THE KING’S BUSINESS
1054
■had invited me there. The people sup posed that I had chosen my subject, and preached to them in that manner, because they were so wicked as to be called Sodom. This was a striking coincidence; but so far as I was concerned, it was alto gether accidental. I have not been in that place for many years. A few years since, I was laboring in Syracuse, in the State of New York. Two gentlemen called upon me one day ; one an elderly man; the other not quite fifty years of age. The younger man in troduced the older one to me as deacon W-—--- , elder in his church; saying that he had called on me to give a hundred dollars to Oberlin College. The older man in his turn introduced the younger, saying, “This is my. minister, the Rev. Mr. Cross. He was converted under your ministry.” Whereupon Mr. Cross said to me: “Do you remember preaching at such a time in Antwerp, and in such a part of the town, in the school-house, in the afternoon, and that' such a scene, describing it, occurred there?” I said, “I remember it very well, and can never-Torget it while I remember anything.” “Well,” said he,- “I was then but a young man, and was converted in that meeting.” He has been many years a successful minister. Several of his chil dren have obtained their education in our college in Oberlin. MR. FINNEY’S MARRIAGE At this time I was earnestly pressed to remain at Evans’ Mills, and finally gave them encouragement that I would abide with them, at least one year. Being en gaged to marry, I went from there to Whitestown, Oneida county, and was mar ried in October, 1824. My wife had made preparations for housekeeping;, and a day • or two after our marriage I left her, and returned to Evans’ Mills, to obtain con veyance to transport our goods to that place. I told her that she might expect me back in about a week. - The fall previous to this, I had preached a few times, in the evening, at a place called Perch River, still farther northwest from Evans’ Mills, about a dozen miles. I
God; but he did not at all get the atten tion of the people. I then spake as loud as I could, and tried to make them attend to me. I said to them, “You are not in hell yet; and now let me direct you, to Christ.” For -a dew moments I tried to hold forth the Gospel to them. My heart was so overflowing with joy at such a scene that I could hardly contain myself. It was with much difficulty that I re frained from shouting, and giving glory to God. As-soon as I could sufficiently control my feelings, I turned to a young man who was close to me, and was engaged in pray ing for himself, laid my hand on his shoul der, thus getting his attention, and preach ed in his ear, Jesus. As soon as I got his attention to the cross of Christ, he be lieved, was calm and quiet for a minute or two, and then broke out in praying for the others. I then turned to another, and took the same course with him, with the same result; and then another, and an other. In this way I kept on, until I found the time had arrived when I must leave them, and go and fulfill an appointment in the village. I told them this, and asked the old man who had invited me there, to. re main and take charge of the meeting, while I went to my appointment. He did so. But there was too much interest, and there were too many wounded souls, to dismiss the meeting; and so it was held all night. In the morning there were still those there that could not get away; and they were carried to a private house in the neighborhood, to make room for the school. In the afternoon they sent for me to come down there, as they could not break up the meeting. ANGER EXPLAINED When I went down the second time, I got an explanation of the anger mani fested by the congregation during the introduction of my Sermon the day before. I learned that the place was called Sodom, but I knew-it not; and that there was but ■one pious man in the place, and him they called Lot. This was the old man that
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker