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The Cartersville Coura nt-American.
VOL. IX.
GREAT ANNUAL MEETING.
The Mammoth Tabernacle and Its
Interesting Scenes.
The Immense Crowds That Gather—Rev.
Sam Jones and Other Great Preach
ers Move the Great Throngs,
a—
The tabernacle ineetiug.
This is the occasion that has been
looked forward to with greatest interest
ever since the wonderful “bush arbor”
meeting five years ago.
The meeting for this year began with a
sun-rise prayer meeting last Saturday
morning. It was a good beginning—a
glorious meeting, enjoyable and strength
ening to all who were so fortunate as to
De present.
At 11 a. in., Rev. Sam Jones read
several verses from the Goth Psalm, and
made a characteristic introductory talk.
The two leading thoughts were that
we put ourselves on the right side of God
by a spirit of gratitude, and God does
his part in the way of blessing.
A good way to get our minds right on
this point is to sit down and count up
tour own good points—the good that we
Tiave done—then count up thebad things
God has done to and for us—see what we
deserve, and what we have received.
AVith many apt and characteristic
illustrations the points were driven home.
At 3 p. in., Rev. T. T. Christian, presid
ing elder of tire Savannah district,
pressed the necessity for concentration of
thought and action upon the present
work in hand, and made a splendid im
pression on his congregation.
Rev. Sam Jones preached at 7:30 p. m.
taking for a text ps. cxix: 59, 00.
When the words of the text are read,
those familiar with the evangelist’s mode
and manner can imagine how they were
used, “I thought on my waj e, and turned
my feet unto thy testimonies. I made
haste and delayed not to keep thy com
mandments.”
lie soon had his hearers “thinking,”
and by the close many in a notion to
“make haste to keep his commandments.”
It was a solemn, impressive talk, full o!
characteristic “hits.”
At the close the number who responded
to the proposition of the preacher evinced
the fact that HlHliy had at luast. boon
aroused to the “thinking” point.
Sunday was, as usual a great day. We
do not think as large a number ever
attended the meetings on the first
Sunday.
An old fashioned “experience meeting”
was held at nine o’clock, and many rich
experiences were given—the time being
fully occupied up to the preaching hour.
Dp to this tine the singing had been
really good, led by our Johu T. Owen.
Mr. E. 0. Exec!iL, the sweet singer, of
Chicago, took charge of the choir at the
morning meeting, and this feature has
been growing in attractiveness ever since.
His solos are timely, impressive, delight
ful; while the large number of Carters
ville’s good voices under his skillful
training make music which it is worth a
long journey to hear.
When the hour for preaching arrived
the great tabernacle was already full,
and crowds were still hunting seats.
There was a great hubbub, and neces
sarily more or less eonfusion, up to this
time, but the voice of Sam Jones seems
to have a wonderful effect, and soon the
vast throng were quietly drinking in Mr.
Excell’s sweet solo, “The Wonderful
Country.”
As Mr. Jones came forward theßtillness
was increased—*B,ll .seemed intent upon
catching the first words. Hesaid he had
been strangely ’inpressed to preach from
the parable of the Prodigal bon, and read
that scripture as his text. Of course we
can give only an outline of this great
sermon. He began by drawing some
comparisons between the Great Author,
and famous authors of the world.
'“Shakespeare could take a man to the
lowest depths of degradation and misery
conceivable to a human mind, but there
he had to leave him. Our Saviour could
take a poor lost and ruined man sunken
to the deepest depths of sin and iniquity,
and elevate him to kinship with angels
and adoption iuto the family of God.
“I am not bothered about the origin
of evil—it is here—and we all see its pres
ence and terrible effects. Thegreat ques
tion with me is how to get out of it.”
Then he took up the character of the
elder and younger sons, and said: “There
are many false views about this prodigal
boy. Some think he was bad from the
beginning—and use this to establish the
doctrine of total depravity. I can’t
think the old father, who had been wise
enough, to amass a great fortune, and
good and loving enough to receive him
bo graciously on his return, would have
been fool enough to turn a great fortune
‘over to him, when he knew it would be
squaflderd, and result in the ruin of his
boy. No, sir, this father was wiser than
that.”
