St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-01-29

church, followed by gospel meeting
at the scale factory. In the evening
fifteen hundred people, by estimate,
assembled in Academy hall. Forty
or fifty rose for prayers, and many
gave themselves to Christ.
A great deal Of persevering prayer
and personal work were employed
along with these great and continuous
meetings. Specific requests for prayer
poured in upon the leaders of the
meetings in numbers that attested the
deepest solicitude for individual friends
and the utmost confidence in prayer as
a direct mode of reaching them with
spiritual blessings. The most de-
lightful harmony prevailed among the
different churches. Nobody cared
who were the Instruments if only souls
were saved. 1t was estimated that
converted within the limits of the
town.
Reviewing thus hastily the expe-
riences of that memorable winter
and spring, you who were here
and old enough to realize what
WAS passing have not found this
detailed mention of dates and places
tedious. AS a piano responds, now
with one wire and now with another,
to the tones of a conversation, so have
some of these hearts thrilled ut my
mention of certain times and places
made forever sacred by tender and
solemn experiences of their religious
history and this mention of the names
of those who so kindly met and helped
them at these critical moments fills
them with the music of grateful and
loving remembrance that is like some
grand strain from an oratorio. The
echoes of this revival reverberated far
and long among these hills-nay, they
still roll on into the endless ages. Be
sides the spreading of it's influences in
to other towns near and far, partly by
place, some of the earnest ones in these
churches held regular services, alone
or with help. that was not hard to get,
gospel meetings or Sunday schools, in
outlying districts, mostly in school
houses, some of them continuing and
we'll attended for many months. | re-
call nine of these within seven miles.
seven or more of which | visited. The
Lord richly blessed the assiduous Ia
bOrs of these lay brethren with many
conversions and much healthful root
ing and growth of Christian character.
AS belonging To this branch of my
subject ! can only mention 4 most in
teresting and helpful Institute for Cos
pei Workers held in our church the
same year, August 10th to 10Th, led by
Rev. Mr. Parsons, of Boston, and par
ticipated in among others by DR..
Goodwin and the Erdmann brothers OF
Chicago, and Rev. Mr.. GardRer of
Cleveland.
An echo of the great revival visited
us in the earlier months of 1876. A
six days series of meetings under the
leadership of Rev. Mr.. Quimby of the
state committee of the Y. NJ. G.. Assoc
Citations. began Feb. 9Th at the Metho-
dist church. At the close, Sunday, 18th,
gospel meetings were held in the North
church at three O'Clock and at seven,
both filling the house, the latter crowd
ing it. Some thirty or more rose for
prayers. The Massachusetts, brethren
were with us again March 25th to 9th
and lead large and solemn meetings mt
the North church Saturday evening,
and Sunday morning; at the South
church Sunday afternoon and evening
and Monday, the series closing with d
crowded and deeply impressive meet
ing at Academy hall Monday evening.
at which forty or more seemed to be-
gin the Christian life.
In December, 10Th to oath, we were
favored with series of delightful BIZ
ble eXpOsitions, part at the South church
and part at the North, by Miss Smiley
series of meetings led by Henry
MOorhOuse, assisted part of the time
by Mr.. Sankey, characterized the veal
1877, continuing from Oct. 10Th To Nov
9th, held mostly in the South church,
very instructive and inspiring, and re-
sulting in many conversions. In 1882
a conference of Christian workers was
held in this place commencing Thurs
day Dee. 9TH, and closing Sunday,
10th. Sunday morning brethren Moore
and Winslow spoke in this pulpit, and
and in the afternoon Mr. Littlefield add
dressed the Sunday school. At the
close of a union gospel meeting in this
house at half past three nearly hun
dred rose forprayers and attendedan in
quiry meetingin the chapel. There were
eleven hundred people gathered at a
union meeting in the South church in
the evening. More than a hundred
seemed to begin new life that day.
There may be communities that could
be skeptical about revivals. This
community is not enc of them. The
evidence of these ten years comes too
near demonstration. 1t will be a
long time before these churches will
cease to pray and labor for them, as
favorite methods of the Holy Spirit for
bestowing bis richest spiritual bless
ings.
The churches of this village nearly
doubled their resident membership as
the fruit of the revival of 1873. This