Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-02-17
Pennsylvania Letter.

To the Standard,
You may have expected line from
me before this, and 1 have intended
writing it, but--b',t=-work First of
ALL l have just closed meeting of
four weeks, for more than three of
which l preached every night and Wis
tied here and there during the day.
l learned something in this experience
of value to myself, if to none other.
Beginning with a bronchial cold, l
preached right on regularly, not losing
service, besides twice on Sabbath,
and attending my Bible class and the
Sunday-school prayer.meeting in addi-
ton, and came out sound and well at
the end of the months work. Why ?
The people prayed for me repeatedly
at every service and took good care
of myself, although preaching in the
usual way. Prayer and care are good
yoke-fellows, the one strengthening the
other naturally and graciously. Again,
| learned that the members can do ef-
fective work, and they will if the
preacher just lays the burden on them
while he is earnest about his own part
of the toll. / saw practical results
from just expecting the members to do
their part. | think there will be sew
eral stars of honor in the crown of one
young lady because of her faithful ex-
ertions to save young persons. There
were thirty-two professions of religion
and twenty.four or five accessions to
the church, and | think there will be
several other additions. The most re-
markable feature of our meeting was
the Sunday-school prayer-meeting fol-
lowing the session of the school, after
noon beng the'time when our school
meets. The first prayer-meeting drew
forward our first enquirers, four men,
bers of the school who all prOfessed
faith in Jesus. The SECOND gave us
2, and the third 5 professions in
all. These services of prayer were
led by the superintendent, aided by
the teachers. OF course, / was with
them. Another interesting feature of
our meeting was that no person came
to the front seat for instruction more
than once, and every person who came
forward, thus making an expression of
decision for Christ, professed to be
pardoned and blessed. We had no
: sad refrain like that often seen in the
, church papers where large number
of persons were reported left seeking
but uncontrolled at the close Of the
meeting. l believe the latter an evil
to be remedied by faith and faithful
instruction.
g Five churches in this place have
S been holding meetings at the same
. time, the First M. E. holding theirs
: seven weeks. This is a very wicked
f town, greatly needing the work of God
e to prosper in it. Whisky holds high
r carnival here, on Sundays especially,
and there are about 80 saloons in a
! population of twelve thousand. A
t man from the Eastern shore of Mary.
= land on visit to this place said he
n saw more drunkenness in one day than
It he had seen in bis county in three
is years, because his people had abolished
d the traffic. This country is fearfully
It cursed by the liquor business and use
y | have never seen a people more so
# As consequence, having vast popu
d lation, the casualties that occur art
e frightful. | do not know what mum
e ber of men have been run over by
2, trains because of drink and being OF
is the track. There were three one nigh
J. since we came, all at one dread blow
1t A man was drowned last Sunday week
n having fallen off of the railroad bridg
J. here, and, when his body was recover
n ed there was found a bottle in hi
N pocket partly filled with whisky. An
a other large, strong man was killed b,
ID the cars down in town, who had beel
g in the saloon until late at night, an,
De then was pushed out into the dark b
y, the dealer in the death beverage, t
rg wander and stagger helplessly, an
lis then fall on the track to be crushed t
or pieces. Who is responsible? Nc
he that poor daunkard only
ne l have often heard some Of my goo
&C. friends from the north, who live
is McMinnville, speak of the changeabl,
at ness of the Tennessee climate, an
ne rather contrast it with the steadine.