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Friday, 8 July 2011

Christian Mission Reports, Whitby 1877 - 1878

WHITBY, THE LATEST WAR NEWS.
SATURDAY, November 10th. Arrival of Mr. Booth, General of Hallelujah army. We had a review at 7 p.m., marching through the streets in good order singing "O we are going to wear a crown." We halted in the Market Place, and formed a ring, and listened to a powerful address by the General, which greatly encouraged all of us.

Sunday, 11th. Hard fighting through the day, the streets filled with people. Our hall, that holds 1,000, was soon full. Mr. Booth spoke with power, Mrs. Booth gave a short address, and ten souls were saved. One was a big backslider; for sometime he had been smitten with the power of God, but would not yield. He went out of the hall, but could not get away—the Spirit said to him " Stop !" Mr. Booth found him on the stairs, and led him to the penitent form, where he soon found peace. Now he is a useful man with us. Mr. Booth was called suddenly back to London, but sent his son, Mr. Bramwell, who came on the 14th and stayed for Sunday, which was a day of remarkable hard fighting and solemn feeling. We expected a great smash—sinners were cut to the heart, but would not yield. On Monday the victory was won, and the devil defeated, twenty-six men and women came boldly out to the penitent form, cried for mercy, and God soon set them at liberty. During the three weeks that has followed, we have had 160 souls. Some of the worst men and women in the town. I will give a few of them.

A Miracle.
A young woman said, Thank God I am saved. A fortnight on Saturday, I was fighting in the Market Place, and a fortnight on Sunday I was converted in St. Hilda Hall; and if I could fight with my hands for the devil, now I will fight with all my heart for God.

A Converted Infidel.
Thank God I am saved! I was a member of an infidel club at Nottingham for eighteen months. We used to sing songs all day on Sundays, and drink and swear, till I came to Whitby to work. I went to hear Cadman, thank God I did, though I did not believe in God or devil; but now I believe in both. God has saved my soul and my wife's too, and we are very happy together.

A Scoffer and Persecutor
A young man that was put out of the hall one night for making a disturbance, came the next night and gave his heart to God. He is a. champion rink skater. He said they would not let him skate for the prizes but now he meant to have a greater prize. Christ in the heart, and at the end a crown of Glory. He speaks at all our meetings with power.

Sharp Persecution.
A young woman saved at our hall, is now a member with us-joins in the processions, and speaks for Jesus, and does it well, too. Her mistress told her she must leave off coming to our meetings, or give up her situation at once. She gave up her place that night, but stuck to Jesus. The parents of another beat her till the blood ran down her face for coming to our meetings, but it does not keep her away. These are the sort Christ wants in his army. Always at it! yes, we don't mean to give the devil or sinners any rest. We have a good meeting from Twelve to One o'clock every day; open-air every' night, hundreds in procession; public-houses emptied; a thousand in the hall before time, racing to get in, and many standing at the door; we have a thousand in our processions on Sunday—such a sight that makes devils tremble and angels shout. On the hills and in the valleys, in jet shops and fishing boats, you may hear them singing our hymns. Neither Cheap Jacks, the Christy Minstrels, nor Mesmerizers can get on in Whitby, for the people are mesmerized with the power of God. Hallelujah! Reader, will you send us powder and shot in the shape of money and tracts to help us in this great war between heaven and hell.

Yours truly, in the Lord's army,
Captain Cadman & Gipsy Smith.
16, Gray Street, Whitby.

WHITBY
Sister Dowdle from Bradford was with as, and had a good day; twenty-eight souls on the last Sunday of the year. On New Year's eve, the last day of the year, we had the first Christian Mission tea-meeting. Upwards of 600 sat down to well filled tables, thanks to Mrs. Robinson and all the friends that helped so liberally to make the tea a success. The profits were £8 10s. 4d. Hallelujah! The meeting commenced at 7.30; then Mrs. Dowdle spoke of the mission work generally, more especially of Bradford. Bro.Gipsy Smith gave his farewell address, as he was going to Bradford for a fortnight. I gave a short account of the Mission's sudden appearance here and how God had blessed the work in saving men going down to dark despair. The watchnight commenced at 10, with about 1,000 people present, who stayed till after midnight. It was a powerful time, Holiness, being the subject. At 11.40 we arranged two penitent forms, one for them that wanted salvation, the other for them that wanted sanctification. Over thirty of the young converts came out to be cleansed from all sin and to get perfect love. The women gave up their feathers, flowers, and eardrops, and one could not get the blessing because she had a jacket covered with beads which troubled her; at last she took it off and got the blessing. The men took the rings off their hands, gave up their pipes, and came out clean and clear, being determined to work for God and souls. Five came out for salvation and got it. Glory to God. A policeman that was at this service, and looked round to see all was safe at the close, whilst on duty three days afterwards, on a dark night, fell into the harbour, and, with one shout for help, sank to rise no more. I preached his funeral sermon to a filled Hall, and souls were saved.

