Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-04-10

UNION PRAYER MEETING.-There was, as usual,
full house at Washington Hall yesterday even
ing. In the absence of the regularly appointed
leader for the evening, Rev. Mr.. Dodge was called
to preside. After an opening song and prayer,
he read the portion of scripture contained IN the
Gospel according to Matthew 9th chapter, from
the oath to the 84th verses, inclusive.
The Rev. gentleman then proceeded t" relate
how that he had been reading from some work
the experience of man who had been in state
of suspended animation-thought by his friends
to be dead and who was near being buried. The
man, on awaking and recovery, was under tue
belief that he had seen a vision of Paradise
that he had been transported Temporarily from
earth to heaven, and had witnessed and com
mingled in the glories of the Eternal world. So
strong was the impress upon this mans mind,
that for years afterwards he felt that II ne could
have appropriated the whole world to himself,
that he had not the least desire to do so; he had
been completely Invested of his love for earthly
things.
fever any of you, my friends, have been brought
to the gates of death if ever any of you have
been told by your physicians that you had but
a short time to stay on earth, how exceedingly
trivial and vain have seemed to you the pur-
suits of your past lives; how insignificant have
seemed your desires and Strifes for the things oil
this world. You then lost all care or love for
spoken, your minds were turned in another di-
recton This is the natural feeling at such
solemn hour. Now, it is the object of these
meetings to get these things before yon while in
health. 1t is to bring to your minds the great
truths contained in the passages of Scripture
which read to you. You are not to have SO
much care about your food and raiment; you
ought to he more alive to spiritual things. The
great truth that the Spirit of God is to incul-
cate III your minds, is that 'tseek you first the
Kingdom of God" We have met day by day
here to consider these precious truths; many OF
you already profess to regard them, and it well
becomes all of us so TO do. Yet how often
does it appear as if we were forgetting such
matters. The great good of a revival is to
awaken chrstnns-to remind them that they
are strangers and pilgrims here on earth. If
we could but ever have heaven before our minds
if we only kept that in Tiew-and TINT our
home is to be one of holiness and purity, then
we would show indeed newness of life. The
Lord hath promised good concerning Israel
o! come and gol OF that we all had the spir-
it of some who yesterday asked the prayers OF
this meeting. The influence of these meetings
was very promising; it wns bringing the chur'
ches together; they were meeting around one
common Mercy Seat; they are realizing, az
David did, how good-how beautiful it is for
brethren to dwell together in unity. Let chris
tians show that they are bound together by the
love of God. If any here to-day are DESTROYS
of prayers-of turning tO God, we would say
to them that it is not necessary for them to
stand without for weeks and months waiting.
1t is the simple proposition: would you rather
have the blessings which arc promised than the
pleasures Of sin for season. This choice, un-
der Gods blessing, you have only to make.
When hear people making great objections,
think that they overlook the great objection
which is their own hearts. Plain and simple
as the simplest elements of knowledge, is the
whole matter, for it is simply: will you go or
will you not?
Mr.. Fisher prayed.
The congregation then sung the 296th hymn,
commencing
.when can read my title clear"