The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-10-09
THE CHAPMAN MEETINGS
EVaneelistio Campaign at Bennington
to Open in November.

to Open in November.
A series of union. evangelistie meet
ings is to be held In Bennington dur
ing the month of November. Several
of the local churches Of the place will
unite in an effort to bring the Gospel
message to every person in all this
vicinity. An evangelist and singer |
will be present for two weeks, and
every effort that experience can sug-
gest will be utilized to make the cam
paign the most successful of any ever
held in this vicinity.
The meetings are under the general
charge of the Rev. Dr. J. Wilbur Chap
man, d. D., of Philadelphia. DR.. Chap
man was formerly the pastor Of
Bethany Presbyterian church in that
city. This church has the largest
Sunday school in the world and pre-
sents one of the finest pastorates to
be found anywhere. With every rea-
son to expect that he might remain
there indefinitely DR.. Chapman re-
signed in order that he might devote
himself exclusively TO evangelistic
work to which he felt that he had
been especially called.
DR.. Chapman is the originator OF
the so called Simultaneous Evange-
listic Campaign" which he started In
1904. The idea is to have meetings
at nearby points over a wide area at
the same time in order that the inter
est generated in one center may in
tensify that created elsewhere. The
plan was first tried in large cities,
and last spring was put into effect In
Philadelphia. Meetings held at 45
different centers In that city, two
weeks being devoted to one half OF
the city, and two weeks more to the
other half.
The results of this broadside Of en-
deayor we're remarkable. The atten-
ton of the non-church going class was
challenged as never before, and
crowds were present at all OF the
meetings The systematic organiza-
ton OF the workers led to a prelimi
nary house-tohouse visitation and al
50 to a careful shepherding of every
convert after his decision. II was re-
ported that 10000 new members were
added to Quaker City churches as a
result OF the series of meetings.
Similar meetings have been held In
| New England cities and elsewhere
throughout the country, and the com
mendation of methods employed and
qualification at results secured are al
most universal. DR.. Chapman and
his coworkers are not sensational In
any unworthy sense, but are sane and
sensible. Tremendously In earnest
! they press men and women TO an i'm
mediate decision. but use no clap
trap. and appeal 10 the will through
the sensibilities reached through the
exercise OF the reason.
For the first time the plan OF Sin
ultaneous Meetings" will be applied
TO an entire state and an endeavoI
will be made TO inaugurate a cam
paign in Vermont that will stir II re
liglously from center to circumfer
ence. A state committee has beer
formed, OF which Gen. o. o. Howard
of Burlington Is the President. ant
Rev. William r. BREASTED Of Barre the
Secretary. The committee has gener
al charge OF preparing for the worl
throughout the state but DR.. Chap
| man and his coworkers will have gen
eral charge of the meetings, workini
, in conjunction with local pastors
, Just who will be the speaker and sin
! ger here is not yet known. but II vii
be men approved by DR.. Chapman be
cause OF long knowledge Of theil
spirit, methods and success.
II now looks as II there would be-
: lgeneral cooperation among the
churches of this village In these meet
= ings. and as II an eyangelistic cam
paign was about to be inaugurateC
that would surpass. In general inter
est and actual results. anything
! hitherto known In western Vermont
Similar meetings will be held at tbs
same time at Rutland, Middlebury
Fair Haven, Brandon, Burlington anC
elsewhere in the state, and the sue
. cess OF each will largely augment tn,
j interest and results OF every othe
effort.