The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-08
OPTICIANS.

After witnessing the aquatic feats of the
divers swimmers and boatmen, the crowd
grew impatient for the baptism and scram-
bled about uneasily the bluffs or clam
bered up and down from the boat landing,
where 1t was to occur. When the Pente-
costers finally arrived, with Bibles in hand
singing hymns, the pressure was so great
as almost to force them over the edge of
the wharf into the river
"Pleese stand back and give us little
room, pleaded Mr.. Nelson, with upliftsd
hand. IF this pressure is net relaxed we
VIII have to postpone this until tomorrow,
when you are not here.
This was effectual in clearing space five
or six feet wide along the wharf, where
the thirty young men and women who had
come through into the kingdom and We're
anxious to publicly attest that fact stood.
with uncovered heads, surrounded by this
older workers" The sun was low apd
shone in their faces, lighting them into deep
Somebody sing a piece" asked Mr.. Nell
son, after a short prayer.
THEY SANG AN OLD HYMN.
"Shall We Gather at the River?" began
a young woman, with fresh. sweet voice.
The song was taken up, and the music
fioated out over the river to the people in
boats who were resting idly on their oars.
watching the scene with considerable curl
osity. The place chosen was not the best
for sightseers, and there was great deal
of scrambling and showing. One woman.
with married daughters in tow, crowded
women in front of her, who kept calling
out in low tones that she would push them
into the river over the heads of the young
urchins who were seated on the edge of the
wharf craning their necks. The woman
was persistent, and her black eyes snapped
and her lips were firmly compressed as size
Come on Josephine come on Mary
Crowd right in here.
Il never touched her." she snapped, to-
tally unabashpd. when the woman in front
fell back exciaiming that she didn't want
to be pushed snto the water by that horrd
Boys Climbed on the lighthouses and into
the trees for good places to see. Save 10
the devout participants in the solemn rite
the occasion was looked on as novel spec
tacle.
had to withdraw into a boat when the
crowds pressed down closely to the shore
of the sea, = said a sweet-faced old lady
with white hair. 1T is scandalous how
these people crowd down on the Worship
She was shocked at the giggling that ses-
eral young giYls INDUCED in while a prayer
was being saiil. After some delay Mr.. Nell
son was really for the ceremony. and
stepped off the wharf upon chair sunk in
the water and held down with a heavy steel
sledgehammeI He and an assistant helped
an old man dewn .nto the water. The mln-
lister whispered a prayer and then said:
Albert, / baptiZe thee in the name of the
Father, the Son and the Holy, Ghost.
candidate over. thrusting him completely
under the WAGER
What can wash away my sins:
Nothing put the blood of Jesus?"
sang the PeHtecosters as albert" strux-
gled to his fe4t. blowing the water from his
mouth and nose and wiping it from his eyes
This simple ceremony was repeated time
and again. Cine very large woman about
fifty years Old who weighed perhaps two
hundred pounds, had a difficult time In.
climbing down into the water by way be
the chair ana it took two three men to
assist her bdck to the platform. Before
going into the water the men had removed
their shoes and piled them on the wharf.
The crowd trampled upon them. and sorae
of the candidates had difficulty In finding
them before starting back to the camp
ground, leaving watery trail of bare foQt-s.
marks on the steps that led up the bank.
Some thoughtlesS young persons We're
moved to unseemly mirth by the appearance
of the wet gaTbs clinging TO the candidates,
the large woTslan particularly exciting their
risiblities t3sseEt Il
After the 9aptismal service was ended,
the workers marched away, singing mora
hymns and were soon in the midst of large
ring services" in which they were Joined
by those who had been baptized after they
We're clad in. dry clothing. They all had
happy faces. The last service OF the tpo
weeks meeting was the administration OF
the Lords supper last night. Camp VIII