The Indianapolis journal., 1886-12-10
THE CATALEPTIC EVANGELIST.
The Second Days Services by Mrs. Wood
worth and Her Combination.

Mrs. Woodwork, the cataleptic evangelist,
and her assistants, held two meetings at sne
Meridian Rink yesterday, one in the afternoon
sisted of $50 or 400 persons, most Of whom could
not, by the widest stretch of Imagination, be
considered as worshipers. Mrs. Woodworth's
opening prayer was more remarkable for its man
ner than its matter. 1t was peppered from first
to last with nterjections, while she kept up a
continual hand-clapping, the assistants punctuat-
ing her with groans and eruptions of 10 Lord. J"
20 Jesus, in season and out Of season-chiefy
out OF season. and to the obscur
alton of prayer none too clear
at its best Upon the platform were Mrs.
Woodwork and husband, the colored woman,
who took part the first evening and husband,
and the two young women who came here with
Mrs. Woodwork from Muncie. In addition to
these, belonging to the combination, is an
Italian. There were no spasms last evening,
though the combination is amply provided for
cataleptic conditions A gentleman from Nun
Gle informed the reporter that not only Mrs.
Woodwork had this power but the two young
women from Muncie had been specially chosen
for the reason that they had it, and the Italian
is also able to go into the cataleptc state at any
time.
A colored woman led the singing. She has a
beautifully sympathic voice Mrs. Woodwork
rose and said: UNLESS the Lord clears my
throat cannot galk But He will. l look to
Him to do it." After this somewhat surprising
assertion, delivered in the same tone that man
would inquire the price of peanuts she gave out
as her text, Matthew xiv, 81 and 3o: But as
the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming
of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that
were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying aud giving in marriage, un-
til the day that Noe entered the ark" What
she said could not be called a sermon. 1t was
rather an exhortation, full of sound and fury,
badly put together. and the audience, notwith-
standing her continual hand-clapping did not
seem disposed to enthusiasm.
Following her, the colored woman led in
prayer. She prayed with true feeling and
pathos. and with a continuity of thought that
Mrs. Woodwork seems to lack. The colored
man then spoke. Although. as he said
educated man. he spoke with an earnestness and
force that commanded attention Mrs. Wood
worth invited Christians and those who desired
to become 10 come forward to the altar.
About dozen persons went forward, among
them four or five who participated in the meet
ing the first evening. Mrs Woodwork asked
for some one to lead in prayer. The Italian
convert for time seemed to lead but there
was a Babel of tongues. Sometimes
he led, and sometimes the shrill voice of
one OF the women came ont above the confusion.
1t was sort of freefor-all. There were other
prayers and number OF short speeches by
persons of the audience. These speeches wished
Mrs Woodwork success in ner mission, and
that if her cause was, as they believed, of God,
it would prosper. no matter what might be
said or done against her.
AS the people filed out no little dissatisfaction
was expressed that Mrs. WoodworsR-or none of
her followers had furnished fit that evidently
having been the inducement that attracted
part of the audience. The meetings will con-
tinue every evening.