Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-02
Town of Bardolph, ILL.,, as Evan
gelist Beveridge Recently
Found It.
GIVES OTHER SIDE OF STORY
Relates How Combination of Circum-
stances Broke Up Revival-NOw
Working at Taylor Ridge.

vival meeting at Bardolph, ILL.,, which
had an unpleasant termination. The
statement is accompanied by an eX-
planatory note, in which he says:
Il see your paper has copied a more
or less hurtful article relative to my
/ Bardolph meeting, and l am sending
| you a statement of the case prepared
by one fully acquainted with the situa-
/ ton. presenting the remaining facts
not mentioned in the former article.
Il trust you will be fair in this
matter and give as conspicuous a place
in your paper to my side of the meet
ing as you did the other"
Text of Statement.
The statement follows:
mo evangelist is expected to sue
coed where he is compelled to close
his meetings for entertainments, lee
lures, etc, and let the house of God be
turned into purely secular institution.
Especially is this true if the evangelist
is kept in the dark as to the fact that
in place of his meetings there were to
be lectures and entertainments in his
church which would compel him to stop
his meetings at such times as the local
church authorities might see fit to
notify him.
Here is a simple statement of facts
relative to that meeting, and you can
Immediately make up your mind as to
the situation:
Meeting began Sunday night with
usual interest. Monday night there was
oiol
there was no assignable reason.
Monday afternoon the evangelist
was notified that there would be no re-
vival meeting on Tuesday night. since
a stereopticon lecture was to have the
right of way in the church building.
Thus after two nights of revival effort
the meeting was interrupted in a man
ner unsupported to the evangelist. and
of which he had no knowledge until
the time above stated. The evangelist.
of course, objected 10 this arrange
ment, but was compelled to endure this
injury to the meeting.
"wednesday evening the meeting
was resumed with neither organist nor
choir At this juncture the evangelist
stated that if he could not have a local
organist he would send away and get
one, as the meeting could not be car
ried on successfully without an or
ganist
Thursday evening the situation be-
came embarrassing when some of the
members refused to pray, being called
upon by their pastor. At this, these
same church members left the meet
ing and did not return again.
Friday and Saturday evenings there
were excellent crowds, the church be-
ing full.
Refuses to Respond.
AT the close of the Sunday morn
ing service the church resfused to re-
spOnd to any proposition which Mr..
Beveridge made. The pastor then said
to the evangelist: Il never thought my
people were in this condition. l am
disappointed in them" The evangelist
announced that he would close the
meeting that night. A number of per-
sons. together with their pastor, came
to the evangelist, begging that he
would continue. Mr.. Beveride refused
to commit himself until the night meet
ing At the close of the night meeting
he announced a continuance. which
was received by the people with great
satisfaction.
Monday night the evangelist preach
ed his great sermon on He'll The
discourse lasted for one hour and a
half The statement was made that
the time had come to quit the dis
course. and the sermon was but half
finished The interest was SO intense
that an audible outcry was heard from
several in the congregation, Finish it!
Tuesday night the theme was the
Holy Spirit and the first invitation
was given for seekers. Eight persons
to the first invitation of the |
and came to the altar.
"Wednesday was stormy day; the |
evening attendance was not so large, /
but there was splendid interest.
Thursday night on his way to the .
church the evangelist was met by two /
men who made known to him that the /
church had been secured for the fol- |
lowing night and a lecture arranged .
for previously was to be given. The /
local committee had secured from the 1
building for this night, and il was a .
case of FORGETTING $50 to the entertain
ers or doing away with the revival .
meeting A case of God or mammon'
The consequence was that the official
board of the church sold out the evan
selist, the local pastor refusing to
commit himself in the matter, thus
casting the brunt of the responsibility
IN the evangelist Thus in the brief
space of 10 days Mr. Beveridge was
compelled to twice close down his re-
rival meetings for side issues to have
light of way in the church he had con-
racted to conduct a continuous series
If revival effort. If the evangelist had
this sort of treatment he