The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-23
PLEADING WITH SINNERS.
Hrs. WO0dworth's Promise of Power
Attracts More Penitents to Her Altar.
4 Young Hebrew Among the MOurners Seek
ing the Strange Sensation of Cataleptic
Observation-Disclosures Of the Meeting.

al enthusiastic talk Dy the coloreu preacher, the
Rev. Mr.. Boyer. AS he went on with the story
Of what Gods saving grace had done for him, his
feelings and utterances reached the highest pos
sible pitch of excitement There were about
four hundred people in the audience, and while
the unreeenerate smiled those easily suscepti-
sle to such appeals gave him an earnest hearing.
ar. Boyer's faith is equal to his energy, but his
method of reaching for sinners is
not of the hammer and-tongs sort He
wanted everybody enjoy the happiness
be did, and as an humble messenger of Christ,
Sfered it to the audience with stentorian plead
ngs to come and be saved. Mr.. Boyer's arms,
Rgs and body worked in unison with his
thoughts. He lets his tongue do all the preach
ing, although thai member went at the rate of
about two hundred and fifty words minute.
His is monotone of high pitch, and, regardless
of infection, breathing pauses and emphasis. he
told the incidents of his salvation, in terpolating
he narrative with EXPLANATIONS of Joy and be-
lief AS he neared the end he ran back and forth
On the small platform, stopping about midway
20 jump up and down, as if trying in
bach successive jump to beat the one preceding
There was danger of Mr.. Boyer taking all the
meeting to himself, but his wife averted it by
rest of the evening.
An obscure man near the platform, one whose
appearance betokened hard lines for him as far
Worldly prosperity goes, modestlv arose, and
asith unmsrakable sincerity spoke of the bless
ng he had received through these meetings
dis speech was brief, and In a tone almost in
indible except to those Immediately around
aim.
Mrs. Woodwork found in the third verse of
the second chapter of second Thessalonians the
text for her talk This scriOtural
sage referred to the latter days, when the devil
Will have more power than he ever had. He will
come as angel of light and in thousand differ
ent ways. She thought he was already here
and that his power would be no worse than it is
now. Decisions were rife. and in no place more
strongly than in the churches The world was
hlled with false teachers who claimed to be sup
ported by the word of God. but MANY of them
preach doctrines that denominations. "Ah
she devil" she exclaimed, lis getting his people
together for his last great battle against the
angels at the last day." Under these false
teachers. people thought they were embracing
IN honest belief, hut they will go down to hell
1ith it. 1t is delusion, and the light never
shines on 1t until God brings the sinner under
conviction. This feeling of conviction is uncom-
sor1able, but God offers to every his choice
III the good and the bad In his own good time
he brings the sinner to conviction, and If the sin
ner dscards 1t God is not responsible Here is
the dead line, and, once passed without Gods
grace the man or woman is lost. Thus churches
can go on without the saving spirit They are
honest in form of worship and belief, but want
the power One thing is needed, and without it,
If the deluson of honest form is per-
sisted ia, truth will eventually be
driven out Think you good works
and correct morals" she said, will take you to
heaven. Yon go so far to give all your
goods and your body to be burned for Christ
and yet be lost Thousands thus believe in the
form of godliness but deny the power" She
closed with those who once converted had
49,, .A,,Ax 80 k,so%
hell, you say she exclaimed, You know there
u.s. and it is only your fear of it that leads you
70 say So If there is none, then God and Christ
liars" Belonging to these decisions were
the false utterances of infdels You don't be-
lieve in Christi" the speaker questioned "If
you do not then you term God q liar.
You don't believe in God2 You know
better There never was an infidel or an athe-
list with deem heart conviction of what he pre-
tended to believe. Away down in the heart
everybody believes there is God. 1t is natural
for a sinner to be afraid of Him. 1t has been
so ever since the days of Adam and Eve. But
there is class beyond fear Their hearts and
ronsciences have become scared" Passing
from this she said: Zone may have an intel
lectual belief but to be saved he must have the
love of Christ in his heart" and again,
when Gods spirit to strive with man
or woman his doom is sealed" She then APP
peaed to the people ito let the scales drop from
the eyes," for Christ offers pardon from
the condemnation 70 death that God has pro-
nounced He offers it in Gods name"
and ''may He help you," was her prayer. ito get
salvation. Converts say one-half the bliss OF
being assured of sins forgiven has not been told.
If you are ashamed TO come to the altar
cannot expect grace anywhere else. But my
brethren and sisters you don't work in these
meetings as you ought. How many people have
been convertedi Only few You should scat
ter out and bring souls 20 Christ" During the
talk the amens and responses were vigorous and
numerous.
The altar exercises were then begun. as a few
sang THAT Beautiful Star the Star of Bethle-
hem" In few minutes at the altar were kneel
ing a half-dozen men. from the youth to the
man of advanced years. Shortly, one of them, a
man of middle age on his knees and with his
face appraised, and right hand held as witness
would on being sworn, became cataleptic
Without the culver OF muscle, he
In this position for several minutes.
following which he began to
and cry for mercy. Near him kneeled man
whose hands, bearing the marks of hard labor,
Rere constantly passing over the other as
Sne uses them in washing He was quiet. but
troubled in prayer. Not far away man of poor
condition struggled in paroxysm of JOY. Both
hands were continually grasping in the air while
bis lips moved, now and then broken with under
zone ejaeulations, GLORY to God' and praise
Sod" Within a few minutes he was lying on
the platform senseless, but with now
,nd then n the power of motion
1t his feet sat another assistant ready for an
emergency. In one of his movements few
pennies and nickel two rolled out of the
subjects pocket. The assistant took charge of
the money until the owner recovered.
AT the altar well-dressel Hebrew, named
Meyer who has attended Protestant churches,
knelt His appears to be stubborn case, but ne
expresses the faith that the blessing will come
by diligent seeking. Another subject, some
what hard to impress, was James O'Neil. once
we'll know in Ninth ward politics as a henchman
Of Sam Dinnip. He appears to be sincere. For
IN hour there was no cessation in singing and
PRAYER, which went together. Those praying
tried to Guido the singers, and above them all
were heard the amens and the glories.
Saloon Keepers Again Violating the Law.
The retaliatory movement of the Liquor
League seems to have collapsed with dull thud
Not an affidavit has been sworn out this week,