Daily Kennebec journal., 1876-05-01
At the village Church I'm Riverside The
Lady Preachers.

1t was at the Little village chuch in Riverside,
in the beautiful town of Vassalboro'. All the
days of last week, on every afternoon and even
ing, at the sound of the sweettoned bell, many of
the farmers literally left their pows in the furrow,
the mechanic his tools idle upon the work bench,
the merchant closed his store and the professional
man left his books open upon the study's desk,
| while they thoughtfuIly wended their way to the
house of God
Why this impulse to gather together in social
converse: +: Why this oneness of feeling, and deep
profound interest that draws the people together
in large numbers No Moody and Sankey are to
captivate with their earnest pleadngs win hearts
with the sweet songs of Zion; no Chaplin or
Beecher or Murray are to charm with their match
less eloqueace. Two plain spoken Quaker wo-
men TO preach "the unsearchable riches of
Christ" TO point the weary traveller on lies
dusty highway, to the rock that is higher than
they; are to tell the burdened, troubled soul Of
the Great Burden Bearer. whose yoke is easy
and whose burden is light" Men and women in
the little thriving town are beginning to see that
there are other things TO enlist their attention be-
sides those that relate simply or chiefly to this
material wotld-that the immortal soul of man is
not to be satisfied with houses and lands, broad
| acres, or smiling fields, but Graves those eternal
riches that come down from heaven.
The congregation seated, and two ladies enter
attired in the habilinents usual to the members Of
the Society Of Friends. They take their places in
chairs placed in front Of the pulpit We recognize
in the lady of some fifty years or more, Peace
Jones of China, sister Of the venerable Eli Jones,
the well known Quaker evangelist. You will no.
tice striking resemblance between brother and
sster-the full, dark hazel eye. high intellectual
forehead, crowned with silvery h1ir and a sweet
winning face. She is a most earnest and ready
preacher, pu,hin. hone trlths to the heart and
causing the stubborn nature to yield by very kind
ness. We heard her sreak Friday afternoon
from the words, MAY the words of my mouth and
the mcdtations of my heart be acceptable in thy
sight, o Lord my strength and my Redeemer.'
Her clcar-voiced utterances came after the read
ing of scriptures and prayer by Rev S. Bckford
the Methodist pastor. She showed the Importance
of ever being in that condition that our every
words and thoughts should be acceptable in the
sight of God. In state of nature this could not
be; the heart must be changed before holding
sweet communion with our Heavenly Father, and
what it meant TO be "baptzed for the dead'-to
feel agony Of soul for the unconvelted. This
experience every christian ought to pass through.
She made an afectionate appeal to her hearers
that was followed by sobbing in some parts of the
house, showing the presence Of penitential souls.
Peace Jones was followed by her companion,
Sarah Goddard of East Vassaboro, dark eyed
lady Of forty, with black hair, combed back plain
ly, ard face marked with frmness and delibera-
ton. She is more argumentative in her plan of
treating the text than her sister, and speaks with
thriag power and drccness, as She addresses
her hearers on the great theme Of their souls
salvation, showing to them the better way that
leads from death to life.
To 90 from an ordinary preaching service TO
listen to these sisters, whose hearts breathe forth
in their ut,crances, is like passing from an ice
house into The clear summer atmosphere. They
do not stand before the people and read essays or
disquistions, but preach the Word in its purity,
with the power of the Spirit, in a language that
.lows aud sparkle with life; and it is wonder
that souls have been converted at Riverside. and
that bened;ction should follow these Christian
women wherever they may go.