THE TORREY-ALEXANDER MISSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12471, 30 September 1902, Page 2

THE TORREY-ALEXANDER MISSION.

DEPARTURE FROM DUNEDIN. Hundreds of people wont down to the railway station to see the last of Dr Torrey and Mr Charles Alexander, who left by the south express yesterday for Melbourne, via the Bluff. The mission, choir was strongly represented, .ind gathered together, opposite the compartment reserved for the accommodation of the missioners. Several of the now familiar hymns ii'om Alexander's collection were .sung. The missioners mado (heir way to their carriage with some little, difficulty owing to the crowd, and Mr Alexander climbed in through the window to tho great amusement of the bystanders. Standing on the iron railing between the carriages, he conducted the choir for the lust time, loading off with the hymn "It's just like Him." "The old-time religion" and the "Glory song" were sung, and with much cheering and feminine enthusiasm, whioh was displayed in the waving of handkerchiefs, the train pneeed out of the station bearing the missioners to fresh fields and pastures new. Before dismissing the subject of the mission finally, soiho referono© should be made to the self-denying labours of the band of workers, without whom the mission would have been a failure. The management throughout was excellent, and although at timos there was difficulty in controlling the large crowds, the stewards and ushers showed great tact and .forbearance, which alone preserved good order and safety at the meetings. The Rev. W. A. Sinclair and' Mr E. Ro&evear bore the brunt of the work, and at the risk of being invidious thoir names should be mentioned , . One of the most trying positions of all was that which fell to Mr Sutton, the caretaker of tho hall, and who was of the greatest service in handling the crowds on the evenings when it was necessary to hold two meetings in succession. Mr D. Wright was an indefatigable secretary. -

THE QUESTION OF A- PRESENTATION. The question has been freely asked whether the American evangelists received tlie usual purse of sovereigns before leaving Dunedin. Some light is thrown upon the subject in this week's Outlook, which reports that the members of the Dunedin executive and a few others met Dr and Mrs Torrey and Mr Alexander in First Church manse on Saturday afternoon, 27th ult. The Rev. W. A. Sinclair, in the name of the committee, expressed their gratitude for the work that had been done. A large number of persons had professed the acceptance of Christ, .and many Christians I>ad been greatly stimulated and encouraged. Other gentlemen added their testimony to this, and said that the work that had bean done must prove most helpful to the cpjuse of Christ in tho community. Special emphasis was laid on these two things—namely, the need of making, inetoad of waiting, for opportunities, of speaking to men and women about Christ, and of permitting nothing to stand between the soul and its allegiance to the Lord. These two things, it was said, bad been deeply impressed on a very large- number of Christian people. Mr Sinclair presented the evangelists with a substantial token of the appreciation in which their work was held. He commended them to the graoe aud safe keeping of God. SERVICE FOR WORKERS. Firafc Church was crowded last night with line' converts and workers in connection with the Torrey-Alexander mission. The Bfev, W A Sinclair presided, and there wore aileo present the Revs. J. Gibb, P. W. Fairclough, D Boa-ris, J. Guy, and Josiah Ward, Adjutant Bu'ntan, and Mr D. Wright. A tele-, gram was read from Dr Torrey stating that they had conducted eight meetings on the \ya.yi from Dunedim to Invwrcargill. Mr Sinclair staited that the. converts registered during the Dunedin miseitora numbered 492 adulits and over 300 children and young people. Mr Todd (Knox Church) and Rev. T G. Brooke addressed the convert*, a number of whom testified to blessings received during the mission, AT MILTON. Interest in the Torrey-Afcxamdeir mission evidently extended itself to the country disfericitsL (writes our Milton correspondent), as on the arrival of the. express ait Milton on Monday there were close on 800 pereons assembled at the railway station. With accompaniment of a/piano' placed' on a. lorry, Mr Alexander led off the proceedings 'with the solo "Wonderful story," and) then Dr Torroy briefly epoke, telling .the story of a young girl's conversion and de'aith-bed influence, amd exhorting his hearers to take the lesson ito heart, quoting the text which had appealed so strongly to his girl couve.pt. 'Mr Alexander in song again told his woinider'ful fitory, and, time being, up, he said in (parting, "We're glad to soe you; goodfoye." On taking 'their seats in the railway carriage several well-Wishers s'hook hands ■with th« mfeeionere, and.as the train moved off the. travellers anßi their party eang their farewells.

