A Revival Meeting

One year had passed since Mr. Neal met with the folks in the community house at Steele’s Crossing. The Temperance Society had not been organized in vain, for when Jake Blaum, the saloon-keeper, circulated another petition to renew his license, leaders of the society circulated a remonstrance against it, and when Jake went to present his petition to the court, he found a number of the members of the Temperance Society present also. With more than a two-third majority of the population of the community remonstrating, the license was not granted.

The old saloon was abandoned and the Blaum family moved away to a small town about ten miles distant, where Blaum bought a saloon from another man and continued in the saloon business. The old saloon building at Steele’s Crossing was only an empty hull now. As soon as it was vacated it became a target for mischievous boys, and the windows with their broken glasses told of a battle where rocks had been used as means of defense. Boards were nailed over the windows and the door, and the old building bore a dejected appearance. The old shoe-cobbler moved his place of business also when Jake Blaum left the community, and now occupied a small room in the rear of the store, which was also the post office.

The community house had also undergone a change, but not such as the saloon building. A new coat of paint had been given to it and the old benches had been replaced with comfortable pews. Cracked window panes had given place to new ones, a new carpet was laid in the aisle, and new chairs were placed on the rostrum. The woodwork inside the building was well varnished and the walls neatly papered. As this was a community house, all felt that they could contribute to it that it might be repaired. Joe saw the Sunday School grow from twenty-six to an average of eighty-three. All the services were well attended. Alfred was a leading man among them. When no minister could be found to hold services for them, Alfred was their leader, and as he often had to take this responsibility, he had become an interesting speaker.

Alfred and Tillie no longer lived in the house with Joe and Susie, for Joe’s uncle had built a house for Alfred and they now lived to themselves. A baby boy had been added to their family, and another baby girl had come into the Holmier home. Joe no longer went to church in the old wagon but in a new carriage, while Alfred and Tillie had a new buggy. The two men worked together during the week and then met together for worship on Sunday. It was easy for Joe to sit and listen to Alfred as he did his best to expound the Scripture, for Alfred’s life was such before Joe that Joe knew Alfred was able to instruct others. All worshiped together in the little chapel without question of any religious differences. All were given freedom of religion, and that without question. Joe and Susie needed not to be questioned as to their belief, for they still wore their particuliar dress. Alfred and Tillie had been converted in a Methodist revival, at the public altar, and held membership in the Methodist Church; but this was never mentioned. All had confidence in the others.

Preacher Brumbaugh still pastored his little flock and was bold in exposing heresy and denouncing the mass of confusion that could be found at the community house at the crossing.

The Anti-Saloon League was not sending speakers to the crossing as often as when the Temperance Society had first been organized, but the number who attended these meetings was reported through the neighborhood. As a speaker closed his service one evening he remarked to Alfred, as he shook his hand before taking his departure, “I should think this place would be all right for some good man to hold you a revival. I have never seen such crowds in attendance in any rural district.”

“I had thought of that,” said Alfred, “but I do not know just what kind of man would suit this crowd. I am at a loss. Like a man at sea without a compass, I know not which way to turn. If I should select some ministers and they would come in here with their particular way of preaching and their certain doctrine, I am sure that it would work havoc among us. I cannot conduct a meeting myself, for I have not the time to give to study that it would require for such work. I should like very much to see a revival here, for I am sure that it would do us all good.”

At this the speaker of the evening laid his hand upon Alfred’s shoulder and said, “I know the very man that you need for this place, and if you desire, I shall have him get in touch with you by letter. He is a man who preaches Christ and not creed, and that is what you want.”

“Yes, that is what I want and what will satisfy all the others, I am sure,” replied Alfred. “When do you think that he might be able to hold a meeting for us?”

“I am not able to tell you that,” replied the gentleman, “but if he has no other meetings to conduct soon, no doubt he will make this place right away, provided you want him. His name is Reed, and he lives near me. I shall see him on my way home. So if you care to have him to hold you a revival, I shall speak to him and he can write you regarding it and tell you just when he will be free to come to you.”

“Speak to him, by all means,” hastily replied Alfred, “for if he is as you have recommended him to be, I am sure he is the very man for the place.”

“He is an ‘A-number-one’ speaker. I am sure that you will not lack for crowds, for he is a great entertainer. I shall speak to him on my way home.”

The following Wednesday night at the mid-week prayer meeting Alfred mentioned to those present what the speaker of the Sunday evening before had told him, and said that he was expecting a letter from Preacher Reed just any time, and felt sure that he could tell them at their next meeting just when he would be able to come to them. When a vote was taken as to whether they desired him to come and hold a meeting then or later, everyone voted that he should come just as soon as possible. When Alfred received a letter from him the next day, stating that he had had to cancel one of his engagements in a certain town because of sickness and would be free to come to them at any time, Alfred wrote him that they would expect him to be present the following Monday evening, and announced at the Sunday evening service that Preacher Reed would be there the following evening to begin a series of revival meetings.

