The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-29
EvANCEL|ST|c WORK
Rev. R. A. Torrey Scores
Some Modern Evils.
The Services Of the Noted Chicago Evangelist
at the Tabernacle Baptist
Church.
Church.

Rev. r. A. Torrey, the preScher-t teacher,
President of the Moody Bible School of
Chicago who is conducting series Of
meetings at the Tabernacle Baptist
church In this city was heard by increas-
ing congregations at his three services
yesterday.
The morning service was on the subject
of How to Pray" On this line the
preacher said that the prayer must be
made unto Cod If power is wanted To
get power we must have a definite and
vivid consciousness that we are talking
to God and that He is listening to us.
The second idea presented by the
preacher was that prayer to be effective
must be without ceasing." This he ex-
planned as meaning earnest, intense, and
full OF heart, not rushing into God'a
presence and a rushing out. Here Mr..
Torrey recommended fasting as a method
OF obtaining power in prayer, and that
this fasting should come in a crisis in
our work or in our individual lives.
The third point urged was that united
prayer gave power, that unity Of purpose,
If real. woulds secure blessing.
The last point made by the preacher
was that we must do those things that
are pleasing to God. At this period of
his discourse the preacher took up the
question of the things that we do that
are displeasing to God, and got in some
severe and sharp raps on theatre goers,
card players, dancers and smokers
He said God would not be pleased with
child of his who attends theatres,
whose influences he said. were thorough
ly rotten. In speaking of such influences,
Mr.. Torrey declared that everybody knew
that many actresses had one husband,
and then another and another and so on.
and that should not be countenanced.
He gave the dancers a jab by saying
that no woman who had any pretension to
modesty would allow her waist to be en-
circled by one not her husband or near
relative, and made the jab sharper by
adding: IF we had not gotten use to
this vile abomination, we would not toll
crate 1t outside of brothe1.''
The card table was next, and the game
CT cards at home, Mr.. Torrey declared.
was 1.-The kindergarten to the gambling
hell" and that he "never knew a con-
verified gambler but that hated the family
euchre game
The tobacco smokers were next warm
ed up. OF these the preacher said that
God was not pleased with one who de-
filed the temple of the HOLY Spirit by
poisoning his system with nicotine.
In conclusion Mr.. Torrey urged total
abstinence from all things that would
keep one out of touch with Cod. as one
must be close to him in order to know
"How to Pray
At night large congregation heard the
strong Eyangelistic service, and great in
terest was shown. Rev. Mr.. sForrey Is an
earnest speaker and mis- congregations
ere increasing in number
There will be services today at 1920
a. M. 80 and 7.30 p. M, and an invi-
tation is extended to the public to be
present.
His afternoon address was on the Bap-
tism of the Holy Spirit. He read from
Acts l, 4, and s. ami showed that the
baptism of the Holy Spirit was thing
so definite that one Viii know when he
receives it; that it is separate and dis
tinct from regeneration. 1T sometimes
happens, however, that conversion and
baptism with the Holy Ghost take place
at the same time, anu such would be
the case in the normal state of the
church, but the church. is not in its nor
NAL state. What this baptism does, the
speaker said, is to impart the power for
testimony and service 1t is not pri-
marly to make us happy, and not pir-
rnarily to make us holy The current
idea that it IS the eradication of the
carnal nature is not true; it simply
helps us to continually, combat the
world and the flesh. TO. emphasize
what he meant by the power for tes-
timony and service, DR., Torrey told how
Mr.. Phinney, the LAWYER evangelist,
when he had received the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, converted the entire Roch-
ester bar, lawyers, judges and all.