The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1891-01-10

'NAbE
This nation in it's extremity fell help
less before the Lord and cried for par
don and peace, and upon ministers and
laymen the power from on high de-
seconded. Engine houses, warerooms,
hotel parlors, museums, factories from
IL to l o'clock while the operatives were
resting, were opened for prayers and
sermons, and inquiry rooms and Bur-
toms old theater on Chambers street,
where Il ancestors used to assemble
to laugh at the comedies, and all up and
down the streets, and out on the docks
and on the decks of ships lying at the
wharf, people sang "All hail the power
of Jesus name" while others cried for
mercy. A great mass meeting of
Christians on a week day, in Jayne's
hall, Philadelphia, telegraphed to Full
ton street prayer meeting, In New York,
saying: 'Whao hath God wrought?"
and a telegram went back saying: 1.-TWO
hundred souls saved at our meeting to-
day
In those days, what songs, what SER
mons, what turnings to God, what re-
citals of thrilling experiences, what
prodigals brought home, what burning
tidings of souls saved, what serfdom of
sin emancipated, what wild out of the
forces of darkness, what victories for
the truth! What millions on earth and
in Heaven are now thanking God for
1857, which, though the year of worse
financial calamity, was the year Of
Americas most glorious blessing. How
do you ccount for 1857, its spiritual
triumphs On the heels of it's worldly
misfortune? 1t was what my text calls
the power from on high.
That was thirty-three years ago, and
though there have been in various parts
of the land many STRINGS of the Holy
Ghost, there has been no general awak-
ening. Does 1t not seem to you that we
ought to have and may have the scenes
Of power in 1857 eclipsed by the scenes
of power in 1891? The circumstances
are somewhat similar. While we nave
not had National panic and universal
p~rostration, as In 1857, there has been
a stringency in the money market that
has put many families Of the earth to
their wits end. Large commercial in
terests collapsing have left multitudes
of employees without means of support.
Brethren in the gospel ministry! if
we spent half as much time In prayer as
we do in the preparation of our SER
mons nothing could stand before us.
We would have the power from on high
as we never ave had 1t. Private men,
bership of all C~hristendom! if we spent
half as much time In positive prayer for
this influence as we do in thinking
about it and talking about it, there
would not be secretaries enough to take
down the names of those who would
want to give in their names for enlist
ment.
Come! Come! All through the United
States and all through Christendom and
all around the world let US join hands in
holy pledge that we will call upon God
for the power. o, for the power from
on high, the power that came on Pente-
cost; yea, on 10000 Pentecosts. Such
times will come in our day if we have
the faith and the prayer and the onse-
Grafton.
AS the power from on high in 1857 wal
more remarkable in academies of music
and lyceum halls and theaters than in
churches, why not this winter of 1891,
in these two academies of music, places
of secular entertainment. Why not
expect and why not have the power
from on high, comforting power, arous
ing power, convicting power, convert
ing power, saving power, omnipotent
power? My opinion Is that in this
cluster of cities by the Atlantic coast,
there are now 100000 people ready to
accept the Gospel call, if, freed from all
the conventionalities of the church, it
were earnestly and with strong faith
presented to them. In these brilliant
assemblies there are hundreds who are
not f~requenters of churches, and who
do not believe much, if at all, in the
ministers of religion or ecclesiastical
organizations. But God knows you
nave struggles in which you need help
and bereavements in which you wan
solace and prosecutions in which you
ought to have defense, and perplexities
in which you need guidance, and with a
profound thoughtfulness, you stand by
the grave of the old year, and the cradle
of the young year, wondering where
you will be and what you will be when
rolling years shall cease to move"
Power from on high descends upon them!
Men of New York and Brooklyn, I offer
you God and Heaven! From the day you
came to these cities what a struggle you
nave had! / a tell from your careworn
c~ountenances and the tears in your eyes
and the deep sigh You have just breathed
that you want reinforcement, and here
it is, greater than Butcher when he REIN
forced Wellington, greater than the
Bank of England, when last month 1t
reinforced the Bartngs; namely, the
God who through Jesus Christ is ready
to pardon all your sins, comfort all your
SORROWS, scatter all your doubts and
swing all the shining gates Of heaven
wide open before your redeemed spirit.
Years ago, at the close of a religious
service in Brooklyn Tabernacle, q gen.
tleman most distinguished in appear
ance, and with remarkable cerebral de-
velopment came forward with his wife
and daughter, and said to me in q most
courteous and elegant way: Let me
introduce you to my wife and daughter
who wish some counsel in regard to re-
ligious Matters" and the three sat
down. After / had conversed with the
wife and daughter, l turned to the gen.
tleman, and said: Perhaps you have
some interest yourself In these mat
ters?" "None whatever" was the re-
ply, polite yet firm. But before the
meeting had closed l saw his hand lifted
to his forehead, and his eyes closed, and
1 said: ''Sir, have you not changed
your mind and are you not thoughtful
on this subject2" he said 81
am; since coming to this seat,
/ have sought and found Christ as
my Saviour and / nave but one desire
more and that is, before / leave this
house to join my wife and daughter in
making profession of the Christian re
ligion. I have been known as on the
wrong side long enough" What was II
that had come upon him? 1t was power
from high.
At the first communion after the dedi
cation of our former church 1928 soul
stood up in the aisles and publicly
espoused the cause of Christ. At an
other time 400 souls; at another time
500, and our $500 membership were bu'
a small part of those who within those
sacred walls took upon themselves the
vows of the Christian. What turne
them? What saved them? Power r
the level? No! Power from on high.
But greater things are to be seen 1
ever these cities and ever this world 1
TO be taken for God. There Is one olas
of men and I'M in all these assem-
blages in whom l have especial interest
and that is those who had good father
and mothers once, but they are dead
What multitudes of us are orphans! W.
NAV be 40, so, 80 years old, but we neve