The New York herald., 1877-01-24
BROKERS AT PRAYERS.

BROOKLYN SINNERS FREAKS OF DEVOTION
PRAYING FROM THE TOP or PEAR TREE
There was an unwonted gathering yesterday at the
of the Board OF Underwriters at No. 156 Broad.
way. William Peck Smith, OF the Stock Exchange,
occupied the desk, and engaged in telling his
"reminiscences Of the great revival In 1857. About
hi,y gentlemen OF various ages. grouped around
tho speaker, who from remote seat in tho rear q
constant punctuation OF smothorod and mournfu
lamation OF tho orator.
Brother Belchcr related his experiences in tho ~eat
revival movements OF the last thirty years.
ELOQUENT YOUNG MAN.
pale, slender young man. who described himself
resident of Brooklyn. slowly tho last .ycs'
faded into silence and commenced the relation OF q
most remarkable series OF experiences. "Brethren,"
he said " thnk thin. is essential to tho success
Of these meetings, and that Is that Jesus should be
put forward prominently. Jesus isn't unreasona IN
his demands. Nobody Is asked to climb tree or
ascend Trinity s'ecplo to hold meetings. But If no
did you aud would DO bound to follow. (Breatbngs
OF 'yes yes! And II wouldn't be SO very hard,
either, brethrcn TO climb IL Jesus required it
garden in brooklyn, and once tho idea
got hold Of me that must commune with Jesus from
,ne Top o, Una, pear sreo on how easy wasl
was IN such wonderful state. But what time Of
communion with Jesus hal when gos up there,
grass under mo and tho blue sky over my head. All,
Jesus was with mo there, brethren, as lie had never
been with me before. There was deep well In
other part O the garden, and wnon camo down
moved to commune with Jesus from the bottom OF
was in such an excited state bat Jesus was with mo
there, tOo Just tic had bccn the the pear
tree On another occasion, about three years ago,
moved to commune with Jesus from tho top Of
Trinity stcepIe. II was hard work TO get up there
brethren, tell you, and tollcd on and Tor
minutes until came upon twelve mon fixing the
clock.
DRINKING LAGER IN TRINITY CHURCH.
"As came upon them thcy werc-will yon believe
It, MISUNDERSTANDING ngcr beer from largo pail of
the nasty stun only think of II. brethren; drinking
lager beer In the house OF God They ofYerod mo
somc, but declined It nnd rebuked them Tor bringing
lager Into the stecplc OF Gods holy house. They
quito abashcd and impressed by what | said. Then |
lett the twelve sinners drinking lager together and
toiicd upward until couldn't get any To tho
SKY. Tne great city, seehns In sin and wickcdness
was spread out below. looked down Wall street, like
narrow causcway leading to tho shining river: then
liked my thoughts on God and prayed up there all
brethren! what communing with Jesus
l had for ,r... tho r, few minutes .hn. l
world right under came mp like tho low hum OF some
thing very lar away. 1t was like having personal in
there fairly out OF tho world. All what a communion
II was, brctbrcn How sweet! How satsfypgl IL
really seemed TO me as II tho breeze that famed my
forehead was the living breath OF Jesus, ana melted
IN communion with HIM as had never done before"
The brethren present did not to be particularly
cdhcd by the experiences Of this enthusiastic young
man, and were perhaps little astonshcd contem.
platon OF the remarkable adventures with which they
had been associated, particularly as climbing Trinity
steepc has never been regarded essential In re-
ligious exercises.
A DRY GOODS cLERK's ExpERIEScEs
As they recovered from tne awkward pause that had
ensucd while the brethren Illuminating upon this
new feature OF spiritual communion, young man,
with large parcel projecting from his pocket, arose.
aud with some embarrassment said that while sitting
In the room no had been impressed with the convIc-
ton that Jesus was present And what n solemn
thought II was 10 him He had heard prayers ascend
to God that he would shake this city from river 10
river, from the Battery to Harlem. Ho believed that
this was the starting point OF great movement that
would gradually invovc the whole nation. About
thrcc weeks ago they had started a clerks prayer
meeting IN a hall up town. At The nrst meeting only
four persons were present. but within week tho hail
was crowded with 600 listeners II was very easy TO
talk IN meeting but II was a different thing to stand
behind dry goods counter and retain onc's integrity.
"Just as ! am, brethren, without ono plea. = camo
from the leader at the dosk, as tho last speaker sat
down, and tho hymn commencing with those words
sung most OF the group taking part This nshcd,
after few dcsutory remarks Mr. Bclchcr commenced
to intonc:--
His faithful follower 1 will bo.
lie lcadeth me,
lie leadcth me.
Mr.. Henry Kimba took the floor, with the remark
that he always enjoyed rogion when he rcpentcd
most He had been stock spccuator, and he believed
that stock speculation was silfal Tho lender, mem-
Dor oil the stock Exchange, defended the members OF
that large hearted and honorable men,
Almost any day money might be seen on the table ia
the Stock Exchange rooms which had bcen collected
for benevolent purposes.
AFTER somo further exercises Mr.. Kimbal reported
that there prospect OF securing a largo room IN
tho Post ONCE building for further meetings,
mttces appointed TO canvass the Stock Excnange
the Produce Exchange tho Gold Room and other nuan.
cai ceutrcs
ADJOURNED.
The brokers' prayer meeting was then adjourned 10
meet this afternoon, at hail past three ocuck At tho
John street Methodist church
A BUTTER BURGLARY.