News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-02-13


not Ike his native cline, it is because
while he lived there be did not behave
we'll THIS capital stands where. by its
locality and its political influence, il
stretches forth one hand toward the
north and the other toward the south,
and a mighty work Of grace $arting here
would probably be natiC5al awaken
ing. Georgia would clasp the hand of
New Hampshire, and Maine the hand Of
Louisiana, and California the hand of
New York, and say, Come, let us 90 up
and worship the God of nations, the
Christ Of Golgotha, the Holy Ghost of
the pentecostal three thousands. " 1t has
often been alid that the only way the
north and the south will be brought into
complete accord is to have war with
some foreign nation in which both sec
tons, marching side by side, would for
get everything but the foe to be over
come, Well, if you wait for such a
foreign conflict, you will wait until all
this generation is dead and perhaps wait
forever. The war that will make the
sections forget past controversies is a
war against unrighteousness, such as
universal religious awakening would
declare What we want is battle for
souls in which about 40, 900, 600 north
erners and southerners shall be on the
same side and shoulder to shoulder. In
no other city on the continent can such
war be declared SO appropriately, for all
the other great cities are either north
ern or southern This is neither, or
rather it is both.
Religion Among Statesmen.
Again. it would be especially advan-
tageous if mighty work of grace start
ed here, because more representative
men are in Washington than in any 9TH
er city between the oceans. OF course
there are accidents in politics, and occa-
sionally there are men who get into the
senate and house Of representatives and
other important places who are fitted
for the positions in neither head nor
heart, but this is exceptional and more
exceptional now than in other days.
There is not drunkard in the national
legislature, although there were times
when Kentucky, Virginia, Delaware,
Illinois, New York and Massachusetts,
had men in the senate or house Of repre-
sentatiyes who were maudlin and stag
gering drunk across those high places.
Never nobler group of men sat in senate
or house of representatives than sat there
yesterday and will sit there tomorrow,
while the highest judiciary, without ex
ception, has now upon its bench men
beyond criticism for good morals and
mental endowment. So in all depart
ments of official position, with here and
there an exception, are today the braini-
est men and most honorable men of
America. Now, suppose the Holy Ghost
power should fall upon this city, and
these men from all parts of America
should suddenly become pronounced for
Christ. Do you say the effect would be
electrical? More than that. 1t would be
omnipotert Do yen say that such
learned and potent men are not wrought
upon by religious influence? That shows
you have not observed what has been
going on.
Commodore Foote, representing the
navy; General Grant and Robert E.
Lee, representing the northern and
southern armies; Chief Justice Chase,
representing the supreme court; the
Frelinghuysens, Theodore and Frederick,
representing the United States senate ;
William Pennington and scores of 9TH
ers, representing the house Of represent
atives, have surrendered to that gospel,
which before this winter is out will IL
this capital CT the American nation, if
we are faithful in our prayers and OK
ertiOns, turn into the kingdom of God
men Of national and international pow
er, their tongues Of eloquence becoming
the tongues Of fire in another Pentecost.
There are on yonder hill those who by
the grace Of God will become John
KnOXes and ChrysoStOms and FeneloDs
and Bourdeleaus, when once regenerat-
ed. There is an illusion l have heard in
prayer meetings and heard in pulpits,
that soul is a sOul-one soul worth as
much as another. deny it, The soul
of man who can bring 900 or 10, 900
other souls into the kingdom of God is
worth 1,00G times Or 10, 900 times more
than the soul Of man who can bring
no one into the kingdom. A great out
pouring of the Holy Spirit in this CAPT
tai, reaching the chief men of America
would be of more value to earth and
heaven than i'll any other part of the ma
tion because it would reach all the
states, cities, towns and neighborhoods
of the continent Oh, for the outstretch
cd right arm Of Gcd Almighty in the
salvation of this capital
A Look backward.
Some of rs remember 1857, when at
the close Of the worst monetary distress
this country has ever felt, compared
with which the hard times of the last
three years were a boom of prosperity,
right on the heels of that complete pros
tration came an awakening in which
500, 600 people were converted in differ
ent states Of the Union Do you know
where one Of its chief powers was dem
onstrated? IL Washington. Do yor
know on what street? This street. Dc
you know in what church? This church
picked up gu old book a few days age
and was startled and thrilled and en-
chanted to read some words, written al
} that time by the Washington core
spondent of a New York paper. HI
wrote: "TLe First Presbyterian churcl
can scarce contain the people. Requests
arc daily preferred for an interest in The
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