The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-23

to win me to Christ" A second time
the voice said, "Cry aloud; spare not;
lift up thy voice like a trumpet to show
my people their SINS" / said, Lord,
need some one to show me my sins"
Going to my law office the next
morning took up a Bible, which had
for use in referee case. l read the
fifty-eighth chapter Of Isaiah, which
shows in marked way the difference
between formal profession and vital
religion Under that impression wrote
to my mother, who was at distance.
You can imagine the gladness of her
heart. She said 1t was In answer to
her prayers, and Gods call to me to
preach. 1, however, was not Chris
tian, and had no intention of leaving
my law profession for the ministry.
For six years after this 1 was in
darkness and the struggle was intense.
did not believe in Christ and the
work of the church, and yet to get
peace of conscience joined the church
without being Christian.
Was Teacher.
was Immediately given a place as
teacher of Bible class Of from twen-
ty to thirty-eight young people. l
taught them for six years without
leading one of them to Christ. Intel
lectually and historically 1 prepared
the lessons. but spiritually had never
learned them for myself, and so could
NOT ton oh Thorn tn otIor,
If wanted to think, drank. have
seen John G. Wooley in the gutter.
never was. was moderate drinker.
Yet l spent a great deal of money for
liquor, but 1 did not get drunk. re-
member going to hotel, and thinking
never saw such large slices Of bread,
and yet 1t seemed SO hard to get one.
1t takes a good deal to make some peo-
pie drunk. Then the appetite for to-
'bacco. II 1t was for the poor heather
could scarcely afford a quarter, yet
could spend $3.50 a day for tobacco.
had a right to earn my own money
and use 1t as I pleased. A prayer
meeting was a dull place, but I could
go to a card party or dance or theatre.
know now what 1t Is to hate the old
life, to pass from death into life and
to become new creature in Christ
Jesus; but then these things had not
left me. 1t ran along like this for six
years or more You can imagine my
darkness of soul. Other people had
something that did not have because
was not willing to surrender to
Christ.
Were Emotional.
; After six or seven years, in 1898
there was series of united meetings
In our town. l did not like them.
thought they were sensational, emo
tional, reactionary. Because of the po-
sition held, knew would be chosen
on committee. knew Mrs. Hunt
would want to go. did not intend to
go to one meeting. We had a law case
in Iowa. While attending to this case
l saw an older lawyer and talked with
him. He said, II was minister until
was thirty-seven years Old" A voice
seemed to say to me, "You will be just
the opposite" said, Il won't; I'll die
first"
The following week l sent tele-
gram to my partner, Frank, will go
to Chicago; you go to Minneapolis"
Frank was a backslider, the son OF
a preacher, and had four brothers In
the ministry. think he had left Min
neapolis for the same purpose 1 had.
He telegraphed in reply, II am taking
the depositions; you go home"
Was Tired.
There was nothing for me to do but
to stay around and pay my board In
that little place, so thought I'd 90
home; the meetings will soon be over.
When 1 got home, Mrs. Hunt said in
gracious way, There are from 10000
to 10000 people at the meetings every
night. Won't you go tonight?" l said
was too tired.
Ask man to 60 to the lodge, club
or on the street and he goes all right,
but ask him to go to prayer meeting
and you think he is coming down with
pneumonia or typhoid fever, he has
that tired feeling.
l commenced to think about tomor-
row night. 1t irritated me terribly.
I wrote letter to mother and said,
Mother, I want you to stop praying
for me-" but did not post it.
Was Afraid.
The next day my wife said, How
about the meeting tonight?" Do you
know what excuse 1 offered? said,
"How do you expect me to go to
church every night and support fam
ily?" had not been once yet. You
know these burdens bear heavy upon
us at times. But knew I would go
that night, only I knew they had an
after meeting, and l was afraid of it.
My wife said, "We won't stay to it."
You know when they have an after
meeting 1000 or 1000 people who have
stood up as Christians tumble over one
another to get out and push the sin
ners with them.
We took seat under the gallery.
l thought there is the biggest lot Of
fools in Minneapolis. l watched them
come in-100 ministers, 500 to 600 In
the choir. A little fellow came out
with pleasant face and a big mouth.
l asked my wife who he was. She said,
Mills" thought l am not afraid of
him. When he began to talk, thought
my wife had told him all about me.
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