The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-21
REVEALS OVER.
Packed to Hear
Evangelists' Farewell.

The union revival services which have
been conducted in this city during the
past three weeks by D. D. Potter and |
p. p Bilhorn of Chicago closed last I
night with a monster meeting at the
Auditorium.
All the churches in the city being va
cant, an unusually large crowd found
its way to the Auditorium The people
began to assemble shortly after .
O'clock and at the largest audience
room in the city was crowded At 1-2U
it was announced that over five hundred
people stood outside the building unable
TO gain entrance. And It IS eStlnateo
that over thousand were turned
away.
from the rostrun it was with the state
ment that those inside should appfe-
ciate the opportunity it was their PRIV
ilege to enjoy and that ali those WHO
were not Christians should begin the
Christian life from that moment
Rev J. D. Countermine opened lne
meeting. He started the service by TAX
ing a. collection to be given to the TWO
gentlemen who conducted the revITai
services He himself gave I'VE collars
Immediately following his announce
ment of the So donation he asked or the
ministers who We're seated on lns
rostrun, ssHow many ministers are
/ there here who will give an additional
/ I'VE doI1ars2', A single man responded
claimed, "Ha, Ia, brethren, nave
! gotten ahead of you this time
Continuing, he said: Nv hoeVef mas
not the money to give, let him gives his
! shoes" Whereupon several little boys
/ who were sitting in the front row IN the
gallery almost directly over the speaAer
called out in an audible voice NO, Ho'
we won't give shoes.
| Deens tin pans were passed through the
| audience for the donations While the
collection was being taken MI. Potter
1aH a
would like that everyone would write
! his or her name on the envelep con-
| tanning the donation, SO that ne couio
see how much each one liked NM
whether it was Hfty cents WORTH VI AAey
| dollars worth.
Rev. Mr.. Counterqnine asked all to
! hold up their hands, then to put them
| down deep in their pockets and brlns
| them up full and put the contents INTO
the contribution plates. He explained
that he wanted to see the pans niled
He said they We're already run oI ar
but that the air could be CROWDED Out
EVANGELIST Rilhorn made the an
| nouncement from the rostrum tnaL ne
had sold his baby, whereupon a laug n
was created by Rev. COuntermlne ask
| ing the audience what they thought OF
a man who would sell his baby me
baby is the little organ he has play ed
during the revival services
The finance committee got togetheF
after the collection was taken and re-
ported that the collection taken lasL
Sunday amounted to $98, which was ap-
| piled to the expenses incurred IN con-
Quoting the meetings, and the collec-
ton taken last night amounted 10 $1los
which was given to the evangelists-
The sermon which Mr.. Potter del1v-
cred last night was in the nature OF a
= MR.. BLHoRN TO MEN
ssF7ronn Stage to Pulpit" was the
| theme which Mr.. p. p Bilhorn, the
evangelistie singer, made his address
upon at the First Presbyterian church
Sunday afternoon About thousand
n7en listened to Mr.. BilhOrn's interest
ing narrative Of his life. and at times
showed themselves deeply moved by ms
words At the opening of the service ne
SANG several solos, being assisted IN the
chorus of each by a male chorus OF
about thirty persons.
Bv way of preparing his hearers for
the address, he sang with great efLecl
where is My Wandering boy -
night2" and then at once began telnng
the story of his life. Mr.. Bilhorns boy
hood days were spent in a small eastern
town. ssYou all know that in every
town there is one family poorer than
any other One that everybody recog-
nizes as such, talks about in that way,
and brings in help to whenever they
can Such was our family My rather
55a5 at the close Of the war and mother
was left with a. number of small chill
dren of which was the youngest
Continuing the narration he told OF the
+ trials which the family experienced I'M
: til the children, all except himself and
, brother were placed out in different
rarfs of the country. Learning the trade
t of a carriage painter in young man
! hood he followed it for a good while IN
Chicago One day saloonkeepef ap-
: 0ached him and three companions
] and asked them to sing at his place
: AZ business 1--WE sang a piece, and the
crowd applauded for more music, Sa1o
he ssThen we sang another ana an
5 oTher the crowd increasing all tne
time The proprietor gave US some
I Havana cigars. and as we sang the
: crowd still grew. the saloonkeeper deal
: ing out drinks and cigars all the time
Every night for several years after
ward I sang at the saloon. Then ne
: was persuaded to attend an eVangehslae
service being held in one OF the MOODY
churches and after q time was con-
verted. George G. Stebbins. the notice
{ singer and author of sacred songs, nae
: charge of the music. and Mr.. Bilhorr
| was much Influenced. no doubt. by lhs
. singing 81 went down to the saloor
. and told the proprietor / wanted e
! sing. he had heard Of my salvation ane
: fold me I was crazy. knew tns
! ssesvyeet Bye and Bye" and Where
: NV Wandering Boy Tonight and be
I gan singing He took me by the arm
! pushed me cut Of the door and | suns
: there on the sidewalk. sung there II
: front of that saloon until 1t was broker
Z IN and a hardware store took It's plac'
in the building. thank Cod since tneI
Mr. Bilhorn has given up his time e
evangelistic singing and work gehefaiis
n