The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-19
a woNpERruL coUNrkv PREAoHER.
An Indiana Man Tells What He Knows OF
Prof Blacks Great Eloquence.

An Indiana Man Tells what He Knows of
Prof Biack's Great Eioquence.
Chicago Mail
ibid you ever see Prof Blasksp
NO" said the reporter. ''Why7"
s'Well, he's worth seeing. because he's SO fat:
but he's more worth hearing, because he's so
eloquent and original" said . visiting Hoosier
yesterday
'"rell me something about him. What and
who is hep
why. he's the Christian Tor CampbelIite)
evangelist, and he is now holding a revival
meeting down on the South Side. He used to be
the president of the Northw estern Christian
(now Butlerl University at indianapolis, where
he had the biggest congregation in the city, and
where he became the victim of q scandal in
which a straw berry blonde one of the prn-
cpals. 1t caused tremendous feeling in his
church and throughout the State. The Indian
apoiis Sentinel originated the sensation, in
which leaf from St. Louis hotel register
q conspicuous factor, and Prof. Black was
finally driven out of his church and out OF his
chair in the university. but in investigation
his skirts were cleared OF the I'M putation. For
time he forsook the ministry and took to the
law at Danville, ILL.,, but eventually the small
churches down in Edgar. Coles, DOUGLAS. Law
renee, and neighboring counties loyal to him pre-
vailed upon him to conduct revivas, his success
in all cases being little short of marvellous. He
gave up the law entirely and devoLed his
whole time TO revival work, his field broadening
from month to month. His engagements are
now made months ahead and there are ten
times as many demands for him as he can
satisfy.
..And Prof Black is worthy Of his popularity.
He is notable pulpit orator. Like Ingersoll,
he can command tears and laughter at will.
have more than once his audiences laugh
ing while yet their eyes swim ming in tears.
He is wonderfully persuasive. He has rich.
musical voice. CAPABLE of the sweetest modula-
tons and of the most ringing appeals. He tells
q story admirably. Humor bubbles up like
water out of spring. and path os gives soften
ing touch to the graces of his style.
He never speaks to empty benches. During
the very worst weather down in those country
communities, where he prefers to work, when
roads were all but impossible, no inch OF avail
able room would be left in the churches where
he spoke, and the crowds would listen to HIM
with breathleeS attention for two hours Rarely
would he speak for less than an hour and half.
but one would think it was only fifteen minutes,
and be sorry it was over He drew not alone
from the 'worldians' and those of his faith.
Presbyteriaus, MethodIsts Baptists, Catholics
jews, all hocked to hear him; all joined in the
laughs he raised in exposing Calvinism. or Yves
leyism, or Catholicism, what not; all would
weep and laugh and go away full of his infu-
cnce and come again and again.
'sAnd you should see him when the preaching
and the exhorJation You should see
BIN standing to shake hands with the people as
Women, men, children, all hold back to get
grasp of his soft and symDathetic hand. Good
evening, he will say. Pm glad to you.
want you to come again. And he renaem bers
your name He knows abous your wife or
mother, and he asks about them. He will see
you on the street next day ana he doesn't forget
TO shake hands with You and urge you to be out
in the evening. He will remember you for
years. too. grew from a lad to a man without
meeting him once, yet when We CHANGED upon
each other in a strange town he recognized me
instantly and asked all about my people, and
remem Dered the smallest incidents of a short
visit he had made at our house years before.
''He doesn't like to go TO cities. He SAYS he
prefers working in the smaller places because
through the greatest urgency tt at he be in
duced to take an engagement in the city"