The American Missionary — Volume 42, No. 04, April, 1888 — John Shaqi
The American Missionary — Volume 42, No. 04, April, 1888Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 42, No. 04, April, 1888
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
I had promised Rev. G.W. Moore last winter, before sailing for my home
in England, to assist him in special religious effort. From the very
commencement of the meetings a good spirit was manifest, which
deepened day by day until forty or more persons professed faith in
Christ, young and old being reached by the power of the gospel. One
man sixty-one years of age surrendered to the overtures of God's love
and received Christ as his Saviour. Another of seventy-five years was
pointed out to me as a hardened sinner. When approached he was full of
self and reason, "I don't believe in mourner's benches and such like;
do you think my going there will make me a Christian or do me any
good?" "No, but it will show the people you are intending to make a
start for Heaven, and it will enlist their sympathy and prayers," I
replied.
Finally he knelt with me in the aisle with his head bowed on the end
of the seat while I prayed. Soon the big tears were dropping from his
eyes and he went home that night under conviction. The following night
he returned. He was again prayed for, but went away undecided. The
next night as soon as inquirers were given an opportunity to present
themselves for prayers he was the first to respond, and the sinful man
of seventy-five years had yielded his heart to Christ, and could sing
from his heart "Happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away." His wife,
who was present, rushed forward, and tears of joy ran down their
cheeks. Scarcely a dry eye was to be seen, while above all there was
joy in Heaven over another sinner saved. Deacon R. came to me
afterwards and said, "Why, did you ever see what a change in the man
in three days, and at last how he 'caved in.'"
Ten persons made profession of their faith, in January. Two of these
were teachers in the public schools. There were four conversions in
one family. Since these meetings, many extra services have been held,
with fruitful results. There are family altars where none before
existed. The work in Washington under Mr. Moore is very hopeful. My
next point was
SELMA, ALA.
which I entered full of hopes as to successful meetings, and was not
disappointed. {101} During my stay there, lasting three weeks, sixty
professed to be converted. Most of these, through the efforts of Rev.
C.B. Curtis and his wife, were formed into a "Children's Band," while
others joined the churches. This is a most important feature in
pastoral work, where the majority of the converts are children. They
need to have something that will help them in their spiritual and new
life and which may be instrumental in preserving them from
temptations, snares and pitfalls, laid to entrap them by the enemy of
their souls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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