The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-08
INTEREST STILL GROWING.
The Great Success of Mrs. Robinson's
Revival at Roberts Park Church.
The Evangelist Encouraged to Continue Her
Good Work in This City Another Week
The Services Held Yesterday.

1t was expected that Mrs Robinsons meetings
at Roberts Park Church would close with last
evenings services. Although they have been
conducted with great audiences and unwavering
interest-afternool and night-through a six
weeks course. the official board of the church
decided that they ought to be continued for
another week. Mrs Robinson was requested to
postpone her Chicago engagement for that length
OF time. and after some consideration she gave
her consent to the arrangement. Announcement
was made to this effect last night.
It is said there never was such day of re-
hgious interest in Roberts Park Church as yes
terday One meeting closely followed another
from o'clock in the morning until the evening
services. AT all tho crowds were great. but by
o'clock last night the seating capacity OF the
large auditorium was two-thirds FULL and half
hour later not seat could be had. Many stood
In the corridor, massed about the open doors,
while as many more left on account of not find
ing standing room even.
On this occasion Mrs. Robinson spoke from the
text in the seventh verse of the fifth chapter of
James: BE patient, therefore. brethren, unto
the coming OF the Lord" She said that this sug-
gested three Specifications as to the coming of
Christ; first. to the penitent. next to the
disciples after He arose from the dead,
s and lastly as as St James teaches. the
The promise of the coming had been given to
Adam and Eve. as they were bowed with grief
and remorse over the first sin Of mankind. 1t
was then told to them that the seed of the WON
an would bruise the serpent's head From that
time on they looked for the Messiah, and doubt
less, in the evenings hour, as they viewed the
splendor of the world, expected to see the cur
tain lift and reveal the presence of the prom
ise Not yet: Adam and Eve were to have before
them many years of sorrow and weeping. Per
haps Eve, as she nursed her first born, looked
upon him with mothers love and yearning,
saying This may be the Messiah;" but when
that first born fed, with the mark of murder on
his brow, she knew that the fulfillment Of the
promise was yet to come. But Adam told
Methuselah, and there were yet two hundred
years OF waiting; and Methuselah told Noah.
Again hundred years of expectancy went by
anu the Messiah had not come But there was
the fiood-tide of devastation; and as Noah looked
out from his resting place after the waters had
gone back he no doubt asked. 'Will not the
Messiah come now?" There were many years
yet, and the story of the promise had to be re-
peated from SON to son until it became as a
misty legend. Abraham preached it to the
world, and Isaac treasured it and Jacob spoke
of it. When his son became the power in the
Pharaohs' court he no doubt asked, HAS not
the Messiah come now2" Not yet for it was not
the the pomp, glory and power of the Pharaohs
came the dark night of Jewish misery,
and God sent Moses to care for his people, The
wanderings were done. and the promised land
reached, and yet the Messiah did not appear
will not the Messiah come nowY' and Deborah
who led armies to victory. perhaps questioned
as she returned from the successful battle field
lis it not time for the Messiah?" But not yet
nor was the time at hand when Solomon ruled
in splendor. Israel was IN the depths of despair
and degradation whom the star shone on Bethle
hem. In all those long years of anxious waiting
every one would have said, 1--WE are looking for
Him." but when He came they despised Him;
and cried, Away with Him. Cruelty Hin.
cruelty Him" They would have Him not.
She said if she asked anyone in that large con-
gregation If he wanted Christ the answer would
be Yes" Yet people want heaven, its happi-
ness and hallelujahs without the cross. without
trial, without self-abnegation. People say they
have no time to think of Jesus, but they have
time for politics. finance and social lfe There
is no room for Christ. Yet it was only in this
mornings love-feast man whose hairs are
white with age said after years Ut search he had
just found Jesus. It was this afternoon one
arose and said that for seven years he had not
been sober; he had been in the gutter without
friend or hope, but for one month he had fol-
lowed Jesus and it was the happiest month
poor Jews who had one place in the wall where
they went to pray for the Messiah. The stones
were worn smooth with kisses, and yet, when He
came, they would not have Him. Salvation was
expected through morality, good resolutions. up-
right life and purposes. but not through Jesus
He is coming again, with the millions of the re-
deemed, to claim His own
There was time when the spirit of the
church was dead. 1t had been surrounded by
ing came from the man who preached from his
fathers tomb Religious life has grown and
grown in zeal until, within the past twenty five
years. the world has experienced the most re-
markable revivas. We hear the cry The
Messiah is coming!" Yes. He is coming. with all
the cohorts of heaven! When shall He Gomez
don't know. 1t may be before tomorrow morn
ing's sun rises. It may be onight, as the little
one kneels at his mothers knee with the gentle
whispernes of his prayers. 1t may be long
years after you and / are gone: but we do know
that He is coming. Are you ready for His COM
inga
She said some would say that this desire for
religious life and conversion were not real Yet
there is the testimony of those whose evidence
no one would question, They came from every
condition of life, from the man and woman in
poverty to the man and woman with all the COM
forts of home. One may say he is the child of
circumstance Not so. He is the child of the
devil. With an urgent and eloquent appeal to
her congregation to accept the opportunity of
becoming followers of Christ the lady closed her
sermon. After this the altar services were
begun, when many came forward as seekers
1t was announced that during the meetings
be held at $3.50 and after Tuesday On the
oath of this month Sam Jones will begin series
of meetings at the same church
Children's Services at Central-Avenue Church
The special children's service at Central-avenue
NJ E. Church yesterday morning was very inter
esting and successful A large number of the
little folks were out and sat in the front pews.
The music was conducted by the young
peoples choir of the church, which
numbers fully sixty voices, assisted by
the Sunday school orchestra, under the
lead CT Professor Belcher Rev. Mr. Lamport,
10 sfor ohol -