Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-04
.pRo1RAc1ED MEETING AND REvlyALs

"PRO1RACTED NEE TING" AND REVEALS
Old timers who expect that Billy
Sundays revival will be remindful OF
the ''protracted meetings they knew OF
| in olden days are sure to be disappointed
The old time revival has gone with the
conditions that made 1t possible. Some
one perhaps Carlyle--said that Christ
could have come only when he did
come, not few hundred years before
or century or so after The time and
conditions must meet. In short, mani
festations are only symptomatic OF
prevailing thought and the mental and
moral aspects of the time. II was so
with the "protracted meeting 1t was
Of its own day and age peculiar and
not to be reproduced now.
1t began about the time sleighing was
or should have been good. This was
important, for the big hobs many of
WHICH uidu COIHt uOWH kun ta'S P'iANA :
les where they had borne their burdens
of piled up logs along the icy tote
roads. were to be depended upon to
carry almost as heavy loads to meet
ing. 1t began slowly and worked along
gradually to climax of religious en-
thusiasm as the preacher and the COM
munity warmed to the work in hand
and the tension stiffened. Men talked
religion in the blacksmith shops and at
the cross roads grocery and women at
the Cuttings" At first there was the
usual disposition to cavil and argue,
but If there were an "infidet' in the
community he had his inning along at
the beginning. After "Old Biz john
son and one or two others noted as Pc
culiarlv sinful and profane of speech
had gone forward most persons who
felt themselves outside the fold began
to keep mum and look moody. Every
family had a praying mother whose
pleading and accusing eyes filled with
tears as she looked at her big boys and
girls across the breakfast table of a
tracted meeting the dances lost large
ily in attendance. fellows at school
looked guilty when they swore and
cards languished and checkers. a cody
game approved of church membership,
took precedence. Along about this time
the fathers in Israel began to take on
an air Of triumph and expectancy.
When the congregation gathered in
the evening there was a tense atmo-
sphere that grew tenser as the sermon
proceeded. There was no hesitation in
those sermons. The preacher strung by
his weeks of strain and nights of
prayer and preaching Numbered the
law as from Sinai. The state of the
lost was painted as Dore drew his In
ferno. Hell was hell, flaming. eternal.
torturing hell a pit of terrors and un-
ending pain prepared for those who de-
MED Christ. The passing moment alone
as theirs The morning or the next
night might be everlastingly too late.
They we're warned that the spirit would
cease to strive. The joys of the Christ
ian and the delights Of heaven were
pictured as by one rapt as was the wit
ness of Revelation. The invitation was
given. Quavering voices struck up
come We sinners poor and needy, weak
and wounded, sick and sore The voice
of the minister rose In fervid appeal;
women rose and went among the con-
gregation. Mothers sought their sons.
wives their husbands, and sweethearts
pleaded with SWANS pale of face and
trembling under conviction. The patri-
archs prayed aloud. When young
man rose and stumbled toward the
mourners' bench. bent under the
weight of his over wrought soul, a
chorus of amens followed his path.
linen perhaps the IlOOQ gates ol Leel-
ing gave way and a dozen or more OF
both sexes rushed weeping to the al
tar. The brothers and sisters gathered
round. Each prayed by each. Some one
came thru" with a burst of historical
weeping or halleluja!hs. Perhaps the
power" took hold on some good moth
er in Israel and she went up and down
the aisles praising God. Possibly some
old man bust out Shouting" One by
one the mourners found peace and each
rose to give his testimony aw1s-
wardly, hating but earnestly. And so
the meeting went on until the harvest
was complete or as nearly completed
as might be- The accessions to the
church were many and hundreds of old
men and old women are looking calmly
toward the nearing and inevitable day
of their departure from this vale OF
tears serene and confident in the faith
that brought them forward that night
i.