CHAPTER XIX.

Binghamton-No Opposition-Christian Mother and Children -Elmira-Infidel Soldier-Billiard-player-T. K. Beecher's letter-Female College-Towanda-Mode of PreachingAthens Corning-The Prophet-Prejudice-Victory.

In the fall of 1865 the Evangelist, at the request of Dr. Boardman and the other pastors, held a four weeks' meeting in Binghamton, N. Y. All the churches united, and the work rapidly spread throughout the place and the surrounding towns. We give a few quotations containing facts and incidents concerning the work. Says a correspondent of the Presbyterian :

"The city of Syracuse has been repeatedly mentioned in the morning prayer-meetings, that the Spirit of God might visit it. One Saturday afternoon, at a children's meeting, as a minister was taking his leave, he asked the little ones to pray for the children of Syracuse, and as many as would do so were requested to hold up their hands. About two hundred hands went up instantly. On the following Monday morning a note was read in the prayer-meeting from a mother whose little girl had said to her after family worship, Mamma, you forgot to pray for the children of Syracuse.'

“Mr. Hammond came to Binghamton three weeks ago, and held his first service in the Presbyterian church on Sabbath afternoon, October 22d. The meetings FOR PRAYER have been the most delightful and encouraging feature of the revival. They increased in numbers so that the place of meeting was changed from a lecture-room to one of the Methodist churches, which is now crowded to its utmost capacity. Rev. Dr. Bristol, one of our pastors, remarked one morning in the meeting, that in all his experience he had never known such evidences of the deep work of the Holy Spirit—such unity among Christians, and, what is more, no opposition from any quarter. He said he had yet to hear the first word against these meetings, or the least fault-finding in regard to them. All, even worldly persons, are forced to acknowledge that it is of God. This is very strong testimony from one who has had extensive experience in revivals."

A Christian mother says:

"Work and pray, fainting never; for God's due time will come.'

"We believed it, and were looking for it. We were as those who watch for the morning. But not like the morning did he come; suddenly in the temple he revealed himself, and then came the harvest work. First he gathered the little children-and it is believed that over two hundred of them gave their hearts to Jesus while Mr. Hammond was here.

"A Christian mother who had sowed the seed prayerfully and in faith in her children's hearts, was not quite satisfied with the evidence the oldest gave of entire surrender to Him, and went to her closet as soon as she heard of Mr. Hammond's coming, and asked God to lead the child to Himself, during that first week of the meetings for chil

dren. It was the first time she had ever been led to ask

As she prayed, Christ said able to do it?' And her

Him definitely as to the time. to her, 'Believe ye that I am heart replied, 'Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I believe.' And she heard His gracious answer, 'According to your faith be it unto you.' The mother rested on this sure word of promise until the third day, when her little girl came home from the meeting, crying,

"Mamma, I've got a new heart, and I've given myself to Jesus, to belong to Him forever!'

"After two months' jealous watchfulness, that mother confesses her entire, satisfied confidence in that child's conversion.

"A Sunday-school teacher with a class of six pupils, examined them closely, at the termination of the meetings; and five of those boys could tell the very time when they came to Jesus and received a new heart; their little schoolfellows giving unanimous testimony to their newness of life. In the Sunday-schools and day-schools a very large majority profess to have found the Saviour. A doubter grumbled,

"Why, you can't meet a child, but he tells you he loves Jesus.'

"Thank God that it is so! I believe they do love Him, and if they are inconsistent, are they more so than children of larger growth? I believe that these little ones have given themselves to Him, and that if they wander away, it will be in great measure the fault of their minister, parents and teachers, who fail to fulfil Christ's trust to them, 'Feed my lambs.' If Christ receives them, should not we? He says, 'Suffer them to come." Shall we forbid it and be guiltless?

"There has been much interest among the older classes, and many have given themselves to Christ. God has heard and answered prayer. The work is still going on. Let praying ones take courage, and be not afraid, only believe.

"On last Saturday evening, commencing about six o'clock, a gathering of Christians and young converts met Mr. Hammond before his departure, at Mr. Charles McKinney's. The house was crowded with children and young persons. After the children had gone, older persons assembled. It was a public gathering, the invitation being general to all Christians who desired to meet Mr. Hammond. Perhaps no happier meeting was ever held in Binghamton. The voices of the young singers, floating out upon the night air, could be heard for distances along the streets.

"On Sunday evening Mr. Hammond preached his last sermon. The large Presbyterian church was filled with a greater concourse than had heretofore assembled. The seats were full, the pulpit steps filled with children, the galleries packed, numbers were seated on the floor, and in the vestibule, and about the door stood many who could not find sittings. Mr. Hammond addressed Christians and young converts, near the close of his sermon speaking only for a few minutes to the unconverted. An earnest, solemn feeling prevailed in the audience, and, at the close of the discourse, hundreds of young converts and inquirers rose for prayers."

ELMIRA, N. Y.

A united call from this city took Mr. Hammond to that place in December, 1865. Most of the evening meetings were held in Rev. Dr. Curtis's Presbyterian church. Rev. Thomas K. Beecher had spent a day in Binghamton, and had brought back a report which had encouraged the Christians in Elmira to pray for a similar blessing. The American Presbyterian says :

"The meetings are crowded nightly, and so large is the number unable to obtain seats in the church where Mr. Hammond preaches, that a neighboring one has been opened and filled.

"Among those who gathered in one part of the house for a second meeting was a Scotchman, from Glasgow, who attended Mr. Hammond's meetings in that city four years ago. He was a scoffer then, and did not believe in sudden conversions at least. But when he heard Mr. Hammond was here, he came to hear him, and, though still a scoffer, the truth so solemnly held up reached his heart, giving him no peace till he found it in Jesus.

"AN INFIDEL SOLDIER came to the meeting to scoff. The truth reached him, and for several days he was very unhappy. One night, as he was going home from the meeting, he felt, for the first time in his life, as if he would like to pray; but he was driven back by the thought of encountering the scoffs of his old companions. Next day he was placed on guard, and he studied the matter all day; but that night as he paced his beat, he stopped and looked up at the moon and stars, and as he thought how beautiful they were, he seemed to hear the words, 'Come to Jesus.' 'I will,' said he; and there, leaning on his gun, he offered his first prayer, yielding himself to Jesus, and resolved to bear all for His sake—‘and,' said he, ‘Jesus took me.' He has become a hard-working Christian, and his influence, is great among the soldiers.

"A young man, professionally a champion billiardplayer, went into the meeting several times in Binghamton, but always under the influence of liquor, and attended by a crowd of young men, who came for amusement. Mrs. Sluyter saw him there, and repeatedly conversed and prayed with and for him. When Mr. Hammond came to Elmira, that young man commenced attending the meetings again.