The Forrest City times., 1895-08-02
A Successful Meeting

There is revival meeting in progress at the Baptist church. The majority of our citizens have reason to know thIs, and do know it, and are thanking God for t.iThey have been, brought down" so to speak. and the situation is getting serious. Forrest City, we are told, is reputed abroad as an unsympathetic community, when it comes to d revival of religion. They say that we are known abroad as being deaf to all ap- peals and efforts to arouse an interest in the salvation of our souls. We don't realize that such condition ex- ists here, and hence do not believe it. But the fact that there has been in the past such little demonstration after the most earnest and eloquent efforts have been put forth, at least gives color to the assertion that we have not that regard for spiritual things which We ought to have. Ministers, evangelists, all have wrestled with the situation in vain-almost so, at least. Tbey assert that something is wrong. but that they are unable to ferret it out, and none are able to advise them.
 Ed. w. A. Giboney, of Wynne. To- cated there as he says because of it's convenience. and the hOspitable and clever citizenship, is an evangelist. He was invited here by Ed. Stanley, pastor in charge of the Baptist church. to conduct series of meetings. His reputation preceded him, and there was all interest manifested in the meet ing from the beginning. He had heard how hard it would be to interest For rest City congregation in religious mat ters, but he came determined to con- quer the situation. Has he done so ? Attend the service and witness for yourself. The interest has grown slowly, but surely-it is now at very high tension. Men and women, but more especially the former, and this is un- common, who have never before given an hour of serious thought to religious matters. have been brought to- as it were. and the preacher has ''got them guessing"
 On Wednesday night some eight or ten young men prOfessed religion, be- sides one or two young ladies. They express determination to live a bet ter life. We believe they mean to do so. What a grand thing 1t will be to see these boys, some of whom have never walked in any path except that of sin, leading gOdly and manly life. In all, some thirty or forty pro- fessiOns have been made. The trouble has been, heretofore, that the seize has been raised too early. Let this one be kept up. Let the bOmbardment of | satin's strOnghOlds be daily enlivened.
 Make the beseiged hungry for the truth, and then preach it to them with out fear or favor. Eld. GibOny is a fearless speaker. He drives the nail straight home. He says some hard things, yet he speaks in love and kind- ly solicitude for your soul. He sings a l song. he cracks joke, or tells funny anecdote. He makes you laugh, he makes you cry, your heart swells up with interest. you hang upon his every word. He is fascinating in character, earnest in his work, at times eloquent, always interesting. His services are | short, but full of push and vim. The Lord hates a sluggard. He is gentle, yet Outspoken as to the sins which be- | set us. That's what he is here for. and to urge sinners to turn away from sin. His methods are similar to all evangelists, yet he has something about him unusually attractive to one seek ing higher life. It may be his spark ling eye, his welcome smile, his melo- dious voice, his open countenance, his earnest style, or all these combined.
 THE TIMES wishes him still greater success. May he move some of the older ones to a profession. We are glad he came, have been made better by his coming, and hope he may remain un- til there shall be a grand awakening for God.