Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-23
NOVEL RELIGIOUS MOVE
MENT,

Open Air Preaching in Arkansas-
| Dens OF Thieves Turned into Tenn
pies.
| A correspondent of the Chicago Hri-
6ule writes from Little Rock, Ark, that
Rev. Mr.. Pierce, of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church North, who has recently ar
rived in that place from st. Louis, has
made a sensation. The members of his
church, comparatively poor at best, had
undertaken to rear new and somewhat
imposing edifce The lot was purchased,
the foundation laid, and quantity of
material upon the ground, when the means
failed, and the work has remained in
8tdtlt quo for over year. Seemingly of
a different type from his more slow and
easy predecessors, Mr.. Pierce set to work
with a will to overcome the obstacles to
his road.
A few weeks since the public were
startled by announcement in each of the
daiies that on the ensuing Sabbath the
Rev. Mr.. Pierce would preach in front of
the Anthony House door, upon the most
public square in the city. The originality
of the innovation itself drew crowd to
hear the sermon. Contrary to general ex-
pectatiOn the crowd were favorably i'm
pressed. The entire absence of every al
fusion that even the most prejudiced could
hinge an objection upon was admitted by
all. Every one spoke freely of the preach
er as one of the finest orators they had
ever heard in the ministry. All were ia
VOrably impressed with his personal ap-
pearance and bearing, and disposed to ad-
NIT their belief in his honesty of pur-
pose. This was great point gained.
The next Sabbath found the preacher
agaid at his post, and holding forth to
still larger crowd than before. Old men
on horseback stopped and bowed their IN
covered heads in reverence Carriages
and vehicles of various kinds impeded the
highway, while the walks, and much of
the street, indeed, showed a large crowd
in most earnest and respectful attention.
The preacher himself admitted he had
never had a more respectful audience in
his life. The weather, becoming cool,
the scene was changed, and services held
in one of the largest and most fashionable
gambling hells of the city. Here, too,
large and seemingly appreciative audience
was found, among whom were very many
indeed, of the sporting fraternity them |
selves, who, to their credit be it spoken,
treated the preacher with the most marked |
respect.
The next Sabbath, at the same hour,
services were held in a drinking and /
billiard saloon attached to the Anthony
House From here Mr.. Pierce has shifted |
his grounds from one saloon to another,
until he has preached in every prominent
saloon and gambling he'll in the city.
Everywhere he is followed by large and
audience, who, strange as it
may seem, are generally free to admit that
his labOrs are looked upon as friendly
Offering in their behalf. Whether any
great or permanent good grows out of this
boarding a lion in his den or not, certain
it is, at least, that the Rev. Mr.. Pierce has |
accomplished thereby much for his |
church. He has in his own person almost
entirely obliterated from the minds of the /
masses, at least, the prejudice hitherto
existing toward ministers of his peculiar |
cloth. 1t is understood, too, that mainly |
through his labors the work upon the /
church cdifice, so long suspended, is about
to Iecommence, and the building be |
pushed to completion at an early day.