The Russellville Democrat., 1891-01-15


 universal prostration as in 1857, there has been strfngency in the money market that has put many of the families of the earth to their wits end Large commercial in- terests collapsing have left nut titudes of employees without means of support The raclzed brains of busi- ness men have almost or entirely given way. New illustrations all over the lane of the fact that riches have not only feet. on which they walk slowly as they come, but wings on which they speed when they go. Eternal Godi Thou lnowest how cramped, and se- we're. and solemn time it is with many. And, as the business ruin of 1857 was followed by the glorious triumps of grace, let the awful struggles of 1890 be followed by the halleluiahs of a nation saved in 1891.
 Brethren in the Gospel ministry If we spent half as much time in prayer as we do in the preparation of our sermons nothing could stand before us. We would have the Power from on High as we never have had it. Private member. ship of all Christendoml 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 for enlistment. We would have hundreds of cases like those recently reported, when man said to an evangelist: Il am lost sinner. Pray for me. My wife has been professor of religion for years, but knew she did not enjoy religion, and l said fl that was all there was in religion, l did not want it. But for the last few days she has looked and acted in such ar elevated and glorious spirit that ] can not stand it, away from God. want the same religion that inspires her" Come Come all through the United States, and all through Christen- dom, and all around the world let us join hands in holy pledges that we will call upon God for the Power. Oh, for the Power on High, the Power that came on Pentecost, yea, for ten thousand Pentecosts. Such times will come, and they will come in our day if we have the faith and the prayer and the conse cration.
 As the Power from on High III 1857 was 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 where we are. during the rebuilding of our Brooklyn Tabernacle, so grandly and graciously treated by the owners and lessors and lessees, why not expect, and why not have the Power from on High, comforting power, arousing power, con- vincing power, converting power, saw ing power, omnipotent power? My opinion is that in this cluster of cities by the Atlantic coast, there are five hundred thousand people now 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 frequenters of churches, and who do not believe much, if at all, in minis ters of religion or ecclesiastical or ganizations. But God knows you have struggles in wich you want solace and prosecutions in which you ought to have de- fense and perplexities in which you need guidance, and, with 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 descend upon theml Men of New York and Brooklyn, offer you God and Heavenl From the day you came to these cities, what a struggle you have had! I can tell from your care-worn countenanees, and the tears in your eyes, and the deep sigh you have just breathed that you want re-enforce- ment, and here it is, greater than Butcher, when he re-enforced Yelling ton; greater than the Bank of England, when last month it re-enforced the Bar ings; namely, the God who through Jesus Christ is ready to pardon all your sin, comfort all your sorrows, scatter all your doubts, and swing all the shin ing gates of Heaven wide open before your redeemed spirit Come into the Kingdom of Godl Without half sec ond of delay, come inl
 The history of these unanswered prayers for you God only knows. They may have been offered in the solemn birth-hour. They may have been of fered when you were down with scarlet fever or diphtheria, or membranous croup. They may have been offered some night when you were sound asleep in the trundle-bed and your mother came in to see if you were rightly covered in the cold winter night. They may have been offered at that time which comes at least once in almost every one's life, when your father and mother had hard work to make a living. and they feared that want would come to them and you. They may have been offered when the lips could no longer move and the eyes were closed for the long sleep. o, unanswered prayers of father and mother, where are you? In what room of the old homestead are they hidden? o, unan- swered prayers, rise in mist of many tears into cloud, and then break in a shower which shall soften the heart of that man who is so hard he can not cry, or that woman who is ashamed to pray! o, armchair of the aged, now empty and in the garret among the rubbish, speak out! 0, staff of the pilgrim who has ended his weary journey, tell of the parental anxieties that bent over thee. O, family Bible with story of births and deaths, rustic some of thy time-worn leaves, and let us know of the wrinlSled hands that once turned thy pages, and explain that spot where tear fell npon the passage: ''Oh, Absalom, my son, my son, would God had died for theel"
 Good and gracious God What will become of us if, after having such de vout and praying percentage, we never pray for ourselves? We will pray We will begin now. Oh, for the Power f,.a,., a,, IIiol, ,saxva.. fn tr,oxa fhic