Newspaper Page Text
A WORLD-WIDE REVIVAL TOUR
The Itinerary of Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander and Their Party as They Sail Tor Australia and the Orient
Tarelvell Messages Trom the Tbangelists—The Work in Springfield and "Boston.
By GEORGE T. B. DAVIS.
D
R. J. WILBUR CHAPMAN and Mr.
Charles M. Alexander expect to start
this month upon one of the most re
markable revival and missionary tours
in the history of the Christian church.
They will be accompanied by nearly a
score of other evangelists, gospel singers,
hymn writers, personal workers, and
others.
The party expect (D. V.) to sail from Vancouver,
Canada, on the 26th of March on the steamship
Makura. On the way to Australia a series of con
ferences will be held at Minneapolis, Winnipeg,
Vancouver, Honolulu, and probably at the Fiji
Islands. Throughout the tour ten countries will
probably be visited, including Canada, Hawaii, the
Fiji Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania,
China, Japan, Korea and the Philippine Islands.
The distance traveled by the party will consider
ably exceed 25,000 miles. It is expected that the
tour will occupy nine months.
For about six months the evangelists expect to
conduct a wide-spread revival movement throughout
Australasia under the auspices of the united
churches of the Commonwealth. Already large
preparations are being made for their coming, and
they are praying that through the power of God
the southern continent will experience a sweeping
religious awakening.
The first campaign in Australia will be held in
Melbourne, which has a population of half a million.
Another great mission will be held in Sydney,
followed by brief campaigns in such cities as
Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo, the home of Robert
Harkness, the pianist ahd composer who accompanies
the evangelists. Following this, rapid visits will be
made to various cities in Tasmania and New
Zealand.
From Australia the evangelists go to China, where
conferences will be held with missionaries, and
meetings conducted for natives in the following
cities: Canton, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Nanking,
Hankow, Pekin and Tien Sien. In Korea the chief
city to be visited is Seoul, though a number of
meetings may be held in other places as they
travel through the country. In Japan conferences
will be conducted in Tokio and Yokohama, and
possibly other cities. Before making the return
journey across the Pacific, it is also expected to
hold one or more meetings in Manila.
The Chapman-Alexander Prayer Circle.
In undertaking the revival tour to Australia and
the Orient Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander are
depending for success, not upon human methods, but
upon the prayers of the iChristian people of America
and Australia, and throughout the world. They
feel that the tour may mark the beginning of a
world-wide awakening, and they are desirous of
enlisting the prayers of Christendom towards this
end. Before leaving America they desire to enroll
at least 25,000 members in a Prayer Circle to pray
earnestly for them and their party of workers as
they go on the nine months’ revival and missionary
tour.
The evangelists have issued a neat Prayer Circle
Card suitable for hanging upon the wall of one’s
room, which will be sent free of cost to anyone
addressing the Chapman-Alexander Prayer Circle,
Winona Lake, Indiana. '
The evangelists are hoping to have a continuous
revival throughout the 25,000-mile journey. They
expect to distribute thousands of copies of Gospels
and Testaments and hymn sheets during the trip,
and are praying that they may be used in soul
winning on railway trains, steamships and wher
ever they go.
Farewell Messages.
When asked for a brief review of the past year’s
work, and a farewell message to Christian people,
Dr. Chapman said: “I consider the outlook for
evangelistic effort in America better than I have
ever known it in all the years of my experience
The Golden Age for April 1, 1909.
in this line of work. I began with Mr. Alexander
a series of meetings in Canada in the Fall, and
since that time I have been in three cities in
Canada, including Toronto, and the following States
of America: Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois,
Indiana, Virginia, New York and Massachusetts,
and the spirit has been the same everywhere. There
is certainly a rising tide of evangelism, and the
Spirit of God is working in the lives of men in
the old-time way.
“The revivals in New England are in every way
the greatest I have ever seen. Pastors have sup
ported us loyally, and not only prepared for our
coming, but are faithfully following up the work.
“I confidently look for a world-wide interest, and
on the eve of my departure with Mr. Alexander and
others for the Orient my heart is full of joy because
of the reports that are coming to us, and because of
what I feel sure God has in store for us. I most
certainly ask the prayers of Christian people that
God may guide us in His own way, and for His own
glory.”
In response to my request Mr. Alexander gave
me the following farewell message: “As Dr. Chap
man and I leave for Australia I wish to bid a warm
good-bye to all of our friends who have so faith
fully prayed for us, and encouraged us during the
past year of our united work in America. It has
been a time of great blessing, and the Lord seems
to be blessing our work more and more as the days
go by. Dr. Chapman and I were talking the other
night of the great blessing that was attending our
work, and we both came to the conclusions that it
” TZZE PRATER CARD
Chapman-Alexander Prayer Circle
“Brethren, pray for us.”
