The daily gazette., 1875-03-18
lnontI nued from first page. |

HINDU bOkAA - s.-SJ
an earnest, active, and useful religious
life, to speak as well as act for Jesus,
and exhorting all to make tho best use
of every moment of the time,
The thirty minutes were well filled
with eight or nine successive expert
ences, every two cemented by an ap-
propriate hymn between. The older
members expressed their assurance of
faith, their confidence in the solidity
of their feelings, and their JOY in Gods
service and the present work, one bro
ther saying, very beautifully, II loue
to love Jesus" Two young men, and
two or three young ladies spoke very
modestly of their recent entrance upon
the religious life, and asked to be OBJ
iects of care and prayer, and assisted
by the more experienced on their good
way.
The hymns were of the sweetest
evangelical character, almost all entire
Iy of Jesus, and all voluntarily started;
and l felt happy in knowing the words
and the tunes, standing with them to
siag, and kneeling to pray, as If to Mss
manner born, and this my only Gus
tom.
When the thirty minutes were ended, ,
looked for the sermon, but looked
and listened in vain; there was none,
neither address nor exhortation, nor
any Scripture reading. But now be-
gan what might be called the work of
the evening, and was the practical
work which lasted an hour, viz: call
ling mourners to the altar.
The pastor did this, inviting not only
outsiders, but church members who
were sensible that they were not JOY
fully serving the Lord.
As soon US the invitation, somewhat
elaborately made, and affectionately
and urgently given, was concluded. a
most moving hymn was started, all ris-
ing to sing, having chorus
"!ome with US 0 me with us.
We're marching to the prom sed I'D. -
The tenor of the words, the universal
rising, the general utterancc, and the
earnest, loving air, threw into this
4 effort an almost perceptible power,
whose influence it would be hard for
A the impressed and impressible to resist.
A One or two only at first responded,
"A coming forward aud kneeling at tho
altar The pastor called for others,
who with other brethren, walked up
and down the aisles, and here and there
speak to individuals till six were at the
altar, two or three of them being young
4 men.
4 All this time the singing was going
Oh, three or four brcthern, as If trained
to it, going inside. the altar, standing
Il and leading the praise, who remais ed
there all the lest of the evening for the
4 purpose of conducting this part of the
n service. There was no need for tho
Il pastor to indicate what should be sung
and as he and others exhorted the
mourners, and others still, one sister
were really to kneel down and talk
privately with those at the altar, il
. crossed my mind, might this not have
been the way in Paups timer" Tho
i Methodist pastor stood n lot alone, either
helpless or unforceful In his oneness
or burdened with every part. He had
staff of holders. May not Timothy
and Titus, and Aquila, and Priscilla,
and Persis too, and Quartus, and Lu
cius, and Jason, and Sosipater, and
4 Sosthenes, and dStephanus, s,andEpaphro
ditus, and Epenetus, and Tychicus,
and Luke the physician, and Aristar
chus, and Onesimus, and Epaphras, ant
Zenas the lawyer, have been at differ
ent times and places, PauPs assistants
with the elders and deacons every
where ordained, in something of the
same way?
At the close of the first invitation
with its accompanying singing and ex
hortation, the pastor called for prayer
in behalf of the mourner, and some ont
straightway led in a prayer, Longer
than ordinary.
Then followed second effort of in
viting, eXhorting, singing, and specia
prayer, which was followed by third
series; after which the pastor intimat
ed that the next would be the las
prayer. Bat whilst these general ser
vices proceeded, audible conversation
was kept up with those at the altar
and even in time of public prayer
4 there were slight indications of sub
q praying going on in different Parts o
the house.
In summing up, take special notice
Of the spiri. Of the meeting, as being
animating, hopeful and inviting from
many quarters. 1t was sweetly evan
gelical. Every salient thought was o
Jesus. A dependence on the Holy
Spirit was expressed, and earnes
i prayer offered for his divine, convert
y ing power; and those seeking wer
4 carefully warned against tself-righteou
attempts or thoughts of making them
4 selves better prepared or fitted for sal
vation, or striving to do the work o
conversion, which was the Office o
the Holy Spirit; that coming to Chris
would secure. There was no Amman
ism. There was no Calvanism; bu
Just the exercise of free agency will
dependence on Gods Spirit, and til
hope of mercy through Christ alone.
My three half hours with the Mcthe
dist brelh:rn gave me a happy expert
ence. and the retrospect throws brigh
glow Of warmth and joy about m
soul. AND GoD BLESS THEN.