The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-28
HUNDREDS CONVERTED
No Building in the City Large
Enough For the Crowds.
A Georgia Evangelist RESPONSE
bic For the Awakening.

viyal. Every day and every night hum
dreds have turned out to receive the
Word of the Lord. ;, and other hundreds
have been turned away from the doors
back of which it is expounded, for lack
OF room to accommodate them The
largest building in town has been IN
adeauates the overflow has been like a
tidal wave, and early must one go to
be within the fold where the Spirit
dWellS- For two weeks things religious
have been at a fever pitch in HiaWatlla,
and yet the climax has not been reach
ed. There is YET this week to Gomez
the intensity of the prayers is increasing
daily; the power of the Spirit is felt
more and more; the number of converts
becomes greater at almost every SER
vice. What Hiawatha will be like by
the close OF this revival next Sunday,
one can hardly imagine. The long, low
armory where services are held-with
its rounded roof, it looks as much like
a huge canalbOat as one could wish-is
packed to the doors now; in a week, 1t
choirs.
There are thirteen churches in Hia-
watha, and ten are in this revival move
ment actively, while the others, except
one, sympathize with it. No services
are held on Sunday. except-in the Epis-
copal and Catholic churches- the rest
Of the churches combine in this remark
able revival; their choirs furnish the
music-last Sunday night there were a
dozen cholrs on the stage Of the hall.
and their preachers lend their presence
and their aid.
The man who conducts this revival
and whose efforts thus have borne fruit
is r. M Williams, a Southerner Assist
ing him. much on the Moody and
Sankey style, is G. NJ. Alexander a sing
er, from Iowa. Both hail now from Chi
cago. Williams is q young man, tall,
with brown eyes and a yellow mustache,
utterly uncontrolled He dresses like
business man, wears a four-in-h hand tie
and high band collar, a fashionable
Raglan and a sack suit Alexander is
also tall, a. fine soloist but little more
clerical, in that he wears a white tie.
They have been together seven years.
Alexander trains a choir in every town
they work in, and trains it well. Their
singing is a great feature.
The services, as stated, are held in the
armory, down a side street from the
square 1t is a frame shack, but large.
It never held such crowds before. At
one end is a sort of stage and this is
banked with chairs In these the sing
erS sit. There is an organ, a piano, a
violin, a pulpit, some large chairs,
kitchen, folding, camp, all varieties,
seemingly gathered from any and every
where. It looks as if the town were
skinned for chairs and the nondescript
lot had been gathered from almost all
the halls in the place. Two stoves fur.
nish heat, and several electric arcs give
light when it is required. All about the
place are festoons of ex-Christmas holly,
with pictures, in frames, of Lee, Sher-
man, Stonewan Jackson and Grant, and
or noted civil war battles, 1mpartially
Wreathed with yellowed greens.
Services started at 10:45 o'clock yester-
day morning but at 10, the armory be-
gan to fill. BY beginning time it was
packed. The service was on the regula-
ton revival order-plenty of soul stir
ring songs, sharp, personal prayers,
more songs, ramblingg but forceful
sermon lasting nearly two hours, a
powerful appeal. Then came the in
vitatiOn to the mercy seat, and the go
ing forward of those converted with
the Praise the Lord" of the redeemed
to encourage them in their advance. 1t
was moving: the sight of most of the
town gathered there to bear witness to
the faith was impressive Williams is a
fervid and fiery evangelist; he shouts
and declaims, and his arguments are of
the sledge hammer sort; he beats out
converts by the dozen; he counts his
totals by the hundreds; now, with his
best week ahead of him. He believes in
goodness in his Christians: he won't
have any other sort He is down on
hypocrisy and he hates sham. He says
minced.
The Minister'S Alliance brought these
two men here and the churches these
ministers represent win reap a great
harvest of souls. Most of his converts
join some church after the revival is
over, and hence the activity of the pas
tors, deacOns and elders nowadays. The
converts are drawn into the fold in a
non-sectarian net. They are like a great
haul of fishes. of all. sorts and kinds.
The pastors, deacOnS and elders are the
and kinds and draw each his own sort
unto him. 1t is easy enough therefore,
for the Baptist preacher, for instance,
to gather into his church all those of
Baptist utilization, and so on. But in
so great draw of a net as this one
finds a vast swarm of unclassified. of
men and women not ordinarily religious,
who have confessed and are anxious to
be numbered with the elect. For these
there is a great scramble and mighty
are the efforts to enroll them.
q
pastors They are business men chosen
from the churches in even numbers.
They wear long red badges and they
keep good optics peeled for every con-
vert unattached. Every one receives at
tentfon galore and the wise one is he
is sure of a seat well forward, a. good
hymn book and a hasty passing of the
contribution box. Controlling these
uSherS is a chief usher and an assistant
chief usher, both with long white badg-
es; they separate the sheep from the
goats The members of the choir bus
tie in and take their seats with conscious
effect. They earn the right, for Precen-
tor Alexander makes them work; the
hymns follow one the other quickly, and
there is no drag when his long arm and
outSpread hand is in motion
As a consequence of all this, Hia-
watha is a changed place these days
There are no joints for a Mrs. Nations
aveng1ng AK to Destroy anyhow. but
even the drug stores complain of light
business. The streets are SlngularIy
free OF loafers. the town huns seems
to be very lonely, there are no crap
games in the barber shop-indeed. it
with everything except livery barns, |
druggists and hotels is closed tightly
today-and the whole place is wrapped |
in q profound quiet The country folk /
have come in by scores, but IN a sub
dued way; their rigs are hitched about /
the square-with horses mostly un-