Final answer:
The distinctive institution used by Methodists on the American frontier was the camp meeting with its tents and brush arbors. Camp meetings were religious revivals that brought a sense of community and entertainment to isolated rural areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distinctive institution which Methodists used as a great revival institution on the American frontier was the camp meeting with its tents and brush arbors.
Camp meetings were religious revivals that provided a sense of community and entertainment in isolated rural and frontier areas. They were called camp meetings because attendees had to travel long distances and camp out at the location. Camp meetings inspired a tremendous number of conversions and played a significant role in the Second Great Awakening.