Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-29
LOCKER ON in IOWA.
For the Times Republican.
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self-imposed duties the writer at
tended the revival meetings in pro-
gress at Clarion one night last week
The meetings are in charge of r. z
Johnson, evangelist. Note that the
Rev" prefix is omitted, purposely or
otherwise. The singing led by Mr..
Grose, of Chicago. consisted of much
new, and many old familiar revival
songs, rendered with immense effect
by choir of say ESQ persons on the
platform. "A noticeable thing was that
this choir consisted of 225 female
voices to % male. The congregation
gathered the night the LOCKER on was
present, was made up at least of not
more than women to one man. All
this is not particularly interesting
but Mr.. Johnson's methods in con-
Quoting the services, at least the one
referred to, are a complete answer
and denial, to the oft repeated state
ments these days that the old fash
Toned hell is not now preached. Mr..
Johnson selected a text that proved
conclusively that a large number of
our neighbors and friends ARE con-
demned already" mot will be-" as Mr..
johnson said, but are now. To illus
trate the danger of putting off the day
of salvation, the preacher told story,
that the actors performed their parts
in his own town back east. It seems
that man and his wife arrived at
one of the depots and proceeded to
walk to another depot. Only block
ny. hot he fok ~
with q hemorrhage and his life blood
the hospital. And his poor, bereaved
wife exclaimed in her anguish: 4
could be reconciled to his loss, but l
know he has gone to hell" Again, Mr..
johnson brought tears to the eyes Of
many Of those present by imagining
the case of good man, good neighbor,
good citizen, one who paid his debts
but was not Saved" and on his death
bed his little son obliged to say, "My
poor papa's gone to hell" OF a little
girl at the side of coffin containing
all that was left of a good mother,
but not Saved" and this daughter
forced to say with tears in her voice
that mammals in HE'LL And In proof
of these sad facts the preacher selected
verse after verse from all parts Of the
bible, which certainly proved that
many are condemned to hell and eter-
nal torment unless they are Saved,
before their death. Mr.. johnson said
it was not his statement that made
these sad facts true, 1t was what God
said. The preacher always gave the
figures on the chapter and verse.
Another noticeable feature in Mr..
Johnson's work is his simplicity in his
preaching and his apparent realiza-
ton of his own proximity to the AL
mighty. For instance, in taking up the
collection the ushers gathered around
evening heard nearly these words, "Oh,
Lord, we ask Thee to cause this peo-
pie to contribute literally. Thou
knowest. oh Lord, that all the money
given this evening will be used for the
expenses of these meetings, and Thou
knowest none of the money put in the
boxes is used for any
other purpose than necessary ex-
penses." No scoffer could hear these
plain words and claim the money thus
was paid to the evange-
list for his services.
Still another thing out of the ordi-
nary was Mr.. Johnsons successful ef-
forts to get the Saved" members of
the congregation to sit by themselves
over 'in the east part part of the
church" This left the "unsayed" in
the body of the house, where they
could hear the preacher and singing
much better. This was courtesy to
the sinners present which would not
have suggested itself to every evang-
list.
AS may be supposed these meeting
are very successful The writer at
tempts to give no figures, but at ond
time, when division of the house,
took place, the writer could easily see
over hundred young girls, none APP
over 10 or IL years of age,
who were not afraid to announce by
their actions that they were saved and
on the Lords side. Such hold on the
youthful mind has Mr. Johnson's re-
vival methods that during the meeting
the Looker-on noticed one little g.
girl stand UP and by so doing
to the world that she was
saved. It was touching to note tho
of the evangelists for such
4 result, even of a little girl Bless
he Lord" they exclaimed almost sim
lltaneously.
Those opposed to revivals can find
40 fault with Mr.. Johnson's plan of
preaching. He does not talk creed. |
Join any church." is his statement.
He does not build up any argument to
.ry to prove any doctrine. He simply
axes a passage Of scripture, and asks
hearers to take 1t literally. He does
not go back to the original Greek root |
md show four or five meanings for the
same word. He'll means hell to him
md he trys to make 1t plain to the |
audience. When he stopped over an
imaginary open grave and had the |