The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-06-15
The Revival.

Evangelist, Rev A. P. Graves, shoule
make his appearance among us. We
read great deal, and heard very much
more OF the remarkable work he had &C
compished in Marshalltown, Eldcra, State
Centre, and other places, and so wer,
somewhat prepared for the truly won
derful work he has already accomplished
in our town.
Last Thursday afternoon he came tt
our place; also, Prof. Leland his (San
key) Every since their arrival, the
Church bells have been ringing over 6
glad welcome to some three or fou,
meetings day. A prayer meeting is
held in the U. B. Church at 8 O'Clock
every morning; at 8 in the afternoon
there is Bible meeting in the Baptis,
Church Chlldren's meetings are held a,
half past 4; and regular preaching in the
Court House, at {: 30-thc evening service
is followed by enquiry meeting, which
seldom closes before half past 10.
Mr.. Graves preached his first sermon in
the U. B. Church, Thursday evening
The room was densely packed with an
appreciative congregation; many were
compelled to stand during the whole SER
mon; some in the aisles, and many more
III the veStbulc, on the steps and side
walk, while quite number were compell
ed to 60 away, not being able to see the
speaker, or hear his voice.
His address, was chiefly to protesting
christians, and was an earnest, affection.
ate appeal, for higher standard OF
Christian living. 1t is no over statement
to say he held his large audience spell
bound from beginning to end.
1t was evident from the firm words he
| spoke, that he WAS master of the situation,
and he made every one before him rccog-
niZc that fact. He is man of very CON-
handing presence, and he has look out
of the eye that plainly says, * mean
| business"
From scrmonizing stand point he is
not the equal of many ministers we have
| listened too, but we must say, we have
| listentd to but few more powerful and
| effective speakers. In speaking he is not
confined to words, but makes use of eyes,
! hands, feet, yes even his whole body is
under tribute. He has the God given fac,
ulty possessed by all natural orators, of
making every one within the sound of his
voice, feel that he is desperately in earnest,
| and believes with ms whole soul every
word he is uttering. AS soon as he be-
gins speaking, his audience is under his
control, for he possesses magnetism that
is irresistible, and us he passes on from
point to point he sways and bends his
hearers at pleasure.
We have had the frequent pleasure of
listening to d. l.. Moody, of world wide
fame, and in many respects Mr.. Graves
resembles him. lie possesses the same
enthusiasm, the same manifest love for and
desire to save souls, the same plain, fire.
quenlly, blunt forms of expression, the
same wonderful knowledge of the Bible,
manuscript or notes.
His methods of conducting Bible, and
enquiry meetings, are also very much
! like Mr.. Moody's Although Mr.. Graves
has been with us but few days, his con-
grega.ions are very large, daily increas-
ing, the enquiry meetings are crowded,
! al, OF +,
have been led to give their hearts to
Christ, and are now rejoicing in their new
found love.
On the street corners, in the work shop,
stores, offices, everywhere where men
usually gather to chat over the news of
the day, you will hear persons discussing
Mr.. Graves and the revival 1t is the one
theme of conversation.
On last sunday afternoon Mr.. Graves
spoke in the Methodist Church to
congregation composed entirely of
men. 1t was, to say the least, novel
sight. Every seat in the house was
filed, filled with men; laboring men, bus
I Ii,
old men, good-lookng men, homely men,
all kinds and conditions of men-nothing
but men, 1t seemed to us as though
| every man in town and surrounding
country was there, at least no familiar
face was missed in the vast throng be-
| fore u.s. Mr.. Graves was in q happy
mood and gave one Of his best addresses;
| his PLAN words from an honest christian
heart deeply affected his hearers. Prof.
Leland sang one of his best solos, and
every man went from the house feeling
that it was good for hin to be there. But
the great meeting was in the Court House
in the evening, long before shutdown,
men, women and children coulG be seen
winding their way towards the public
square; teams from the country, men and
women on horse back, the young and the
old Fastening to Oh common centre for a
common purpose. When Prof. Leland
began his singing service at 7:30 o'clock,
the hall was filled, but still came the
crowds, filing the gallery and every nook
and corner. Seats were improvised in
every available place, yet scores of per,
sons were compelled to stand. Seldom
if ever has the Court Room been as thor.
oughly packed with mass of living hu.
manity. Mr. Graves preached one of his
best dscourses in his own peculiar way,
with telling effect, as the enqulrey meeting
afterwards showed Some two or three
hundred persons remained after the bene.
diction had been pronounced, either to
speak to others, or to be spoken with; all
about the room could be seen little groups
of two, three, four.or five persons, either
engaged in earnest conversation, or kneel-
ing in prayer. Every one seemed deeply
affected, and many eyes were bathed in
tears.
So far, we should call the meetings a
decided success, and as he remains with
us over the coming Sabbath, we expect
to see still more wonderful manifesto.
tons of the power of the Holy Shirt.