The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-05

ings were systematically and completely advertised; second, all the workers of a district were gathered together under one head. Some went into the choruses. Then other workers were detailed to certain sittings Every three or four pews had their overseers or gospel sentnels. No sooner was 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 sf men-marshaled all his forces for a grand charge upon the cita- dels of sin. That night the Christian evan geists and their followers came from all over the city. Down into the saloons and the places of evil resorts they went Everywhere the right hand of Christian brother or sister was extended. Every where pleading voice said to sinners, Come. we want you for Christ" These valiant soldiers of the cross did not wait for sinners to come to the gospel ban auet They literally followed out the command of Jesus which said. "Go ye out into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filed" And come they did. They came by the hundreds and the thou sands The drunkards. the libertines, the outcasts-they came. Oh, how they longed to come Can any one who witnessed that wonderful and inspiring meeting in the Grand opera house of Los Angeles February 8, 1905, ever forget the revela- tion?
 Impressive Spectacle.
 The clements seemed to conspire against the effort. When the hours drew toward the evening of that wonderful night we said to ourselves. Can we go out into tl.t. ,ta f1 hf.in otf Christi" The rain then was falling in torrents. All the batteries of the ele- ments were unlimbered. Crash, Crash!' went the booming of the thunder. Zig zag!" went the lightning. An electric thunderbolt struck thc North Methodist church of Pasadena and set 1t on fire The cars were blocked. Freshets were everywhere. After the theatres and places of amusement were emptied, long after most of the great city vas asleep, hun dreds of men and women marched through the flooded streets, sometimes wading above their ankles In water. They marched singing and praising God. They marched down to the haunts of sin. Then, after they had collected the Magdalenes and the human prodigals who Lad been wallowing in the swine troughs of the far country they started back to one of the largest theatres in the city. There in that theatre were crowded at least 4OOO men and women. Many were in rags. Many faces were scared and scared with the awful marks of sin. All, whether outcasts or rescuers, were anxious about souls-anxious about their own souls or about the souls of others. Some curiosity seekers may have come to that meeting to scoff, but nearly all before they left prayed as the poor publican prayed. There were tears-penitent tears-which welled from breaking hearts. Yes. those tears were glorious tears, flowing unbid- den and unchecked. Four thousand men and women. many of them criminals, gathered together Is the midnight hour during the tempest to seek Christ. Did you ever see or hear the like of 1t? Can any one who witnessed that wonderful and transporting meeting in the Grand opera house of Los Angeles ever forget the revelation? Were we not then taught how Christ wants us to go forth into the highways and the hedges. seeking the sinful men and women wher- ever they may be found?
 One, two, three. four. five, six, seven, tolled the city bells. The evangelists and their followers worked on. Nine. ten, half past ten-the Christian disciples worked on. Eleven, twelve. went the clock. What, Is any one out tonight: Oh, yes; the messengers of sin are out tonight. This is the harvest hour for the demons of death. But tonight-aye. tonight-the angels of mercy are calling and pleading. Mothers and fathers in heaven, wives and children in heaven. over the embellishments did ye not see the prayers being answered in the midnight hour? Oh, God. teach us. as these evange- lists have taught us. that the mission oi Christian church is not alone to care | for few people who are our social equals and who happen to come to our churches