Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-03-04

over. All these gifts God has given to
you, children"
While DIR. Shaeffer was talking the
children were learning the sweet gos-
pel message. They were being led 10
trust in Christ and to give their young
lives to him. | said to myself: "Why
is It that we ministers cannot preach
like that? Why do we not talk in the
simple. earnest, traightforward IAN
guage of these evangelists? They take
for granted that most people in THIS
Christian land believe in Christ. Their
great and sole purpose seems to be TO
lead people to decision to give them
selves to him. Cannot we, as gospel
ministers, do the sameT
The Lords Work Business.
But another weighty lesson is pressed
upon our hearts by this series of meet
ings. That is this: The Lords work Is
n business. 1t is not a bysteria. 1t Is
not a few holy CALCULATIONS. 1t Is not
lifting your head above the clouds so
that the mists blind your eyes ana
chill your enthusiasm for practical
duty on earth. 1t Is not few spasms
and few temporary gospel gymnas-
tics. 1t is q businesS-a business winch
we should study carefully and plan
Systematically and press strenuously
with all our faith and energy.
When these evangelists began their
work, as far as human agency was con-
cerned they had almost a perfect sys-
tenn of machinery. DR.. K. A. walton
was the advance agent, who taught us
how to perfect this machinery. First,
the meetings were Systematically and
completely advertised; second, all the
workers of district were gathered to-
gether under one head. Some went In
TO the choruses. Then other workers
were detailed to certain sittings. EV-
ery three or four pews had their over
seers or gospel sentinels. No sooner
was q hand raised for prayer than a
Christian worker was by that persons
side to lead him or her to Christ.
Then. not satisfied with all this, one
night General J. Wilbur Chapman-for
he is a general of men-marshaled all
his forces for a grand charge upon the
citadels of sin. That night the Chris
tan evangelsts and their followers
came from all over the city. Down IN
TO the saloons and the places of evil
resorts they went. Everywhere the
right hand of a Christian brother or Sis
ter was extended. Everywhere a plead
Ing voice said to sinners, Come, we
want YOU for Chri"t" These valiant
soldiers of the cros did not wait for
sinners to come to the gospel banquet
They literally followed out the com
mand of Jesus. which said, "Go ye out
into the highways and the hedges and
compel them to come in, th my house
may be filled" And come they did
They came by the hundreds and the
thousands. The drunkards, the liber'
tines, the outcasts-they came. Oh, how
they longed to come Can any one who
-wnnessed mat wonderful and inspiring
meeting in the Grand Opera House OF
Los Angeles Feb. 3, 1905, ever forget
the revelation?
An Impressive Spectacle.
The elements seemed to conspirt
against the effort. When the hours
drew toward the evening Of that won
derful night we said to ourselves, Car
we 20 out into this storm, even tc
bring sinners to Christ" The rain
then was falling in torrents. All the
batteries Of the elements were un
limbered Crash, crashp' went the
booming of the thunder. "Zigzag!
went the lightning. An electric thunder
bolt struck the North Methodist church
of Pasadena and set 1t on fire. Inc
cars were blocked. Freshets were every
where. After the theaters and places
of amusements were emptied. long aft
er most of the great city was asleep
hundreds of men and women marched
through the flooded streets, sometimes
wading above their ankles in water
They marched singing and praisine
God. They marched down to the
haunts of sin. Then, after they had
collected the Magdalenes and the hu
man prodigals who had been wallow
ing in the swine trOughs Of "the fal
country" they started back to one oi
the largest theaters in the city. Ther'
in that theater were crowded at leas
1000 men and women Many were il
rags Many faces were SCARED anC
scared with the awful marks OF sin
All. whether Outcasts or rescuers, were
anxious about souls-anXious abou
their own souls or about the souls o.
others. Some curiosity seekers ma!
have come to that meeting to scoff, bu
nearly all before they left prayed al
the poor publican prayed. There wer'
tears-penitent tears-which welled VI
from breaking hearts. Yes, those tear
were glorious tears, flowing unbiddel
I and unchecked. Four thousand mel
and women, many of them criminals
gathered together in the midnight hou
during the tempest to seek Christ. Di'
YOU ever see or hear the like Of 1t
! Can any one who witnessed tha
wonderful and transporting meeting il
the Grand Opera House Of Los Angeles
ever forget the revelation? Were We
not then taught how Christ wants u
to 90 forth into the highways and the
hedges, seeking sinful men and womeI
wherever they may be found?
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
tolled the city bells. The evangellstS
and their followers worked on. Nine
ten. half past ten-the Christian disci
pies worked on. Eleven, twelve, wen
the clock. What! Is any one out to
night? Oh, yes; the messengers of sir
are out tonight. This is the harvest houl
for the demons of death. But tonigh
aye tonight-the angels of mercy arr
calling and pleading. Mothers and ia
Tiers in heaven, wives and children II
heaven, over the embellishments did "
not see the prayers being answered II