The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-01-15
ne voice of free grace cries, escape to the

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The barroom OF the theatre was turn
ed into prayer room, and eight hun
dred persons were present at the first
meeting. For seventy successive nights
religious services were held in that
theatre, and such scenes Of mercy and
salvation as will be subjects of CONVEX
sation and congratulation among the
ransomed in glory as long as heaven
lasts. But l come to a later time-1857
remembered by many who are here.
remember 1T especially, as l had Just
entered the office Of the ministry. 1t
was year of hard times. A great
panic had flung hundreds of thousands
OF people penpiless. Starvation enter
ed habltations that had never before
known want. Domestic life in many
cases became tragedy. Suicide, gar
rotlng, bnrglarly. assassination were
rampant. What an awful day that
was when the banks went downl There
has been nothing like it in thirty years,
and pray God there may not be any
thing like it in the next thirty centur.
les. Talk about your Black Fridaysl
: 1t was Black Saturday, Black Sunday,
Biack Monday, Black Tuesday, Black
"Wednesday. Black Thursday as well as
Black Friday.
This nation in it's extremity fell help
less before the Lord and cried for par
don ana peace, and upon ministers and
laymen the power from on high de-
Scended. Engine houses, ware rooms,
hotel parlors, museums, factories, from
II to l O'Clock, while the operatives
were resting, were opened for prayers
ana sermons and inquiry rooms, and
Durton's old theatre on Chambers
sCreeC, Where our ancestors used to as
scmDle TO laugh at the comedies, and
down Of -
the docks and on the decks Of ships ly-
ing at the wharf people sang, "All hail
Che power of Jesus name," while others
cried for mercy. A great mass meet
, ing OF Christians on week day, in
Jayne's hall, Philadelphia, telegraphed
10 Fulton Street Prayer meeting in
, New 1ork, saying, "What hath God
, wrought? and a telegram went back
, saying, "Two hundred souls saved at
5 our meeting to-day A ship came
: through the NarrOwS into our harbor,
the captain reporting that himself and
al the crew had been converted to God
between New Orleans and New York
In the busiest marts of our busiest
American cities, where the worshpers
Of Mammon had been counting their
golden beads, men began to calculate,
l"What shall it profit man If he gain
the whole world and lose his soul?"
]
the closing of their days work knelt
among the tables where they had
served. Policemen asked consent of
The comm lSSiOncr Of police to be per-
| mltteu to attend regllgious meetings
Al Albany members of the New York
legislature assembled in the room of
the court of appeals at half-past 8
o'clock in the morning for prayer and
praise. Printed invitations were sent
out to the iiremen of New York saving,
Come as suits your convenience best,
whether in fire or citizens dress, but
come! come! Quarrymen knelt among
the rocks. Fishermen knelt in their
boats. Weavers knelt among the
looms. Sailors knelt among the ham,
mocks, SchoolmaSterS knelt among
their classes. a gentleman travelling
SAID there was a line of prayer meet
lngs from Omaha to Washington city
and he might have added a line of
prayer meetings from the Atlantic to
the Pacific coast, and from the st. Law
renee to the Gulf of Mexico.
Many of my hearers to-day are what
the world calls, and what | would call
splendid fellows. and they seem happy
enough, and are jolly and obliging, and
II were in trouble | would go to them
with as much confidence as | would to
my father, If he were yet alive. But
when they 60 to their rooms at night,
or when the eXcitements of social and
business life are off, they are not con-
tent, and they want something better
than this world can offer. l under
stand them SO we'll | would without
any fear of being thought rough, put
my right hand on their one shoulder
and my left hand on their other shoul-
der and push them into the kingdom
| Of God. But | cannot. Power from
on high, lay hold Of them!
Years ago, at the close of religious
service in Brooklyn Tabernacle, a gen
tleman most distinguished in appear
ance, and with remarkable cerebral
development, came forward with his
wife and daughter, and said to me in
most courteous and elegant way, "Let
me introduce you to my wife and
daughter, who wish some counsel in
regard to religious matters" and the
three sat down. After | had cOnyers-
ed with the wife and daughter | turn
cd to the gentleman and said, perhaps
you have some interest yourself in
these mattersp" None whatever"
was the reply, polite yet firm. but be-
fore the meeting had closed | saw his
hand lifted to his forehead and his eyes
changed your mind, and are YOU not
thoughtful on this suhject?" lie said:
81 am. Since coming to this seat |
have sought and found Chri st as my
saviour, and l have but one desire
more, and that is before I leave this
house to join my wife and daughter in
making profession of the Christian re-
llgion. have been known as on the
wrong side long enough" What was
it that had come upon him? 1t was
power from on high.
At the first communion after the
dedication of our former church three
hundred and twenty.eight souls stood
up in the aisles and publicly espoused
the cause Of Christ. AT another time
four hundred souls; at another time
five hundred; and our four thousand
five hundred membership were but
small part of those who within those
sacred walls took upon themselves the
VOWS Of the Christian. What turned
them? What saved them? Power
from the level? No. Power from on