“I can but believe this boy was a
worthy son, in whom the father had full
est confidence up to the hour of his
departure from home. This we know:
Every boy has within him the basis for
either a good or bad man.” Heie he
pictured boys he had met in the far West
from Georgia, and thought the move—
placing themselves under demoralizing
influences, had given supremacy to the
evil, aud worked out their destruction.
“Asa general rule, a mau is as much
account iu one place us anot her—there is
more iu the man than in the land.”
Many eyes moistened as Mr. Jones in
his inimitable style pictured the departure
of the boy from home—the parting hand
shake and hug of the father—the clinging
of the mother’s arms about his ueck, un
til he tore himself away from her loving
embrace. Then the journey from home,
the first night out—the first Sunday on
the journey—the waning of the good
influences of home as iie got farther and
farther away from them. Feelingly the
speaker said: “0, that I could have that
v,:j; .y “ - _
'
xt A O J UL J..., i- 1 , T
uiou numa t y ll u uut? vnf|/<xt i/GJT . x.
would have told him 1 had been down to
the far country where he was going—how
bright hopes had been tilasted- v.*..,- [
bad found myself broken in spirit and
fortune—joined to u citizM- of umt coun
try (the devil) and doing his dirty work.
Surely he would have turned about and
gone back to his father’s home.”
No congregation ever heard a more
touching appeal to wayward men to turn
back towards God aud heaven than fol
lowed this exclamation.
The farther a boy gets from home, the
less heis inclined to reverence father aud
mother. When lie reaches the point that
he speaks of parents as the “old man”
and “old woman,” he is already very
near to perdition.
On—on —this boy went, to a far coun
try —out of reach el father and mother—
don’t want to be bothered with their old
fogy notions. Sjo thisyoung man moves
on in style. He don’t condescend to
speak to common people. He prides
himself on his money—is insulted when
he spends the night with a farmer along
the way, and the man refuses to make a
RESIDENCE OF REV. SAM JONES.
charge for his lodging—lie's ready to
fight about it.
Next the young man was pictured in a
far off country—rolling in luxury and
wealth for a season. “Like some of you
are rolling in luxury to-day. You know
what it is. I would not go and stay
all night where some of you are spiritu
ally tonight for all the coined gold of the
universe. I might die, and if I did, I
would bean eternal bankrupt.”
“Take that man out there. Twenty
five or thirty years you stepped
across the line of accountability. God
turned over to you the gracious impres
sions of your youth, the Sabbath school
lessons, the sympathy of angels, the
CARTERSVILLE, GA., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1889.
prayers of the church, and all the spiritu
al heritage of the immortal soul. Think
how you started off. Human nature
bubbles up all along here. You ‘wasted
your inheritance,’ forgot first one and
then another of these God-given influ
ences—by and by you forgot the litGe
prayer, “Now 1 lay me down to sleep,”
Ac., that mother taught you. The im
pressions of sermons, the touch of
mother s hand on your head, all going—
gone! Wasted all your spiritual sub
stance in riotous living.
“After this young man had spent all,
there was a famine. 0, how soon every
body else is broke, when a worthless
prodigal has spent all—even the banks
haven’t got a cent—(for him.)” Here
the degraded condition of the prodigal
was described—a once proud Jew, who
despised the swine, a servant, feeding
hogs for his master.” Did you ever notice
}' " I-.... ,1 —.. .. T. . 11 a ...1 I
" u " IV/ CIV/11 CA ICIHM> V.CIII v* ugii lie
falls from a high position in the world?
‘“And when lie came to himself.’ What
wns the matter with him? Was he
crazy i , ,
7, **"" ""••ounce
a truth u.3 jeep as the ocean of (/a/’ N
truth. Every sinner in this land is mad
—is crazy. Could I have acted as I did
for twenty-fiveyears without being crazy?
I never knew vvliat I was until the light
flashed on me at my father’s death bed.”
Here all were moved to tears as lie pic
tured his own awakening and conversion,
and doubtless many u man iu tlie vast
crowd was brought to inquire, “Where
am I?” “What am I?”
