"A goodly sight, indeed, and worthy the words of hearty welcome uttered by the pastor. As he led the congregation in the song, 'There are angels hovering round,' the house seemed to be full of heavenly influence. There were a large number of baptisms. There was visible emotion as the symbol of purity was lifted to the brow of a lady in deep mourning. Her husband (Mr. George Betts) had been an elder of the church twenty-eight years. It was his constant cry to God that he might not die until his wife became a Christian. Two weeks before he had heard her examined and received by the session. On his way from church he was struck with paralysis, and died."
He adds: "I have never seen a better appearing multitude stand in any church. The sexes were about equally divided."
"These seasons," said the pastor, in his farewell discourse, "have not been the result of accident. They were thoroughly planned and provided for, and sought of the Lord. We have found that appropriate means was wisdom, that persistent concentration was power; that enthusiasm for souls was force; and that belief in God was success."
A complete history of that one revival would occupy a volume. It was deep, wide-spread, and confined to no particular class. The official capacity of the church recently has been largely exercised by men converted at that time. Men holding trusts in the Society to-day were without hope previous to that work.
It is gratifying to record the continuance of the gracious favor, that this last year of the century, the fifty-seventh of our existence, should be crowned with still another work of grace—gradual in inception, first indicated by increasing interest in the ministration of the Word, in the absence of special means, only finding in the Week of Prayer an occasion for decided development—continuing with deepening and widening interest, until attention was necessarily divided between this and a more general work in connection with the coming of Messrs. Moody and Sankey to our city. As visible proof of this quiet work, fifty-seven have been added to the church—forty-six making profession of their faith on March 12th, of all ages—youth from the Sabbath-schools, adults, and several heads of families.
A church of such continuous revival record ought, indeed, to raise her Ebenezer to-day. While as patriots we fling out our Centennial Banners, let us, as subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ, set up a memorial to the praise of His boundless, matchless grace.
During the ministry of the Rev. George O. Phelps, the blessing of the Lord attended his untiring and loving labors.
We cannot omit mentioning here the kindness of the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Conkling, who cheerfully supplied the pulpit for eighteen months without any remuneration; and during this time the pastor's study was neatly furnished, and the church property renovated. Also a number of young persons were led to Christ and united with the church; some of these young men are to-day actively engaged in the Lord's work in the lower part of the city, at the Church, and in connection with the "Young Men's Institute," on the Bowery.
It only remains for me to speak of the Sabbath-schools connected with this church.
Imperfect, indeed, would be this narrative, without a record of this department of Christian work.