Evenings from Home.

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 27, 19 March 1881, Page 6

Evenings from Home.

No. 7. — Mrs. H.uii'.sox at Welleslev Street. Some weeks ago there appeared in these coluins an article expressing a rather unfavourable opinion of Mrs. Hampson and her method of evangelisation. The critique referred to was contributed by an honest and dispassionate writer, but read by the light of recent events I feel rather sorry it was published, for I don't think the views enunciated were altogether just. Let me at once confess that up to last Sunday evening I had a very strong prejudice against and disbelief in revival services. Some years ago it was my fate to attend several of the series given by Messrs. Moody tind Sankey in Liverpool. The way the masses flocked to hear those two men was something extraordinary. Morning, noon, and night the immense wooden buildings, capable of holding many thousands, were crammed to excess and hundreds had to be turned away from the doors. Each night, too, Blr. Bloody converted (so it was said) a large number of anxious hearers, and these went away glorifying God and blessing the happy chance that had taken them to hear him. Well, as lias been hinted, I went two or three times .and wasn't greatly affected. Thinking there must be something wrong with me as this was so, 1 went again and yet again, but instead of getting converted my lirst impressions only grew stronger and eventually I came to the conclusion that the whole affair was theatrical, hysterical, and unwholesome, in fact, a sham. Blind, I don't say that Blessrs. Bloody and Sankey are humbugs. They may be all right though their method is all wrong. What I do say is that the religion "which their mode of evangelisation awakens is purely transitory, and can no more be relied on than the temporary martial ardour which many of us feel on hearing the inspiriting strains of a soldiers brass band. The whole thing seems to me so easily explained. An immense crowd meet together and are worked into a frenzy, partly by the impassioned utterances of a skilled orator and partly by stirring songs sung in unison by thousands. When the speaker happens to be Gladstone or John Bright, the frenzy is a political frenzy, and when it happens to be Bloody or Dr. Sonierville the frenzy is a religious frenzy. In either case the feelings roused are entirely ephemeral. The scandals that arose out of Bloody and Sankey's visit to England will never be either forgotten or forgiven by those who thoroughly understood them. lam not exaggerating when I say that women used to'be worked into such a state of spurious religious exaltation that they came out of the building in the evenings utterly distraught and have been known to fall on strange men's necks and beseech them " to come to the Saviour." The police, too, tell strange tales of those times. It is said the public-houses in the neighbourhood of Bloody's tabernacles never drove such a roaring trade as they did during his mission and that the number of "drunks" at the Police Courts, during the same period, was out of all proportion, large. The fact of the matter is that evangelistic missions, which depend for success on sensational or meretricious aids cannot do much good. Shallow minds are, of course, impressed pro tern, and imagine that some great change has swept over their lives, but no sooner do the services cease than their fervour (which has no bonajidc back bone) evaporates and in a week or two they are again very much what they used to be. With thoughts such as these in my mind I was not, as you may imagine, much inclined to be carried away by Mrs. Hampson's preaching. However, I determined to go and hear her and I am very glad I did. It was about a quarter past six when myself and a friend entered Wellesley-street Chapel last Sunday evening and the roomy building was already well-nigh over-crowded, The ciders, however, seemed bent on testing its capacity to the utmost and when Mrs. Hampson ascended the pulpit half -an -hour later every nook and cranny, every aisle and corner was tightly packed with listeners. This recklessness, I may remark, en passant didn't strike me as quite the thing. I can well understand that the authorities were anxious to find seats for as many visitors as possible, but the safety of such an immense throng should also have been taken into consideration. Had there been an alarm of lire half the congregation must_ inevitably have been smothered or have perished like rats in a trap. To say that there was no chance of anything of the kind is simply to ignore history. Accidents in crowded churches have been by no means infrequent (especially in Catholic countries) lately, and they have invariably been attended by most fatal results. The proceedings opened with a brief prayer by Mrs. Hampson. The poor lady seemed wretchedly tired and overdone, but from first to last she never faltered. Looking at her pale spirituelle face, burning eyes, and wrapt enthusiastic expression one felt "Here is a woman who would not only go to the stake for her beliefs, but absolutely glory in the martyrdom." _ It was impossible not to listen to her. Like many others I came to criticise and stayed to be taught. The sermon was lucid and eloquent. The preacher began by explaining how that afternoon weak, jaded, and physically overwrought she had gone down on her knees before "Our Father," and asked "What shall I say to this people to-night?" Just then she felt faint, prostrate, exhausted, and tired, oh ! so tired, not of the great work she was doing, but of its apparent fruitlessness. Suddenly the

Bible stood open before her, anil there just under her eyes she saw the sweet words which tell Christians not to weary in well doiiu--, for in due course they will get a great retvard. Taking this verse as her text, Mrs. Hampson commenced an impassioned exhortation on the subject of Christian -work. I had heard the lady once before, but to nothing like such advantage. At the Choral Hall her discourse struck me as mere fluent commonplace, vulgarised by sundry " Moodyisms " of a rather pronounced character. On this occasion there was really nothing of that kind. As the sermon progressed the preacher rose to the grandeur of the subject and dropping all mannerisms and eccentricities spoke " thoughts that breathe and words that burn," with a vehement earnestness calculated to touch even the most callous. I and many others, too, felt this sermon particularly because no illegitimate aids were called in to make it effective. Those of you who have heard Moody will know what I mean. He is a polished actor, thoroughly understanding bow a large audience can be swayed by a dramatic story or a brilliant piece of rhetoric and his discourses are put together with as much regard for effect as a three-act play would be. "Traps to catch Christians" the irreverent call them. Well, you may say, if he does "catch Christians," surely the end justifies the means. Exactly, but dues he? I maintain not. He causes a number of transitory feelings to cross the minds of impressionable folks, but such sensations can no more be relied on as a permanency, than can the fright or horror which is caused by a murder scene in a stage play. To sum up, it comes to this that unwholesome and illegitimate methods are not likely to bring about wholesome and legitimate results. Mrs. Hampson's system appears to be sound enough, though even her influence would I believe be increased by greater simplicity. Surely the gospel can 'be effectively preached without bringing the actor's or the story-teller's art to its assistance ! The Philistine.