World View or Cabin Fever?

Albanese makes a connection between a frontier world view and the fervor of the camp meeting.  In her view America’s early Western frontier invited people to escape the civilized structures of the East and Europe and experience the “ecstasy of being out of control.”  In one sense there are elements of truth to this thesis; however, on the whole I find camp meetings more related to the fear and isolation of the frontier rather than the need to lose control.

The ethos of the frontiersperson was indeed one of a person ready and willing to throw off many of the trappings of civilization.  It takes a very independent person to be willing to leave established towns and farming communities to build a homestead on the wilderness.  More so than their contemporaries of the revivals in New England, Scotland, etc. the people of the Western frontier experienced real danger on a daily basis.  With few neighbors and a limited, distant community frontiers people were mostly reliant on themselves for shelter, food, entertainment, etc.  With the potential for death ever present in the frontier and out of sheer boredom it is no wonder a camp meeting would attract large numbers of people.  Camp meetings were a rare opportunity for a block party.  Yes, some would be drawn to religion as a balm against the real fear of death, but I think the majority came for the festivities and participated in the rituals simply because of whisky and a touch of cabin fever.