Page:Early Reminiscences.djvu/395

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

1864 33i how on earth such a thing could be done. He tuned up his harp. He wrought up the people to a very high pitch on a wave of excitement caused by a stiff breeze of dramatic effect: Like this—1 Come, I say, come in your thousands, come in your tens of thousands !y Then the harp would be brought into use, and he would get the people to sing over and over again : " There's not a Friend like the lowly Jesus No, not one ! no, not one ! Jesu knows all about our troubles, He will guide till the day is done. There's not a Friend like the lowly Jesus ! No, not one ! no, not one ! " Then, when every one was strung up to ' high strike ' point: " All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give ! I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live." . Then a burst: " I surrender, I surrender all, All to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all." " The Evangelist was a fairly young man with long, lank hair, sallow complexion, rather cadaverous, and wore a black frock-coat. He had formerly been a thriving drawing-room entertainer in America, but was converted—so was stated in the bills. We two listened to all this, all ears and eyes. I wondered whither the people were to ' Come ' in answer to the invitation, addressed with wildly waving arms. " Facing me were three small doors, over which was a placard with the words, Enquiry Rooms. I then became aware that the people all round me were weeping, even girls about three years older than myself. I too wept, without knowing in the least why. And then, as a dramatic effect, a man fell down in a fit. " Suddenly the pastor and the two Evangelists disappeared behind the three doors. People crowded after them, and I went with the crowd. Behind the three little doors were three little rooms, and from the door of each issued the pastor or an Evangelist. The crowd separated somehow into three sections.