Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-08

giving out hymn numbers to the choir arose
and told the audience to rise and sing num-
Der 372-"An Hail the Power of Jesus
Name" The choir did most of the singing
This over, Mr.. Moody announced that Dr.
Bartlett would open the meeting by prayer.
The thousands bowed their heads while the
white-mustached pastor uttered few elo-
quent words, invoking the Divine blessing
on the meeting. on the SERIES the evange-
lists and those in attendance.
Two hundred and sxty-fve" called out
Mr. Moody. Throw Out the Life Line Mr.
Sankey will sing. All stand still during the
solo. Please all stay right where you are
until the song is ended. If you must walk
around, do it while the choir is singing. You
can't disturb them, but one person moving
in the aisles will distract speaker or
soioist Immensely. And the ushers must
stand still. too. An usher can make just as
much noise as any one else"
Mr.. Sankey's First Solo.
With these directions given. which pro-
duced good fruit, Mr.. Sankey began. He
seated himself at his little organ at the
front of the platform and played brief
prelude. 1t is not a powerful organ, nor a
very sweet one. There is nothing, appar-
emily, to distinguish it from thousands of
other little organs that are to be found in
American homes. Yet, Mr.. Sankey touched
its keys as though it were a dear old friend
friend that he knew and could trust and
in whose notes he could depend His playing
is not brilliant, and indeed, II may be that
Mr.. Sankey could give his great voice a
better setting If he allowed some one to ac-
company him n some instrument with a
fuller fundamen1. AS 1t was, his organ lost
itself In the arch before 1t had gone half
way down the ha-. and left his strong, clear
voice dwelling on the cadences of the old
fashioned meters of the hymn There Is con-
siderable dramatic force in the singing
evangelist's style, and he held his thousands
of OF In hfla he fort n
the prayer to cast out line to sinking ones
while there was yet time.
The song over there was a satisfied move
ment among the people, but almost before
they could realize the change, sprightly
business-like Mr.. Moody had stepped for
ward to announce that Rev. DR.. Elliott of
Ascension Church would offer prayer.
Period of Silent Prayer.
After the prayer the choir and the people
sang together number 141. and then Mr..
Moody produced a wonderful effect.
Now" he said "let us have a period Of
silent prayer. Let every one in the house
bow the head and pray silently that preju-
dice or unbelief may not keep back the
blessings of this meeting. II our hearts
are not open for blessing let us pray that
they may be. Cursed is the man that
maketh the arm of flesh his trust. Let us
pray"
Then for a minute there was absolute
stiffness among that vast multitude. Every
head of the thousands was bowed. Not a
sound arose, save here and there sup
pressed cough. Suddenly calm, sweet
voice broke the silence. Rev. Mr.. Hamlin
had been beckoned forward by the evangel-
ist and stood at the front of the pulpit, his
hands raised over the praying host. in
voking the blessing that the silent prayers
might be heard.
There were tears in many eyes when his
amen gave the signal for the heads to
rise, and 1t was something of a relief for
the choir to sing number 1856, which they
did in excellent style
Let Everybody Sing.
Il have only one criticism to make" said
Mr.. Moody when the last verse had been
sung. THE choir here has sung this song
a number one 1t is the largest choir We
have ever had, here or in the old country,