TEXAS.
Revival—Ministerial Carpentry—Organ and Papers Needed.
REV. S. M. COLES, CORPUS CHRISTI.
“Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not.” I have been led to feel the force of these words with somewhat of the surprise of their author, within the last two or three weeks. My work among this people has been, I confess, a little discouraging; but now the Lord has smiled upon us, aye, He has showered upon us blessings from heaven. Brother Thompson, from Helena, has been with us the last four weeks. We have worked together, and God has crowned our feeble efforts with success. In our conference we decided to hold a series of religious meetings, intending thereby to stir up, if possible, the members of the church to greater activity. These meetings were commenced, and, as they continued, the interest deepened, both Christians and sinners being impressed. Many rose and asked the church to pray for them. To our great surprise and joy, sinners have come flocking home, backsliders have been reclaimed, the church has been made alive, and many out of Christ are inquiring. The manifest result of our season of revival thus far is, that six have been added to the church. Four young ladies, all under twenty-three years of age, joined by the profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. One who had backslidden came and acknowledged her sins, professing her belief that God had forgiven the same, asked pardon of the church, and was received back again into the fold. Another came, by letter, from the Baptist church. He was formerly a member of this church, and, as he said, he “only came back again.” And let me say, that these meetings were not characterized by excitement; not the least “shouting” was manifest during their continuance, but there was a deep seriousness shown upon each countenance. The colored people here are so wild and physical in their religious meetings, while our church is so quiet, that they speak skeptically about our Christianity. An A. M. E. minister asked one of our young converts to-day, when she was converted. They are still looking through Elijah’s wind, earthquake and fire for the appearance of God, and but few wish to receive Him through the “still small voice.”
Our financial condition is not what we could wish, but in the circumstances I do not think it could be much better. The members failed this year to meet their pledges; they are fifty dollars short. But this was caused by having to meet unforeseen expenses. We enclosed our church lot just before Christmas. I advised them to do this, as the edifice was so much exposed. The carpenter’s work I did myself, and charged them nothing for it. My Sabbath-school is quite prosperous, but it is not so large now as it has been. Children need something to draw their attention. I find that they are wonderfully attracted by music. We need an organ; but we are too poor to buy one. Will some kind friend send us an organ for our Sabbath-school? I am sure that great good could be done with an organ in attracting the attention of children and drawing them in from the streets. There are numbers of children strolling around on the Sabbath. Children here are allowed to go where they wish. If they want to come to my school, they come; if not, they stay away; and parents have but little influence over them in this respect. I would like to capture such, and I think I should be able to do this with music and papers.
Cannot some of the friends of the missionary cause send us their old Sabbath-school papers when they are done with them, remembering that God will bless their beneficence?