Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-02

While DR.. Shaefer was talking the
children were learning the sweet Cos.
pei message. They were being led TO
trust In Christ and to give their young
lives to him. I said to myself: "Why
Is 1t that we ministers cannot preach
like that? Why do we not talk in the
simple, earnest, straightforward Ian
gtagc of these evangcists? 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 a decision to give them
selves to him. Cannot we. ms gospel
ministers, do the same?"
The Lords Work a Dusiness.
But another weighty lesson is pressed
upon our hearts by this series Of meet
ings. That Is this The Lords work IS
business. 1t Is not hysterla. 1t Is
not few holy CALCULATIONS. 1t IL not
lifting your head above the clouds so
that the mists blind your eyes and
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 which
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-
TEN OF machinery. DR.. II. 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 we're gathered to-
gether under one head. Some went III
to the choruses. Then other workers
were detailed to certain sittings. Ev-
cry three or four pews had their over
scers or gospel sentinels. No sooner
was a hand raised for prayer than q
Christian worker was by that persons
side to lead him or her to Christ.
Then, not satisfied with all this, one
night General ]. Wilbur Chapman-for
he is a general of men-marshaled all
his forces for a grand charge upon the
citades of sin. That night the Chris
tian evnngelists and their followers
came from nll over the city. Down in
to the saloons and the places of evil
resorts they went Everywhere tho
right hand Of Christian brother or Sis
ter was extended. Everywhere plead
ing 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 banquet.
They literally followed out the COM
mand of Jesus, which said. go We 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
thousands. The drunkards. the liber-
tines, the outcasts-they came. Oh. how
they longed to come. Can any one who
witnessed that wonderful aud inspiring
meeting in the Grand Opera House Of
Los Angeles Feb. 3. 1905, ever forget
the revelation?
An Impressive Spectacle.
The elements seemed to cOnspire
against the effort. When the hours
drew toward the evening Of that won-
derful night we said to ourselves. "Can
we go out into this storm. even to
bring sinners to Christi The rain
then was falling in torrents. All the
batteries Of the elements were I'M
llmbered. Crash, crash" went the
booming Of the thunder. "Zigzag"'
went the lightning. An electric thunder
bolt struck the North Methodist church
Of Pasadena and set it on fire. The
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 praising
God. They marched down to the
haunts of sin. Then, after they had
collected the Magdalenes and the hui
man prodlgals who had been wallow.
ing in the swine troughs Of tine far
country" they started back to one OF
the largest theaters IN the city. There
In that theaier were crowded at least
1000 men and women. Many were In
rags. Many faces were SCARED and
scared with the awful marks Of sin
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 nj
the poor publican prayed. There were
tears-penitent tears-which welled VI
from breaking hearts. Yes, those tears
were glorious tears. flowing unbidder
: and unchecked. Four thousand Nor
and women. many Of them criminals
gathered together in the midnight houl
during the tempest to seek Christ. Die
you ever see or hear the like Of II
Can any one who witnessed tina,
wonderful aud transporting meeting II
the Grand Opera House of Los Angelo!
J ever forget the revelation! Were WI
, not then taught how Christ wants II.
to go forth into the highways and thu
hedges seeking sinful men and woinel
wherever they may be found!
: One. two. three. four, five six, seven
tollcd the city bells. The evangelists
| and their followers worked on. Nine
ten, half past ten-thc 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 tOnjgh