The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-17
BY THE EMINENT AND POPULAR
IRISH EVANGELIST.
TWO SERVICES EACH DAY
And the Interest Increasing With Each After
noon and Evening Services--Large
Crowds Attend Every
Service.

large congregations since Sunday last.
Mr.. Needham is an eminent evangelist,
a brother of Mr.. George G. Needham,
whom Raleigh people remember with
much pleasure. He is a native of Ire
land, but came, in his early boyhood to
Philadelphia. He entered the ministry
many years ago, and has preached in the
leading cities of this country and South
America.
MIR. Needham is a gentleman of very
pleasant address. He has Travelled con-
siderably and has by close study and OBJ
seryation stored away a wide knowledge
of men and things. He is short of
stature, but stout and the picture of
good health, with waving iron gray
hair and heavy becoming moustache.
His dress is unconventional and unpre-
tentious. He wears dark suit, with his
coat douhle-breasted sack, fitting close
ly about him, a turn-down collar with
wide black tie arranged in bow.
His manner is pleasing, his gestures
impressive and his sermons strong and
powerful, but simple enough for all TO
understand them. He speaks rapidly
and fuently with just enough of the
rich brogue of Erin to give diStinc-
tive charm to his words and sentences.
In his discourse he appeals to the higher
attributes of men and impresses upon
the unsayed that it it's higher and bet
ter work enobling and more manly to
be good and to be follower of the Mas
ter. His sermons have each night
aroused the large congregations that
have heard him. There is nothing SEN
sational about him, nothing odd. nothing
in his remarks to pain or offend. He
breaches the gospel with feeling and eff
feet, without excitement or undue emo
ton.
At last nights service the church was
thronged with people. At the close OF
the sermon good number manifested
an interest in the meeting by rising and
asking for special prayer in their be-
half.
The sermon last night was a strong
and Impressive discourse with the four
leprous men sitting outside the gate as
the subject. The text was the third
verse of the 1th chapter of Second Kings.
sand there were four leprous men at
the entering in of the gate and they
said one to another, why sit We here
until we die
81 want to bring these four men be-
for you tonight" said the evangelist.
These four leprous men, who sat out
side of the gates Of the city. The ia
mine was within the city and the Syrian
camp was outside, but il they sit still
they would die. If they returned into
the city they die of the famine. Ii they
fall into the camp of the Syrians and
they killed them, they could but die.
"They went into the Syrian camp.
God made the Syrians to hear noise
and they fled and the four men were
saved.
"There are those here tonight not un-
likethe four leprous men. Leprosy, as
defined by the Old Testament, is a faint
type of sin, revealed to the high priest
by few blotches ON the forehead, and
ready for cleansing only when it is
broken out on the body, medicine MOI
medical science could cure it. The same
with the unsaved man, SO long as the
sin is kept hid within you you cannot
be cleansed, but when it breaks out
when you are ready to confess it before
the great high priest, then you are ready
for cleansing and then the great high
priest of your soul will cleanse you. The
leper would waste away; His limbs would
almost drop from his body, his eyes fail
out and yet so alluring and deceptive
was the disease that the poor victim
would imagine that he was still beauti-
full to behold. So with sin. 1t lures on its
victim, steals away his best manhood
impOverishes his soul dwarfs him in the
sight of God and yet deceives him
into believing that he is still perfect
and great TO behold, "Sin is incurable.
Nothing that man can do can relieve it
none but Christ can cure it,
There is nothing good in us in the
4 4 L I. l. Al,
only camera that can properly reveal
to us what We really are"
Like the poor woman who had the
smallpox. She did not know it; her
photography did not detect it, but the
camera revealed the terrible trSth-
look at yourselves through Gods word
and behold your ''sin diseased SOUL
Confess that sin repent and receive sal
walton; then 90 to work for God.
/ have little use for the man or wo-
man who goes about boasting on the
joys Of Gods salvation without trying
to induce others to enjoy that salvation
You may not all talk nor preach, but
you may bear witness for God.
"Abell worshipped God, Aaron walk
ed with God, and Noah bore witness
for God. One worshiped, the other
walked, the other witnessed. Something
for all to do"
You hear the scriptures read. You
say you don't understand them. 1t is
because you do not listen Alright.
God is rich; he cares nothing foI
your gifts unless you accept Jesus, His
Son.
'You wait for feeling. You want tc
feel like it before you accept Christ.
have seen people with tears in their
eyes for months, waiting for feeling.
put little stress on feeling. The word
Is only mentioned seven times in the
Bible.
"You find peace and joy not in feeling
but in believing. Accept Christ just as
you are. He will save you. Feeling:
don't count for much with me. True
repentance and true believing is worth
al the feeling. There Is no other pro-
baton. Jesus never went into he'll to