Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-02-25
n RS. VAN COrT.
sKErcH OF THE GREAT REyIvALlsr.

skErcH OF THE GREAT REyIvALIsr.
At the regular Monday meeting of the
preachers OF the Methodist Episcopal Church |
ID baltimore, held yesterday at the rooms, No.
~. fayette street. there was q large atten- |
dance, about one hundred persons, including |
DIR. Ames of Eutaw street church. occupied |
the chair, and Rev. Joseph Jones, of St. John S |
Methodist church, Liberty street, introduced |
Mrs. Van Colt. the evangelist, who has been |
so prominent in the reviyals of St. Johns |
churcii, and also on Saturday at the Maryla land |
Institute. Mrs. Van Cott made some brief re. |
marks in regard to her mission as an eyangel.
ist, q field OF labor in which she had embarked
OF her own accord because of the good she
found she could do.
Mrs. Van Cott is the widow OF wholesale
Druggist in New York CITY, where she was
born, and joined the Methodist Episcopal
Church eight years ago, known as the Duane
street church, though then removed to Hudson
street. she almost Immediately began speak
ing on religious subjects, spending Henly one
months among the deniZenS of the notorious
Five Points. She was licensed by district
conference in Ulster county, New York, and
afterwards by others inSpringtield and lowell
Massachusetts,, and in Wisconsin. She ..as
spent the last eight years in the work of a re-
ylyalist ia the New England States, in New
0rk, tce northwest, in California, and else
where. Presiding elders have desired to see
| her ordained, but about this she has been in
different, caring, she says, only to do The work
and not for houor or gain.
her husband left no estate, and when she
began preaching she even disposed of her lew
elry for th3 cause and as useless to her tnen.
| she never has exacted pay, taking only what
| IS given her, and In the earlier part or her la
bol5 sac was even obliged to ask aid OF friends
| to pay her expenses
She wears no ornaments; but at the 'con-
yelts meeting" Saturday night az st. John
q lady came with tears in her eyes and put
| ting Jet and cold cross around her neck, ask.
ed her to wear it as a token of love and graft.
tnde from the giyer, and this yesterday Mrs
| Van Colt wore as brsastpin.
she wears her tonuet when speaking and
| says she knows not what she shall say until she
opens her mouth to speak. She does not preach
s-rmons, but addresses sinners and others ane
the congregation with such thouS hts as 9he feel
at the moment suit the case. She says by lonI
practice, continued almost without intermissiol
Ter eight years, she can keep al audience Of thou
sands, like that at Maryland institute last Sun
day, completely in hand, see and understan,
every motion, and almost the thoughts and de
t sires about religion expressed in each counter
: ance, and as she passes through the asles sh
can thus address the word to each that be or sh
needs to refresh, to strengthen, or convict.
Mrs. Van Colt states the number she has beel
instrumental through God in converting" i
Since she has been in Baltimore che has nun
be. ed nearly three hundred converts She ha
spoken three times a day every day Tor sever;
years, and though her voice is hoarse in conve
sation when she speaks ffcm the platform it
clear and strong.
She will 60 from Baltimore 10 New Ohean
where she will speak several weeks, and then .
to the Northwest. At Omaha she will speak
a tabernacle 10 be erected for The purpose OF h'
meetings.
Yesterday she held 10 meetings at ST. John
cne in the af.ers oon and one at night, both
which we're crowded, many being turned aw.
for want of space. she also held a meeting
le the morning at dressmakng establishment
- Faystte street. where about thirty young gin
n we're spoken toby her on religion. from there 81
It. went to the preaoh ohers meeting referred to aboy
az She stated yesterday afternoon that she h
t., been SO continuously at work all day that s.
MS had not had ten minutes TO rest. Her life is o
OF the busiest imaginable, and her energy 81
Sc powers Of endurance are simply astonishing
1t Mrs. Van Colt acquires the ardent attachIae
u u Of many of her sex 10 tho course OF her evsng
es izing tours, and she has received many Off
from such ladies, possessed OF ample means,
a. make her abode for liie with them and prea
..s .se only when she choose, but she says she pref
to preach always and declines all such offers
lady of wealth, she states is now on the way
Baltimore from San Francisco for the sole p
!. pose of seeing her and hearing her preach.
= Mrs. Van Colt states that in the past year
preached 1868 sermons, was the instrument
converting 3,349 persons, spent $3.50 hours
96S public meetings, wrote 1850 letters.
T travelled 1878 miles. OF the converts L..
- joined the Methodist Episcopal Church.
is,ors Sun. 24th.