Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-12-13
Local.
The Great Revival.

The Great Revival.
Tnl FEELING In THE CITY-SCENEs IN THE CHuRcH
-qo1NG Up TO THE ALrAR-THB RESULTS OF THE
Nusr1xG-Pnor TYNDALLs PRAYER TEsr-lN-
c1pzNrs-SunnARY OF THE Work. 5
&C., &C., &c.
One can't stay in Staunton long, without be-
ing made aware that there is an unusual relig-
ious in terest prevailing in the city. In the bar
her shops, at tbs hotels, at the stores, at the
market house, the question is heard, "Did you
hear Rosser last night" or GLOW many were
up last night" On the streets the hymns sung
up at the Methodist church are whistled by the
boys and hummed by the men, and even as we
passed by bar room the other night from the
back room there came some voices cherrussing
out, crock of ages cleft for me p By 6 o'clock
the church goers, composed of every denomlna-
tion, and of every class of people, commence
ssxeaming along the streets leading to the place,
breasting the bitter cold wind, with the ther-
mometer below zero, to fill to sufocation the ca
,acious Methodist church on Washington st. Be-
fore o'clock, the hour for commencing service,
there is not standing room and this sort OF thing
has been going on for thirty-six nights, with no
aealing when it is to stop. 4Fa
THE SCENE INSIDE
is deeply interesting one. The most perfect
Stiffness prevails, only broken, presently, by the
regular tramping Of body of about an hundred
school girls from the Methodist Institute, who
march into seats reserved for them. No discom-
off
almost against the burning stoves, stand cro~as
who get roasted on the half she'll, and calmly
turn tho other side for another toast rather
than leave the building. Punctually at O'CLOCK,
the chief actor in this remarkable scene. comes
lin at rapid business walk, and proceeding up
TO the chancel, takes seat within the railing
hit is the Rev. Leonidas Rosser, the great revi-
,yslist, or the great Evangelist, as he would be
called if the Discipline of the Methodist cnuron
,proyided for such an office. He goes ABOUT MS
work with calm air of business about him an
jirrepresstbe air of having some business OF more
,thap usual Importance but still business. Hl'
tall slender form enveloped in Quaker cut coat
and his intellectual face set in aframe ofHoWlng
grey hair, give him singular appearance ne
does not go into the pulpit, but stops IN 'ne
.chancel, because, perhaps, it gives him freer
awi NO for that nervous pacing back and lor'h
which characterizes his oratory.
THE SERVICES
are commenced with hymn read, almost in
toned, in a rich voice by the minister and fol-
Lowed BY a short earnest prayer. Then text
is taken and the bible closed and the sermon
commenced. There is no delay in getting to the
heart of the matter. In five minutes his e1ordl-
UNI is over and he is at the very root of tie sub
iect relieving the monotony Of argument py
splendid word pictures spoken and acted with
the grace ofan octor indeed his whole sermon is
"a moving panorama of thought done with bold
ness of pencilling and lavishness of color that
takes the listeners by storm, and the closing is
eoftsn what answers to the closing or ''transfor-
unation scene" of the spectacular dramas, COM
bination of all the colors of the piece with the
central thought, which he has been laboring al
all throagh, made the figure of the picture MOI
less interesting than the sermon, but of differ
ent character, are the little after sermon talks
of which he sometimes has as many rs three or
four.
S.N~N>r'
Alter the sermon there il some time spent in
prayer, very earnest prayer, With hearty responses
of mAmen," "Thank Coo" 1.-THE Lord grant
it," coming from among the congregation,
which seem quite absurd, when first heard, but
soon grow into the service as part OF It, In the
listeners estimation, and excite no comment by
.thi. time the revivalist aided by the pastor is
~ nm down
the aisles, talking to whoever shows the slgntsS'
interest by word or look-a work that they Go so
thoroughly that lately they lighted on minister
and elder of another denomination. "Going up
to the mourner's Bench" as going to the altar
is popularity called, to be prayed for by the con-
, gregation, is considered, with that denomination
a contamination devoutly to be wished, on the
ground that if a man in his sober senses goes
forward in the presence of nearly 200 people to
ASK God, and have others ask for him, for help
ITO lead better life, he is very apt to be in earn
asst, .saa wants what he asks for Those who 60
sap seem to 10 qnitc as little excited about the
going, as anybody else in the place. One young
fellow We noticed who hadn't been talked to at
all, coolly shied his guild Of tobacco under the
seat, made couple of false starts and then
marched boldly down to the altar. A young
lady leaned over to her companion and saying,
sMary, hope father wont be mad, but must
90. Tell 'em not to lock the door," untwisted
her sisters reluctant fingers out of her shawl and
went hastily down to the anxious seats. Those
two and many others struck the lockers on as
people who had determined to lead different
lives and were not afraid to show it, and
were pretty fair samples of all who went up.
. If any went up screaming with excitement it was
not on our nights there. The women generally
stole up quietly, and without any demonstration,
and the men strobe down the aisles like people
who thought there was something there for them
:and who meant to have it if it was there.
PROF. TYNDALL' PRAYER TEST.
1T looks like Prof. Tyndall could get his
prayer test fixed by dropping in at the Washing-
ton Street Church. 1t is, as it were, big
prayer meeting, and the answers to the prayers
arc remarkable. Nr. Rosser n some letters
written from here, says that in the beginning
mot spark Of life seemed stirring in the
church" and yet in answer TO their prayers
there ID . storm of revival in the church, aad in
the city such as aeger has been seen before
They call this an answer to prayer and it scems
So Some of the men who have gone up are re-
markable examples. With Lives almost reckless,
certainly dissolute, with no earthly object or
persuasion to seek better life, nothing worldly
to gain by it. no interest in deceiving anybody
in the matter, those men sul denly put the world
behind them, change their whole lives, and stand
like rocks against the eers of their late comrades