The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-17


whom : president OF ~ Christian Al
liaUce- They arrived IN this city Friday
evening, and began their work Saturday
afternoon.
Yesterday morning a large audience
filed the main assembly hall Of the
church al % o'clock and at the regular
church hour. II o'clock the church was
crowded. The meeting was opened with
singing by the congrega ton and a short
prayer. The morning themes. The Bap-
tism With the Holy Spirit-How 10 Re
ceive.' and The Promise OF the Spirit"
were presented BY the two speakers IN
a manner that captured and thrilled the
audiencss
Power of the Holy spirit.
Mr. Merritt. who opened the service.
has an earnest. pleading voice and an
Impressive manner OF serious zeal. He
told most graphically how he had labored
for twenty-five years 70 build up his mis-
sion in New York city and the esteem
IN which he was held by his parishioners.
and 10 find In the end that Ii was of
no avail. because he had nor received the
Holy Ghost. He told how one day. in
his study. the Holy Spirit had come 10
him. and how he had accepted il. How
glorious he felt in his new life. How,
before the coming year he was bent
from work and care, and how strong he
felt afterwaTd. He impiored his audit
ors 10 set aside the gayetIes of life and
seek the Holy Spirit and be happy
Mr.. Simpson followed and chose for his
theme, THE Promise OF the Spirit"
which he handled in a mastery man
ner. Re is a quiet. plain-speaking orator
who uses the choicest language and en-
livens his discourse with thrilling Incl
dents Of everyday life. related in man
ner that creates the most intense inter
est. He told most beautiful story of
sef-saCrifce that happened IN his own
home in New York city, of a young girl
who was living with his family. He gave
her name as Ella. and said she had lit
tie bright-eyed son named Harry. with
whom a wealthy friend of his had fallen
in love and Hhom he wanted 10 adopt
and make his heir. as he had no children
of his own. The mother after consider
able persuasion and many tears hnally
consented, but when the papers were
made out and ready for her TO sign she
discovered that the gentleman desired
that the hoy should take his name and
become his absolutely. the fond mother
wavered. but on the advice of the speaker
consented. He told how that boy was be-
ing raised and what an honor he would
be some day 10 all. This was given as
an example of self-sacrifice. and how
easy 1t Is for a person to give himself
to God.
Mr. Simpsons effort took up over an
hour, and was eagerly listened to. He
held up as an example the Prophet Eli
sha. whose early life aud subsequent
greatness and goodness he fervently por-
trayed-
The Higher Christian Life.
The divtnes chose for their second ser
vice. which began al 2:30 o'clock the
theme The Fourfold Gospel and the
Christian Alliance" After singing and
prayer. Mr.. Merritt spoke for three-quar
ters of an hour. His effort was given with
the same fervor and aightforwardness
that characterized his previous services.
and after carrying HIS hearers into a
state Of mind bordering upon melan-
choly by telling of the wickeduess ex-
listing in the world. he would dispel the
impression with a witty and pointed
anccdote.
This sermon was followed by song
and another prayer. and Mr.. Simpson
stepped forward and began what devel-
Oped into one Of the most scholarly ad
dresses on religion ever. listened to in
this CRY. He dwelt particularly on the
work and aim of the Christian Alliance.
which he alluded to as the higher Chris
tian life" His quotations from The Bible
were numerous and in nearly every in
stance were used as a comparison with
the actions Of human beings in everyday
life He paid a high tribute TO the Sal
y n
although II belong d 20 no church II had
accomplished a world Of good
Mr. Simpson stated a : his belief that
any Christian who led a thoroughly sane
titled life and embraced the doctrine set
forth would at once he relieved from bod
lily infrmitieS holding that disease or
lntlrmity denoted the presence az sin in
the being He here told OF little incl
dent that happened in Portland last week
while he and Mr. Merritt We're holding
meetings there. He had made he iden-
teal statement above when a well-kuovn
young Baptist divine named Sullivan,
who sat IN the audience. took exception
10 e.. and asked the speaker If he Nir.
Sullivan. who had been injured by a
fall from his nurses arms in childhood
and had received a permanent injury 10
the hin could be held accountable for his
infIrmlty Mr.. Simpson said he did not
desire to enter into an argument or
create A scene. and dismissed The ques-
;iou IN these words
That is a matter 7 cannot decide. II
Hes between YOU and God"
lie then gave an tustna7e of a yoln :
woman I'm Maine who had mir8ruloosly
recovered from a similar infirmify while
a. q christian Alliance meeting. giving
The name. place and da'e. We said 'he
Young woman had never suffered day :
Illness since. and Was nov a missionary
IN south America. NJ. simpson said he
could give 1oon similar INSTANCES.
He had heard an eminent divine in the
East with whom ~ was wcll a~Guaint 81.
state ~ a conEresa lion once that instead
Of Progressing spiritually Amcr.a was
retraEreSsiug ana would soon 10 on a
rar with countries like China. Japan and
India.
Many People Hear the Word.
He mentioned with muvh feeling and
gratitude tAf hearty vel comes he AMI rs