The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-02
FIRST UNION SERVICE
HELD IN THE TABERNACLE BY
EVANGELIST CRITTENToN.
RAIN SPOILED ATTENDANCE.
SERVICES TO BE HELD AGAIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

Churches Present and About $50
PeOpIe-Singing Conducted by Rev.
n. ken Smith of Darien-Mr. Crit
tenton's Address On "WOrk''-TOId
the story of His COnversiOn-Many
of Audience Pledged Themselves
to Pray for Success of Meetings.
The first of the series of union re-
vival services which are to be con-
Quoted in the tabernacle by Mr.. Charles
auspices of the Ministers Association,
was held last night, and, despite the
exceptionally bad weather, was attend
ed by about two hundred and fifty peo-
pie.
This attendance may be considered
very good, indeed, when it is known
that the rain came down so hard dur
ing the entire service that it became
necessary for Mr.. Crittenton to invite
the audience to come as close to the
platform as possible, and even then
could only make himself heard above
the patter of the rain by speaking at
the top of his voice.
On the platform besides the speaker
of the evening was the choir, the pi-
anist, Mrs. D. G. Heidi, Rev. w. A.
Nisbet, pastor of the Westminster
Presbyterian Church; Rev. j. A Smith,
pastor of the Epworth Methodist
Church. Rev. William P. McCorkIe,
| pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church; Rev. D. S. Edenfield, pastor
| of the Southside Baptist Church, Rev.
Charles A. Jackson, pastor of Grace
Methodist Church; Rev Ed F. Cook,
pastor of Wesley Monumental Chruch
also Rev N. Keff Smith of Darien,
| who conducted the singing.
The speaker was introduced by Rev.
| Mr. Ntsbet. Mr.. Crittenton told the
| audience of the pleasure that it gave
| him to be present, and told them fur
! Their that they must not be discourage
| ed by the condition of the weather for
| 1t has been written And we know
that all things work together for the
good of them that love God" and again
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can the floods drown it,
The speaker took for his subject
| Work" what incentive is there for
work." he asked; then answered with
| the quotation: Let him know that
| he which converteth the sinner from
the error of his way shall save a soul
! from death, and shall hide a multitude
| OF sins" Then what is a soul worth.
was asked and answered in the same
way. For what shall it profit a man
| if he gain the whole world and lose his
| own soul? Or what shall man give
| in exchange for his soul?"
| Next the speaker discussed the invi-
tatio1 to men to come to God. which
he said is general throughout the Bible
from Genesis to Malachi, and from St
! Matthew to Revelations, occurring nc
/ less than 1900 times. To be saved, he
continued, it is only necessary to ac-
! cept this invitation, for Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be
saved" Though your sins be as scar
! let, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they
| shall be as WOOL
He impressed this necessity Cor work
for the church and illustrated it by
| telling story of a young woman of
New York. He talked with her about
her mode Of life. he said, and told her
that he would pray for her until she
was converted. He did pray but saw
no change in the woman when he net
her from time to time. He prayed
! daily, however, he said, for three years
when one day he received a letter from
| the woman asking that he come to see
| her.
lie went and was told by her that
| she had been unable to eat, sleep or
rest and had finally begun to
| pray. In her effort she had
said Lord l don't know how to
pray, but have heard in the
Florence Mission that you can make
me good and Lord, l want to be
good" God heard that prayer" said
Mr.. Crittenton.
Next he told of scene between him
| self and a consumptive atheist of Car
| son City. The man sent for him, Mr..
! Crittenton said, but when he reached
his house, though the man was al
most in dying condition, he had sent
for him without any desire for his Of
fees as a minister. Il read for him, -
he said, the verse Let the wicked
forsake his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts: and let him return
unto the Lord and he will have mercy
upon him; and to our God. for he will
abundantly pardon, then 1 asked him
to pray, but he refused, saying, I have
never bent my knee to God or man,
and never will Ten days later" con-
tinued the speaker, che was dead.
Mr.. Crittenton next spoke of the
many assurances of welcome to any
and all who will come. And him that
cometh to me / will in no wise cast
out" was one of these quotations, and
this he illustrated by telling of three
Salvation Army lasses who in Penn
sylvania city, were arrested for sing
ing on the streets, but who neverthe-
less were not cast down, but continued
to pray and even composed hymn.
Behind Prison Bars"
One of the most interesting parts of
his address was that in which he told
of his own conversion. How his
daughter Florence, child but a little
over four years old. had died, and how
for seven months he was without God
or hope or any consolation. Then, he
continued, Christ came to me and
said Your sins have been blotted
out. THAT was nineteen and a half
years ago and we've been walking to-
gether ever since"
He closed his address with an elo-
quent plea for his hearers to be con-
verted now. HE who hardeneth his
neck" he quoted. shall suddenly be
destroyed" He closed by asking all