The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1888-04-03
Rev. Mr.. Pearson in Wilmington.
The Wilmington Star says:

INCbs MI CuESOI HI w
The Wilmington Star says:
The opinion Of the Star as regards
the singular power of Mr.. Pearson
seems to be about that which is gen
orally current in the city. One of
our oldest pastors, in urging his
people to attend the meetings, said
substantially as follows last Sun
day: 81 have been preaching the
Gospel for more than thirty years,
and | have heard the most eminent
ministers of this country, Mr..
Moody included, and l regard MIR.
Pearson as the most remarkable
preacher have ever heard. l con
tess that his power in pulpit is a
surprise to me. had read a number
OF newspaper reporters of the man
and had conversed with many who
had labored with him in his meet
ings; [ had yet the idea that he was
devout man, remarkably familiar
with the scriptures and a good
strong preacher, but | was not
pepared to find him one OF
the. greatest, if n1t the greatest
preacher, have ever seen.
If were TO try to analize his power
l would not ascribe his strength to
his learning, though he is Il man of
good education and good reading;
nor to his logic, though he reasons
as few men can; nor to his oratory,
though he is an orator Of no mean
powers; but l would say that the
elements of his success were. first,
his originality. He is original in
his appearance, his voice, his Illus
trations, the divineness of his ser>
mons, and in wonderful skill in in
terpreting and applying the script
ures.
Then, his knowledge of the
Bible is simply wonde, full, and his
faith in the power Of the Bible is
supreme. l have never heard any
minister put such power upon the
word of God as he does.
'ln the third place, he is thorough~
" honest and thoroughly earnest.
His zeal is at white heat all the
time, not fussy, or specially demon~
strative, but sustained at a high de-
gree of intensity, nevertheless In
hearing him, one is reminded of
what John Foster said of the great
philanthropist John Howard: His
enthusiasm was SO great that the
limits OF human nature forbade i to
be less He has passion for souls
and longs to save sinners. But the
endowment which seems to me to
be the special and peculiar secret of
his power is the presence of the
Lord with him. He seems to be
filled with the Holy Spirit. He
speaks with power because he
speaks in demonstration of the
Spirit. His preaching is to me
wonder and a revelation"
Having thus spoken of the man,
we now turn to the meetings yes
tcrdav:
AT IL M, the crowd was large
but hardly SO great as the day be-
fore, because of the rain. For the
same cause, Mr.. Pearson refrained
from preaching. and turned the SER
vices into prayer meeting. After
some brief remarks on the efficacy
of prayer, Rey. Messrs. Tolson.
Pl1chard, Hoge, and Tuttle led in
PRAYER, with songs interspersed.
The meeting last night was one
OF more power and interest, perhaps,
that any other up to the present
time. Mr.. Pearson took up the
excuses (which sinners make to re-
ceiving the Gospel. He consider,
ell twelve of them, and in the toll
lowing order: Il don't believe the
Bible" There are so many diff
culties i" the Bible" 1T is hard to
be a Christian" "There are so
many hypOcrites in the churches" q"
"Predestlnation," Il have no feel
ing" My reason is against the
whole of your religion" "Ridi-
cule " IL am afraid it will interfere
with my business " 81 will wait
for a convenient season." death
Bed Repentance"
Inc sermon was one of tremen-.
dous moral ;orce, and the inquiry
room was nearly full of people, there
being perhaps twice as many penis
tents as on any previous occasion.
Up to the present time some one
hundred and fifty have made pro-
fession Of faith in Christ.