The New York herald., 1870-02-19
CHRISTIAN MUSCLE.
Return With Your Shield or On It''-"Wrest-
ling with the Spirit and Fighting with
the acknowledgement Proceed
ings at the Fulton Street
Prayer Meetings.

There te q Shield on the ancient church on
| the corner Of Fulton and William Streets an
nouncng daily prayer meetings, beginning just as
the sun crosses the meridian. Those who, during
hours of business desire testify their devotion
not perhaps as business Christians, though It has
often been said that whose credit s but ndif-
ferent CONSIDER this resort precious BIT OF capt.
tal-gather atcthe venerable pile, ana. II possible,
banisn what vascular from their minds and battle
their souls In the softly spiritual ether within.
Every one has heard OF the Fulton street prayer
meeungs-some believing in them and others not
and every has seen the shield referred to which
bears the announcement OF daily prayer meetings.
Now, this shield has peculiar slgnfcance which
was only discovered yesterday ut noon. We have 1t
as Of the maxms OF the heroic Spartan mothers,
"Return with your shield on it.n thus
telling their bold warrior sons to conquer
or die. The sexton OF the Fulton street
prayer meetings, doubtless remembering this
heirloom oil history, determined at least to
make the shield IN question Call back the hardy
courage OF the Laced9m0ns. II was IN this wise:-
The sinners were gathered yesterday in the pure
atmosphere Of church. and prayers were ascend
lns IN accents which bore the CRISP intonat0ns Of
Eacn told the story Of his omissions and commis-
sions AZ far az II was considered polite " do.
zOnta nuency would frequently have perpendicular
nterierences OF thought as Cut meal, dull :; 1900
u. Ca
werp;n 1900 do. mat'' These singular and inc0D-
gruods mental alterations continued during the
services: IN tnelr midst ssranser entered Ths
30 there nothing irregular iii his conduct. He
stcnea to the petitions beng presented by his bretn-
rem.
Here was lul. The stranger descended-but
only to his knees. He began 10 pray. lie grew IN
teresled, warm, fervid, excited. Words or deeply
renglous e0quence new from his lips. He was ear
nest powerfully earnest prayer such as the
Fulton street prayer meeting had never heard before
ula nnl N n nial Vl
emotion he sought the throne Of heavenly grace.
IRE scene was Intensely solemn. II was no mock
for gold had value with him IN ihe uecp ervor VI
tho hour. Simple straightforward and 0utsp0Aea,
Here lntcrDo.es cold formula. There is rule
thai prayers shall not exceed tive minutes. Inc
his Maker arc the work OF five minutes and tnat all.
lie had the spirit. Ac still prayed In fervor OF
grand excitement that made ail admire. The con-
ductor. Hr. Lanphier, grew impatient lie listened
with discontinue, Az last patience became ex-
haSsts'i iv,Ipa Ipa i2aaucos pr0'seea the fol-
From every stormy wind that blows.
From every swelling tide Of woes,
There 10 n calm, a sure rutreat--
'1is found beneath the mercy scat
The stranger gave no heed to tho monotonous
voice OF the reader He burned In the nres vi his
strange natuation. Ills prayer sun presided over
the confusion. lne meeting sung the hymn At last
Mr.. Lamphcr told him 10 quit. He did not obey
the manuate but slill prayed and 80 ferveny as TO
appear almost distracted. The sexton or an attend.
ant wno appeared to Hi that capacity, was ordered
to put him out, as tue spartan mothers told their
sons to return with your shield or on ~ Iae
sheld bore the sexton's name-thc shield on the
outside or the church. Inc sexton thought ne
might put the stranger in the same atmosphere VITA
the SHE'D. The sexton, therefore, assailed the
stranger. There was struggle. The man resisted.
There was ght; the sexton prevailed Thc stranger
was elected from tue cnurcl falling heavily ON tue
gone steps and brusing his head terribly Was tnit
prayer rejected at the throne OF GOd2 Manglcd aud
natreated after thc assault the man was conquered.
The meeting became chaos aud expired. ''Return
with yoiIr shield on t.n The sexton returned With
his shield.