Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-08-06

wood he read the Scriptures and
expounded their meaning. Christ
preached his great sermon In the open
air and proclaimed the gospel to
the woman by Jacobs well in the open
air. Most OF his miracles and teach.
ing took place in the open air. His
disciples were chosen I'm the open air.
The Apostle Paul was CONCERTED In
the open air, and no wonder he be-
came all through life an open-air
preacher, proclaiming from Mars Hin
Jesus and the resurrection, and press
ing into the market places where the
people thronged. Jesus was crucified
In the open air, and from the top
OF Ollvet he assembled In the open air.
lite History.
The first mention OF church houses
Is found In the writings OF Tertullian
at the end Of the second century. JUS
tin Martyr was converted by the test.
mony Of an old man preaching In the
open air. Augustine preached to King
Ethelbert OF England I'm the open air
Wycliffe's poor priests carried on their
ministry almost exclusively in the open
air. Peter OF Bruys would not preach
under a roof Arnold of Brescia stood
among the people in the open air and
preached until he was thrown into a
dungeon, from which he went to a
martyrs glory. Peter Waldo and the
Poor Men of Lyons" were open.air
preachers. The Franciscan, the Do
minican and the Cistercian monks
preached TO the people constantly in
the open air. In 1882 there was pre-.
sented to the parliament OF England
by the clergy complaint against
street preaching. John Huss. driven
from his pulpit, began the Bohemian
reformation In the open air. Luther
preached In the open air ut Zwickau
TO $4,000 people. At Goslar a student
from Wittemberg gathered the people
under a lime tree and expounded to
them the Scriptures. founding thus a
society known az the "Lmetree Breth.
rem"
The Methodist Revival.
The preaching OF Whiteaeld at
KngswoOd colliery is familiar to every
student Of the great Methodist revival.
Wesley believed that everything should
be done decently and In order. and
he first thought that preaching in the
open air might bring the movement
into disrepute; but when he saw the
power OF the gospel upon these col.
liery people he yielded and began him.
self to preach In the open air When
Whiteheld left KingswoOd for Lon.
don his brethren urged him not to
carry this innovation with him into
the city. He knelt down and asked
God TO keep him from doing anything
rash or unwise; but when he reached
London he could not restrain the fire
that burned in his soul. and he waE
soon standing among the thousands
at Moorsheld. preaching to them in a
voice OF thunder.
Better Than Policemen.
The burgomaster Of The Hague ia
reported TO have said: One street
preacher is worth ten policemen" st
MAry's church. in WhitechapeI, Lon
don. has q pulpit built in the corner
Of the outside, from which the preach
or reaches more people than he car
induce to come within. The open-aiI
mission, known as Gamblers Close
in Edinburgh. has resulted in the con
version OF thousands. The pastor OF
the Somerstown church, in London. de
elares that two.thirds OF his 1000
members were converted in the
streets. One Of the presbyteries OF
Great Britain requires that all it,
ministers shall preach several times
during the year in the open air. Bishop
Aldheim, OF the seventh century, find
Ing that be could not draw the PEG
pie TO his church. took his harp. and
standing on the corner. played sweetly
enough to draw the crowd and Their
preached 10 them the sweeter message
Of grace. II his spirit should seixs
the pastors of our city churches and
send them out In pleasant weather d
their front doorsteps or 10 an adjoln
ing vaeant lot they might increass
their audiences ten.fold.
II is evident that the Holy Spirit
who came at Pentecost as a rushing
mighty wind would lead US into the
open air with the message OF salvation
for lost sinners Yield TO his drawing
and let your voice be heard this sum
mer in song and testimony In th'
open air.
II our churches. Sunday schools ant
missions should organise for an open
air evangOlistic campaign GOVERNS
Chicago this summer. might we no
preach the gobpel to every person "a
this great cityf