THE GREAT REVIVALISTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 24, 28 January 1881, Page 4

THE GREAT REVIVALISTS.

The San Francisco correspondent of the Auckland Htrald writes : — IMoodv and Sankey still hold their own — for one month they have preached nightly to such enormous congregations that tho church has not been able to hold them. Mr, Moody is a fine-looking man with en earnest delivery and a clear, resonant voice. He is possessed of great magnetism, and holds his audience as by a spell. His teaching is aimp'e and touching, and many converts have con c into the fold. Mr. b % anl>ey is possessed of a beau'iful voice. He has an harmonium on the platform, and sicpß the hymns as solos, the congregation joining in 'he chorup. The revival campaign will lost throughout tho winter, and religious society is much exercised over it ; indeed, to see the ovtrflowing crowds who flock nightly to bear these celebrated men, no cue would believe that we are living in the moet openly in moral city under the sun, where not a day passes without a murder or a suicide. ME QT7FSTION DRAWEB. The most interesting feature of the Convention thus far has been the question drawer. During the dieeuaBion of the eet topic yesterday after* noon, those present were invited to put ! in writing any question of religious bearing which might occur to them, and pass them up to Mr. Moody. Be fore the hour had expired he was conBtrained to tell the people that the\ need send up no more, as, he already hfid more than he could answer before midnight. Then he took the folded slips one after another, read them, and answered their questions off hand. Many at them were on questions of church discipline and management, and other thinpo of interest only to church people. Others were of more general < interest Some of the latter, with their answers, are appended : I SAABATH DEtICRATIOJJT. Question — How run we kepp our children from JSnlbath deeecra ion ? Answer — Make it the most interesting day: of the week at hr.me, and keep it j yourself. If jou g«> riding Sunda^ afternoons your children will do the same, and fall into bad' company and bad hab \s. You can't Bay to your boy: " That's the way to go, but I'm going this way," The boy will f -How the example of the father, as a general thing, especially it it is not a good ooe. Q. — Do you write your sermons ? A.-^-If I did I couldn't read them. [Laughter ] CHTTECH SINGING. Q. — How can we get our church people to sing ? A. — Sing yourselves. Singing is catching. Mr. Sankey never likes to have me sing near him, because I don't know one tune from another, and he says I put him out. But when tho whole crowd begins to sing I sing out something. I sing the best I can, and that's all anybody can do. Charles Lesley's hymns waked up the world. Methodism sang its way around the world in the first half of the century. "When a church gets cold they don't "want to sing, and they hire haif-a-dczen opera gingers to go up in the organ loft ' and praise God for them. I pity a church that never sings. The first impulse of a young convert is to sing God's praises. No man can praise God forme. I believe we want grand congregational singir g. There are a few who want the artistic singing. I would let them have two or three hymns a day but let us also have congregational gingiDg. Q. — Can unbelievers lead in the praise of God ? A.— I don't believe ■ they can. How are they going to praise Him whom they don't loveP There is not much praise in an unbelieving heart. CHUBCH PAIRS. Q. — Do church fairs and suppers help the- finances of the church ? A. — In the long run they don't ; they hurt them. 1 never knew a church fair in my life tbat some one didn't get hii> feelings hurt. I believe they grieve the jßObfc spiritual of every church, and you cannot afford to grieve those who have the most power with God. They bring in a profane element. Men of the world — scoffers — will tell you they have paid fifty cents to help the church. They have probably paid fifty cents for an oyster-stew that cost the church forty cents, and the Church of God has made ten cents on the operation, i think it is very email bus nese. Then the way they a?e cor ducted is very objectionable. The idea that you can go around to the sanctuary, and by giving twentyfive cents vote whe iB the handsomest lady in town 1 And this in the houi-t of God ! T tell you we have gone so far in this respect that we don't kDow v/here we are. In one place I remember its being given out that any man might go m and kiss the handsomest girl there for twenty cenis. And yet you •wonder that the world eccffs at the church! How degrading it ip. ] think we had better rely upon God and the legitimate meanr. for our finances than have drinking, licentious, ungodlj men brought to our aid and company in this way. I say let us Bet our faces like a flint against all these things. SUNDAY FUNERALS. Q. — What ie tbe duty ot a minister who is called upon to attend a funeral on the Sabbath, when it could be hel. juet cc well on some other day ?— A — I would give them a good gotpel fun<rel. Tbere are seme people you can't reach ai tiny other time but a funeral, Tbere is no use preaching r eulopy of tfce dead, but preach to the livirtp. Q.— What do you thick cf a Christ iau's going to the theatre ? A. — Go, if you can do it for the glory of God. You can go to tbe theatre, dance, or anything else that you can do to the glory of God. That is tfce test. II you. are sincerely converted and filled ■with tbe regenerating influence, you won't wast to go. God tion'f, set cdj of theee Hinge before you and soy you ahull not go ; but he «,ffers you tometbiog better, co thai; you don't wuot them. I never deeire these tbiuge, beeeuee God gives trie somefbing ihin makes me b>ppur than i|ji-y could, 6n< it you ire tiuly Bis child you yvul', went (here ttiiu^e, q # ,_Do collections prtverfc people from coming to church ? A. — I do&'t think they do. Churches have got (o be supported, and tbe ©en wl.o grum-

ble about tbe costliness, of going to church spend five times as much in 08eleBB indulgences uncomplainingly. Tbe eerly ChrieiiaDg. useid to give on the first d»y of the week as the Lord had prospered them.