The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-27
AN IOWA REVIVAL.



held recently in the Congregational
church, of Belle Plaine, conducted by
Charles Herald. He is native Of
England, was for number of years
man of very dissipated habits, drunk
ard, a gambler, but was converted some
six years ago, and has been conducting
revivals under the auspices of D. L.
Moody. He is man Of very pleasing
address, a fine singer, and sang with
thrilling effect number of beautiful
songs, among others the one ending
with the words:
'In the dawnipg of the morning,
When the mists have rolled away,
We will know each other better,
When the mists have rolled away"
Which believe to be true in broader
sense than the evangelist would prob
ably be willing to admit and l think
we ought to be vastly more charitable
and hopeful than we are apt to be.
The evangelist said great many good
and helpful things, seemed actuated by
an excellent spirit, and told the story
of his conversion in way to make
strong impression upon the minds of
his hearers of the goodness and mercy
of God, and of his willingness to for
give. But he also said some things
that seemed to me entirely contrary to
reason and common sense, to the plain
teachings of Scripture, and to the words
and spirit of Christ.
One evening he preached upon the
text, "For the Son of Man isscome to
seek and to save that which is lost )"
a good gospel text, certainly, but he
seemed to reach some strange conclu-
sions. He thought there were many
whom the Saviour never would find
or save; forgetful of the parable where
the Shepherd is represented as never
ceasing his search after the lost sheep,
''until he found it," forgetful of the
express words of Jesus "And I, if l
be lifted up" from the earth, will draw
all men to Me; also of that other state
ment "God willeth that all men shall
be saved and come to the knowledge of
the truth" He told of walking the
streets of Chicago, after night, and
meeting apoor, wretched, reeling drunk
ard, lost man then he meets paint
ed creature plying her shameful trade,
lost woman. Then he told of an in
cident that occurred in Mammoth cave.
A man exploring the wonders of that
cavern, with company led by guide,
attempts to mend the Pickering flame
of his lamp, and happens to extinguish
it. Just then all the lights of the party
disappear, and he is left in total dark
ness. He feels in his pockets for
match, but does not find any. He is
afraid to move from the spot where he
stands, lest he fall into an abyss. In
his agony and fear he calls aloud again
and again for light and help, but there
is no answer. Words cannot picture
the horror that then seized upon him.
He does not know but he is left to per-
ish in the awful gloom. Then the cold
sweat breaks out upon his brow. A
long time seems to elapse. At last
lights are seen flashing in TIE distance,
the company return to find him tremb-
ling as with an ague fit, his face white
as sheet, and they ask "Are you
sick ?" mo, but 1 have been little
frightened" He asks how long it has
been since they left him; to him it has
seemed to be hours, but by their watches
they find it to have been only seven
minutes. Then the guide tells of a
man who was lost in that same cave,
and was found after abont forty-eight
hours, and his dark hair had turned
perfectly white; he had lost his reason,
and was raving maniac.
The evangelist went on to say that
that lost drunken man might be found
and saved, the lost woman might be
found and saved, the lost man in the
cave was found and saved, but the lost
soul could never be found or saved.
Then he quoted the words used by Sol
omon, as uttered by Wisdom, but sup
posed by the evangelist to be uttered by
God himself II will laugh at your
and mock when your fear
cometh." Imagine the guide leaving a
man without a light in the darkness,
until his hair turns white, and he be-
comes a ri.viDg maniac, and then i'm
agine that same guide standing some
where behind the rocks, laughing, mock
ing, and making merry over the awful
of the victim. What an
awful picture of heartless depravity
You would be more shocked at the wick
edness of the guide, than the misery of
the maniac. Yet the evangelist repre-
sented the Father of all spirits, as