1 Thess. 5: 25.
THIS IS A CIRCLE of those who will pray
for Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander, and their
party, as they go to Foreign Lands to conduct
Missions and hold conferences.
I HEREBY ENROLL MYSELF as a member
of this Circle of Prayer.
Name
Date
was because of the prayer circles that were being
formed, and the earnest prayers that were going up
daily for our guidance and help.
“Seven years ago I first visited Australia with
Dr. R. A. Torrey. At the close of our work there,
and two years ago, invitations were given me to
return for an extended campaign. When Dr. Chap
man and I united our forces a year ago it was on
the understanding that we should go together to
that beloved country, and everything has since con
spired to make our arrangements happy and suc
cessful. If God lays it upon your heart we should
like you to be one of thousands who are having a
share in our work through daily prayers in our
behalf, that we may lead others from darkness to
light through sermon and song.”
The Revival In Springfield.
The evengelists have just concluded a brief cam
paign in Springfield, Mass., which deeply moved the
city, and aroused this entire part of the State. Large
numbers of people confessed Christ and the churches
were quickened as they had not been in a genera
tion. One minister declared that the revival had
done his church more good than his 16 years min
istry. Another declared that the whole trend of his
ministry had been changed by the awakening. All
classes were reached by the movement, including two
reporters, and a police sergeant. Last night a
thrilling scene was witnessed when hundreds of the
converts marched down the aisle to greet the evan-
gelists, and each were presented with a booklet con
taining advice as to how to make progress in the
Christian life.
Throughout the revival in Springfield the papers
have devoted many columns daily to reports of the
meetings, and thus have spread the revival fire
throughout this part of New England. At the final
noonday meeting numerous visitors were present
from Massachusetts and other States. The most
distinguished was Miss “Fanny Crosby,” the blind*
hymn writer, who is almost 89 years of age. She
had come from her home in Bridgeport, Conn., to
be present in the city during the revival. At Mr.
Alexander’s request she told how glad she was to
attend the meetings for which she had prayed so
earnestly. In a clear, strong voice, she went on to
tell how she had written the hymn “Rescue the
Perishing” and how she would follow the evangelists
with her prayers as they went to distant lands to
proclaim the Gospel.
The Boston Awakening.
During the Springfield campaign numerous visit
ors came from Boston to have a share in the work,
and all of them brought glowing reports of how
the revival is still going forward gloriously in that
city. A few days ago Dr. A. Z. Conrad, chairman
of the Boston Committee, gave a stirring address
on the aftermath of the Boston awakening. He said
in part: “Never this side of Heaven do I expect to
see more impressive scenes than were witnessed in
the great revival in Boston. We felt the thrill of
the Presence of God’s Spirit. The spirit of the
revival is on in Boston just as much as when Dr.
Chapman and Mr. Alexander were there. In one
church last Sunday 114 were admitted into mem
bership, 200 are waiting to get into another, 300
into another, and so on.
“The whole city has been moved by the Power of
God. In Boston we have been offered all sorts of
panaceas, but we have found out at last that what
we wanted was just the simple preaching of Jesus
Christ. We who have been soaring up in the clouds
on the pinions of our own wisdom, are now just
trying to tell the story of Jesus, and we are going
to save Boston, politically and socially, through
the story of Jesus Christ; and we are going to save
America in the same way. I believe that God has
raised up Dr. Chapman and Mr. Alexander and
their helpers to sweep through our country and to
uplift all our cities to a higher plane of moral and
civic righteousness.”
* M
"Subscribers Trom the Tirst.”
Newbern, Ala., March 11, 1909.
Golden Age Publishing Co., Atlanta, Ga.,
Dear Sir: Enclosed please find M. O. for $2.50,
the price you offer the Golden Age one year and
that splendid book The Mission Girl.
We have been subscribers since the first issue
of the paper, and each week, it is a most welcome
guest in the home.
Success and prosperity to the Golden Age.
Dr. Broughton’s sermons alone are well w’orth
the price of the paper.
Yours truly,
(MISS) BELLE SPARROW.
Mamma lay on the lounge with her face toward
the ceiling, when Jamie, who lay beside her, asked
for a “look.” Mamma turned her eyes, and looked
at him without moving her head. “No, no, mam
ma,” burst out the little fellow, “I want you to look
at me with your nose!”
* It
Mrs. Hayson—-“Now, David, ye know I like tea
se© yer go ter the dairymen’s convention; but, while
ye’re in the city, I want ye ter promise ter keep
good hours, not to drink a drop, go ter church,
an’—” Mr. Hayson (interrupting): “Now, look
a-here, Mary! If I can’t go to a convention unin
structed, why, by ginger! I’ll stay ter hum.”
3