Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-05-23

II - 49, .>DS~vC.
IEvANGELIsT POWELL RECEIVES Tw'
HUNDRED AND FOUR DOLLARS FRol
THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH PARIS AM
VICINITY.
Not for fifty years has South Pari
been 80 stirred religiously - during tn
17-day revival campaign under the Rev
Felix Powell, the Maine Conferenc.
Evangelist Of the Methodist Episcopa
Church.
The fact that there were about sixt!
converts IL but small index Of the grea
amount of good done the community
The townis breathing different spirit
ual atmosphere, church attendance vii
be increased, religious activity intensi
fed. Though the majority Of the CON
verts will unite with the Methods,
church yet all the churches will take n
new members and three churches out
side of Paris will profit by the revival
New faces will be seen In oil the churches
and the Indifferent outside the church
have taken Q new interest.
Possibly the two sermons attracting
the largest audiences were those on two
Monday nights, "Gossip," and "The
Back Yard" s
In the first solar plexus blow was
given to prevailing modern sin. The
night on which the sermon was preached,
many most beautiful flowers were pre-
sented to the evangelist, be selecting the
most beautiful and holding It In bis hand
a. he stood before the great crowd, and
then after most beautiful language de-
scribing the flower and the great creative
power In producing the flower, he In less
than one half minute destroyed 1t oil.
The lesson drawn, how men with one
word sometimes destroy the character OF
some beautiful girl in idle gossip" will
not soon be forgotten, and scores left the
church that night determined to put .
seal on the tongue and forever strangle
an altogether too common sin.
The second sermon on the "Back
Yard" was terrific onslaught on both
the inner sin and outward habits OF
Christian people. Jealousy and suspi-
cion were first dashed with terrific
energy, but when it came to some Of the
business methods of the modern church,
the personal habits of the church mem
bers and the common amusements OF to-
day, Felix brought up all the 14'inoh
guns of his soul and swept all before
him sparing none In his onsweep OF pas
sion. It was plain talk all right and no
doubt many saw much filth In their
"back yards'' which to-day have had
transformation. A startling statement
"that church members spent more for
tobacco than for missions" was made by
the evangelist. Considering the fact that
5000, 0O0, 900 10 spent annually for to.
bacco. Felix may be correct. Gossip
and ''the Back Yard" will long be re-
membered and it will be long time be-
fore gossip concerning them will cease.
Intense earnestness, occasional elo-
quence, great dramatic power and ability
to picture his stories, mingled with .
continuous run OF fun and good nature;
Q tremendous passion for souls charac-
terized the evangelist. He had ire
mendous grip on the community and
all thought that Q longer campaign could
have added scores to the churches. How
ever, the campaign was short, 1t was
great In scope Of good done.
That the old fashioned gospel preach
ing has lost Its power and that re-
vivals have had their day has been dis.
proved. Men like shirt sleeve gospel
handed to them by man In earnest.
Men had rather be told they are sinners
than saints II they know within them
selves they are sinners.
The town was won on the most part
BY Felix and by ashow OF hands Tues
day night he would receive q most en-
thusiastic reception In another future
movement.
Tuesday was given over to an all day
meeting. Prayer meeting in the morn
ing, q sermon In the afternoon and after
the evening sermon on the "Crises OF
Life" an impressive farewell service.
About fifty of the converts sat In the
front pews together, and took an en-
thusiastic part In the song service.
After the address and appeal for new
converts, oil the converts took their
place upon the platform, providing 1t full
and many standing In the choir loft. The
first gave them an address,
asking them to attend their own prayer
join their own church, and
to Its support. After q
charge to the Christians, ell OF which
formed double line up and down both
aisles, around both back and front OF the
church, including the converts, "Blest
be the Tie" was sung, the pastor gave
hual word and Rev. G. n. Hall pro-
the benediction.
The total amount of the offering Was
approximately 1904, and 1t is the general
consensus of opinion that he earned every
cent of 1t and many wished that 1t were
many times that amount.
To Enter Insurance Business Here.
The following article concerning
South Paris boy is taken from the Booth
bay Register of the issue of May 9th:
Charles E. Merrill Is the second son OF
Lyman Merrill of this village. 10 9 grad.