The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1858-05-12
Religious Revival.

hh - l. VI oAhbNLk > 'otoh1 of IllNlSL SLLf
Awful Gardner" the converted
pugiliSt, was present on Sunday eve
ming at a meeting in the Methods
Church in Greene street, and narrate,
to the congregation TIE circumstance
of his conversion as follows:
feel it my duty to tell you wha
God has done for me. | hope yol
will hear all have to say. There ar
many here who have known me io
ten years-have known me when
was faithfully wicked. Now | am OF
the Lords side. want it thorough,
understood that now am on th'
Lords side.
was on visit to my brother in th'
country, about twenty-eight miles a
way, at a town called Portchester
When | went there had as much idea
of getting religion as many of yor
have now; that is none at all. But
hope when you get home you canno'
rest nor sleep till you get religion.
went to church in that town for ac,
commodation, that's all to the folks
The Saviour was there. The Lord
spirit was powerfully displayed, and
went from heart to heart all through
the church. 1t worked upon me three
or four nights. The pastor of the
church came TO me and as ked me if
would not like to get religion and
serve God. answered mo, | didn't
care about it just then" and told him
lie, for | did; | felt as though | wan
ted religion.
got dreadfully uneasy, and made
up my mind | had better leave that
part of the country; it was getting too
warm for me. told my brother !
was going to New York in the morn
ing He said, "wait another day"
and | made up my mind would and
attend another night Some remarks
were made to backsllders the next
night, many of whom knew; they sat
there unmoved. The minister and my
friends had been trying TO get me to
be Christian, but the Devil said,
Don't be taken in by those fellows" p"
After church that night as we were
going ho1me--the minister lived up
our way-I made some remarks about
those backsliders. saying to him that
if were in their place would come
out like man and seek religion over
again.
The minister told me that he thought
| was very great sinner; that ] stood
in a critical condition, and was more
likely to be lost than any of them. ]
said to my brother, if that was the way
the minister was going to talk, would
go. ! got my carpet bag ready next
day and started; opened the door; ]
wanted to go and didn't want to go;
and ! hoped my brother would again
urge me stay; he did so, and | stayed.
That was Saturday. After had my
dinner | resolved that | would seek
the Lord that night. made strong
resolutions; ! felt where stood that
perhaps it was the last time the Lord
would strive with me. Saturday night
the invitation was given to come for
ward TO the atar-on' nv shoulders
was my load of sins-up | went with
them, the cross of Christ upon my
back. | got up and threw my sins
down by the altar. tried as hard as
a man ever did, and got no religion
Sunday night ! attended with like
result. That night | could not sleep,
my sins looked so bad; they came up
on every hand and looked at me; all
the sins of my lie crowded upon me,
many | should never have thought of,
had not the devil brought them be-
fore me. | could not sleep; wiggled
and waggled around the bed all night;
the Lord was striving with me. Mon
day morning ! got up and prayed;
did the best | could; Iasked the Lord
to take away the weight that bore
me down so. There was a friend
came to me that day and said he was
going over to White Plains, and
could go with him. knowing ! would
be in good company. concluded to
90, thinking he might do me some
good. There was little said on the
way, but he told me to keep looking
or the Saviour; that | was trying to
get religion and had let everybody
Know it; the Lord was willing to bless
ne at any time or anywhere. ! was
iding along, singing a hymn. and in
IN instant felt as though was bless
ID. lam sure give up my soul and
'ody. The first thing | knew, God
poke peace to my soul. 1t came
ike a shot-it came like lightning,
when ! was not anticipating it, and
he first thing ! said, "Glory! God
lessed me-" My friend said he knew
!, he felt the shock too. We rode a
ainst stone fence two or three times,
I'D came near tumbling on the ground.
he change was surprising, the trees {
,oked as if they had been blessed, ,
appeared to have been {
lcssed, even the horse and wagon.
felt strong. could almost fly. Clio $
Y to God, this religion is goodl The {
,ord has blessed me ever since. My
aith in him grows stronger every day. |
would face all the people that God
yer put on the earth, and tell them
Il am bound for Heaven. My heart 1
ays, see the scorner; say, will go
ray for them. Everything is pleas
ng. love those | used to hate. Now, {
hat shows pretty good for religion ,
ont it brothers? Yes yes.l Men
hat | used to seek to injure | love ,
ow; | pray for them. don't hate
soul that God ever put breath in