The sun., 1897-12-05
CONGKEGATI0NSSTARTLED
METHODS Used DP EVAN6ELIST
WILLIAM ,SDGxR GEL.

WILLIAM ,SIDG1R 0EIL.
% Hsr ne mas Avoided CopductinG Revivais
In Inrrs CIiies-Advertisss IN the r1anuer
or Theatre sIansEsrs-Two wseks' work
in Patterson Proves Htghly RTeotive.
Paterson. N. j., he's . religious revival. Old
Inhabitants say thnt never in tho history Of the
town has there been such n spiritual awaken
ing. Business has been interrupted. The com
inRa ana goings and doings OF Paterson society
have been interrupted. In fact about the only
thing that hasn't been interrupted in the town
10 the running OF the trolley cars. Even they
might hnvo stopped had there been any other
quick and convenient means Of transporting the
saved and uns@vod to the place where the meet
ings werc held.
This state OF religious excitement has con.
tinued for two weeks. How long II will last no
one ventures to predict. Tho meetings at which
all the forvor and enthusiasm have been stirred
mp will close tonight Then, some OF the worldly
minded OF Paterson say-thoro are n few such
left-there will be scramble among the
churches for tho converts that have been made
at the meetings. or course, there couldn't be
revival in Paterson, or anywhere else, without
a revvaist The man who has stirred up tho
fires Of religious enth usiasm to 80 white heat
in the homo Of the V ce-President of the United
States is the Rcv. William Edgar Cell of Doyles-
town, which 10 tho capital Of tho somewhat
These two weeks of work at Paterson are by
no means Mr.. Cells first experience in conduct
ing revival services. In fact. although young
man. bc has had as rcvivalist rather n brill
liant career. 1t Is said Of him that since tho
Rcv.B Fay Mills went over to the Cnitnrians,
10 American evangelist. with the possible ox-
ception Of Mr.. Moody. has bad anything like tho
success of Mr.. Cell. Yet for all that. this young
preacher 10 not anywhere near so widely known
- oth 81 ip
stance. or Mills. or Chapman, or Charles J.
Young. He has mover got his name into
newspapers that are widely read.
The reason for this makes the man oil the moro
Interesting. 1t is not much more than half
dozen years ago that he entered upon tho work
of an evangelical preacher In that timo he has
made IL his particular business TO avoid large
cities. Paterson Is about the largest place in
which he has worked. 1t has been the towns of
from few hundred to three or four thousand
inhabitants that tho Bucks county preacher
has chosen to work In. He reasons that many
are willing to labor in the highways. but that
there are few preachers OF ability who arc con-
tent to travel life's bywa, for tho sake OF tell
ing the Gospel story.
In the little towns of central New York. for
instance, like Oneida and Vernon and Oreskany
Falls, Canastota, Chittenago, and dozens Of 9th.
ers, Cell Is known for tho converts he has made
ana LD0 uDeTAl COnUElUullOuS no udb ToColNGu
It is matter Of record that in some Of these lit
tie central New York towns Of not moro than
two or three thousand inhabitants, the young
preacher has taken away, at the end of n weeks
services, $500 or $400 as the receipts from col
lections. Tho word collection Is used advis.
edly. for Mr.. Cell has o system in run
ming the financial end OF his meetings
that he seldom departs from. On some
night when the revival has abou half
its course. tho preacher causes envelopes to be
distributed among the congregatr Before
the distribution Is made he tells tn ,plc that
he came to them without price. II they caro- to
return tho envelopes with money inside. all
right. II they don't, he says he will be as well
satisfied. He asks for no specific amount, and
tory to him. The amount OF the collection has
seldom been disappointing.
meeting two weeks ago The meeting was held
in the First Baptist Church. Those who heard
s% he st ad bis
pected to see man so It is said. at least in mid.
S 3 dtfnf ds n sfy pG slim or than s
height, height, M with dark curling hair parted near the
glasses. and had a high, broad forehead: He
always wore black frock coat, spotless linen.
The first meeting fairly we'll attended.
but the young preacher concluded that Paterson
therefore, was to improve the music. He or
ESanized A. chorus Of nearly 800 voices, and had
the platform at future meetings. The improve
ment In the music increased the interest in tho
meetings, but still Mr.. Cell was not satisfied.
Then he resorted to advertising. He got per-
mission from tho city authorities to advertise
his meetings rs theatrical performances or other
public amusements are advertised. After that
1t was not long before Paterson was properly
stirred: 1t could not well have been otherwise
when the residents OF Paterson saw, one day In
store windows. on sign boards, and on telegraph
poles, posters which read:
Does the Devil Dance?
Tonight First Baptat Church. :