River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-10-19
A Month With
Evangelist RaybmR
Intimate Account Of the EVanqe1Ists'
Work While at Barron, Written by
Prof. WickIand, Who Directs the
Song Services.

One month has passed since we left
River Falls to take up our work for a
time with Evangelist Rayburn. The
first campaign of the season has end
ed. According to our promise to many
OF our friends at River Falls, we are
sending brief report through the
columns of your papers.
We opened the four-weeks meeting
at Barron on Sunday, September 8,
with a good crowd both morning and
evening. Barron is a city a little
smaller than River Falls, but has a
large tributary territory. Four or FIVE
places larger than Beldenville, were
connected with the campaign.
The first two weeks or more were
hampered by unfavorable weather.
Nearly every forenoon was fine, but
afternoons and evenings were cloudy
or rainy. Still the building holding
1900 was we'll filled. Most of the
church people had little faith in the
movement and consequently put little
heart into the meetings from the first.
AS the meetings progressed, they be-
came more and more interested and
during the last week or more, nothing
was more talked of than the meetings.
During the last week the weather was
fine, and roads good. Large delega-
tions from Rice Lake, Eau Claire,
Prairie Farm, Cumberland, River
Falls and other towns attended. The
crowds grew until it was impossible
for al to get into the tabernacle. The
doors were left open and all available
aisle space was used, so that fully
1900 people heard the sermons.
The last Sunday was the great day
The house was crowded three times.
In the morning Mr.. Rayburn spoke on
"The Church., in the afternoon on,
Americas Greatest Enemy, and in
the evening on, "The Second Coming
Of Christ" Mr. Rayburn was in
splendid physical condition and preach
ed with power. During the day there
were $50 professions Of conversion. BY
unanimous vote it was decided that
the meetings continue another night.
Mr.. Rayburn could not give more than
one night.
At the Converts Meeting on Mon
day afternoon, there were 81 more
conversions and in the evening 102,
making total of 437 cars signed.
None of the converts who were al
ready church members were counted
among the 437. We never in our life
saw happier lot of people.
You will be interested to know who
some of the converts were. The first
prominent man to step out was the
district attorney. He was followed by
other lawyers and business men. The
editor of one Of the papers, owner of
the peg cannery the lumber dealer,
the biggest shoe dealer, the veterinary
doctor, and scores Of farmers and res
ident were among the number. We
saw the greatest rejoicing of whole
families converted and restored to
each other. Kid Wallace, an expire
fighter and jockey, who stayed over
after the Street Carnival, was also in
the list. There was no more excite
ment than in any ordinary large gath
ering. Mr.. Rayburn had hardly finish
ed his sermons before the people be-
gan to chit the trail" Over half Of
the high school students were convert
ed and on Thursday evening after the
meetings closed, without advice from
the Evangelist, organized themselves
into a society similar to that organic
ed in River Falls.
The cards were distributed to the
pastors of the various churches at the
close of the meetings. The Methodist
church received about 1875, the Bap-
lists English and Norwegian 145,
the Norwegian Lutheran 72 and the
other churches received from 20 down.
The appreciation of the people Of
Barron was shown toward the Evan
gelistic party by generous Offering.
The meetings of the second cam
paign began here at Eau Claire last
Sunday. The tabernacle is located on
the Hay Market site. The opening
meetings point to a great result for
Eau Claire. Eight churches are in the
Union Effort. We shall try to send
report Of these meetings later.
Sincerely yours,
Mr.. and Mrs. A. j. Wickland,
a II