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The gospel meetings of the early 20th century were an effort to meet the religious needs of the common man. The tent meeting simultaneously provided novel entertainment, spiritual refreshment and a chance to escape from daily routine. During the summer months large tents enabled groups of local citizens to gather and pray regularly, even nightly. When the immediate local fervor was satisfied, the tent was taken down and both the tent and the preacher moved on to another town. Unlike the older individualistic theology prevalent in the 18th century, the emphasis at the turn of the 20th century was upon a "Social Gospel".

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