, 1876-02-16
REVIVAL. MEETINGS.

REVIVAL MEETINGS.
LABoNs or TIE FREE NETsioDt3Ts.
Over in their liltlo, rndcly constructed, TIL.
painted, wooden tabernacle on Nostl, Morgan
stroet, tho Froe Afcthodists arc Just nov tariuE
revival. strange set Of people are tho Freo
Mothodiate,-plain, uuoduoated, with tho mark
OF poverty Oh their tl,roadbhso attire, ard their
hauds roughonod with daily toll. They nre
mostly Of Eng!lah birth or descent, aud their
nhnhetH aro those Of tho common country folk
Of that nationality. Their religion is the most
primitive kind Of A1otholiHm, and can 90 best de-
tcribcd Us religion Of emotion. In their
meetings thoy arc all yoice.-the louder tho bot
tor. Thotr Elders, for 20 thoy donominata thoir
ministers, preach from tho Blblo. using no now-
orr Of Rhetoric nor tndnlsius iu elaborate argu-
monts.
Elder Clark presided last ovcning. Thoro wns
largo nndtcnco-that is, comparatively, for tho
church coulu only hold abont hun,tretl-apl nlI
worc evidently Interested from tho start. Aftor
Singing,
ELpEn cLAnK
spokc. lie Is homoly, meinnl-sl:ed man, md
hss discourse waB eB ptain AZ he hlsuao.i sta,nl-
ing in front OF tho depk, OIL lufsl With tle
auditory. ho talked In conveBaticnnt easy way
on tho ordinary topics Of salvation and Gods
eternal goodness. Sitting near linn. and inclin-
ing their erizztcd hcads 30 nj to catch ovory
Hord, wesu tho old men and women, The patti
archs Of tho flock. 11oss Of tho audience wcro
nidolc-agod pooplo. With here and thoro white
beaded boy or Ritl squeezed into uncomfortabiy
small places. and looking uucommonly forlor1i.
One boy, who uas tickled by anottcr boy and
laughed; - mss ignominioueiy led out by tho oar.
life to como. God. he aaid, waa n righteous
tudge. and would give every man his daserts on
the JudKnent~Day. II men did not repent
they would sursly bo showed into hol!-nro. God
~ ~, Tho Judge Az earthly judge might ho par-
tth hA D1tHhk ER hfihFf}, n3}rht f,o
fuenccd by falBo testimony. but not 30 with
God. Hs wasn't that kind Of d judge. The
speaker went on to picture the people of tho
earth going up before tho throne to hsve scu-
ahuddeT, and tho righteous hmtlo! l1o had
formerly preachea agauas deati.-bed repent
ancea, but lately he had changed his
he believed that tho doatf, bed repentance should
come now, while they wero in The prime Of lifo
and in good health. IA VOICE: That's It. GLORY
TO aod!l Speaking Of tho Inst lav, ho quoted tho
story about Old John. who lived down East ut
tho time when 40 MANY moteors fell one uight
Hnd people all thought the end OF tho world hnl
come. John was Hnkened up by tho citixons,
who called upon him to pray. Getting np, mud
soeing the M heavons tilea with shooting STARS he
Eomo-no time for prayng.'
After proceeding n this vein for some timo,
often raising hs voice to high pitch Of eushn-
stssm. tho Elder closed hiH ronarks by asking
Ill atnleIs to
COME TO Tue FRONT
during tbs singing Of . hymn. About q dozen
skAnZas waro sung. meanwhile = nHmber o1
women going up and down the ainos. and inl-
portuniag yonpg and old to comply with tho
invitation. Five mon and three girls responded.
ThoD tho ones already converted cluBtn.od
around the elght, and at a Aignal all foil upon
sheir kneea snd began praying nightly. For
eoyornl minutes no words could 10 disttngu;shod.
Al was hubbub OF groans aud inter- lectlouu.
Then man with strong bass voice pit forth
all hlu vehemence and effcctualy drowned tho
zest, His petition was simply q lisjt,inled ap.
A. tho BEGINNING q evory ssu.opco ho
gothor, and al tho .cli1nax ho would
emphssize BY cIapping them. regardless
brothers and siste:s, who sotcoche'l forth ut 10
,setsala some phrase like, oh. Lord Almighty,
help III |" "Josus, savo tho lost !" IL Holy VII.
ton. come down tonight !" etc.
hs yosce melted away iuto eilance, wAon ;sono
one struck up the hymn,
I cau and will and do believe.
After this those was renewed PRAYER broken
by the shouts Of brethren and tho soba OF tho
hneel.ng ones A. tho altar. Confusion Glory
70 NE . Sinner A scng. Another prayer.
Thauk God ono soul has found pcacsl Another /
And still anotherl Oh, brolhor, give you.
heart up to him NoTs Just my you will trust
:, Words fail to convey any idea OF The scene.
No pAndenouium could 10 notstor than q free
Methodlet Eeviysl meeting. After awhile, all
arose aud sang. aud the converts returned to
their soats., their eyes rcd With weering, They
related their exporienco-Home baHhfully mud
wl1h choking o!teyanco, others Klibly. Tho
meeting concluded with remarks by Eldct Clark,
IN which hc sxhotted tho nsw,y-conyortod to bc
krua to their resolutions, aud especially to como
the ne1t night. So thoy al! paused out solemuly,
and in feN moments tho tlngy ltt.lo church
tR1s left da1e!Ato.