The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-03-29

do not say TO you, as some say. do
not cry. God pity people in trouble
who have the parched eyeball and ry
eyelid and can not shed tear. That
makes maniacs. To Gods people tears
are the dew of the night dashed with
sunshine. am SO glad you can weep.
But you think these things you say to
yourself are only soliloquies No, no;
they are the Comforter, vino is the
Holy Ghost.
Notice also the Holy Ghost as the
preachers reinforcement. You and |
have known preachers encyclopedia in
knowledge, brilliant as an iceberg
when the sun smites it. and with Ches-
terfieldian address and rhetorical hand
uplifted with diamond big enough to
dazzle an assembly and so surcharged
with vocabulary that when they left
this life it might be said of each of
them as De Quincy said of another
that in the act of dying he committed
robbery, absconding with n valuable
polyglot dictionary, yet no awakening
or converting or sanctifving result,
while some plain man, with humblest
phraseology. has seen audiences whelm-
ed with religious influence. 1t was
the Holy Ghost. What a useful
thing it would be if every minis
ter would give the history of his SER
moLs. Years ago at an outdoor meet
ing in the state of New York preached
to many thousands. There had been
much prayer on the grounds for a great
outpouring of the Holy Ghost at that
service, and the awakening power eX-
ceeded anything l ever witnessed since
/ began to preach, with perhaps the ex-
ception of two or three occasions. Cler-
gymen and Christian workers by the
score and hundreds expressed them
selves as having been blessed
during the service. That after
noon | took the train for an out
door meeting in the state of Ohio. where
| was TO preach on the night of the
next day. As the sermon had proved
so useful the day before and the theme
was fresh in nv mind. resolved to re-
produce it, and did reproduce it as far
as | could. but the result was nothing
at all. Never had | seemed to have
to do with flatter failure.
What was the difference between the
two services? Some will say: You
were tired with long journey" No,
/ was not tired at all. Some will say:
The temporal circumstances in the
first case were more favorable than in
the last" No, they were more favor
able in the last. The difference was in
the power of the Holy Ghost-mightily
present at the first service, not SEEM
ngly present at all at the second. / |
,all upon the ministers of America to |
give the history of sermons. for 1 be-
ieve it will illustrate as nothing else |
,an the truth of that Scripture: Not |
oy might nor by power, but by My |
spirit, saith the Lord
On the Sabbath of the dedication of |
me of our churches in Brooklyn. at the
morning services. 32S souls stood up to
profess Christ. They were the con-
'erts in the Brooklyn Academy of Mu-
ic. where we had been worshiping.
The reception of so many members
md many of them baptized by
made it an ar
Iuous service. which continued
rom half past 10 in the morning
Until half past 2 in the after
loon. From that service we went
lome exhausted. because there is
Iothing so exhausting as deep emo
ion. A messenger was sent out to
'btaiu n preacher for that night, but
he search was unsuccessful. as all the
minister's were engaged for some other
lace. With no preparation at all for
he evening service. except the looking
n Cruden's Concordance for a text and
ceiling almost too weary to stand up,
egan the service. saying audibly
rhile the opening song was being
ung, although because of the singing
o one but God heard it. 20 Lord.
hou knowest my insufficiency for
his service, Come down in gracious
over upon this people" The place
ras shaken with the divine presence.
IS far as we could find out. over 400
ersons were converted that night.
lear it. all young men entering the
linistry: hear it. all Christian work.
rs. 1t was the Holy Ghost