The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-01-07

It, and properly persistent, will obtain
1t. Power from on the level is good
thing, such power as may give you, or
you may give me, by encouraging words
and actions. Power from on the level
when we stand by each other in any
Christian undertaking. Power from on
the level when other pulpits are in ac-
cord with ours. Power from on the
level when the religious and secular
press forward our Christian undertake
ings. But power from on the level is
not sufficient. Power from on high is
what we need to take possession Of us.
Power straight from God. Supernatural
power, 0mnipotent power, all-conquer-
ing power. No more than one out OF
thousand Of heministers have it con-
tinuously. Not more than one out OF
ten thousand Christians have it all the
time. Given in abundance these last
ten years Of the nineteent century
would accomplish more for God and the
church and the world than the previous
ninety years of this century.
A few men and women in each age Of
the world have possessed 1t. Caroline
Fry, the immortal Quakeress, had 1t,
and three hundred of the depraved and
suffering Of Newgate prison under her
exhortation, repented and believed.
Jonathan Edwards, had 1t, and North
amption meeting house heard the out
burst Of religious emotions as he spake
Of righteousness and Judgment to come.
Samuel Budget, the Christian merchant.
had It and his benefactions showed the
world. John Newton had it. Bishop
Latimer had IT, Isabella Graham had
It. Andrew Fuller had it. The great
evangelists, Daniel Baker and DIR. Net
tleton and Truman Osborn and Charles
G. Finney, had It. In my boyhood
saw Truman Osborn rise to preach in
the village church at Somerville, N. j.,
and before he had given out a text or
uttered word, people in the audience
| sobbed aloud with religious emotion.
II was the power from on high. All in
greater or less degree NAV have 1t.
Once get It and nothing can stand before
you. Satan goes down. Caricature
goes down. Infidelity goes down.
Worldliness goes down. All opposition
goes down.
Several times in the history Of the
} church and the world has this power
from on high been demonstrated. In
the seventeenth century, after a great
season of moral depression, this power
from on high came down upon John
! Tillotson and Owen and Flavel and
Baxter and Bunyan, and there was a
deluge Of mercy higher than the tops Of
the highest mountains of sin. In the
eighteenth century, in England and
America, religion was at low water
mark. William Cowper, writing of the
clergy Of those days, said
Except a few with ELS spirit blest,
Hophni and Phineas may describe the rest.
The infidel writings Of Shaftesbury
and Hobbies end Chubb had done their
work. But power from on high came
upon both Of the Wesleys and Lady
Huntington on the other side the At
lantic, and upon William Tenant and
Gilbert Tenant and David Brainerd on
this side the Atlantic, and both hems-
pheres felt the tread Of apardoning God
Coming TO later date, there may be here
and there in this audience an aged man
or woman who can remember New York
in 1881 when this power from on high de
scended most wondrously. IL came
upon pastors and congregations an6
theaters and commercial establish
ments. Chatham Street Theater
New York, was the scene Of 9
most tremendous religious awakening
A committee Of Christian gentlemen
called upon the lessee Of the theater and
said they would like to buy the lease Of
the theater. He said, what do you want
Il for?" They replied, "for a church
For w-h-a-t?" said the owner. "For 9
church." was the reply. The ownei
said, "You may have II and / will give
you a thousand dollars TO help you OF
with your work" Arthur Tappan, {
man nightly prosecuted in his time, bu
a man as saw him in his last days al
honest, and pure, and good as any mai
, ever knew, stepped on the stage OF olt
Chatham Theater as the actors wer'
closing their morning rehearsal, anC
said: "There will be preaching here TO
night on this stage" and then gave ou
! and sang with such people as wer
, there, the old hymn:
r The voice OF free grace cries, escape 10 th
mountain,
Fer all that believe Christ has opened four
tain.
e The bar-room Of the theater wa
, turned into prayer-room, and eigh
hundred persons were present at tn
G first meeting. For seventy successiv
4 nights religious services were held i
9 that theater, and such scenes OF nero
g and salvation as will be the subjects o
1 conversation and congratulation anon
I the ransomed in glory as long as heave
n lasts. But come to later time-1s57-
!, remembered by many who are here. Irs
4 member IL especiallyas had inst entere
G the Office Of the ministry. 1t was a yea
h OF hard times. A great panic had fun
y hundreds Of thousands Of people penn
e less. Starvation entered habitation tina
d had never before known want. Dc
= mestic life, in many cases, became
|. tragedy. Suicide, garroting, burglary
l. assassination were rampant. What a
II awful day that was when the bank
p went down. There has been nothin
d like II in thirty years, and ! pray Go
;, there may not be any thing like 1t
e the next thirty centuries. Talk aboy
n your Black Fridays! 1t was Black Sa'
urday, Black Sunday, Black Monday
IT Black Tuesday, Black Wednesday
ie Black Thursday, as well as Black FIR
II day.