Omaha daily bee., 1874-05-26
Hrs. Van Colt Holds Forth in q
Tent.
The Eloquent Lady Revivalist
Begins Her Second Crusade
Against the World. the
Flesh, and the Devil.
Synopsis of Her Sermon Sun
day Morning on the Para
able of the Sower.
Immense Attendance at the
Evening Service.

A large crowd gathered Sunday
morning beneath the tent that has
been spread just north of the First
Church, corner of Capital
avenue and Seventeenth street, to
hear the celebrated Mrs. Maggie
Van Colt, the eloquent lady reviva-
list, who, during last winter, awak-
ened a new interest in religion in
Omaha, and converted a large num-
Der from the extensive ranks of the
sinners. 1t will be remembered that
her meetings during her first ap-
we're so largely attended,
that many were turned away al
most every evening, so We predict
it will be on this, the occasion of her
second advent. The audience that
assembled yesterday morning, were
able mostly to find seats within the
tent, while a long row of seats to
the east of the pavilion, was filled.
AT the south end of the tent, a
small shed had been erected, for the
choir and the pulpit.
The Star-spangled banner formed
the glorious canopy under which
Mrs. Van Colt prayed, preached and
sang.
She began by stating that she in
tended to give every one the privi-
ledge Of joining in the services by
putting something into the contri-
button box and by participating in
the singing of the hymns. At
her suggestion the collection was
taken, while everybody joined in
singing, "Now I can read my title
clear" i'm which she led of, and in
duced the others to follow, by ex-
claiming, "Let everybody sing"
1t was noticed by Mrs. Van Colt
that the persons sitting on the out
side row of seats had been sighted
in the matter of the collection, and
she remarked that they should not
be forgotten next time. This hint,
like some of the seed sown by the
wayside, fell into good ground, for
a young man Immediately passed
around his own hat and handed
over the amount of the collection.
Mrs. Van Colt took for the
subject of her sermon the
parable of the sOwer. She had
come back to Omaha to sow
the seed of the Holy Ghost, and she
hoped that it might fall into some
hearts and bring forth, some thirty,
some fifty, and some an hundred
fold. On her way to this city she
had noticed the sower by the way
side put in the seed with great toll
and patience. He went across the
field again and again: The sowing
was not always accomplished in a
day or a week. Had she gone to
him and said, al see no fruit" he
would have replied, ~ sow
in hope, and shall reap in
joy" Again, by faith, she beheld
him gathering the rich grain when
the harvest came.
She came to-day as a tiller of the
spiritual soil of Omaha. She
wanted no word uttered that would
be lost. She spoke to some, to
whom she had spoken before. She
came to SOW the SEED of Gods in
finite gloryi she spoke words Of
truth, which she hoped would fall
into some hearts, like the seed by
the wayside. She divided her hear
ers into several classes. Some
were entirely given to sin and
worldliness; others there were,
who, after hearing their pastor, or
herself, said: at did us 70 much
good, we will be better" There
was another class who received the
word, and who would be found
talking of religion if there was a re-
vival.
Mrs. Van Colt here related an in
cident, which showed her powers of
conversion. She met a gentleman
at Taylor's Falls, Minnesota, a man
of influence, a leading lawyer, who
ought to have been q Christian, but
who wasn't. He attended her re-
vivals night after night.
"Why are you not a Christian"
Mrs. Van COttasked him.
~ have no feeling" was the re-
ply.
"But you have common sense"
said she.
ayes madam" answered he.
"Then you have knowledge,
which is better than feeling"
az was once a Christian, but
now my heart is hardened" said
the lawyer.
"Will it ever be so 2" asked Mrs.
V. C..
"My wife for four years has failed
to soften my heart. 1 respect you,
madam, but you are wasting your
time on me-" said the flinty-hearted
attorney.
every WE'LL" said Mrs. Van Colt,
Il will pray with the Wife"
She left the immOvable heather
'or the time being. She had preach
ID Sabbath afternoon. Some one
had PUG q bunch of dry hickory
caves upon her desk. She passed
Town the aisle, pressed O gentleman,
the lawyer by the hand, and left
he dry leaves in his palm. She
,assed on with tears in her eyes, |