The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-01 00:00:00

THIEVES AND REVIVAL MEETINGS.

--
Since Sunday last the Rev. J. Caughey, an American
revivalist of some eminence, has been preaching at Bristol
in connection with the United Methodist Free Church, and
has been attracting crowded audiences. The rev. gentle-
man's discourses there are all characterised by great earn-
estness. At the conclusion of his discourses there are gene-
rally held "revival meetings," and it frequently happens
that those meetings are conducted with much warmth.
During the present week Mr. Caughey has been holding
services at Milk-street Chapel, and on Tuesday night there
was a crowded attendance, Whilst the service was pro-
ceeding, and the audience appeared to be actuated by a deep
devotional feeling, a circumstance occurred which ought to
set those persons on their guard who frequent meetings of
that kind. It is not long ago when mention was made in
the newspapers of a clever London pickpocket abstracting
a gold repeater from the clergyman or minister who was
pouring into his apparently sin-stricken mind that conso-
lation which it was his province to bestow, and the case in
point was one which might have resulted in a similar loss
had the impostor not been recognised. On the evening in
question, and just at the commencement of the prayer meet-
ing, a young man who had been paying considerable atten-
tion to the words of the preacher was perceived by those
near him to be in a swooning state. His frame was rigid, and
be appeared to be " stricken" with those bodily manifesta-
tions which characterised the revivals both on the other side of
the Atlantic and in the sister island. On each side of him
was a lady, and his body was thrown completely across the
"lap" of one of them, whilst his arms, or at least one of
his arms, was enveloped in the folds of her dress. Consi-
derable alarm was naturally felt by those in the vicinity of
the " stricken" one, and assistance was at once rendered.
The young man having been raised up from his position,
his first cry was for " cold water," but, upon one of those
who had gone:to his assistance perceiving that he was what
P.C. 901 would call " a suspicious character," he was car-
ried out of the chapel, much to his disappointment. See-
ing that he was recognised or suspected the fellow be-
gan to personate insanity, mid with an oath demanded
the way out of the passage. The mode of exit was at
once shown him, and with another exclamation he
rushed out into the street. He was followed to the door,
but perceiving that his game was discovered he very
speedily disappeared. We have not heard whether any-
thing else disappeared at the same time, but yesterday, at
the Council-house, the rogue was brought before the sitting
magistrate, charged with stealing a quantity of meat. The
offence was clearly proved, and the fellow having been
more than once convicted of felony, he was sent for trial
before the recorder. The prisoner was accompanied at the
revival meeting by a gang of confederates.— Western Daily
Tress,

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

BETTING AT MANCHESTER.-FRIDAY.

We had rather more business to-day than for some time
past. The Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby exhibit
little change. The Marquis is not in such strong demand
for the former ; and for the latter, any advance upon 8 to 1
would have been taken about the favourite, and 12 to 1 was
asked for against Old Calabar. Typee colt was supported
to win a few thousands at 25 to 1. The Chester Cup moves
along very slowly, and but few books are opened upon that
event. The same remark will also apply to the Grand
National Steeplechase, although appearances lead us to
infer that it will prove a fair speculative :race. Closing
prices :

TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS.
4to 1 agst Old Calabar (offered)
sto 1 agst The Marquis (offered)
12 to 1 'bar two (offered)
DERBY.
Bto 1 agst Buckstone (offered)
12 to 1 agt Old Calabar (wanted)
100 to 8 agst The Marquis (offered)
25 to 1 agst Typee colt (taken)
25. to 1 aget Caterer (taken)
33 to 1 agst Athleta (taken)
50 to 1 agst The Knave (taken)
50 to 1 agst Spite (taken)
50 to 1 agst Master Fenton (taken)
50 to 1 aget Vanguard (taken)
50 to 1 agst Argonaut (taken)
1000 to 15 agst Star of the West (taken)
GRAND NATIONAL STEELSORASE.
100 to 8 agst The Dane (taken)
20 to 1 agst Thomastown (taken)
200 to 9 agst Tippler (taken)
35 to 1 agst liunlsman (taken)
100 to 6 agst Brunette (offered)
20 to 1 agst jealousy (offered)

We understand that a petition for a literary
pension to be bestowed on Mr. Leitch Ritchie, the well-
known author and editor, signed by the Poet Laureate,
Charles Dickens, Thackeray, and other celebrated writers
has been presented to Lord Palmerston, and received the
promise of his favourable consideration. It is to be hoped
that this gracious effort of the literary world in behalf of a
brother-writer disabled by illness may meet with the suc-
cess it deserves. A
t least, it is a pleasing proof of the
kindly feeling existing in the present day among the mem-
bers of the press.

DISCOVERY OF A NEW COAL-FIELD,--We (Scots-
man) understand that the celebrated "Dunfermline Splint"
seam of coal has just been discovered in a new pit lately
sunk on the estate of Lassodie. The coal is of unusually
fine quality; and as the mineral-field is extensive, and con-
tains all the other seams of the district besides, the mineral
wealth and the railway traffic of the locality will be greatly
increased for many years to come. The coal-field is opened
up by the West of Fife and Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee
Railways, and Charlestown will be the principal shipping
port,