Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-03

iNt ANfitN-hleAhNNtI ItAlNdl idh ldentN
into history, Philadelphia asks whether
as p whole, it was a success or failure.
As 10 this head there is, among those who
attended the meetings and saw the luke
warm responses TO Doctor lorreys calls
for protesting converts. a division OF opln-
ION But the eyangclists and their im-
mediate followers have no mlsgivings.
From Dr. Iorrey down they hold that the
results Of the revival have more than
realized their early hopes.
The mission opened on February 4th
and closed on April 29th The attend
ance per day, il is estimated, averaged
5000 persons, including the audiences at
the various extra and special services and
the side missions. such as that which con-
tinued in West Philadelphia six weeks.
About 375. 600 persons have at one time
or another in the 81 working days OF the
revival been brought under the direct
influence of the evangelists.
Sermons by Dr. Torrey numbered 1856,
personal talks by Mr. Alexander, Of which
there were sometimes half a dozen IN the
course of a single meeting, about 800.
Converts who made public profession of
their new found faith numbered in all
| $500 but 10 these must be added an
other 5000, who. while declining Dr.
Torreys invitation 10 step down to the
front rows of seats and announce their
conversion, joined churches.
The choir, serving regularly IN relays
Of 600, numbered in the aggregate 3 300
/ OF the 800 ushers, 100 were on duty at
each meeting, while the $50 personal
workers, men and women, were divided
into relays Of 60
The total expenses Of the revival "
| added Dr. Cass will reach about S40.-
/ 600 We have every reason to be salts
I ned with the financial result, for the re-
/ sponses at each service were much more
/ than we had expected. The evangelists.
/ DIR. TorToy and Mr. Alexander, Mr. Butler
and Mr. Harkness, have been paid in full
I for their services, and If there is deficit
/ that deficit will be made up in this city
I by those who are interested in the mis-
I sion. dhese things, however cannot be
! known until the accounts are submitted
/ 70 the committee next Monday
"But even though the mission had in
( yolved those interested In il in complete
/ financial ruin we would haveireason to be
thankful to God for the broadening OF
/ Christian life and the solidifying of the
religious spirit throughout this great
city"
And now come Dr. Torrey and Mr.
] Alexander TO give their own impressions
of the result OF their three months labor
'lhe great result of this mission" said
DR.. Torrey, lies, as you may have
/ already gathered not In the meetings. en-
/ thusiastic as they have been, or in the
I number Of conVerts-sOmetimes more
/ than a hundred-who have risen to our
/ call, but IN the churches. From reports
/ that ] have received from the pastors oi
many large churches in all parts of the
| city, even among the high churchmen. /
I find that the average increase Of member
ship in all these churches upward of a
4 hundred since the beginning of the re-
vival has been 100. To me the result is
magnificent. J fear that in my anxiety
have sometimes been a little unjust IN
rating the Philadelphians as slow Chris
| tians. The truth about the Philadel.
/ phians is that they have their own way
/ of doing things; they are like no other
/ people on the face Of the earth They
hate iamboyant display as cordially as
] do and, therefore, while they would
not perhaps, get up in meeting the mer
I aud women who have attended om
services have gone into their homes re.
solved on a new line iof life and have
carried that religious spirit with them
on all hands.
81 have heard from pastors of men and
women, who leaving the amories, have
/ gone at night TO the pastors home, and
sobbing and crying, have knelt with him
| in prayer and then become communi.
cants of the church, and a revival which
| can produce such result as this cannot
be described as a failure.
Well, yes, It is perhaps true as you
say, that the women have been for the
most part cold and irresponsiye. and that
the religious spirit is a thousand time.
stronger among the men. Perhaps / am
10 blame. ! am little too direct for the
women. ! will not caiole them. / de.
cline 10 appeal TO their emotions. I have
been successful with the men because /
frame my appeals as they frame theii
I Arguments when they arc trying to dis
pose Of line Of goods. ] have a hearty
contempt for the arts of the orator. Re
member this, too, that Christians arc
made by argument and not oratory. II
you would be a successful preacher you
| must practice the arts Of "a skilful LAWYER
who iigurafiVely buttonholes his Jury and
thus wins verdicts for II is the skilfu
taetieian and not the orator who gets
verdicts The women do not like me
have been told because l scold them
| Well, they need seolding"