Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-02-21
Local

Local.
THE GENERAL MOVEMENT OF
PRAYER.
MEETINGS EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK
ARRANGEMENT FOR NEXT WEEK.
&C., &C., &C.
In response to a religious feeling that is
more than usually apparent in the COM
munty. two series of continued prayer
meetings have been planned. Tho first
was inaugurated under the auspices of tho
Young Mems Christian Association on
Monday night in view of the reception of
mary suggestions to that effect received
by the Directory. The second will COM
mence at the First Presbyterian Lecture
room next Monday afternoon at At O'Clock
and will continue three afternoons and the
remaining three nights Of the week there
will be preaching there.
THE Y. N. C. A. MEETINGS.
The prayer meeting at the Association
rooms Sunday afternoon might be called
the first OF the series, az the subject was
made the theme Of comment there. It Was
led by M. John B. Evans who made
some excellent remarks and was followed
by Capt. II. L. Hoover, Rev. j. E. Booker
aud Isaac Henkel, the last named gentle
man reading letter from Richmond Civ
ing an encouraging account Of the SUCCESS
Of the union prayer meetings there. It.
WAS at the close of this Sunday meeting
that the Directory resolved on week of
prayer.
MONDAY NIGHT.
Notwithstanding the ground was covered
with snow and ice Monday night and the
snow was till falling at intervals, nearly
hundred persons, including half dozen
ladies were present at the Association
rooms Capt. Il. L. Hoover who led, ex-
planned the cause Of the meeting and read
some very appropriate selections from the
gospels describing the manner in which
the attention of Christ was brought to in
dividuals.
Rev. W. T. Richards commented on
the unusual and unexpected manner in
which men had been called by Christ, Cit
ing the cases of Zaccheus who was hardly
a person Of good repute, Mathew who was
called from his seat collecting customs,
the woman of Samaria and the Siro-Phoe-
nician woman-in which Christ had singled
out persons, We would have thought from
surrounding circumstances, among the
last and most unlikely to be called. This
ought to persuade US that the kingdom OF
heaven is nearer to men than we think
and ought to stimulate us to extend tho
call to all. There is not man in Staun-
ton that might not be saved, and we see
many instances of the truth OF this in the
conversion of men who are not even church
goers and who are not IN hearing distance
of Christ. Why, Christ himself says he
came to call sinners to repentance. And
We should remember how often the
very simplest effort affects these sinners.
If only every protesting Christian should
try to bring one other person to Christ,
how rapidly would His cause grow. And
that after all is the true way to promote
the healthy, steady and rapid growth of
the church.
Mr.. Hebe: Ker said that Of all the per
sons mentioned as coming to Christ few
were called. A very few were chosen, and
then all came. Coming to Christ is very
simple. It is easy to understand and easy
to walk in His way, if he who comes only
relies on Christ for strength. II you wait
till you feel you are called, you are
committing An outrage against the Saviour.
He is calling you now-eyery one-the
young, the middle-aged, the old. The call
has been standing for eighteen hundred
years. You must not expect to hear 1t If
if you side with the world. How can you
know what is going on in the tent OF
Christ if you are far away in the camp OF
the enemy? 1t is all made plain to you
how to come. Let any man take the
Bible aud write down every injunction he
meets with to believe, and then compared
with the rest of the scriptures. just try
that. Go home tonight and commence
it. 1t is not in the range of possibility
that q man can study the word of God
with an anxious, earnest spirit without
coming to Christ.
Capt. H. L. Hoover said he had heard
the objection made to tue Christian re-
ligion, that the Bible said all men were to
be judged by the deeds done in the body.
and as that is the case and the wages of
sin is death, all, Christians and sinners,
will fare pretty much alike in tho future
world, no man being perfect, But that is
not the view the Bible gives. There it is
set down that the one act of believing in
Christ blots away all former sins, His
death being nm atonement for all. 1t does
away with the sentence of death. Jesus
himself comes forward aud says, ''Chargo
all their sins to me-" Come to Christ just
as you are. Don't wait to be satisfied
about your righteousness: don't wait for
your neighbors to Ne satisfied about you.
Come just as you are.
President II. Nj. McIlhanoy said he was
reminded in these meetings of line in An
.old hymn, "Oh. there is way that is SO
delightful, in the service Of the Lord. "
These meetings, whether they be large OF
small. successful or unsuccessful, are in
the service of the Lord. Let all who name
1.-THE nassae of Christ come here. Because
there il revival in Richmond is no
reason we should be certain of ono here;
Fbut let US try aud be certain Of re.
viyal among ourselves, If the people Of
God. who come to THIS room, will only do
their duty tow ards themselves there will
be revival among them. and when the