At sometime or other, during the past twenty years, revival services have been held by Dr. Walker in every important city in Georgia without exception. It will be unnecessary to speak of each meeting. The first “big meetings” that gave him anything like a national standing as a recognized leading revivalist were held in Kansas City, Mo. The papers gave large space daily to the accounts of his meetings. This was in 1892, soon after his return from the Holy Land. During the progress of these meetings, invitations came to him to go to St. Louis, San Francisco, and Chicago to continue the good work. As much as he desired to do so, he was compelled to return to his church at Augusta, after five weeks of hard work, in which many hundreds were saved. In 1894, Dr. Walker was invited to New York City to take part in the great religious campaign inaugurated there during that year. The meetings were held during March and April. He remained for three weeks. He spoke at the Antioch Baptist Church, 352 W. 35th Street; St. Mark’s M. E. Church, 139 W. 48th Street; Niblo’s Garden, Broadway, near Prince Street; the Academy of Music, Metropolitan Hall, near Macy’s, and at other points under assignment of the Metropolitan Association. He was associated with such men as the Rev. A. C. Dixon, the Rev. Ernest Lyon, the Rev. Granville Hunt, Mr. Arthur Crane, Leonard Weaver, Mr. Theodore Bjorksten, Mr. and Mrs. George C. Stebbins, the Rev. D. J. Burrell, and others. The following is taken from the New York Tribune concerning those meetings:
“The most unique figure in the present evangelistic campaign is, without a doubt, the Rev. Dr. Walker, of Georgia, who is better known as the ‘Black Spurgeon.’ This preacher has been working principally among the members of his own race in the course of his stay in New York, and has made many converts of the attendants at the meetings in Antioch Baptist Church and in St. Mark’s M. E. Church. Dr. Walker is a man who would attract attention anywhere. He has strong features and his voice, although deep, has a remarkably winning intonation. His manner is eloquent, and in preaching Christ he follows closely the life of the Master, and illustrates his remarks by vivid descriptive phrases.”
The column from which this is taken is headed “The Black Spurgeon’s Work—Many Negroes Uplifted by His Eloquent Words—Part Which Dr. Walker is Taking in the Evangelical Services—His Attractive Personality.”
The New York Sun said:
“‘The Black Spurgeon’ met with great success in his work in this city. He is a large and powerful man, with a deep voice, but what gives him his greatest preaching power is the earnestness he displays in matter and manner. Dr. Walker aroused a religious feeling which is finding expression in daily meetings. In St. Mark’s, three meetings are held each day. The special aim of the revival has been to bring the young into the church, and to reclaim backsliders.”
The New York Times, the New York Press, the New York Independent and other papers spoke of the “Black Spurgeon” and his work in New York at this time.
The following account of one of the Metropolitan noon-day meetings is taken from Sabbath Reading, a religious paper:
“‘Showers of Blessing,’ was the opening hymn at a Metropolitan meeting a few days ago; and the reports of this and other meetings indicate that showers of blessing have indeed been falling. After several hymns had been sung, the Rev. Mr. Hunt led in prayer; Mr. Spencer sang touchingly the hymn, ‘My Son, Give Me Thine Heart.’ Mr. Arthur Crane then spoke a short while. Miss Anna Parks rendered a solo on a cornet, ‘When the Sea Gives up its Dead.’ Dr. Walker, of Augusta, Ga., who is called the ‘Black Spurgeon,’ was introduced. He spoke in a voice tremulous with emotion and enthusiasm, and the audience gave him their close attention, that not a word might be lost. Opening the Bible, he read the first seven verses from Luke 5. ‘There are four things to learn from this lesson,’ he said; ‘first, failure; second, faith; third, fullness; fourth, fellowship. These disciples had had a night of fruitless toil. Jesus was not with them. They were fishermen and were plying their usual vocation on the lake, but they hadn’t met with success. That was failure. In the morning, Jesus came along with a great crowd of people, and he asked Peter to lend him his ship for a pulpit, so that he might preach to the people. Peter did so, and to reward him for his courtesy, Jesus told him to launch out. Now, that seemed a foolish thing to do, because Peter and the others had been fishing all night, and hadn’t caught one fish, and Jesus knew it; but he wanted to teach them a lesson of faith and obedience, as well as to reward them. It’s just like Jesus. He always does reward us right away, and he is continually paying us for what we do. The disciples took Jesus at his word. That was faith. And you know the story, how they let down the nets and drew in so many that the nets broke. That was fullness. Jesus always honors faith, even when it is mixed with ignorance and superstition. Seeing their companions at a distance with their empty boat, the disciples called them to come and share the fish with them. That was fellowship. The Lord intends that each of us shall share our joys with others. While this mighty tidal wave of religion is sweeping over the country, this is a good time for you to come to God and bring your friends with you. Jesus blesses us so that we might bless others. As he is exemplified in our conduct, so shall we win souls. Are there none here to-day who wish this Christ to come into their souls to be their own, their personal Saviour?’ Several raised their hands for prayer, and the speaker said, ‘Thank God.’”
Since 1894, Dr. Walker has held successful meetings in Galveston, Texas; Houston, Texas; Kansas City, St. Louis, Boston, Philadelphia, Nashville, Louisville and Atlanta. The last great meeting in Atlanta was held in April, 1897. The meetings commenced in Friendship Baptist Church, W. Mitchell St., of which the Rev. E. R. Carter, D. D., is the pastor. The interest increased so rapidly, and the number that came was so large that the meetings had to be transferred to the auditorium in Exposition Park, which before that had been made famous by meetings held by Sam Jones, and later by D. L. Moody. He crowded the great hall, with a seating capacity of nearly 8,000 souls, from the start. There probably has never been just such a meeting on the American continent as the one held in Atlanta at that time. It was attended by the white people as well as by the black people. At more than one service there were more than a thousand whites present—some of them representing the wealth and culture and refinement of Atlanta. Ministers, lawyers, members of the city council, the mayor and his wife, the merchants and bankers—all came out to hear the “Black Spurgeon.” And the white people were just as eager, and some of them just as emotional in their worship as were the colored people. Many whites stood for prayer along with colored people; many were bathed in tears during the preaching; many of them testified for Jesus in the testimonial meetings; many were helped; some were saved. At the close of each meeting, the most prominent people would not think of leaving the building before shaking hands with the great preacher. Speaking of this meeting, the Atlanta Constitution said:
“The Negroes of Atlanta are stirred up over the wonderful religious revival that has been going on in the Friendship Baptist Church for the past two weeks. The success of the meeting has been unparalleled, and more religious enthusiasm has been aroused in the two weeks that the meetings have been running than has been felt in this city in years. The meetings are being conducted by the Rev. Charles T. Walker, ‘the colored Spurgeon.’ He is assisted by Rev. E. R. Carter, the regular pastor. Every night, thousands are turned away from the church on W. Mitchell St., and the building is always crowded with people long before the hour of service. Rev. Walker is proving as great a drawing card among the colored people as Sam Jones did among the whites. He attracts fully as large crowds and his preaching is drawing fully as many people into the church as Sam Jones’ meeting—if not more. Dr. Walker is pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist Church at Augusta, and is regarded as one of the leading colored preachers in the country. He attracts large crowds by his preaching wherever he goes, and his meetings are always attended by wonderful outbursts of religious enthusiasm.”