CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MISSION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1709, 28 March 1913, Page 8

CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MISSION.

ADDRESS ON PRAYER. Yesterday's inclement weather affected the attendance ut the Chapman-Alexander Mission service at the Town Ilall last 'night, tho crowd being nothing' like as largo as on tho opening night. Seats, however, were occupied early, and before the appointed hour to commence arrived, Jlr. C. -M. Alexander took charge of tho audience, and led them ill song. Hymn after liymn was sung, Mr. Alexander conducting in his characteristic' style. First, Mrs. llarkness (the soloisi) would lie called upon to lead, then the choir would render the chorus, and finally the whole gathering would master both lime . and words. Mr. Alexander afterwards promised a new pocket testament to any man in the audience who would sing one particular, hymn by himself, and the offer was soon taken advantage of. The singer was applauded, but when, later on, the vocal efforts of a row of Salvation Army girls were applauded, Mr. Alexander advised tho audience that they must quit tlmt, as tliero was too much real business to follow.

The singing portion of tho programme over, a reading of Scripture followed, and then Dr. Chapman, announced a number of requests for prayer. "A man who was seeking Christ and could not find Him," asked for prayer,' as did "a young man in I'almerstou North, who was concorned about his soul.". • Another request came from a "schoolmistress in the country .who was anxious, to lead her scholars'to Christ," while a mother was concerned about her son, who had left home,' and could not bo located. These requests were made the bur del} of a brief prayer, wjiich followed. When Dr. Chapman commenced his address, there were some interjections from a man at the back of the, hall, but the missioner seemed quite oblivious to tho fact, and presently the interjector was quietened by tlie ushers. "The effectual fervent prayer of' a righteous man availeth much" (James, v. 16) was the text on which the address of the evening was based.' In the course of his remarks the missioner gave numerous illustrations of the- value of "fervent, agonising prayer," wliich he declared was better than human eloquence, better than the methods of man, better than the machinery of mail—it was the power of God. \ Ho emphasised tho need of fer-vent-prayer for the success of! a movement like the present one, and appealed to them all for assistance in, this direction, so that what had resulted in other places might be accomplished here. It was not wlien the crowd was greatest, nor when tho enthusiasm was at its height, nor when the singing was great, that success naturally followed., A great deal more depended upon fervent, prayer. •If they-would know how host to pray, lie exhorted them to follow Christ through tho Gospel in Gethseinanc. In that way they would get the riglit spirit, and tho city might be stirred. ■ At the close of the address, Dr. Chap-, man said he thought tliero must be many people present who would say: "I wish you would pray for me." Then he asked those who sought prayer to raise their right hands. If they were nervous about it, tliey need not keep them up, but jusi raise them 60, and put them down again. A great many hands went up and down ill different parts of the hall. Regarding the sale of tho hymn books at tho door of the hall, it was stated i that any profit thereon did not benefit the missioners. It would help towards the cost of the education of two divinity students from Dunedin, who had interested themselves in the work, and who liad the confidenca of the ministers of their city. '