The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-11-14

people coming from long distances in
the country and from the neighboring
towns. The & Tabernacle was crowded
at every service. Saint and sinner
alike was eager to hear this remarkable
preacher. They came and sat and lis
tened; they hung upon his words and
nourishing and comforting as they were,
seemed never to be filled. The manner
of the man and the message he bore
alike impressed them. People who are
not in the habit of going to church were
anxious to hear Mr.. Pearson at every
service-and they did not go through
| curiosity alone. They loved to hear
him preach, and although he told men
of their faults, so kindly, so earnestly,
so lovingly did he plead with sinners to
turn to Christ thatit seemed almost like
a benediction. He told some bitter
truths, and cold stubborn facts as they
were, men had to acknowledge rather
| than feel offended. Mr.. Pearson had
no words of abuse for any one. He
scored the cold, Indifferent church men,
| ber, the narrow-minded, small-hearted,
self-righteous creature who has Just
| enough religion to make him miserable,
but who has not enough to spread out
and do good in the world and be help
to any body else. And those jealous,
envious, "churchanity' people who
have more church than the spirit of
| Christ in their hearts, they caught it.
These he called ecclesiastical hypocrites
The church is all well enough he said,
but what some people want is more. of
the love of Christ shed abroad in their
hearts-that spirit which will make
them more charitable and teach them
that their church is not the only one
| through whose doors one may get to
Heaven. 1t does not depend so much
upon what church roll ones name is
written as whether that name is record
ed in the Lambs Book of Life.
For the saloon keeper, the gambler,
the drunkard-all kinds of sinners-Mr.
Pearson had only words Of love and
| pity. He reasoned with them, he ap-
pealed to them, to turn before it was
everlastingly too late and look to Jesus
and be saved. And this is one great
reason perhaps why people loved to 60
to hear him. Promptly at IL O'Clock
every morning the business houses
closed, Jew and Gentle alike, ware
house men, store keepers, saloon men
and all. There was hearty co-opera-
ton and the most perfect harmony
among all. We have never seen any
thing like it in Henderson before. Ap-
parently without the least friction
everything moved along, the various
committees discharging their duties,
the very efficient corps of ushefs faith
fully attending to theirs and the choir
being always promptly in their places.
There was the most thorough and
hearty cooperation on the part of the
pastors Of each Of the religious denom-
nations in town, the Methodist Epis-
copal, Baptist, Methodist Protestant,
Episcopal and Presbyterian, and their
membership. At each of the services
one of the local pastors would conduct
the preliminary exercises. Rev. w. S.
Pettigrew, of the Episcopal church
that venerable, sanity and much be-
loved servant of God-was here during
the entire meeting and there was not a
more earnest and sincere worker in the
Masters cause. Good old man, he is
almost ripe for the Kingdom and the
rich inheritance that is laid up for such
as he from the foundations of the earth.
May he be spared many years yet to
enrich the earth by his life and ex.
ample.) Tuesday night the prelimi.
nary exercises were conducted by Rev
Julian E. Ingle, the beloved rector Of
the Church of Holy Innocents, and il
seemed peculiarly fitting that he should
oficiate at the closing service of this
memorable meeting.
Mr.. Pearson's last sermon was in
many respects his best. He chose al
his subject "What will ye do with the
man Christ Jesus?'' He spoke feel
ingly of the work here and thanked
God for such manifestation of His
presence and power. He said that
moment was critical one to many
persons who heard him. 1t might for.
ever settle their fate for better or fol-
worse. It was a solemn hour and thu
speaker evidently realized it. But W.
have not time to follow him through
his sermon. It was powerful appea
to sinners to accept Christ, and 10;
persons went forward and gave thu
Evangelist their hand.
AT the close Of the service remark.
were made by the local pastors: Rev
Robert VanDeventer, of the Baptis
church; Rev. J. D. Arnold, of the
Methodist Episcopal; Rev. T. J. Og
burn, of the Methodist Protestant; Rev
Julian E. Ingle, of the Episcopal; Rev
Alex Sprunt, of the Presbyterian
Each spoke feelingly and testified t.
the great work that had been done
Then Mr.. Pearson said if time allowed
he would like to hear from each of tn,
visiting ministers present, but he woult
have to be content with calling on tn
oldest of them, Mr., Pettigrew. III,
also spoke and thanked God for send
ing the Evangelist among us. He haa
been benefited himself and he knew
J that many others had been great,
} blessed. After some words of counse
and encouragement to those who hat
, confessed Christ, urging them to con
, meet themselves with some church
, the church of their Bible faith tha
church which they would find mos
7 congenial to their taste-and in whicl
! they would be best satisfied; tina
: church in which their Christian faitl
; would be best cultivated and blossom
l into richest fruit that church in whicl
: they could do the best work and great
7 | est good for the cause of Christ an
humanity, Mr.. Pearson said he desire