The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-01-21


New Orleans and New York. In the
busiest marts of our busiest American
cities, where the worshipers Of Nam
mon had been counting their golden
beads, man began 70 calculate: what
shall it profit man if he gain the whole
world and lose his soul" The walters
in restaurants after the closing OF their
days work knelt among the tables
where they had served. Policemen
asked consent of the Commissioner OF
Police to be permitted to attend relig-
ious meetings. At Albany members OF
the New York Legislature assembled
in the room of the court Of appeals at
$3.50 o'clock in the morning for prayer
and praise. Printed invitations were
sent out to the firemen Of New York
saying: 'Come as suits your convenience
best, whether in fire or citizens dress,
but come! GOMEZ" Quarrymen knelt
among the rocks. Fishermen knelt in
their boats. Viewers knelt among the
looms. Sailors knelt among the ham
mocks. Schoolmasters knelt among
their classes. A gentleman travelling
said there was line of prayer-meet-
ings from Omaha to Washington, City,
and, he might have added, lhe Of
prayer-meetings from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Coast, and from the st. Law
renee to the Gulf of Mexico =, I
In those days, what songs, what SER
mons, what turnings to God, what re-
cital of thrilling experiences, what
prodigals brought home, what burning
tidings of souls saved, what serfdom OF
sin emancipated, what wild rout 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 worst
financial calamity, was the year Of
Americas most glorious blessing. How
do you account for 1857, its spiritual tri-
umphs on the heels of its worldly mis-
fortune? 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 it 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 have not had national panic
and universal prostration as in 1857,
there has been stringency in the money
market that has put many families
of the earth to their wits
end. Large commercial interests
collapsing have left multitudes Of en-
ployes without means Of support. The
racked brains of business men have al
most or entirely given way. New illus
trations all over the land 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
60. Eternal God! Thou knowest how
cramped, and severe, and solemn time
it is with many. And, as the business
ruin of 1857 was followed by the glori-
GUS triumphs of Grace, let the awful
struggles of 1890 be followed by TIL hal
lelujahs 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 SER
mons nothing could stand before us.
We would have the power from on high
as we never have had it. Private mem
bership of all Christendom. 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 enlistment. We
would have hundreds of cases like those
recently reported when man said to
an evangelist: 81 am lost
sinner Pray for me, My wife
has been a professor of religion for
years, but knew she did not enjoy re-
ligion, and said if that was all there
was in religion did not want it. But
for the last few days she looked and
acted in such an elevated spirit that l
can not stand it away from God. l
want the same religion that inspires
her."
My opinion is that in this cluster of
cities by the Atlantic coast, there are
500, 900 people now ready to accept the
Gospel call, if, freed from all the con-
ventionalities of the Church, it were
earnestly and with strong faith pre-
scented to them. In these brilliant as.
semblies, there are hundreds who are
not frequenters of churches, and who do
not believe much, if at all in ministers
of religion, or ecclesiastical organiza-
tions. But God knows you have strug-
giles in which you need help and be-
reavements in which you want
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 descend upon them!
Men of New York and Brooklyn,4 offer
you God and Heaven! From the day
you come to these cities, what strug-
gle you have had! l can tell from
your care-worn countenances, and the
tears in your eyes, and the deep sigh
You have just breathcd that you want
reinforcement, and here it is, greater
than Butcher, when he REINFORCED
Wellington, greater than the Bank of
England, when last month it re-enforced
the Earrings: namely, the God who
through Jesus Christ is ready to pardon
all our sin. comfort all your sorrow,
scatter all your doubts, and swing all