What a pathetic picture that, when tin
preacher portrayed the arousing of the
prodigal, the turning thoughts towards
home—father—mother—but the thought
that he could only return as a hired set
vant —didn’t deserveeven that —the jour
ney buck —oh, how different. He is now
a poor ragged tramp instead of a mil
lionaire. He hangs his head in shame as
he [lasses the places along the route
again. “It may be a rough road now—
the remembraee of past follies may trim-
ble him sorely—but, thank God, he is on
his way back to his father's house—back
to the blessed influence of home. Yes,
when a man is headed right, every step
he takes he is near home!
“At last he reaches near enough to
catch a sight of the old home; but he
stops —and I verily believe would have
died there, had not the loving old father
caught sight of him afar off, and ran to
meet him. As he breaks out “father I
am not worthy to be called thy sou,” the
father’s hand is over his mouth, and he
can say no more. Then every movement
is a loving surprise.
“There is something in this parable for
my poor soul, I sought, prayed, hoped
to get myself better. I was moving in
the right direction until I broke down
with a sense of my unworthiness. My
father’s eyes saw me, and they were eyes
of mercy; his arms supported me and
they were urms of mercy; his voice spoke
to me, and it was filled with mercy. It is
all there—it is nil my history. I was per
ishing. but one day I got back to God.
The first night I slept under the roof of
the old homestead, all scarred and tired
and worn out, the rest was akin to
heaven. Thank God for every night l
have spent in the old homestead! I am
going to take my last meal in the old
homestead. lam going to die in the old
homestead. Will you eomehome? Thank
God there is room enough in the old
homestead building to shelter us all for
ever! That room is waiting for you.
Will you come take it today? Thank
God, I started back—thank God, l was
•.v.komrd Lack! Thank God I‘vebecr.
treated like a son ever since I came back!
Thank God I'm a son of the Groat
Father-—a son of a King! Thank God
for that t , Yhe'dierd found
.. • -WH } tb„k t „
nave gone much farther, or the wild
1 leasts would have gotten me. God bless
you all, my friends, and bring you to the
old homestead today.”
As the earnest preacher closed, there
were few dry eyes in the assembly, and
when the invitation was given large
numbers pressed forward to shake his
hand in token of their intention to aban
don sin and come buck to God.
It was a scene long to be remembered
>.v all who were so fortunate as to wit
ness it.
At 3 o’clock in the afternoon Rev. J. S.
• iillhouse preached asplendid, telling ser
mon to another immense crowd, and at
its close, Mr. Jones gave the invitation
again, and the morning scene was
repeated.
Sunday night Rev. Sam Jones preached
a powerful sermon from Rom. vi: 23
“The wages of sia is d-aih.” The altar
was filled with anxious souls, and Chris
tians rejoiced at the indications lor
good.
On Monday Mr. Jones preached again
in the morning. Rev. \Y. H. Cooper in the
afternoon, and Dr. Warren Candler at
night—three memorable sermons.
Dr. Candler preached again, Tuesday
morning and afternoon. Bishop Gallo
way having telegraphed that his train
had missed connection and he could not
reach here at the appointed time. But
everybody was delighted every time Dr.
Candler took the stand, and his three
great sermons doubtless left impressions
for good that will bring forth fruit to
the glory of God and the good of men.
STYLISH AND ATTRACTIVE!
OUR NEW It ALL STOCK.
; 1 ' >
THE MOST COMPLETE LINE OF
DRY GOODS, ► DRESS GOODS,
LADIES’, MISSES and CHILDREN'S WRAPS,
FANCY GOODS and NOTIONS,
EVER BEFORE SHOWN IN THIS CITY, NOW ARRIVING AT
%
Porter & Vaughan’s.
Our buyer ia just back from the Eastern markets, where he purchased an immense
line of new Fall Goods Porter & Vaughan propose to do the leading
Dry Goals business of the city.
Look Out for Grand Bargains.
Remember, we do not handle any shoddy trash. All our goods ate strictly first-class
and sold on their merits.
OUR LARGE STOCK NOW ARRIVING.
We respectfully invite out- customers and the tradirg pnblic to inspect our goods.
Don't tbrgei.our new stock will oe immense.
Bought at Prices Less Than Their Value!
p.v'fck) ‘V, TOA n.yCknc !-'#■ rt'ues, W e to i 3 k e the lead,
PORTER & VAUGHAN.
