The morning times., 1895-11-03

and hardly less in different denominations
in the same country.
I The quiet confirmation by the Catholic
and Episcopal churches is in sharp con-
trast with demonstrations among the Meth
odists and others. Very few Of the younger
persons of this day have ever seen such
methods as were commonly employed forty
to fifty years ago.
The ''mourners' bench and under con-
viction" are forms of speech entirely for
eign to the later Christian worker. Not
that they do not exist still in remote country
churches, but they are quite unknown to
the great evangelist labors of Moody,
Sam Jones, Barnes and Others, just as
they are in the ma iority of city churches.
Yey there are men in the churches to day
who remember some old meeting house
out in the woods near where the neighbor-
hood roads converge on the way to the
county town as the blessed place where
they received their hope" 1t was at pro-
tracted meetings generally, when the min
listers had been preaching every night for
q week.
CHURCH WAS THRONGED.
Farmers were coming for miles in their
wagons, with children, hired hands, and
friends, as many as could crowd in. The
church was thronged. The ministers had
become wrought up to a high pitch of enthu-
siasm and nervous excitement, such as
was witnessed here recently at the Mission
Union meetings.
At the close OF the sermon, with terrible
picture of the dangers OF delay or pathetic
exposition OF divine grace, the preacher
broke into tears, and coming down from
the pulpit eXhorted sinners to accept the
salvation SO freely offered; then, while a
touching hymn was sung, appealed to those
interested tozcOm forward to the anxious
seat. This was the first step.
1t opened the way to acceptance. The
occupants were under conviction, penitent,
ready to be saved. In many churches in
the older day this, however, was often q
long way from salvation. 1t was neces-
sary TO experience change of heart. Just
what this meant could never be made quite
clear.
Instances have been known where a
child seeking conversion was expecting
some physical change. Many conscien-
tious person has gone forward to the seat,
"mourners' bench" at one revival after
another for several years under a woful
burden OF sin, hoping for some light, and
finding 1t not because unable to recognize
any turn which could be believed to CORE
spond in any degree to the familiar Incl
dents of Paurs conversion.
Finally relief would come IN the state
ment OF some more liberal minister that
religion must not be expected to come to
all in the same manner; that persons born
in Christian homes and living compara-
lively without sin. at least without any
great wiliful wrongdoing might not know
precisely when the change OF feeling and
purpose had taken place.
No MARKED REVULSiON.
The old man was put off aud the spirit
renewed by such insensible degrees that no
marked revulsion Of the heart from its
sinful ways was TO be expected.
Then the anxious inquirer, free from tile
dread OF being lost, would move forward
to the mercy seat and experience the WON
drous Joy and uplift Of soul known to the
new converts best, but experienced also by
the faithful revived. The scenes of the
acceptance of the saved were often weiriIy
picturesque.
The groups Of kindred and friends gath.