They met last week for the 122 nd time! This campmeeting began in 1890 as a dream of Mrs. Exa Means and Brother William Bloys, a Presbyterian circuit riding preacher. A place called Skillman Grove was selected. It is 17 miles southwest of Fort Davis on Hwy.166. The first gathering in 1890 brought 47 people. They built a brush arbor and cooked their meals in Dutch ovens. It was a three day gathering and the women slept in the wagons with the men on the ground. From the first it was understood this meeting was for folks from all churches or no church.
George W Truett was a regular there. One year they had The Old Fashioned Revival Hour quartet to sing. Some of you will remember that radio program with Dr. Charles E. Fuller and "Honey" with the letters. A big tent finally replaced the brush arbor. Later a tin-roofed building was built. It is a family gathering with something for everyone. Brother Bloys did not allow dogs or other distractions. They had antelope for meat in earlier years.
This year the preacher was Dr. Mark Denison of FBC Conroe for the Baptists. Evening service always begins at 8:00 P.M.. It is amazing that something begun in a grove of trees in 1890 is still alive and well. They have made improvements from blankets to beds and coal-oil lamps to electric lights, but the emphasis is unchanged: "This association is formed for the purpose of Worship of Almighty God and instruction in the Christian Religion by preaching the gospel of Christ and employing such other means of Scriptural improvement as may be consistent with and according to the Word of God as found in the Old and New Testament Scriptures" (Articles of incorporation)
So, a missionary preacher of the Presbyterians, drawing a 30.00 a month salary while traveling by horse and wagon left a permanent mark for the Lord high on Skillman's Grove in West Texas. Bloys cowboy camp meeting!
