The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-25
EVANGELIsTIC-THE GRAND SUCCESS
OF NOBLE CAUSE.
The Opera House Crowded Day and Night
for Two Weeks-From One to Two Hun
dred Persous Turned Away the Last
Nieht-Christians of all Denom-
nations Interested and Bene-
fited-Penitents Converted.

dred Persous Turned Away the Last
Nieht-Christians of all Denom-
nations Interested and Bene-
fited-Penitents Converted.
Never, in the history of the writer,
has Newberry witnessed such scenes
| as have been seen and felt and epi0yed
within her boundaries during the past
two weeks. Men, women and children
of sil classes (amcEg the whites, for the
crowds have been SO great that it was
impossible for the colored people to be
admitted), from the most prominent of
the professional and leading citizens to
the humblest bread-winner in our
midst, have mingled in one dense mass
of humanity that seemed to be drawn
together by an irresistible force and for
a common cause. The old, tottering
upon the verge of the grave; the young.
er, in health end strength; the little
children, gay aad full OF life, have lis
tened, as never before, to the old, old
story Of Jesus and his love. Members
of every denomination in this town
attended regularly, and with interest
and earnestness in their hearts; and
their gathering together in this eager,
anxious throng, with moistened eyes
and quivering lips, with beaming faces
and softened hearts, and with express
sions of forgiveness and charity toward
neighbors and friends, gave taste of
the delights Of a cessation of hostilities
and strife in Church and State, and of
the peaceful dawn of the coming mil
lennium which is nearer and nearer at
hand.
Not only have the entire people of
this community with but few excep-
tions) been sulgiug day and night to
the opera house, where the services were
held, but citizens of the surrounding
country, for miles in every direction,
have crowded in to the meetings and
helped to swell the great concourse of
eager listeners and anxious iDquirers,
all moved by a mighty impulse, unin-
terruptedly for two solid weeks. The
interest in these meetings was good
Irom the first, but as the days passed it
became great aud greater still, and as
the nights came it grew in intensity
and power, until it has flooded New
berry with light unsurpassed in all
these years of blight and waste. So
great was the feeling that business was
practically suspended during the morn
ing hour of service, and our merchants
and other business men did not, with
but few exceptions, resist the Spirit in
the earnest efforts that were made 10
purge this town of all uncleanness and
lit it for the indwelling of righteous
| ness.
! A feeling has come over the whole
community that is indeseribable; a
stiffness pervaded even the Streets
not very unlike the Stiffness of death
or desolation, bet more like the seEen-
ity of quiet Sabbath of unexpressed
peace that passes understanding; still
ness that has penetrated almost every
house of business, almost every resi-
dence and almost every heart; and q
great calm has settled upon the COM
lnunlty that has made many q young
man throw down his cards, many an
older one put aside his bottle, and
many a young woman resolve to give
up her dancing; calm that has made
the blasphemer pause, the sWearer cease
his swearing; and that has caused the
scofter to feel, if not acknowledge, that
this deep stiffness, this terrible calm
ness, this awful quietness, this solemn
silence, is the forerunuer Of judgment
to come. The events of the meetings
have been grand and inspiring. The
crowded parquet, the packed dress cir
Gle, the over-fowing gallery, the full
stage, every seat in the building occu-
pied, and extra seats filling the aisles,
with even the standing capacity of the
house tested 10 its fullest; men, women
and children up stairs and down stairs,
wherever they could get sest,-was a
sight that could not but gladden. and
inspire the Christians heart, quicken
the lukewarm, arouse the Indifferent,
and dumbfOund the vile and the un-
caring.
The vast throng was majestic in its
presence alone, but when the large
choir sang, and especially Nearer my
God to Thee," "Jesus lover Of my SOUL"
accompanied by hundreds of voices in
the congregation, it was scene that
beggars description and that will live
in the memory Of all present. Il was
beautiful, marvellous, Inspiring and
grand and glorious, even to those of US
who are too weak to be "What We
ought to be-" and it was a glimpse of
that heaven which We ought to have
on earth, and an earnest of what will
be, but more brilliant and magnificent
yet, hereafter.
The writer did not attend all the
meetings, but such were the incidents
and impressions attending those at
which be had the pleasure and the
privilege of being present. But there
was similarity III all the meetings-a
deep feeling of reverence, of piety, of
earnestness, Of sincerity. Brotherly
love was manifested among the mem
bers Of all denominations. Preachers,
officers, laymen, all seemed to enjoy
the services and to take an interest in
the meetings, to understand that il was
a special season of grace, a time for
decision and action and not hesitation.
The climax was reached Sunday
night, the last meeting. 1t seemed a
elimination of two weeks efforts in
one direction, an answer to united
prayer, concentration of mighty
forces that bad been constantly at
work. The house was filled an hour
| to begin. The people from the coun-
try came in early because they knew it
was their only chance for seats. The
citizens of the town who did not hurry
were unable to find even standing
room. Long before the appointed
hour the available space of the build
ing was packed and jammed as never
since the opera house was built. A few
had to leave their seats on account of
the crowded condition. The aisles
were almost impossible and the door
way was blocked. It is estimated that
from one to two hundred persons were
turned away. 1t was an overflow
meeting-an overflow without and a
spiritual overflow within. It was like
a rushing of many waters that had
been gathering and increasing day by
day until they had swollen into
mighty stream that swept everything
before it. The seating capacity of the
opera house is $50. The number pres.
ent on this occasion has been variously
estimated at from l 600 to 1,5OO. There
were probably from 1,l0O to 1000
within the walls of the building, for
every nook and. corner was packed.
Some contend that the plumber was