The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-20
THE 0LD-TIME RELIGION.
A Number Of Praying Sinners Get It at
Mrs. WoOdWorth's Mourners' Bench.
A Shouting Woman's Ludicrous Performance
The Trance Evangelist Tells a Pathetic
Story of Her Life and Evangelical Work.

hundred and fifty, while the evening meeting
was the largest, thus far, that has been held
fully 250Opersons being present As the seating
capacity is insufficient. more than half who were
shere had to stand up. One of the favorite songs
of this evangelist was then taken:
Before this time another year.
We may be
In some lonesome graveyard.
Oh. Lord, how long.
Oh. sinner have you got on
Your gospel shoes, etc.
This, with many repetitions of the line "Oh
Lord how long" A collection was taken up.
which was larger than any before, but not suf-
fcient, added to those of the week, to meet the
expenses for the first week-$l0O-a count of the
small change showing deficiency of nearly s25
Mrs. Woodwork told in simple language the
story of her life and experience. She was born
in New Lisbon, Column biana county. O.. july %
1885, and was the fourth daughter of family of
eight children. She did not have the benefit of
religious teaching and influence when a child
her parents not being Christians Her father
died 10 1856, and ner mother. almost destitute
was left with eight children. The four
oldest sisters, including herself, had
to leave home and work by the
but for those at home. She was converted
when thirteen years old. She spoke of the
trials and discouragements of the first part of
her married life and the death, one after an
other, Of five of her six children. The conversion
of her little daughter. Georgia, and her death at
eight years of age told with moving power
And there was many moist eye in the audi
Snce, some sobbing out aloud at the pathetic
story. She gave her experience in quest of q
richer 1Od cd
her, until day the glory of God
came upon her as cloud, and she
seemed to be carried away hun
dreds of miles and set down in field
OF wheat where the sheaves were falling all
around her. She said she was filled with zeal
and power and felt as if she could stand before
the whole world and plead with dying sinners.
Then Satan would come In like flood and say,
''You would look nice preaching, being gazing
stock Tor the people TO make sport OF; you know
you couldn't do IT," But over this she gained the
victory, and longed to get ready to enter the
WORK of gathering in the lost sheep. Waking or
dreaming, she seemed to have congregation be-
fore her. all in tears, she told the story of the
cross. For months and years she hesitated and
debated. and, like JONAH trimmed her sail for
Tarshish.
The first meeting she undertook to hold was
IN a little town, among her husbands people.
The meetings continued few days, and twenty
persons claimed to be converted. Her first meet
lngs were all within radius of from six to eight
cen miles of her home. She had held four re-
vivals preached in twenty-five meeting houses
and four school houses and delivered 200 SER
mons 1t was at Wiltshire, o., that her minis
try brought the first of the falling manifesto
tions. Here she received the first money she
had ever taken for her work-$40 Since that
time sne has been at work night and day for
four years that she was nearly thirty-seven
years OLD before she began preaching, and
then only in answer to repeated calls
from the Lord and repeated manifesto
tons that proved to her that such
was His will. Some papers have said it is the
frances that attract the people 1t is false.
LoPg before l knew anything about frances
buildings were filled with people to hear me.
Even when felt very weak they have heard me
D mile and a half talking. l did not call it
frances. knew it was the power of God. After
that l went 70 place noted for its infdelity.
My heart always went out to those who called
themselves unbeevers. / prayed for the Lord
10 display His power in that meeting never
before, to lay them ont dead
and women. Praise the Lord. He does answer
prayer. Methodist woman the first to
answer to the mighty power told them to lay
her on a sofa. When service was held in the
evening she still lying there. There was
great solemnity all over the congregation.
had only talked few minutes when they began
to fall There were seven. / knew then 1t was
u trance and the power of God. 1t was after
this that had my first trance, but have had
hundreds OF them since. l have even had them
in the night / have found myself standing
up in bed praying God to save the
people. Sometimes as many in viii
lage or city are overpowered outside the
meeting as in it, Now do you call that the
power of God or the power of the devil? Many
voices: 1.-The power of Godpl And the greatest
miracle of God is that He should have such a
weak worm of the dust as | am standing up for
Him. God does the work am only the vessel
eleng, is to bring poor sinners TO the feet OF
Jesus, and see them as they rise with their faces
shining l expect to wear starry crown 1t is
just in sight. 1t will not be long before 1t is
shining upon my head"
At the conclusion of Mrs Woodworths talk.
the mourners bench. which had been occupied
by part of the audience, was cleared for the
Enourners, who came forward and similar scenes
to those which have characterized these meet
ings from the first took place. John hing, the
blacksmith, even before this, earlier in the even
ing, had again been smitten by the power,
and laid upon the platform, where he soon
returned to consciousness. Among the mourn
ers was very tall and fine looking man. When
standing he was head and shoulders above those
about him. being no less than six feet
four inches high. He leaned upon the mourn
ers' bench with a flushed and hot face, while
the beaded sweatdrops stood upon his brow. lie
was talked with by Mrs. Woodwork and others,
and after time triumphant, shouting and
ciapping his hands with JOY. AT the same mo-
ment woman, waving her hands wildly. broke
into cries of rejoicing Others shouted and
the iiveiest manifestations of an enjoyment
evidently earnest, full and sincere, but
difficult of comprehension by the cooler FLOODED
observer. AS the shouting cries and hand
elapping continued, the infection spread more
were attacked by the power" and there was
great excitement The tall convert was joined
by another equally as tall, and these two giants
and the shouting woman, who had jumped upon
1hs mourners' bench, were, to all appearances
very happy and certainly very noisy Christians
Mrs Boyer the colored woman VINO leads the
singing, who was standing on the platform, be-
gan jumping up and down, throwing her arms
about She bounced over the platform if
shod with India rubber and finally bounced OH
Her husband and one or two others, In trying TO
save her from falling also went over and all fell
5 in heap upon tho floor No one was hurt ana
moment later Mrs. Boyer jumped upon
the mourner's bench, which was
crowded with people standing up. Sne