The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-01-12
OUR PARKERSBURG LETTER..
Scenes 10 be Rene embered - 800
Souls COnyerted-The work OF
Religion to be Prosecuted
with Renewed yigOr-
Rev. Hammond at
Marietta.
Correspondence OF the Register.
PARKEBsBURG, January

burg q succession of memorable scenes
and experien ces, and l am sure the fare
well services O. Mr.. Hammond last night
will never be forgotten by the fourteen
hundred people that were packed and
wedged into the Baptist Church from
from hslt-pss six o'clock till after md
alght, aud then were unwilling to leave.
The prevailing spirit OF the occssloa was
80 absorbing that its magnetism held the
crowds for hours that tiled the stsirways
and vestlbule below, snxiously lingering
and lingering in the hope OF catching u
taste OF the hallowed influences within.
There had been an all-day prayer,
praise and inquiry meeting at the M.
Z Church, the house being well
ilIed from the morning hour
till night. and 1t seemed that the wor-
shippers had but gone direct from one
house TO the other to continue services.
There was no time for q sermon, the
time being more proftsbly used, in sing.
ing, prayers and short talks by all The
ministers, interspersed by many brief
words of praise, thanksgiving, encourage.
ment, advice and tender appeals, to
Christians, converts and unconverted,
spoken by Mr.. Hammond, all followed
by more than two hours OF handshaklng,
which seemed to me by far the most I'M
pressive and efectusl services OF any OF
the meetings. 1t was noticed and re-
marked by persons all through the clqsely
packed audience that there was never
before such manifestations OF deep ieel.
ing. so much conviction among the care
less, yielding OF the struggling and re-
joicing among those that had gained
the victory through faith.
The talks OF the ministers all had
direct bearing on the wonderful work IN
progress, retrospecting It's part and pros
pecting its ,uture; their unanimous voice
being for the bringing up OF Gil the
Christian reserves and forces, and prose-
cutting the siege with renewed vigor and
determination looking not TO MIR. Ham
mond 10 lead further, but uLto Jesus, the
Captain OF our salvation. But II endorse
ment and commentator are ever CRATE.
iul TO an humble Christian, and we know
they are always so, most assuredly the
testimony of the ten ministers speaking
last night were more than enough TO hll
any Evangelist largest capacity tor grati-
tude, il not sufficient TO oyer-tax his grace
for humility.
They spoke most freely, fully and uH-
reservedly of their original invitation TO
Mr.. Hammond, OF their individual pre-
iudices against his particular plans and
eccentricities, and reported eXtravsgan-
cies; of their tremulous fears and appre.
henson for the results, while ready with
prsyeriul determination to cooperate
with any means God would bless; and
then making their individual confessions
and acknowledgements, expressed their
enjoyment OF the work, and
thanked God for Brother Hammond, and
tor sending him TO Psrke-sburg rs bis
agent to direct work that has SO TAR re-
suited in the conversion of nesr tive
uundred souls, and lifting church work
and Christian effort out OF the old ruts
up TO plane of activity and efficiency
they had never before had faith 10 hope
tor.
Rev. Carter, OF the Baptist Church,
said he had been going TO school four
weeks to Brother Hammond, and was
sure he had learned much OF value to him
in his chvrch work He had come among
us, and boldly sundered and scattered 10
the winds the ecclesiastical red-tspe that
was go tightly wound about the
churches and their membership, as 10
well nigh smother out the very life and
soul of Christianity, and we all felt the
ioy and worth OF this new freedom t.
move, breathe and work. He also SAID
he wished right there to nail TO the coun-
ter some lies IN circulation IN regard TO
Brother Hsmmond's svsrice, though be
nor any one ..else knew be was
going TO mention this matter. IL
hsd been said on the street that
Mr.. Hammond refused TO come here till
one thousand dollars were pledged him,
and added, joculsrly, that he had heard
further that he had proposed to convert
every sinner in Psrkcrsburg for tie
sum of FIVE thousand dollars, which, by
the way, said he, would have been
bargain on our part, aud could he have
given satisfactory security for the per
formsnce OF q good job guess we would
have closed with him st once. But Sc
riously say, and l am in situstion tc
know. that the matter OF compensate
has never been mentioned in any way
neither before he came nor since,
Money has never been named by
him or to him. And while the fnsn.
c,sl committee expect TO make
him 8 contribution, he is in entire iguo'
rscne of whether it will be little ol
much. he spoke further OF the lessons
he had learned in particular lltes oI
Christian work, of which time will not
allow me 10 speak.
DIR. Young followed, much in the So mt
vein. and dwelt on the blessed spirit o
Christian union and harmony in which
all we're working and rejoicing. Hs
said: I'VE sre Gil Bsptists, believing II
the baptism OF the spirit which We 81
feel and witness; we are al Presbyterisns
believing IN perseverance; and We ar
also Episcopslisns, for that word mean'
having an oversight over each other
which I'm sure we have; and finally,
am very sure we are sll Usited Brethren
now-tsking BY the hand Rev Warner
OF that Church.
Rev. Warmer spoke in particular o.
some of the means and requirements OF
Brother Hammond, shout which himsel
and other ,imid brethren were skeptica
in advance. He said when be heard
,hst high platform scross the church
four organs and cornet were required
he ,rembled. but hoped this wss one o.
Sstsn's exssgerstions about the evange
list. Now l know that but for these sup
porting instruments our si0gers woulc
hsve boen voIceless long sgo, snd ths
the horn itself, which We politely call
comet is worth twenty voices. "Anc
now" said he, II am resdy TO say VI
could have used ten organs and whole
brass band TO the glory OF God"
These were followed by Rsvs. Man
chester, of the NJ. E Church, NORTH
organ OF the South Church; Smith Wade
of Clarksburg; Hammer. Presbyterian
Ewing. Methodist, snd Long, Bibls
Missionary and Hon. John 4. HutChIn.