The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-12
xyxSssL,rPnA TIN MANcHEsrER
Sunday Nights Union Services ut Leader
al, At,epde 3 by an Immense Audience.

Iaa,,er Hall. in Manchester. was crowd
al "a overf,owing on Sunday night. when
the onening of a series of union services
tooL MACE that will be conducted there
svarv night by Mr. J. r. Pratt, the evan
pelist. of Milwaukee. The song services
Ssgan Al 7:SO p. NJ. under the leadership
NJ Mir. George F. Tibbitts. general sec
retary of the Young Mems Christian AS
ISOLATION Of this city, while the arrange
ments were in charge OF Railroad secre-
.arv c. W. Curran. The latter announced
that union services would be held IN the
same place and at the same hour every
night this week, while Bible readings oy
Mr. pratt would take place every after
nnro axcsnt Saturday, at o'clock-on
Monday and Tuesday in the Christian
cburch and on Wednesday, Thursday and
FRIDAY in the Presbyterian church. In
speaking OF these readings Mr. Pratt
asked his hearers to attend them, even
~ thew had to make a sacrihce, and IL
business men who gave up an hour OF
their time daily TO be present should at
The end of the week say that they had
not been benefited by these Bible read
ings he was willing to pay them for their
time.
Mr.. Pratt selected as his text John ILL,
Is: For God so loved the world that he
gave His only begotten Son. that whose
ever believeth in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life" This was
commonly called the golden text OF the
Bible, Mr.. Pratt said and he had seen
this text at one time printed In two hun
dred and forty different languages. He
then told an interesting incident OF Harry
Moorehouse. a young man In England,
who had been converted by Mr.. Moody
while visiting there the first time. The
young man followed Mr.. Moody TO
America and obtained the privilege OF
preaching in Mr.. Moody's church In Chi
cago for week. There he preached the
gospel for six consecutive nights. and at
the end of his last sermon he excused
himself for not being able to expound the
love of God in better manner.
The speaker emphasized as one side OF
the text the love OF God as the motive
power OF the Christian Church of to-
day, of the individual Christian as well
as Of the church collectively The only
legitimate motive power OF child OF
God was the love of God. However,
there were other motive powers to be
found In this world. The love OF money
was moving many a man to-day, VINO
was a Christian man, instead OF the love
OF Cod Then again large company or
young men and women were moved by
pay the price for IT, which was some
times a tremendous one; they were will
ing TO sacrifice their health for II, and
even their souls.
The love of Christ constrained God's
children, and we wanted this constrain-
ing power Of Christ TO fill our hearts, so
that we might leave behind us our for
malities and our ruts, and so out on the
highway to preach Christ
The Christians employed a good many
devices to draw people into the church.
such as fine edihces, costly organs, paid
choirs. cushioned seats, and I'm a Young
Mems Christian Association II was often
said that a new building was needed to
attract members. While this was true in
"A good many ways yet it did not draw
people 10 Christ. What good would do
all these appointments, these cushioned
seats. etc, If there was not a motive in
It, We should make a distinction be-
tween the machine and the motive power.
All the churches, the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, and similar organlza-
tons had no power merely as organiza-
lions, hut only the capacity for power.
ON the ether hand, how much could be
accomplished IL the hearts OF the people
were filled with the love of God II
would make US love each other; it would
break down ali deuominatiOnal barriers
and all denOminational ISSUES and ieal-
ousies If there were any. would al once
be banshed. II would also enable us TO
love our enemies. II was the easiest
thing IN the world for parent 70 love his
child, and so IL WAS for God TO love His
Son, and il he put His love In our souls
We would become God-like This love
would also enable us to reach out after
the lost what the law could not do
could be accomplished through the love
even OF a little child
There were forces at work In this
world that liked to destroy our souls.
Satan endeavored to instill in our hearts
that God was our enemy This was UNI
true, for God loved US, while he did not
love our sins.
The speaker closed his address with an
earnest appeal TO those out OF the Chris
tan Church to change their lives Christ
died for all OF US. he said. and II any
one persisted it was because he rejected
Gods gift.