Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-06
EvangsIistic Campaign
Opens at City Hall.
Augusta and HaI|owe|I Clergy
men Present on Platform.
Evangelist Ora S. Gray Of Amherst
breaches Powerful Sermon.

listic campaign, which is a part of
the simultaneous evangelistic cam
paign now in progress in the State,
opened Wednesday evening in City
hall. The audience present numbered
about 500, but as the night was stormy
this can hardly be taken as fair rep
resentatiOn of what the audiences will
be as the meetings progress.
The feature of the meeting was the
chorus from the different local church,
es of 100 voices under the direction OF
Charles F. Allen of Winona Lake, Ind.
This chorus led the singing in which
the audience heartily joined. The Alex
ander song book was used and among
the hymns sung were There is a
Fountain Filled with Blood" and MY
Jesus l Love Thee" Mr.. Allen is
trained musician and choir master
and the singing under his direction
was OF high order of merit He show
ed conclusively that he knew the art
of making an audience sing and he had
not been before them 10 minutes be
fore he had them all singing with a
will and correctly, too.
Among the clergymen seated on the
platform were the evangelist, Rev. Ora
Samuel Gray of Amherst, Mass, Rev.
II. Z. Dunnack, Rev. B. p. Hope, Rev.
c. G. Mosher, Rev. Jesse NJ. Estes,
Augusta; Rev. H. L. Nichols and Rev.
b. +. Turner, Hallowell. Rev. H. E.
Dunnack at the close of the song SER
vice made few remarks in regard to
the general plan and scope of the
meetings and then introduced to the
audience, Rev. Ora Samuel Gray, who
is to preach throughout the whole
campaign in this city.
Mr.. Gray after making a few re-
marks by way of introduction read
the Scripture from St. Johns Cos
pei. A solo sung by Mr.. Allen gave the
audience an opportunity to appreciate
his fine voice and made them feel that
his heart was in his work.
Evangelist Gray before commencing
his sermon informed his hearers that
he should do but very little "knocking'
and declared that it was his purpose
to emphasize the constructive side of
religion. His text was from John 1:4o:
"Thou are Simon Thou shalt be |
called Cephas," and his subject, "Thou |
Art and Thou Shalt Become" Mr.. |
Gray is powerful and convincing |
speaker and grew upon his audience |
as his discourse progressed. Bursts of |
eloquence We're followed a moment Ia
ter by terse epigrams and pleas for his |
hearers to live lives that We're straight |
and true.
Jesus came to Peter to bring to |
that man a picture of Cod" said Mr.. |
Gray. people are not now thinking |
of God as n God that wants to see his |
children suffer in Hell, but as God |
who is love and whose name is 'Fa- |
ther.' You cannot drive a man into be- |
ing a Christian. Men that will not re- |
spend to any other appeal will re- |
spend to the idea that God is love-"
Jesus Christ came to bring him a |
motive. Culture was the motive of the |
priest, that of the Roman was to be- |
come a soldier while political SUI
premacy was the motive of the Jew.
The test of your character is the ask
ing of yourself the question, What is |
my motive?' If yen put Jesus Christ |
at the head of your life questions of |
conduct will take care of themselves |
II shall say but very little to you"
continued the evangelist, "about get |
ting ready to die, but I shall have |
great deal to say about getting ready |
TO i've. NIet INe cross OIL Jesus SllIiSt
between Yourself and your sins"
81 want you for the next three weeks
to put away sham. / want you to be
true to he absolutely honest" re-
marked the evangelist dramatically at
the close of his discourse. II want you
men here that owe your groceryman
to get right with him and settle up
yoar dents. I want you women that
have been gossiping about your neigh
bors to quit it and beg the pardon of
those that you have injured"
The City hall meetings will be held
at 40 O'Clock each evening except
Saturday and will continue to Jan. %.
Afternoon meetings will be arranged
for at different places and the first
afternoon meeting will be held Friday
Mt Hallowell. Evangelist Gray an
nounced during the evening that he
purposed during the campaign to call
upon the various business and profess
sonal men of the city at their off1ces