Preacher Reed came, and the meeting began, with the crowds increasing from night to night until the house could not hold all those who came. Many could not get in to hear him. As it was in late fall, the weather was too cold for anyone to stand outside, so numbers would drive back home unable to get even standing room inside.

Preacher Reed was indeed a wonderful speaker. He spoke with liberty, and as one who was thoroughly acquainted with God and lived in close touch with Him. He had preached but a few times when he gave an invitation for those who desired to seek the Lord to come forward. A number came and knelt at the altar for prayer. It was a real Holy Ghost meeting, where people became convicted of sin and knelt at the altar and prayed through to victory. Old-fashioned shouts were heard as God spoke peace to their souls. The meeting continued for four weeks, and during this time hard-hearted men who had been at swords-points with each other met at an altar of prayer, and, getting everything out of the way between them, prayed through. Long-tongued, gossipy women straightened up their slanderous lies and made peace with each other and with God. Little children wept out their childish transgressions before the Lord and felt the smile of the Lord upon their souls. The entire neighborhood was stirred. At the close of the meeting it was found that 104 had been to the altar, claiming the victory. Not all had come to the public altar, for a number found the Lord at an altar in their own homes. It was truly a wonderful meeting.

Joe and Susie attended every night, and drank in the Word eagerly as it came from the man of God who was laboring so diligently among them. But the tradition of the elders had stayed with them, and when the invitation for seekers was given they would go home. No instruction had ever been given to them. They had found the Lord at home, and the church they had attended all their life had never had a public altar, but rather condemned it. They could not take part in such services, for they felt it wrong. Those who claimed victory at the public altar were looked upon by Joe and Susie with suspicion, while to those who claimed to pray through in their own homes they were ready to extend fellowship, for these had received the victory just as had Joe and Susie. Preacher Reed and Alfred felt badly about this, and spoke to Joe about it, but he only replied, “You will never see me at a public altar, for God said, ‘Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly,’* (Matthew 6:6) and that is what I shall do. That is what I did do, and I can’t have anything to do with the public altar. I haven’t any confidence in those who have gone up there.”

Alfred’s face paled as Joe spoke these words, but he said to him in a kind tone, “Joe, have you no confidence in me?”

“Surely I have confidence in you, Alfred; you know that I have,” replied Joe.

“Well, I found the Lord at a public altar,” said Alfred, as a smile spread over his face. “God came to me just as real there at that altar as he did to you in your little pantry at your private one. And, remember, your altar was not so private either, for wife and I listened to you as you prayed, and you then helped your wife to get to God by praying for her.”

Joe hung his head for some time, but he was not so easily defeated. “That is all true,” said he, “but I was not out in the public eye so that I could make a show of myself like some of those folks at the chapel have done. I tell you again you will never find me at a public altar. I do not want to hurt your feelings about this, Alfred, for I do feel that you are a Christian. You led me to God, and I shall pray for the meeting and help you with the singing and in every other way that I can, but I can’t have any confidence in the public altar.”

So the meeting closed and Preacher Reed took his departure. Joe and Susie were skeptical of those who claimed to have found the Lord at the public altar and often spoke of them to each other in a doubtful way. After the meeting the crowds still came to each Sunday night service. Many times Alfred had to address his neighbors, for the weather became so bad that no minister could come to them from any distance. They all worshiped together. Joe and Susie found that with all their skepticism they had to admit that some of the products of the public altar were genuine. They saw some of the products of home conversion going back into their old paths of ungodliness, and saw some who were converted at the public altar standing true to the Lord.

One man in the community had been a hard sinner. He drank and abused his family shamefully. His little children did not have enough to eat nor clothing sufficient to keep them warm. He came to the meeting because he heard what an excellent speaker Preacher Reed was, and he wanted to find some fault with him. But when he came the Spirit of God spoke to his heart, and he trembled under the sound of God’s Word as it fell from the lips of that man of God. His whole life was laid bare before him and the love of God was pictured to him. This won his heart, and he made his way to the altar and prayed through, rising from his knees shouting the praises of God. Joe watched him as he bought clothing for his family, attended services, and testified to the saving grace of God. One evening as they returned from prayer meeting, after hearing this brother pray and then testify to the saving grace of God and how happy he was in the service of the Lord, telling how God picked up the hard old sinner that he had been and made a new man out of him, Joe remarked to Susie, “I tell you, wife, I surely believe that man really got something that night at the public altar. He certainly is a new man.”