atmosphere of special spiritual and sacred power. One soldier of the
English army wrote an interesting letter in 1897, saying: "I do not
recall any such impression before. I went into the church alone out of
curiosity to look at its architectural design. But the moment I entered
the side aisle I felt an indescribable pressure which made me desire to
pray. I hurried out to the street to escape the solemn impression. But
twice since then I have been in the auditorium and each time some power
seemed pressing me down to my knees." Whether that influence was the act
of the Holy Ghost or not cannot be proven by any known formula of human
reasoning, and hence it remains, as most of such questions do, a matter
of faith. Some believe it was a divine presence which made itself felt
there, and other good men do not believe the conditions were in any way
unusual or unnatural. So many persons with uncontrolled imaginations,
and others with their mental faculties weakened or distorted, often
reported the most improbable visions and absurd revelations. Such
characters, half insane or wholly deranged, testified in favor of Jesus
to his face, and such have ever been present since in every genuinely
spiritual movement. They would do less harm, of course, if they should
declaim against him. So it was, and is, at the Baptist Temple. Those
inconsistent, deranged advocates of religion did often drive away
permanently into the ranks of unbelievers the most sincere
investigators. But a calm review of the testimonies concerning the
occurrences which followed so clearly the petitions they offered in the
Temple seems overwhelmingly to establish the claim, now held by so many
thousand people, that the results of the prayers were but a cause and
natural effect, as the prayers and results were infallibly related.
It is not claimed here, however, that the place had more influence with
man or Christ than other places have had, or that any church or
cathedral may be as sacred as Gethsemane or as the Mount of
Transfiguration. The plain facts are recorded here with great caution
and with a determination to keep conservatively within the truth and
draw no unreasonable conclusions. It is a true statement, known to all
the community, that many thousands of people have sought to pray in the
Temple, believing that the boon their hearts desired would be more sure
to be sent if they asked for it within the Temple walls. Many persons
have attended the church services on the Sabbath who have been so deep
in prayer that they were unconscious of the music or the preaching. We
must reassert that this fact is not recorded here to sustain any idea
that the Temple is a sacred place above many other churches, cathedrals,
and holy places, but to sustain the opinion that there are places more
sacred than others to certain people, and that burdened hearts and minds
would act wisely if they sought some such place when the answer to their
prayer seems especially vital.
Chapter II
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