REVIVAL NEWS
RELIGIOUS INTEREST AT TOUGALOO.
For the past two weeks there has been a great deal of religious interest among the students here. At the meetings, which have been held nearly every night during this time, twenty-nine persons have told us of their determination to serve God for the rest of their lives.
Many of those who have lately begun this new life are young people, who have a good deal of influence over their classmates and associates. We feel glad to know that now they are on the side of Truth and are ready to use whatever influence they may have in the best way. Not only have sinners been converted, but Christians have been stirred up to do better work.
One night, after a sermon upon the subject “Confession,” from the text: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me,” an invitation was given to all who felt it to be their duty to confess any sins that were weighing upon them. The first who arose was a young man who was converted a year or two ago, and who has ever since been foremost in every good work. He said that he had been guilty of an act of dishonesty which had caused him much sorrow. In a lesson that he had written upon the board a few days before he had misspelled a word. One letter was wrong, but as it happened to resemble very closely the right letter, he reported it as such when he saw his mistake. For the next three or four days he had no peace. He knew that he ought to confess the act to the teacher whom he had deceived, but he was afraid that she would lose all confidence in his integrity. He also tried to persuade himself that it was a very little thing, hardly worth reporting. Why not keep quiet about it? No one would ever find it out. But these thoughts brought no comfort with them. The more he thought about the matter, the more he felt convinced that his act was not a little thing. He knew that it was a sin, and therefore not a small thing.
After praying about the matter, this suggestion came to him: “Since you have asked the Lord to forgive you, you have done all that is necessary. You need not ask your teacher’s forgiveness.”
He soon saw that he ought not to expect God to pardon his sin until he had done what he could to set the matter right with his teacher. He felt now as if the very salvation of his soul depended upon his making this confession. As soon as possible, after coming to this conclusion, he went to her and acknowledged his sin. With this acknowledgement came peace.
Other confessions followed this. Some told of similar acts of dishonesty, which they had committed. All who spoke expressed a sincere determination to do better for the future. We felt as if these confessions had cleared the moral atmosphere and made it possible for more effectual work to be done for those who did not profess to be Christians.
Among the number recently converted is a middle-aged woman from the neighborhood. For at least thirteen years she has fully realized that she ought to lead a better life, but has been so much under the influence of old superstitions and ignorant associates, who told her that she could not be called a Christian until she would say that she had seen all sorts of impossible visions and had numerous strange experiences, that she has hardly known which way to turn. Now she has come out from under her yoke of bondage and feels as if she had seen a great light, a much clearer and better one than that for which she watched so many years.
We are hoping and praying that the good, work which has been begun here may continue: that those who have started in the right way may have strength of character enough to keep in it, even when the prospect looks dark and they do not feel so full of enthusiasm as now.
Miss F. J. Webster.
A SUMMER SHOWER.
It fell out of a clear sky, without foretokening of cloud or of electric display. It was at Chattanooga, in Pastor Joseph E. Smith’s church. At the regular Wednesday evening prayer meeting a young man announces that he has made up his mind to turn and live a Christian life. Good Deacon Morford asks of the pastor: “How would it do to have a meeting to-morrow night?” It is appointed. Two or three more at that time come out on the Lord’s side.
Then a meeting every night is agreed upon, with a sermon from the pastor; and every night souls are hopefully born again. The series continues two weeks. For the last few days Pastor Penney and Superintendent Roy drop in to help glean a little. Over two-score souls are numbered among the believers. Forty are examined and approved by vote for membership in the church.
But there was some preliminary work after all. The lady missionary, Mrs. Almira S. Steele, of Revere, Mass., who is sustained by the ladies of the Congregational churches of Chelsea, besides her general service, has had a Friday afternoon sociable for the women, which not only worked as a preparation but was used all through the revival with marked spiritual results. So her service in the Sunday-school, with the handling of the review intrusted to her, had borne upon the happy issue, and all the people, who are delighted with their lady assistant, trace the work back in part to her influence. The pastor, who had become almost discouraged, becomes a new man. The church is confirmed. This fruitage encourages the patient culturing of the Sabbath-school. It rewards proper teaching. There was no noise, no confusion. None of the inquirers were looking for visions and dreams, for long-drawn agonies, for “the power.” They were just marched up to the question of immediate submission and trust. This work shows how our little churches that are striving for purity and order and character may be spiritually empowered and built up.
REFRESHING AT MACON.
It will gratify our friends to know that our A. M. A. mission in Macon has been spiritually refreshed. There was a growing religious interest among the children of our day-school and Sunday-school, and early in February we were enabled to secure the aid of Rev. E. E. Rogers, of Orange, Conn. The neighborhood prayer-meetings and house-to-house visitation by day were followed by powerfully impressive meetings at night. The work spread remarkably among the children, many of whom have started out in the new life. For more than three weeks the scholars of our Lewis High School would voluntarily leave their play and spend the whole half-hour of noon recess in prayer and religious instruction at the parlor of the Mission Home to the number of sixty and upward. At one memorable pray-meeting in the school-house there were twelve or fifteen of the students who gave their hearts to God. It was a Pentecostal season, a time of great rejoicing to the faithful teachers who had so long prayed for their pupils. The clear, decided testimony of one bright little Sunday-school boy, eight years of age, who was converted in one of the Sunday-school prayer-meetings, would put to shame the half-way, timid professions of some older people. “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.” Sixteen members of our Sunday-school have joined our (Congregational) church. Twenty-two in all have united, of whom eight are heads of families, while eight or ten of the students have joined other churches, where their families are connected. The daily meetings continued for six weeks, with the efficient help of Rev. D. Sherrell, of Savannah, for a few days, after Brother Rogers’ departure.
GOOD HARVEST.
The religious interest in Atlanta University, which was reported to you some time since, has continued for five weeks without any abatement, and a good harvest has already been gathered. The meetings have been well attended, in spite of some sickness and bad weather, and have been marked by an earnest attention to the truth and a fervent spirit of prayer. We have good reason to believe that many more than a score of souls have chosen the service of Christ, and they show a tenderness of devotion and a carefulness of demeanor which promise well for their stability.
Scarcely one is left among those who made their home here who has not been deeply affected, and who has not taken some steps in advance. We do not expect any reaction or falling away from the uplift which the whole school seems to have experienced.
INCREASE IN PRAYER MEETINGS.
The prayer meetings at Hampton are well sustained, and the religious feeling in the school is good. There has been a marked increase in our prayer meetings this year. We often have 200 in our Sunday morning meeting conducted by the students, where last year there were only thirty or forty. We have kept up two Indian meetings during the week, in which a verse of the Bible is read in English by one of the students, then by all who can read English in concert, then by one in Dakota. Then it is explained. After trying several ways, this seemed to be the most satisfactory. Prayers are offered in Dakota, in Arizona and in English by the students.
A meeting is kept up by the English-speaking students among themselves in order to fit them to take part when they go back to their homes.
PARIS, TEXAS.
We are in the midst of a special work of grace. Nineteen have given evidence of having been born by the Holy Spirit. They all have been added to our church. Besides these, one came by letter from another denomination. Others are anxiously inquiring the way of life. All these converts, with two exceptions, are from the Sunday School. Among these “new-born babes” one is the wife of a minister and one is the wife of a deacon. The two oldest children of the pastor are among those that professed a hope in Christ.
M’INTOSH, LIBERTY CO., GA.
Last Sabbath was a “high day” with us. We have been holding extra meetings about four weeks. The result was the conversion of about fourteen persons, among whom were several of our most promising scholars. Our communion season came off last Sabbath, when nine of these converts came to unite with us.