A REVIVALIST COMEDY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2020, 4 March 1907, Page 1

A REVIVALIST COMEDY.

A merchant named Bartlett, one of the loading men in tho town of Lawton, lias been placed in an awkward predicament by the revivalist campaign being conducted with groat success in Oklahoma. Though lie is a religious man and a prominent member of tlio congregation of the Episcopal Church, he does not sympathise with’ tlip emotional revivalist methods, which, he declares, do more harm than good. Consequently lie declined to attend the meetings or support the movement financially or otherwise. His wife, however, is one of the most enthusiastic of the mission’s supporters, and not only insisted, against his wishes, in attending the meetings, but was unrelaxing in her efforts for his conversion. Persuasion failing, slie publicly asked for the prayers of the mission to assist her in her task in bringing him to the penitents? form. These were offered at every service until the regeneration of "Win. Bartlett became the chief interest of the mission. Mr Bartlett was not only played for and preached at, but after the meetings the entire congregation marched in procession to bis place of business, conducting open air services for liis special benefit, the central figure at which was his weeping wile. Mr Bartlett was still obstinate, and’his wife publicly pledged herself totally to abstain from' food of every kind until her husband was converted. She had fasted lo days in pursuance of her promise, anil seemingly slie was not much the worse. But her husband was more obstinate than ever. Tho rqvivnfists gatherei pound bis shop niid' urged him to save _ his wife’s life by attending a meeting. They declare her death will be at his hands. He,after consulting a lawyer, announced that he would allow her a fortnight more fasting, after which, if she still survived, he would divorce her on the ground of desertion. Mrs Bartlett, clad in white, occupies the centre of the platform at all services, and is such an advertisement to tho mission - that thousands are turned aWay daily . '