Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-05

AFFECTS 1T BEYOND MEASURE
From Behind lmprovised Prison Bars
He Stirs His Audience to High Pitch
of Excitement-Taiks of Fiery Fur
mace of Affiic.ion-cnurch Crowded
to Suffoeation.-His Observations.

abused, according, to his own story, as
well as rnuch married, preached to a
crowded house Sunday night in Co
lumbus, Ohio, behind inlprovised prison
bars. "The Furnace OF. Affection" was
his subject, and with his own 'perse-
cutions's as a central figure he wove
carefully about his theme the threads
| that went to make UP a soul-rendlng
story that stirred his audience to u
/ high pitch of excitement.
! The Ohio State Journal of Monday
has the following story concerning the
novel sight Of a preacher delivering his
evening sermon from behind the bars
of a tenporized cell. The journal
I says.
| Looking thru the ,blackened bars of
an improvised cell, built about the pull
/ pit OF the Corinthian Baptist church,
/ Mann street, near Champion avenue,
last night, Rev. William NiclSerson,
] colored.. told the story OF his wrongs.
/ "Nick,srson was arrested on April IS
and taken TO Marshalltown, Iowa, to
! ~ NAAsNSeS&$
Attorney NJ. w. Il. Williams, who Sc
cured his release. exonerating him from
| the charge, preceded him and explained
/ the conditions as he found them at
Marshalltown.
The church was crowded to suffoca-
ton. leerched in the windows We're
dozens who could find neither seats nor
standing room. over all was an ex-
pectation that broke frequently into
sympathizing shouts as Nickerson pro-
ceeded.
Talks Of Fiery Furnace.
1.-THE speaker warmed early to the
task. He depicted the scene wherein
| NebuchadnezZar cast the three He
/ hi ews into the fiery furnace for refus-
ling to recognize his brazen image as
the only God. Then he brought in the
text OF the evening, The Furnace OF
/ Affection
Before he had concluded the graphic
description there We're throes of UNI
easiness swaying his audience. AS his
| voice rose, quavering with faisetto
note thrown in here and there and the
! perspira ton breaking out on his fore
head. he abandoned hrs notes and gave
I full Vent to his feelings.
The Real Article.
"'Ah, my childreil-thah's s. furnace
fob you ALL and his voice took on the
peculiar sing song information of the re-
vivalist, an you all ah-will have to
face it. Alive fought the devil--an' he
i don't laik me-he don't iaik them -
4 whut don't serve him
| mo. he don't liik them came an
echo from far corner
| Tive been cast in prison--an' I've
leone out whole. rye suffered for my
kind--an' thah's no stain upon me. I'm
there to face nah ascusahs-Tm here to
4 fight the battles-Im supported by the
Lord
"A little woman ierked her shoulder
Historically and e-ied out shrilly. but
the speaker gave no heed. Turnout the
church there was movement OF feet
In rhythmic time tn his resonant drone
Want Even Scorohed.
"grhe bad king threw them into the
fiery furnace, but they walked without
lha'm. The Lord walked with them, and
the king saw him. and he ran fright
ened away, and lie was sore afraid
But .they came out whole; they suffered
no ham; they want even scorched
and the bad king saw them
'tOh, Lawd. he seen them!' groaned
a dozen in unison
"Cput thru the small aperture of the
] cage, pointed grim. accusing finger
and the tones of the preacher took or
a deeper feeling. I stood here accused,
and grooming i;hudder ran thru the
audience, an you doubted me! you
denied me. as Feter denied his Mas
teri The shuttle of feet stopped in
stantly.
".All eyes were centered ON the cage
in a strained expectancy. A curious
sort. of awe pervaded the room. But
like tn Master I welcome yuh home.
'"The burst of thankfulness was like
a great sigh Of relief. 1t began with q
wornan's excited laugh Of gladness anc
swelled into joyous hallelujah. For q
moment the voice of the preacher was
as stilled.
Don't Blame the Lord.
81 don't blame the Lord; it is his
punish; guilt was not mine here; but
the penance was deserved: all of us are
sirnahs: life has not been pure witt
any; we must all bear the cross A
sroan as of anguish swept the assem-.
| DIslSf. "A gray -IldlIeu Woliltll tOGhSd ~
and fro in soul wringing distress. The
laugh of the children was hushed.
1.-The furnace is befoh YOU and the
groan was renewed. IT opens righ
yondah; it yawns like the furnace O
the king; but you must trust the Mas
tah you must believe in the word; 70,
must lift UP his name; you must no.
listen to Satan: bear no false witness.
'And so it went until Nickerson sanl
to his knees in utter exhaustion, with
. the perspiration streaming down his
face and the s.roans of his congrega-
ton one earnest burst of plying sym
pathy.
"An organ pealed forth weakly in The
corner An it's palms of victory some
one began, the congregation took it ul
with fevor and the room swelled with {
volume that drowned the shouting ant
overwhelmed the prayerful voice of The
Ipastor."
Sunday School Convention.
The annual convention of the Lis.
comb Township Sunday School Asso-
citation will be held Sunday, May 8. The
afternoon session will be held at tht
Bethel Grove church. at which time