THE MISSIONERS AT INVEROARGILL. (From Otjk Own Cobbrspondknt.) INVEROARGILL, September 29. Dr Torre.y, Mr Atexa.nder, aind party 'arrived here by the express this afternoon, and were east ait the station by a crowd of tihosa ircterMted in. t'he teligious life of this ■town, ami district, and at once oomduoted to the Theatre Royal. At all the large stations-on ■tfhe way down crowds eagerly awaited the arrival of the train, and advantage was taken of the etops to hold short services a>t> Mosgiel, Milton, and Balclu'tiha. Dγ Torrey spoke and Mr Alexander sang. Luncheon having been very thoughtfully provided' on the train the 20 minuses stay at Clinton was fully occupied with a moet effective service, as was ale© th© (stay at Gore, where a brass band turneld out arnd assisted. The service, in the Theatre Royal began, promptly at 3.30, Dγ Torrey declining to lose any time over r&freishin&nts. It is estimated that tharo were nearly 1800 persons present, a,ridi Dr Torrey's address, which waa that on "What it costs not to be a Christian," was listened to with the closest attention. The proceedings began with "Te'll me the old, old story," sung by the whole assembly, led l by Mr Alexander, who, by-the-bye, looked ill 'and. worn. Midway through,' his discourse. Dir Torrey appealed to those present wlw - wished for the first time <fco fully surrender themselves to Christ to stand up o>r raise their, hands. About a dozen responded, and later, when he asked those who were already Christians to riFe, .nearly all hiis hearers rose to their feet. Mr Alexander, while singing the hymn "Tell mo'hh«.r I'll be there," asked those who had mothers in lieavem to hold up ■tlheir hands. A gaodly number responded, Mr Alexander encoua-ngiing them by remarking "Come along, now. Havinp a mother in heaven is not a matter to be aslioimod' of." It had bee.ii' found impossible -to get the Zealandia Hall ready for either meeting, and tlio meoiing to-night wap held in the Garrison Hall. Tlve Rev. Mr Lyooi, in announcing the arrangement made, stated that -there would be very few seate, but he understood that Mr Alexander bad a, novel proposal to make. "Yes," said Mr Alex ander, "I tfyink it would be well for those of you who do not care, to stand to bring each a chair. For my pwn painb I shall stand." " So sihall I," eaid Dr Torrey. Loiig before the. time set for Dr Torrey's meeting ait the Garrison Hall this evening the building was packed to the door, and Mir Alexander filled in the time till 7.30 drilling the vast audience iroto singing " Tlia old-time religion." interspersing ]vis inetmetion with those quaint remarks which have caused the rippl'e of amusement which, has followed his course throughout Netf Zealand. This was followed by " The glory tsong." By the time Dr Torrey took charge of the meoting the hull was filled to.euffooation. Dr Torrey chose for his discourse the question " What ehiall I do with Jesus Chriet?" The appeal to decide for Ohxl?t was responded to by about a dozen persons. At 'the after meeting, for which quite two-

thirds of the audience stayed, Dγ Torroy said Mr Alexander and he wore only -there for a day, but the local ministers were with them tebrays, aad Christians must aid them in. getting up a revival. He aeked those present to nit onco go to work to bring some on© to Christ by personal effort, and to make a list of fchwo for wlkjfc conversion they, would pray without ceasing till all of Item wore <-onvertrcl. Ho then tfave some definite im.lnjctioiis. as to how they ehdukl live the t.'P.w life-, and took , their athlresses, so Hint OhrUti.an friends might help them to eontltnio in the riflht course. Th-ercafter Mr Alexander told tho story of a boy through influence 1200 people were brought to Christ. Before closing Dr Torrey read a■■telegram just received from DuiDedin reporting a splendid convert meeting .there. .