the summer he held one of his cherished camp-meetings and aroused the whole county in the project of founding a camp-meeting seaside resort. George M. Franklin of Farmingdale (who afterwards became one of the original members of the Association) gave time and deep attention to the project, and when Mr. Osborn knew not where to turn for help, or how in the beginning to get from Farmingdale to Ocean Grove, George Franklin said, "Here are my horses and carriage and I will go with you." And these things were repeated over and over again. The present Ocean Grove ground was first visited by Rev. W. B. Osborn and  Rev. George Neal,—pastor at Long Branch in February,

1868 a deep snow being on the ground. Nevertheless, Mr. Osborn knelt on what is now Founder's Park and prayed that if this was the Divine choice God would bless the enterprise. The second visit, a few weeks later, was made by Mr. Osborn, Mr. Neal, and Rev. R. A. Stratton, pastor at Long Branch. They explored the grounds quite thoroughly but reached no conclusion. After that, Mr. Osborn brought, as he did all these men, Dr. G. F. Brown, Rev. Adam Wallace, Rev. W. E. Perry, Presiding Elder, to view the locality. But the matter was allowed to rest until the coming summer. Mr. Osborn came alone in the summer and examined all the grounds in the neighborhood. The time was more propitious to select a camp ground than the bleak winter. All things considered, the present locality of Ocean Grove being high and dry; with lakes on either side, a pleasant shady grove with splendid ocean front for bathing was finally chosen. Mr. Osborn told friends that in prayer, the name for it—Ocean Grove—was given him, and it was at once adopted. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean fifty miles from New York and ninety miles from Philadelphia. It is surrounded by water on three sides- on the north by Wesley Lake, on the south by Fletcher Lake, and on the east by the sea. Rev. E. H. Stokes, D.D., writes that at the time of the selection of the land scarcely anything could have been rougher. It was wilderness, desert, and desolation. Silence reigned. A serpentine and heavy sand road wide enough only for a single wagon track was all that penetrated the forest. When we first entered, where now our gates are; the driver stood in front of his carriage and  lifted the limbs, so as to crowd our conveyance through the brush and drooping branches of the trees. The heavens were black, the grass wet, and the sands half-knee deep. We alighted from our carriage near a cedar tree, which stood where the model of Jerusalem now stands, and went forth to explore, Mr. Osborn leading and dilating, with all the energy of which he was capable,

upon the wonderful beauties of the place. Strange to say we had not gone far before the conviction seized every mind, that dismal and destitute as it was, it possessed capabilities of being made to bloom and blossom as the rose. Especially as we stood in the sand drifts south of Main Avenue and looked out over the sea, it seemed as if a more magnificent site for cottages could not be found. On the grounds now owned by the Ocean Grove Association there were only four residents at that time."

"This was the condition of things when a few families— about twenty persons in all—met on what is now called Founder's Park. Tents, new and old (ten in number), were located about as follows: Rev. W. B. Osborn's was near the northeast edge of what was then Thompson Park, now called Founder's  Park, under quite a large hickory tree, which, unfortunately and greatly to our regret, is now nearly or quite dead. Near him was the tent of Rev. J. H. Stockton and Rev. G. Hughes. A little south of these Orville Rowland, of Troy, brother of Charles E. Howland, of the Pitman House; then a few yards north, on the immediate lake front, on the rise of ground in Thompson Park, just where Pilgrim Pathway curves into Lake Avenue, was the tent of J. H, Thornly, Esq., of Philadelphia. In this tent the first meeting was held. A little north of the ravine—which ran down to the Lake about where Pilgrim's Pathway lies was a tent,

occupied for a night or two by our beloved Alfred Cookman.  Next to that, about where the Cookman cottage stands, was the tent of Rev. E. H. Stokes; near him, still a little north, was R. J. Andrews', then Gardner Rowland's and Joseph Hillman's, both of Troy. Next to them, adjoining Rev. B. M. Adams' cottage, were two tents and a boarding table, kept by John Martin. George Franklin, with a few men engaged in clearing away the underbrush, had located, some time before, in a tent about where the Mathews' cottage has since been built. Here amid these rude arrangements they enjoyed themselves for several days. They had religious services in their own tents, but there was no united religious worship until Tuesday night, July 31, 1869. That evening the moon rose at nine o'clock, and it was proposed to go down to the sea to see it. But Mrs. Thornly thought they should have a prayer-meeting, which they did in the tent. Part went to the sea and part remained to pray. Of that prayer-meeting Rev. George Hughes wrote in the Methodist

Home Journal, August 7, 1869: As Dr. Stokes, Presiding Elder of New Brunswick District, led in prayer, pleading vehemently that we ''might have a single eye," there was a deep and thrilling response to that utterance. Then with an emphasis not to be forgotten. Dr. Stokes said he felt in view of the undertaking before us like quoting the first verse of the inspired Word, stopping in the middle of it- "In the beginning God," and added "Lo! God is here"; here in the beginning, and he trusted would be in the continuance- and to the end. The occasion made an indelible impression on the minds of those present. The history of the week is comprehensively and truthfully written in the expressive sentence, flowing so unctuously from the Elder's lips,
"In the beginning God.""

-Pioneer Days of Ocean Grove, By Mrs. W. B. Osborn