River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-05-03
Central City, Nebraska


Doctor Imam, a United Brethren
pastor at Wichita, Kansas, opened the
meeting at Central City on the day we
closed the campaign at Ashland. Here
at Central City we found exactly OPP
posite conditions as to morality, from
what Ashland claimed. An evange-
listic meeting had been held in Cen
tral City a few years ago which was
not what might be desired, hence a
great many otherwise good church
folks refused to participate in the
campaign. Like Ashland, this place
was a very wealthy place. No poor
people at all. The meeting dragged
along very hard for nearly three
weeks, then the crowds began to come
On the last day we saw 121 people hit
the trail. They said that we must not
close then, SO Mr.. Rayburn consented
to stay another day. On Monday
night 90 more joined the ranks Of
converts. By urgent invitation we
stayed Tuesday evening also. In spite
of the storm that night the house was
full and 20 people came forward with
out special invitation. Among the
475 converts were people Of every
class, business men, farmers, ranch
men, day laborers, railroad agents,
and professional men, together with
large numbers of women and girls.
About 800 church members of the
town, on their own profession, said
that they had been living lives that
could not be distinguished from those
who made no profession of Christian
ity. They attended church when it
did not inconvenience them, and sup
ported the work financially when they
felt like it. These people promised to
assume their responsibility both in
living their profession and in helping
to carry the load financially.
Many of the high school teachers
were heartily in the work, and as a
result large number of students ac-
copied Christ. Most Of them were
nominally members of churches but
were not vitality connected. The Ne
braska Central college is located just
outside the city limits of Central City.
At the close of the meetings one of
the professors announced that every
student of the college was now a
Christian.
We are glad to make this report of
these meetings because SO many of
the readers Of this paper have had SO
much interest in them. The great re-
suits are due largely to persistent
prayers of thousands of Christians in
many states.
We are. now engaged in what we
hope will be the greatest campaign
of the year. Marinette, Wisconsin,
and Menomonie, Michigan, with to-
tai population of 10000 are making a
Joint effort to evangelize these cities.
Fourteen churches are in the move
ment. The tabernacle was filled and
overlooking at the first meeting, East
er Sunday night. On the following
Saturday the building was enlarged
to seat 500 more, and on the following
day was damned full at 7:15, or fiji
teen minutes before the time to be-
gin the meeting. It is estimated that
$500 were in the tabernacle and an
other thousand were unable to crowd
into the building. Another enlarge
ment was made last Saturday and the
enlarged building was filled on Sun
day night-about 5000 present.
Eighteen adults responded to the
first invitation given last Sunday. A
fine spirit prevails among the
churches, which is an indication that
a great harvest of souls will be gath
cred for the kingdom.
We have had the pleasure of having
Miss Ann Mayer and Frank Wood
worth, who are teaching at Dun
bar, Wisconsin, present at our meet
ings in Marinette. Miss Leona Berg
man, who also teaches at Dunbar,
hopes to come to Marinette before the
campaign here closes.
The Rayburns and Wicklands send
Greetings.
A. J. Wickland.