The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-04
\ RELIGIOUS AWAKENING.
Progress of Mrs. L. @. RobinsOn's Great
Revival at Roberts Park Church.
A Powerful Appeal to Young and Old to Work
Earnestly for the Advancement of
Christian Principles.

Notwithstanding the inclemency of the wealth
er, Roberts Park M. E. Church, last evening.
was filled, even in the galleries The work of
Mrs. L. o. Robinson, the evangelist, here, has
thus far been gratifyingly successful. Yester
day morning. at the lovefeast, at o'clock, $50
gave in their experience. At 1890 she preached
from Cor, xi. "a: .And when He had given
thanks, He broke it and said. Take eat; this is
my body which is broken for you; this do in re-
of m e." At the close of the SER
mon the Lords supper was served. She ad
dressed the Sunday school at 8 p NJ, and the
altar was crowded with nourners, of whom
thirty three professed conversion More than
eighty, up to that hour, had been converted dur
ing the week.
Mrs. Robinson took as her text at the evening
service the last clause of / Kings, xix, 9.
What doest thou here, Elijahp She said that
Elijah was the marvellous character of the Old
Testament He flashes out upon the page of
history with the suddenness of lightning.
There is no Introductory allusion, but at once he
stands before US the full-grown man, facing
the proud king denouncing him in his iniquity.
Then, after life marked by the most wonderful
pears in chariot OF flame. His strong point
was his courage. He was a man who would
face the ffties and their captains without
the quivering Of muscle; a man who would
stand single-handed and alone, and wait for the
proud king to come. Yet his strongest point
was the very one upon which he failed-a proof
that our strength is utter weakness unless
panoplied by the aid of God. A man is utter
weakness unless guarded shielded and panoplied
by grace divine. Elijah's backsiding from
cowardice had so little excuse. 1t came so soon
after God had shown His Willingness to receive
and care for his child so soon after God had in
answer to Eliiah's prayer locked up His heavens
to rebellious people, and then in answer to his
cry had burst the heavens. Just after this we
find HIM fleeing away into the wilderness before
a woman's threat, and crying out in the next
hour that God would take the life he had played
the coward to shield
Sometimes have felt proud of that day OF
weakness in Eliiah's life. Perhaps more of US
have crept into that day of Eliiahs life for shell
ter than into any other And then when he has
played the coward to save his utterly selfish life
God does not send malediction but angels food
God says to him, Elijah, l will teach YOU
Elijah had formed, like many others, his esti
mate of God from his own characteristics and
peculiarities. But there were characteristics of
God to come Of which Elijah had formed no con-
ception. And when God did manifest himself to
him it was not in the great strong wind nor in
the earthquake nor il the roaring fire, but in the
still, small voice:
what doest thou here. Elijahw Oh listen to
the whisper that is ringing in your soul. Why
do you not listenl Why turn that voice away
with excuses2 The devil is poor in excuses he
has not over half dozen, and yet how
eagerly men clutch at them The grand
Iyt..
after his backsliding. The erandest successes
of life have been built upon failures Many
Christian life has slipped and had its day of
cowardice, only to come back and be bound
closer to the side of Christ. Elijah's name has
been used as synonym of power. Where are
the Elijahs that God is to use in the evangelical
ton of the world2 Tonight we will talk about
the human side, and ask where are the powers
that God means to use in the evangelization of
the worlda Where art thou. Elijahg Oh, We
a very fair conception of what were the duties of
a mother. / thought fully knew how far the
mothers influence would go. how long moth
er's words would last But I learned more as
my work took me through the sinks Of iniquity
in the purlieus of cities. / tell you mother
holds in her hand scepter that reaches further
than any scepter in the hands of any crowned
head on earth.
l was once speaking in the Y. NJ G. A. hall
when / saw standing among the listeners a
coarse hard featured Englishman. He tried to
avoid me. We prayed. and again tried to get
his attention. Then hymn was sung He had
been in the habit of coming to the rooms in the
are warm and comfortable-and as
spoke to him again. he said, with wicked
laugh. my business doesn't begin until late in
the night" Another hymn was sung, and l saw
he was quivering from head to foot He said:
You are singing the hymns that mother used to
sing me to sleep with in old England. You don't
know how wicked have beer. I have run to
evil as duck to water. / have not been tempted
TO crime that have not dipped my hand in
begged him to make some pledge for that
mothers sake. The singing continued. "Oh,
DEAR" said he, they are singing another of
those songs and across forty years of wrecked
and wasted life came mothers voice, and it |
could DE heard. Mothers, beg of you tonight |
to come close to the heart of Jesus that your
life may be reflected in the lives of your
children.
In the southern part of this State spoke to
young man and asked him if he would not be |
Christian. He said he couldn't do it; it would
cost him 49, 600 year; he as going, he said. to
take situation at that price as book keeper in
distillery. He said he could not hold that place
and be Christian. / told him he was right-no
man can be Christian and touch the accursed
thing. l asked him where was his mother and
be pointed back toward the little country church
yard He said: Il remember the night she
died; feel the touch Of her hand upon my head
rs she prayed God to keep her boy from the evil
that is in the world" / asked him to go home
and think it over; to if he could afford to sell
that mothers boy for $4,000. He came back. |
He had been amid the hustle of business, the |
rattle and roar of steam, and that mothers voice
continued to ring in his ears. He came to the |
altar and gave himself to Christ. He said he |
had made up his mind that his mothers boy |
should not be sold for three hundred times |
&c. 000
What doest thou here Elijahg Oh, ye daugh- |
tiers of the land! My girls, would not Il !
could throw one shadow over your young life's |
morning am glad that life has springtme
when the flowers bloom and all is joyous.
would take nothing from that blessed time, but
would show the power of the influence you must
WELD either for or against the cause of Christ.
There are girls who come back from seminaries
with notions of French infielity and German
thinking them sweet. A woman sneer
1T Christ! woman sheer at home! Oh. my
daughter, 60 read the page of French history
Go to-day and see the marriage VOW a myth and
nome q fable Go to Germany and see the