The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-11
Revival Work Expe.
enced in Clinton.
MANY SOULS SAVED.
Definite Plans for Removing
City of the Dead.

Clinton, Feb 10.-Men who have been
churchmen in this town for 80 years
and more say they have never wit
messed a more remarkable series of
conversions than those resulting from
the meetings that have been held in
the Clinton Methodist Church since
Sunday. Jan. 10. More than 70 per-
sons, men and women, have come to
the altar. Nearly as many have been
directly converted in the use of the
word as it is understood in the Meth
odist church. The last meeting for
the present will be given Sunday night.
Then Revivalists Edward A. Leslie and
Perry H. Murdick of Keene will begin
series of meetings in the Baptist
Church. This series will begin Mon
day night.
Any person who has attended the
meetings in the Methodist Church as
the correspondent of The Spy has,
cannot believe but that some unusual
force has been in operation. At the
meeting tonight, many persons gave
NfAASiASS VI ulluSudl distress mlnQ.
Some presented the appearance of
those enjoying an excess of happiness.
Ihe meeting was like every other meet
ing during the revival, well attended.
The GOODNESS of the weather had APP
parently little effect in keeping the de-
Tout away.
Tor more than two hours there was
a cluster of people at the front, mostly
Young people, who had not previously
evidence n nj iur;o
1eellng, the members OF the church
SAD. They were upon their knees
praying, some fervently, some broken
~, each with no apparent heed of the
surroundings. In the meantime, the
meeting continued without regard to
the deVotions of those at the altar. ex-
cept so far as what was done was di-
rected toward sustaining them. Pas
Tor A M. Osgood and the evangelists
laDofed with those present to ioin the
little group at the front, to make at
least some kind of a public pledge of a
aeslre and a purpose to lead a better
ne, rms meeting was typical of those
tIlat nave gone before, except that it
was less fervent than many other
meetings. The revival, Rev. Mr. Os-
waning anu
Mr. Osgood told the story of the be-
ginning of the revival to the CORE
spondent of The Spy this evening. The
clurch was ripe for a revival. he said
MneL these two laymen, with their
practical methods, came to us ouite
proVidentially. 1t was Sunday. four
weeks ago from this present Sunday
MT. Leslie had come to town to Visit
ms aunt, Mrs. Mcmahon, and he came
10 our meeting. He took part in the
meeting, and that very night there
evan,re t Sn1, conversions: Wednesday
senins IoiloWlng, he had charge of the
meeting After that, we began fhe
revival. We have had meetings naar-
~ ~ every night, except Saturday night
Ihey haveAll been very successfIi As
-llany as eight persons have come for
ward at one meeting, At a few meet
ihgs there have been no conversions
~ tnose Were meetings aimed to sus
All ,. muse VINO mad already come into
sions.' ~ receive aces
MI Osgood also told how the meet
lhgs quite naturally turned into union
meetings. The people of the Bantist
Nhufch began to come to them and
were soon in full benefit Of the infIu-
ence that had already been so mirac
1ious IN It's effects on the people of
Pastor Osgood's church. Soon Rev A
,. Brown, pastor of the Baptist Church
began to be pretty regular attendant
AZ the meetings, and they became
union meetings.
rms is the reason Mr.. Osgood was
unable to say tonight exactly how
ildhy sound conversions had resulted
1[oln the revival. He explained that
-aethodlsts regarded the appearance ot
the altar only as an evidence of the
desire OF the person 20 receive knowl-
euge. After they come to the altar
we try to get them 10 pray for them
selves At first they have hard work
70 90 this but when they do. a feel
ing Oh peace comes over them. The
81 usSle IN which. they have been en-
saSeo ceases, and the next night thev
are at the front of the meeting. ION
earnestly in the singing, and soon
we get them on to their feet. A very
large percentage win be found upon
the practitioners bench when the list
70 De received upon probation is pre-
pared, Mr.. Osgood thinks.
One of the unusual things about
Evangelist Leslie. 20 whose nra hticai
methods large part of the solidty
OF the results secured is to be attrih-
uled, Is that he is a Clinton bov. He
received his education in the Clinton
nigh school. He is we'll known in Wor-
cester. He began his work as a re-
NiValist in Worcester, where he ioined
an organization formed there and
known as the Crusaders. He has
worked independently of the organiza-
tlon. most of the time, but has followed
the methods generally approved by the
organization. Murdick is regarded as
young man of remarkable ability. He
has graduated from the high school al
Keene, N. H. He r. going to study
theology in the Boston University
with the purpose Of becoming a clergy.
man in the Methodist Church. He is
not 20 years old. Mr.. Leslie follow,
Very practical methods. He does no.
believe that very great results are at
tanned by getting persons to sign card.
promising to do things. He works t
bring them to the front, and to ge
them to ask publicly for the prayer!
of the church. Then ne gets them in
terested in ethe meetings, and so wei
grounded that it is difficult for then
to backslide. In the minds OF peopl,
who understand church work, however
a great portion of these remarkable re
suits must be ascribed 10 the fact tina
the church was in state OF prepared
ness. At any rate, no movement o
the kind, at once so extensive and 81
thorough, has been known here within
the memory of the oldest people.
On three nights in the week tn
Methodists will join with the Bap
------------------- 1870 -------- -----------