The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-03-05
REVIVAL PLEAsANTRIEs AT NEW

Telegram from Newton: The publ |
cation of the following card Saturday,
signed by the ministers Of the city, ere
ated quite an excitement: at was with
pleasure that we heard of the coming to
our city OF the evangelist, Major W. E.
Penn, 70 hold revival meetings in the
BaDtist church. It also gave as pleas
ure to hear his repeated aYoWals that ha
would labor for the salvation Of men IT,
respective Of denomination. He re-
peAtedly and solemnly declared that
those who came forward and were con-
veEted In these meetings would thereby
in noWlse commit themselves to that or
any other church, and he threatened with
public reprjmand any person who would
use his influence 20 induce any
inquirer to unite with any one of the
churches Il Is with regret that we now
see and hear him act IN contradiction of
his repeated ayOWals, and by efforts that
no Christian pastor would be likely to
adopt, seeking 70 unsettle the faith of
those VINO are In full membership with
other churches, and persuade as many as
possible, or all, to accept the peculiar
doctrines Of the Baptist church thus
forcing discussion and discord upon this
Christian com munity which, before bis
coming, was in peace. We have prayed
God TO bless these revival meetings to
the conversion of many, and would re-
joice If hundreds had been brought to
Christ. But we protest against bad
faith and wIlIful deception in any one
protesting to be An evangelist. Such q
course il surely not conducive to the
Christian harmony Of the city, which
was so literally manifested and so fully
appreciated by our Baptist brethren at
the dedication of their new church a
few weeks ago.
The Baptist church was literally
packed in the evening with q curious.
expectant crowd, anxious to know what
course Maj. Penn would pursue. That
gentleman arose in his pulpit and resd
the article aloud. At the conclusion the
silence was positively painful. Contra
~ TO the expectation of many, the evan.
6OAAot 0AA nOS pun Jul lH0 NAolS Va Lis
wrath upon the heads of the local cler-
Ry, but administered a mild rebuke
which won him the admiration and es-
teem OF his audience. Rev. Penn de-
nounced the allegations as untrue. He
spoke feelinEly of the wonderful success
of the revival. 115 souls being converted
during the progress of the meeting.
"And now" said he that nearly halt Of
this number have signified their
desire 70 put their mem
bership in the Baptist church, it Is
surely unjust for me to be subjected to
such undeserved csnsure. If have, by
word or deed, done sught to merit the
accusation, here, before the Almighty
God, call upon the people in this house
tonight TO request me-aYe. insist upon
me-stepping down from the pulpit and
stopping my work here and now"
At the conclusion of Rev. PENIS feel
ing remarks the scene was very affecting.
When the services closed the people,
irrespective of denomination, crowded
around the evangelist, eager to press his
hand and say word. The action of the
ministers is generally condemned by the
people, and one Of them has already an
nounced his determination to publish a
card acknowledging that he acted in
manner unbecomIng the profession to
which he belongs.