BRO. FORNEY:--

      This will inform the readers of THE ADVOCATE of the work of the Lord in these parts. Our last protracted meeting was held in the Baptist meeting house, in Neptune, Mercer co., Ohio, commencing February 25th, and ending March 24th.

      This little town was nearly destitute of religion, and quite notorious for sin. Many were astonished that any one should entertain a hope of doing good in Neptune. I commenced by rallying together every person that had the least interest in the cause of our Redeemer. For two nights I tried hard to press upon their minds the worth of souls and the importance of a revival as the means of their salvation, and finally to urge them to earnest prayers, day and night, for poor sinners. The response was noble, and soon the waters were troubled. At the first invitation six came to the altar and cried for mercy, three of whom were soon made whole, and leaped up and stood and praised God, with others whose souls were filled to overflowing. The power of God had indeed come down in Neptune, and it remained during the entire meeting. Scarcely an unconverted person could attend our day meetings without being melted to tears and moved to rise for prayers.

      One Sabbath during a warm speaking meeting, a Lutheran woman, prompted by some spirit, rose suddenly from her seat and fled out of the house with shouts and ran off as if escaping for her life. When the meeting was at its height, the Baptist minister came, but he had no desire to participate in such a meeting, he preferred to sit far back among sinners. However, through persuasion, he came to the front, and when the altar was crowded with some fourteen penitents he ventured up to caution one young man to be more calm, and not make so much noise. He was evidently near the kingdom, but now all is dark and cold, and he must hold his peace for fear of disturbing the minister. But others, like Bartimeus, cried the more.

      Several were finally converted, and gave glory to God, to the great annoyance of the minister, who seemed no little affrighted. One of his members feeling very good stepped up to shake hands with him, and was told that all was out of order. The next day he visited his brethren with the design of taking possessions of the house himself, but he met with no encouragement in this direction, and the following evening he was sufficiently reconciled to enter the pulpit and preach. We also had one sermon from Bro. Merlin, of the M. E. Church, one from Bro. Updike, of the U. B. Church, and one from Bro. Reuben Baker. Bro. Cassel was with us and preached one night at the beginning of the meeting, and from here went to hold a meeting in Indiana, which he left with good interest in the charge of Bro. Landis, and came back in time to render valuable service for several days before the meeting closed.

      On Sabbath, March 14th, I presented some of the principles of the Church of God to an attentive congregation, after which we gave to twenty-one brothers and sisters the right hand of fellowship to live together in "the faith once delivered to the saints." Then, on leaving the house, we all gathered by the side of a stream near the place, where I buried fifteen happy believers in baptism, nearly all of whom came out of the water shouting and praising God. A few days later I baptized ten more, and witnessed another happy time.

      The whole number of converts was forty-three. Twenty-one more united during the meeting, making forty-two in the Church at Neptune, and about ten will united at Fairview. The organization was completed by the election of Bros. J. A. Faust and Daniel Doty for Elders, and Bros. James Mitchel and Edward Kelley for Deacons.

      May the Lord give all the officers wisdom and zeal to discharge all their duties. And may God give every convert grace to enable them to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath set them free. O, may this last discovered planet (Neptune) continue to shine forth as "fair as the moon, as clear as the sun, and as terrible as an army with banners."

[The Church Advocate 34 (April 20, 1870): 394.]

      Daniel S. Warner's "Revival News" was first published in The Church Advocate, Vol. 34, No. 51 (April 20, 1870), p. 394. The electronic version has been transcribed from a copy of the article provided by Jean Leathers, Archivist of the Churches of God Historical Society.

      Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

                  Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 394:          march 24th. [ March 24th.

 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 5 April 1999.
Updated 15 July 2003.