is a strong temptation to court popular favor by adjusting both the themes and style of address to the pulpit in such a way as to withold from the people the only spiritual food that can give life to a dead soul.  Such a Ministry in the eyes of the world may be deemed a great success, but to such as judge not after the outward appearance, it is known to be a dead failure.  While it utterly fails to bring souls to Christ, it is also disastrous to the Church itself.  The mighty adhesive forces, which bind the hearts of Christians to each other, can only subsist on the marrow of Gospel truth, and if this is wanting, dissension will soon appear, and the Church suffer disintegration.  Holding these views, strengthened as they had been by my former experience and observation, I resolved, at whatever cost of reputation, to adhere to them in Janesville.

The result proved their wisdom.  With the revival of the prayer and class meetings, and the utterance of plain Evangelical truth from the pulpit, came a speedy manifestation of spiritual interest and growth.  And so marked had this indication of the presence of the Spirit become, that I felt justified in opening a protracted meeting with the watch-night services.  The meeting grew in interest from night to night, and in a short time the Altar was filled with penitents.  Thus opened a meeting that continued four months, resulting gloriously to the charge.  Nearly three hundred persons professed to be converted, and near two hundred of them were received on probation.

During the meeting I preached nearly every night, and sometimes in the afternoons.  But I was greatly assisted in the meeting by Revs.  J.B.  Cooper and I.S.  Eldridge, of whom mention will be made in another chapter.  Rev. A.B.  Bishop, now a valuable member of Minnesota Conference, was also, though young, a good laborer in the meeting.  Among the laymen who rendered special service was Brother J.L.  Kimball, who, with his daughter Emily, had been for years the principal reliance in the singing, both in the choir and social meetings.  Referring to this good brother brings up an incident of the meeting.  Brother K. had long been recognized as the financial man and the singer of the Church, but could never take a part in the social services with any comfort to himself.  In one of the meetings I suggested that in these matters as in others, practice would relieve the case.  He concluded to try it, and for two weeks spoke a few words as opportunity offered.  But he finally told the congregation that my recipe would not work.  Others might be able to talk their way to Heaven, but he was satisfied that, as for himself, he would have to pay his way, if he ever got there.  The pleasant remark seemed more in keeping, when it was remembered that he was always a generous contributor to every good cause.