Rev. Mr. Bowen, of Mississppi,preached
Tuesday night to a large congregation,
and .yesterday Sam Jones gave another
of his inimitable sermons.
Bishops Galloway and Joyce both ar
rived yesterday. The former preached
in the afternoon and the latter at night
—two glorious sermons. How we wish
we could lay them before our readers.
But as the hour for going to press is at
hand, we must dose the account for this
week.
NOTES.
Rev. Mr. Cofer, the Conference Sunday
school agent is present, and doing good
work.
Rev. C. A, Jamison, of Toecoa, arrived
Tuesday.
l)r. Candler struck the nail on the head
when he used this illutration: “Jf one
duelist kills another in a fight, it is mur
-der, and he should be punished as any
other murderer. If an Alabama sheriff
hangs such a duelist, he is not a mur
derer, because he is executing the sentence
of the law.”
Rev. W. 11. Cooper’s sermon Monday
afternoon was greatly enjoyed, and the
subject and sermon will doubtless live
long in the minds of his hearers.
“When will Sam Jones preach again?”
is the prevailing question.
Speaking of some of his critics, Rev,
Sam Jones said he preached for money,
just in the same sense that other preach
ers did. He lived by the Gospel—took
what was given him, and would be con
tent as long as it was sufficient to keep
him and his family comfortable; and
that lie was not worth as much today as
his income amounted to in oue year.
The tabernacle looks splendid, when :
brilliantly lighted by gas.
To tlie Sub-Aliiaucea of lUrtov County.
There will he a meeting of the Bartow
County AiMauce to convene at. the eourt
house in Carteisville on the 28th of this
month. It is therefore ordered that each
sub-alliance will be represented, as mat
ters of importance are to come before
the meeting. The delegates lrom each
alliance will bring with them a list of its
officers and their address.
T. J. Lyon.
Pres. Bartow County Alliance.
Farmers to tlie Front.
Come to the court house next Saturday
at one o’clock, and make up the stock to
buildyourown fertilizer works. Letevery
club and alliance be represented. The
shares are fen dollars each. The hum
blest farmer cau take a share and secure
an interest in a fertilizer that will be hon
est and first-class. The stock is mainly for
the farmers, and farmers will control it.
Our Water Works,
They are completed, except the tower
reservoir, which will soon be done.
The water was turned on for the first
I time last Friday afternoon. A hos<- was
attached to the plug at Moon A Mays'
j corner, and with a slight effort from the
splendid engine at the pumping station
a stream was thrown with all ease higher
than the tallest building in the city.
The whole thing works like a charm—it
is a success.
And as little as you may think of it,
Friday was a red letter day in Carteru
ville’s history. Few towns of like size
can boast what she now has in the way
of protection from fire and a convenient
water supply for all purposes.
The water is from the famous springs
near the river. A puiv, "od article for
domestic use.
Every house in reach of the mains
should now have its supply of water from
the works. It nu uns not only protec
tion, but convenience and health to our
people, even when we become a thickly
populated city.
Just look at the long list of improve
ments collated in another column, think
of the ice factory, gas works, water
works and other new enterprises, then
throw upvour bats and join theCoun ant-
Am erican in three cheers for our plucky,
enterprising city.
Itled,
On Friday last at her home in this
county, after a lingering illness of three
weeks, Mrs. M. A. Wood, sister ui .bulge
Hendricks, our worthy (bdiuary. Verily,
a good womuu has gone to her icward.
Among her last wolds were “going
home. Biie was,a consistent member of
Best's Chapel Methodist church, and died
a happy triumphant death. She leaves
a husband, two little girls and a host of
loving relatives and friends to mourn her
loss.
Capt. Jas. M. Hendricks, of Ala., for
merly of this county, arrived too late to
see his loved sister again in life,
Judge Hendricks mother is seriously
ill with rheumatism. May she be re
stored to health.
V% ttain to Lvui i>tti ui a.
Rome, Ga., 7—Great en
thusiasm is felt here over the entry of
Floyd county for the Piedmont Exposi
tion.
Rivalry has already develojied between
Floyd and Bartow, and these two coun
ties alone will make a grand exposition.
We know what Bartow is doing, and
we are going to down her if we have to
empty Floyd county into Atlanta.
NO. 13.