Autobiography (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ...unlike that were not few nor far between among our most favoured churches. Among the majority of the pastors and evangelists who had the greatest power during these revivals there was, after the period of Divine visitation had passed, a loss of such power, a loss from which they never recovered. I will refer to two cases in illustration. The minister in the first case had, no doubt, greater revival power, and was more frequently called to the aid of other churches, than any other pastor in the United States. So he continued during that period, and for some years after. About the year 1.842, while I was spending our winter vacation in Boston, he spent between two and three months in special services in Park Street Church. Morning prayer meetings, and special services during the day, were constantly held, and preaching each evening, all very largely attended. After these services had been continued for about two months, a member of that church said to the pastor of the church where I was preaching, " We hope that two conversions have occurred in connection with Mr.-'s labours in our church. We do not wish the matter talked about, however, as we do not desire to get up an excitement." Such was the exact report made to me, and such were the results of the labours referred to. After a while, that pastor, who was then in his meridian, discontinued such efforts for life. The second case was my immediate successor in the pastoral office in Cincinnati. In all those great revivals he had been one of our most powerful and successful preachers. During his pastorate in that city, he put forth his best efforts, and preached all his great revival discourses, discourses under which hundreds of souls had been converted. But all to very little purpose, and...