Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-20
WHITTLE AND BLISS.
Summary OF the Work in Memphis
Review by Two Leading Laymen-
An Immense and AbOundiuR
Good Accomplished.
AN Entire Absence of Nervous Excite
nsnt-A Plain. simple ExpIana-
lion OF Scriptures with Prayer
and Earnest ExbOrtatIOn.


and the manner of Mr.. Bliss's singing
there Is no diversity Of opinion. The
voice so cultivated and so powerful, the
articulation so distinct, the emphasis
and expression 50 appropriate, all COM
bining to convey the simple gospel
story, made q wonderful attraction to
our people, and produced marked effect.
Mr.. Whites physical endurance is
marvellous. He left us seemingly fresh
and ready for new labor. His long and
careful study Of the bible has rendered
him familiar with its language; and he
is, seemingly st least, thoroughly i'm
bued with its spirit. We can never for.
get the clear, earnest musical tones,
penetrating easily to every part of the
huge Exposition building; never forget
the face all aglow, which told how
much his heart was enlisted. The order
OF the services here was:
! First-A prayer or praise meeting,
sometimes at nine o'clock in the morn
! ing and sometimes at noon. The at
| tendance upon this meeting ranged from
one to five hundred, seldom, perhaps,
falling below two hundred and fifty.
SecOnd-Bible reading at four O'Clock
in the afternoon. This meeting was
small at first, but the attendance stesdi-
! ly increased TO the close, reaching during
| the last ten days from five hundred to
eight hundred.
Third-Presching at eight o'clock
in the evening, in the Exposition
building, much the largest in the
city. The average attendance upon
these meetings was about twenty-five
| hundred. During the week the audiences
ranged from one thousand to two thou
sand five hundred, and on Sunday night
! from four Thousand to six thousand,
Fourth-An inquiry meeting, at the
close of the night service, lasting about
an hour, and usually attended by from
fifty to one hundred persons.
The prayer meeting and bible reading
were suspended on the Sabbath. On
that day service for the colored people
was held at eleven o'clock in the morn
| ing in the Exposition building. This
was well, though not largely, attended.
Much interest was manifested, however,
by those who did attend, and also by
the cOlOred psOple-from one hundred to
five hundred-WhO attended the preach
ing at night.
At four o'clock in the evening, on
Sunday, a meeting for men exclusively
was held at the Exposition building.
These meetings were always very inter
esting and solemn, and the audiences
were always large. The pastors belong
ing to the Pastors association-more
than twenty in number-gave hearty |
cooperation to all these exercises. |
In the churches tbus represented all |
of the usual services, except those |
OF sunday morning, were Suspended, |
and these meetings were, emphati- |
caliy, union meetings, and through
out the spirit of union and frster-
nifty prevailed. The meetings for praise
and prayer were precious seasons
Of refreshing and OF Outspoken
experience to professors of re-
ligiOn; and were also the occasions
upon which many anxious and burdened
inquirers found peace. The gatherings
at the Undertakings were mainly,
though not exclusively, of church mem
bers, and they were remarkably blest to
the confirming of the christians hope
and the building uD of the christians
faith. The topics chosen for scriptural
illustration were mainly such as tend to
the education and edifyirg OF the be-
lever, and the power and demOnstra-
ton OF the Spirit seemed to ACCOMPANY
the Word. These readings brought be-
fore US the secret and source OF Mr..
Whittle's power as a preacher-his reli.
ance upon the bible as Gods own reVe-
latiOn, and upon the Spirit as its inter-
prefer. These readings brought out the
unity of the scriptures, their consistency,
and their wonderful fullness and rich
ness, and were well calculated to incul-
cate the necessity of bible study, under
the Spirits guidance, TO growth in
grace and christian joy and assurance.
Many, no doubt, will look back
|
bic exercises of the occasion.
were mainly intended to convince the
of their lost condition, and
to lead them to loving and a willing
Savior. More than half of the large
were, no doubt, members {
Of churches. OF the others very many
were those who had not heard preaching
for years; prominent business and pro-
fessiOnRl men who had cared for none Of
these things, as well as the illiterate, and
whom the mini5tTatiOns of the
SO seldom reach. An unusual
y large proportion of young people,
young men, were attentive
and interested listeners. Throughout 8
he best order prevailed. So much of
ieep and earnest feeling; so much OF 7
'everential demeanor, was never seen in
aTge assemblages in this city before.
There was an almost entire absence Of /
animal or nervous excitement. a
marked feature Of the preaching was its !,
reedOm from effort to create such eX- Il
itement, and from appeals to the mere a
ceilings and emotions. These sermons
we're eXpOsitions of the plan of saliva q
as to the mode d
q which the christian life
aust begin. They were presentations il
t the sinners lost condition nO1O, and I
f the salvation offered through Christ,
oil and free, nOD. They were intended q
o lead the sinner to inquire, "What il
hall dO" and to give to that inquiry
he single, simple answer, "Believe in
he Lord Jesus Christ" They were in IL
ingulsr variety Of form, and singular g
-eedom from repetition, the gospel in u
itation, "WhOsoeveY will, let him
ONE" If there were those who were re
ispOsed to critIcise and complain of the CT
sck of 6Onaethjng they were those who L
allied to appreciate the fact that it was
My how to begin that the preacher was Sc
9eking to teach. II there were any II
Tho thought that the aOhOle gospel was b
OF in the preachers mimi and heart, il
lust have been those who failed to al -
End the bible readings. But is not this n
aviation the whole gospel? Is not this g
he story which the apostles were COM W
lissiOned to proclaim? There is wide h,
Inference between the positions Of The h,
and the pastor. Both ~
lust preach "Christ and Him cruel
ed''-Only this; but their presentation OK
them must differ when addressed 70
} the impenitent and when addressed az
believers. As Christ's sermons to the q
lblicans and sinners differed from his e
Tx with his disciples, or as the sermons al
Peter and Paul differed from their
1istles to the churches. Could these 81
preach Christ too much sing hi
hrist too much? If they could, this is aG
ie fault to be laid at their door, for they it,
Leraly preached and sang nothing q
Sc, but it was Christ given by the re
ather's love; it was Christ represented by
Id shown by the spirit proceeding from
lie Father and the Son. 80, Father, Il
r the sake of they dear Son, give us la
wv the aid and influence Of thy Holy O.
0iritW Such was Mr.. Whites oft-re- Of
lated prayer; the triune God, recon- K
led, loving, saving in Christ, and keep. j.
g and comforting, and finally taking ex
Himself the saved-all through
nrist, was what he preached; con- no
'mned now, lost now, if out OF Christ, he
eed from condemnation now, saved ~,
w, If in Christ. These were the ON
eat truths reiterated and enforced. H.
q trIISt and baIiava +hot ,,o-rv ,,,r,,.- OIS