The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-09
A LADY EVANGELIST.
WILD, WEIRD AND UNEARTHLY
SCENES NEAR MARION, IND.

A Great Revival in Progress
who Describe Being Held Over He'll by
One Hair = Abandoned Huggine of
brothers and Sisters in the Lord-A
woman's Influence.
MARION, Ind, July 2.-Flinn's grove
mile west of this place has been the scere
of thrilling spectacles, stirring incidents,
and considerable excitement the past week.
The occasion of this is series of revival
meetings conducted by Mrs Mary Mer
shon, OF Pendleton, Ind Mrs Mershon is
disciple and convert of Mrs Woodworth,
the noted trance evangelist, whose peculiar
methods have for tho past two years been
the theme OF widespread interest
and speculation. Tho LAZY who is
conducting the meetings at this place
was converted two years ago, and was at
once called to become an evangelist Al
though an Invalid, she obeyed the cali. and
to day is strong, vigorous, and energetic
woman. She is about 80 years old, has
broad forehead, black hair and eyes, and is
of medium height She has pleasing and
commanding presence and graceful bearing.
Her theology Is of the heroic order, without
any faint OF mugwumpery. Her reasoning
is not powerful nor her logic faultless, but
her powers of persuasion are great, her
earnestuess convincing, and her sincerity
hey ond question Tie meetings we're com.
menced on Saturday, June :, but for time
they dragged The evangelist SAYS she
never conducted a meeting where She CON
tended with greater difficulties at the
start, or where the indications gave as
little promise of success 1t was next to
Impossible to secure tent The attendance
was light d the interest seemingly dead,
She was discouraged Her faith ap-
pears to be 1f that quality which will re-
move mountains The plain, unpretentious
and eloquent preaching had its effect The
attendance increased Her enthusiasm took
ho,d of her hear, rs The fame and report
Of the wild scenes enacted spread among
the people, and the attendance and interest
were further magnited and multiplied
Last Sunday witnessed the largest attend
an'e up To date The young con-
verts are most enthusiastic and demon
strative. They crowd the space set apart
for seekers after divine favor, and with
singing, shouting, shrieking and praying
gradually work themselves into a wild
frenzy. Their hands are uplifted and their
faces turned upward Some shout and yell
in the exuberanee of their ecstasy; others
plead, implore, and cry for the rolling away
OF their burdens The spectacle at times is
wild, wierd, and unearthly. The most
nervous and excitable soon succumb and go
under the power They are stretched out
in every corner and in every attitude They
become rigid, and their wide open, staring
eyes have deathlike and uuearthly ex.
preston, as though gazing upon scenes not
presented TO the eyes of mortals
Sunday night witnessed the widest aui
most eNtravagant scenes vet ena ted Such
shouting, such jumping, such halelujahs,
such eiishttul, promlscuous and ahan-
donei husgn NJ of brothers and sisters IN
the Lord presented u scene the like OF which
has never before been witnessed in this
country. 1t was will unrestraFned satur-
naIIa of un6ridied passion and emotion
The converts who were stricken down by
TIA band OF God prior to their conversion
relate wonderful tales OF 6cins suspended
10y a hair ot the pit of bell, OF being famed
10y the sulphurous bree es from the Internal
regions, OF looking into boiling caIdrons, of
being nibbled at 10y fiery serpents and grin
ming devils, of being saved by the out
stretched hand OF plying Providence.
The meetings are still in progress and
Will continue Tor two weeks The food
tide OF interest and excitement has appar-
entity not yet been reached. The number
of conversions to date is in the neighbor-
hood OF ninety. a very large number of
these are people who would never have
been reached by the churches