The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-30

LONDON, December 9.--London is
experiencing an old-fashioned back
GODS American religious revival The
Te Of it is, perhaps, one of the most
Gus non-conformist places of wor-
. in the world, Surgeons Metro
titan temple, and the man responsi-
for it is the Rev. Dr. Dixon, an
aerican clergyman, who recently &C
Jted the successorship to Surgeons
llpit and work
Dr. Dixon, who came here from Chi
cage, but is, I believe, a North Caro-
Imam and a brother of Thomas F. Dix
on, the noted American author. is d
typical American in appearance, rs
we'll as in manner speech, dress and
Thought. He is imposing, with his
military mOustaChe shock of steel-gray
hair, falling in a lavish fold over his
forehead. Dressed in the uniform of
the Horse Guards he would be vision
of greatness. His anecdotes are drawn
from experience in the United States
and cOlored by the aid of the Ameri-
can preachers faith in the use of dra-
matte gesture and force.
The pictures Of Bible life live before
his own eyes, and he describes them
as if he saw them right now" When
/ heard him preach he chose a diff
hcult subject. At a prayer meeting
the night before, one of the gather
ing prayed, ooh, Lord, send us along
some old-fashioned conventions"
""That gave me the text tonight, "
said the doctor, and l will try and
answer the question, What is an old
Fashioned conversion?" Then he took
his South London audience to the
United States, and described camp
meeting with 10000 men and women.
An classes were present. Preachers,
Searned and illiterate, took a part in
ehe fourteen days Service, during
which men and women were carried
out PROSTATE and unconscious. Re
gaining consciousness, they would
49, -'-''aluiah" and GLORY" and
continue in a 81. of rapture for some
time, Then came 4 surprise. Il do
not cau these ole fashioned CONVEX
sious," he said. ct. call them modern
diversions, and consider their ex-
travagance did the cause of evangeli'
cal religion much harm"
The gist of the sermon was that old
fashioned conversions are described in
the New Testament The preacher Sc.
lected ten of them and placed them in
pairs by way of contrast. Here was a
rich field for the pulpit artist, which
DR., Dixon is in a non-oratorical but
absorbing sense. He talks plainly and
simply. He uses few words with more
than three syllables. He is easy to
understand.
That night he fa' mated his SOCK
with descriptions o. an Eastern mar
l5et place, the womal the well, SauI
on his way to Damas S, the splendid
young martyr Stephe and incidents
illustrative of his poir 5.
AS to his logic it nia" be summed az
an a sentence. The ba. y. he argl
ment is essentially .purgeonic. He
stands by the old BOOK. Facts stated
there are facts. The miraculous IL
PauTs conversion is accepted without
qualification and DR.. Dixon concluded
that the old-fashioned conversion thai
ne wants to see at the metropolitan
Tabernacle is a change of heart thai
takes place in one day, aye, one hour
one moment, in short, the birth-crisi'
of a soul takes place in one second o.
time"
Does this teaching succeed? VIII 4
help to dispel some of the social sad
ness of South London? viii 1t con
tinue to hold the field? Judging by
The faces of the 1000 people who lis
tened to the preaching last Sunday
looks as if this Old gospel is not playe'
out But he is z rather remarkable
tact. Pastor and elders are busy
every "Wednesday night, dealing Will
anxious inquirers, and accepting ne"
members into the old fold And the
elders are beside themselves wltl
pleasure.
ace Mr.. Dixon assumed the pastor
shin of this famous shrine Of non-con
formity, the vast church organization
al Newington-butts seems to have been
filled with new life, and a revival Gin
II must be confessed, new form OF
.ths dogmati theology Of the founder