The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-14

the foundation of his argument, aud piled stone
upon stone, hewed and polished, till he stood
upon ma estic pyramid, with heavens own light
around him, pointing the astonished multitude
60 a brighter home beyond the sun, and bidding
defiance to the enemy to remove one fragment
of the rock on which his feet were placed. His
argument being completed, his peroration
commenced This was grand beyond de-
scrption The whole universe seemed
animated by It's Creator to aid him in
persuading the sinners to return to God, and the
angels commissioned to open heaven and come
down to strengthen him. Now he opens the
mouth of the pit, and takes Us through its
gloomy avenues, while the bolts retreat and the
doors of damnation burst open, and the walls of
the lost come into our ears; and now he opens
heaven and transports US to the flowery plains,
stands up amid the armies OF the blest, to sweep
with celestial fingers angelic harps, and Join the
eternal chorus, Worthy, worthy the Lamb
AS he closed his discourse every energy of his
body and mind were stretched to the utmost ten
sion. His soul appeared to be too great for It's
tenement, and every moment ready to burst
through and soar away as an eagle toward
heaven. His lungs labored, his arms rose the
perspiration, with tears, flowed in a steady
stream upon the floor, and everythin about him
seemed to say, oh, that my head
were waters But the audience
thought not of the struggling body,
paralyzed beneath the avalanche of thought that
descended upon them lost the man, but the
subject was all in ALL
AT one time the conference was to be held in
Steubenvile, O. A wealthy Episcopaian went
to the Methodist pastor in that place. and told
him that if he would send him the most talented
man in the conference, he would be glad to
tertaln him. Bigelow was sent to him. He
made his appearance at the aristocratic residence
in his homespun suit His personal appearance
was not prepossessing. and, upon meeting the
pastor, the Episcopalian complained that he had
not been treated right. He was told that he had
asked for the most talented man, and he had
been sent to him. The pastor said to him: He
is to preach at the Presbyterian Church to-
morrow morning. You go and hear him. and
then if you are still dissatisfied, will change
him and send you the bishop The host and
chs family ts s atsn S hs Bssa td
his seat in the pulpit, and when it
was time to begin the services arose and read
his hymn. Such reading of poetry had never
before been heard in Steubenvile, and the host
and his daughters exchanged surprised and
significant glances 1t was one of the preachers
grand days, and he electrified his audience AT
the close of the sermon the host requested his
daughters to accompany Mr.. Bigelow co the
house. saying that he had to attend to little
matter down street. He made his way at once
to the Methodist parsonage, and calling the
pastor to one side. told him that he would not
trade off Mr.. Bigelow in his home spun suit,
for all the bishops. Such is the power of elo-
quence.
of eastern Indiana, and was very eccentric His
language was often rough, but it suited the
backwoodsmen among whom he labored. On
one occasion he was preaching at camp
meeting near Richmond A young woman
persisted in standing upon of the benches
and laughing at the proceedings. She was re-
quesed several times to take seat but refused
Finally, Mr.. Gibson broke OUT MY Lord!
knock that young woman down" This he re-.
peated three times, when the woman fell as if
she had been shot Turning to one who was
sitting near him, he said: ''Sister, that is what
call taking them between the lug and the horn"
A good deal has been said about prayer-cures
of late years. but preacher once prayed man
to death. 1t was at little church known as
Mt Olive, situated in the edge of Morgan coun-
ty, about fifteen miles south of indianapolis.
Living in the neighborhood were several young
men who attended the services of the church
for no other purpose than to disturb the
shippers. They would sit upon the back seats
and play cards and drink whisky while the serv-
ices We're going on. Many times they had sue
ceeded in breaking up the meetings. This had
gone on for several years. At longth
Levi johnson was sent to the circuit. AT one
of his meetings the wickedness of the young
men broke out worse than ever. Finally, the
preacher threw himself upon his knees, and in
voice of the most intense power, cried out:
"Oh. Lord, if there is no hope that these mon
will ever become converted and do better, kill
them at once and take them out of the way"
This he continued to repeat for two or three
minutes, While terrible awe fell upon the con
gregation. At the close of the PRAYER the leader
of the young men fell from his seat, and before
he could be carried out of the building dead.
Two or three of the others afterward said that
they would have died if the preacher had kept
on praying minute or two longer.
How to deal with refractory members has
oftentimes puzzled the best of pastors, but Rev.
Elijah Written had way that was peculiarly his
own. On arriving at a new charge once he found
an internecine raging with the greatest viru-
lence. He tried for awhile to make peace, but
every effort failed. Out of patience with them.
he called one day, at the close of his sermon,
for the class books and church records Upon
these being procured he took them to the stove
and tossed them into the fire. After watching
them until they were entirely consumed, he
turned to his wondering congregation and said:
There, you all turned out of the
church. You now have no church. If any of
you want to get in again you will have to join
on probation!"
A VICARIOUS CONSCIENCE.