The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-21


 With bowed heads and sorrow de- picted upon their faces three thousand people. congregation that nearly filled the great auditorium, whose seat ing capacity is $500 listened last night to one of the most fervent, one of the most eloquent one of the most mov- ing appeals to the throne of God that mas ever fallen from human lips in montgomery. It was a prayer by Rev. John A. Rice, D. D., pastor of the Court street Methodist church. for the com Tort and spiritual welfare of Rev. GeorEe w. Patterson, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian church, who is desperately i'll at his residence. 517 South Perry street.
 The scene was the most impressive that mas been witnessed during the progress of the great revival at the auditorium under tine leadership of Dr. Il. M Wharton, the Baptist Evangelist, or Philadelphia. There were many wet faces in the vast throng when Dr. Rice concluded: Hear us. thou God. in our affliction. We cry to Thee fer vently in our sorrow. Comfort him and be with him. We bow to Thy will for Thou doeth all things for the best"
 Startled the Congregation.
 The news that Dr. Patterson had suf- d TcldpSe ana that nlS condition was dangerous was brought to the thousands of Montgomery men and women by Rev. Neal l.. Anderson, D. D., pastor of the Central Presbyterian church. Dr. Patterson Is beloved greatly in Montgomery and 1t was evil dent that the message of Dr. Ander- son startled the congregation. There was suppressed murmur of aston ishment when the announcement was made. The people present were confi- dent in the belief that Dr. Patterson was on the road to recovery.
 Among the Montgomery ministers who sat on the stage of the auditorium with Dr. Wharton were pr. Anderson, pr. Rice, Rev c. A. Stakely, D. D., Rev. J. A. Jenkins and others. Dr. Wharton, before the meeting began, said that Dr. Anderson had an impor- tant announcement to make The peo- pie were still coming into the big hall notwithstanding every seat on the first floor was filled and Dr. Wharton re- quested the ushers to close the doors until Dr. Anderson had finished. Then Dr. Anderson told the people of the serious change that had taken place in the condition of Dr. Patterson con cluding with the announcement that pr. Rice would invoke the throne of God for the welfare of the stricken Montgomery minister and asking the congregation to join their prayers with his.
 Dr. Rices full. mellow voice filled the immense auditorium as he pleaded for the comfort and well being of his friend and neighbor. The sick one, he said had gone into the homes of Mont gomery and had ministered to the sick and distressed; now that he was near death and suffering he invoked the God of all men to be with him and to comfort him. At the close of the prayer my persons in the congre- gation sighed a half audible Amen" to the invocation. .
 Emcacy of Prayer. Prayer and the efficacy of prayer was the keynote to the remarkable meet ing at the auditorium last night, a meeting which closed a busy day for Dr. Wharton. The evangelist spoke morning. noon and night. He was by no less than 5000 persons, the night meeting being the climax of the week in point of attendance. It was one of the largest assemblies for religious exercises in che history of the city.
 Near the close of the meeting Dr. W narton asked all persons in the au- ditorium who would promise to go Idown on their knees last night and pray for the success of the meetings that are to follow to raise their hands. Instantly more than 1000 hands were in the air.
 Thank God, cried Dr. Wharton. Tt is worth something to know that we will have so many prayers offered to- night for our success here"
 The meeting was opened with the song Waiting Till the Lord Shall Come after which Dr. wharton read from the twelfth chapter of the gospel | of Luke.
 While the offering was making the large choir on the stage sang Let Him In" pr. Stakely then spoke briefly of the revival. He said that 1t had been planned on a broad scale. The services were for all.
 we want all hearts and all homes reached said pr. Stakely. We want l to see thousands of unsaved souls brought into the kingdom of God"
 He said that while the meetings had been planned by one of the denomina tions of Montgomery it was not sought to build up any one church; that work in the churches could be done after the meeting. He spoke earnestly of the work of Dr. Wharton, saying that the number of people in this country who | had fallen under his influence was cas- l fly 100000.
 Interest in Montgomery.
 Dr. Wharton prefaced his sermon by expressing his great interest in | Montgomery.
 T believe he said, ~if I were asked what desired above all things I could say from my heart revival of relig- ion in Montgomery"
 He said he had been coming to Mont somery twenty-five years and he loved the people of Montgomery. He want ed the Christians of Montgomery to get together.
 The text for the sermon was found in First Corinthians, first chapter verses 23 and 24. beginning: We preached Christ crucified." He spoke of the three kinds of preachers men tioned in the Blble-pastors or tH9ch- CTS. vangelists-tellers of good news and conversational preachers such as sunday School teachers. In this las. connection he took occasion to refer lovingly and with great respect to the splendid Sunday School class of Major B M Washburn at the Court Street Methodist Church
 Dr. Wharton said he judged all preaching by the good that 1t does He had heard all of the great preach CTS of the last half century. but the | preachar Dreacher that