Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-05-24
THE R~RyIyALIsTs.
Large Gatherings at the Expedition
-COnsideFaDle Interest Created,
Yet but Little Religious Excite
ment Developed.

Yet but Little Religious Excite.
ment Developed.
Yesterday Messrs. White and Bliss,
the Chicago ~reyiyalists, appeared before
large audiences at the Exposition. In
the morning a crowd Of negroes assem-
bled on invitation and listened atten-
lively to the exhorting Of Mr.. Whittle
and the singing OF Mr.. Bliss and wife.
In the afternoon the ~revivalists preached
and sang to the young aud old men Of
the city, and last night probably two
thousand people attended. The different
religions sects were represented by their
pastors on the stage, except the Catho-
lies and ~Episcopalians, who so far have
given no recognition to the new system
of spreading the gospel in Memphis.
Neither Messrs. white nor Bliss are
ministers of the gospel; they are lay.
men, who assume to have been called or
sent by the Almighty to preach Christ
cruci6ed to the heathens OF the South.
The wonderful success of the American
revivalists, Messrs. Moody and Sanky,
in stirring up old Satan in England, no
doubt suggested to Messrs. White and
Bliss the idea of going out from wicked
Chicago to pray, preach and sing to sin
ners in the cities of the South. These
gentlemen do not profess to belong to
any sect or church, but engage in what
is called undenominational preaching
by an deliberately prepared system,
wherein Mr.. White opens with prayer
and exhortation, which lie interpreted
with some excellent vocGlism, with me-
lodeon accompaniment, by Mr.. Bliss
and wife-tbe anne system adopted by
Moody and Sanky, whe are meeting
with such success in the Old World,
awakening a religious feeling and fervor
in the bosoms Of the lower classes of
London.
During the progress Of the ceremonies
Mr.. White asks CT those sinners who
feel an interest in Christ to rise up and
be prayed for. So far these calls have
brought forth about q dozen sinners at
each meeting. Mr.. White is a tall
man, aged about thirty-fve years, neatly
dressed, black hair and beard well
trimmed and arranged with taste. He
has a strong, clear voice, with a we'll
developed Northern accent, and his ut
terances are clearly heard all over the
Exposition building. He walks unceas
ingly backward and forward on the stage
and gestures wildly, bat not gracefully,
with his right hand and arm. He is not
a learned nor an eloquent preacher, but
is full of earnestness. His rhetoric is
very plain, as indeed are his explana-
tons and illustrations of the gospel.
Mr.. Bliss is aged about thirty years,
and is better looking than Mr.. white.
He is dressed with still more n~eatness
and care. His dark hair and whiskers
are deliberately cared for. He sits in the
background, in front of a melodeon,
and when called upon by Mr.. Whittle
rises, walks to the front of the stage and
reads a %seriptural text, or, accompanied
by his wife, sings a hymn, not IL operate
style, but after the manner of ballad
music. He has a pleasant and well cul.
tivated voice and does his part of the
services in good style, in which he is
ably assisted by Mrs. Bliss, who is a
good looking brunette, dressed neatly
and tastefully. The services are at
tended by large crowds of people
nightly, which must necessarily prove
beneficial by creating a moral influence,
because any system of religion
is calculated to do this, except
probably that peculiar paroxismal sys-
ten introduced by Beecher into Ply
mouth church. Messrs. White and
Bliss have left a fine field of wickedness
Chicago, the most sinful city in Amer.
ica-to come South and make converts.
Would that a couple Of revivalists or
evsngelists frsm Dixie could be induced
to make a religious march upon Chicago
and convert the heathens and sinners Of
that village, by way of returning in kind
the good work commenced here by
Messrs. Whittle, Bliss & Co. 1t may be
added in conclusion that in the majority
Of our churches you can listen to better
preaching from more learned mel and
hear better vocal and instrumental
music from the choirs.
IcE cold lager beer wines and liquors
at Hermann Carols, No. "a North Court