MISS BOOTH AT WHITBY.
We deeply regret that the dangerous illness of Mrs. Cadman imposing upon the husband watchings, oft in addition to the ordinary duties devolving upon him, has prevented our receiving a report in the well-known style which has, no doubt, already become so familiar to our readers. But we are thankful to say that Mrs. C. is now steadily recovering, and that we hope to be supplied next month with an ample record of the extraordinary services conducted by Miss Booth during the past month.

The Congress Hall, which holds 8,000 people, has had to be taken, not merely for Sundays, but for every evening of several weeks. When we say that in a town of some 15,000 inhabitants this great building has been crowded on Sundays, and that as many as 1,500 have been present on week days, it will be readily seen how completely the services must have taken hold of the whole adult population of the town.

Rich and poor have met together, and hundreds of all classes have been humbled before God, and have, we trust, become new creatures in Christ Jesus. We must leave the following extract from a local paper to convey a general idea of these services, pending the fuller report we hope to give when they are concluded.

"The Mission this week is holding its services in the Congress Hall, and Miss Booth, an earnest Christian young lady (daughter of the Bev. "William Booth, the founder of the Mission) has been speaking to large congregations on Sunday, and each evening with power. The zeal and sympathy of this gifted young lady in the work to which she is devoting her life (she is but 19 years of age), is so apparent that it disarms criticism, and wins the affection and secures the rapt attention of a congregation composed perhaps of the roughest characters in the town, who, for good or for ill, have been attracted to the services of Captain Cadman in such large numbers from their commencement.

Now the meetings are held in a large hall, many seat-holders in the various places of worship have attended them with both pleasure and profit. The Congress Hall congregations have been both quiet and orderly, and anyone who has a prejudice against lady preachers, or who holds with the Apostle Paul, that women should keep silence in the churches, should go and hear Miss Booth speak, and we venture to think they would have their prejudice removed, and at the same time they would see something of the work done by Captain Cadman and his lieutenants in the place."

We earnestly commend to the sympathy and prayers of all who love the work, our sister and brother.

WHITBY.
"What is the meaning of this excitement? asked the porters at the station on the night of February 22nd. "Oh!" says a bystander," it is Captain Cadman and his army come to meet Miss Booth, who is going to preach in the Congress Hall." The train arrived, and at the sight of Miss Booth there was a great stir on the platform, all crushing forward to get a look at her. "What's the matter?" said Miss Booth, seeing such a crowd. "Oh," I said, "this is our army come to sing you into the battle-field." We walked with her up to her lodgings, the army singing all the way. They then formed a ring outside the house, singing, "There are angels hovering round."

On Saturday great excitement in the Market Place, hundreds of people from town and country arrived to see Brother Wessburg and myself with a ladder, bucket of paste, and a roll of paper. "What are they going to do? " was the cry, and their curiosity was aroused when they saw us putting letters up, so large that we could only stick them up, one at a time. A large muster; the police having to keep the way clear to the market. It took us nearly an hour to complete what was then the largest advertisement ever seen in Whitby; At the same time the crier's bell might be heard and his clear voice announcing the services in real mission style. On Sunday large processions as usual, and people from all parts came to the meetings. The large hall, which holds 3,000, was well filled, and, in the after service many, souls were brought to Jesus. Large congregations every night during the week; souls saved. On Friday night Miss Booth spoke on Holiness; many from other places of worship were with us, and at the penitent form many sought .mercy, and some were awakened to the fact that they had only the form of godliness. One young woman, a member of a Christian Church, really screamed for mercy; the Lord soon set her free, and when Miss B. asked her if it was a reality, she answered, "Oh, yes, Jesus saves me now." At the same time, her father was saved at the other end of the penitent form. As soon as he was told his daughter was saved he went to her; she was sitting in a chair praising God for what he had done for her; he fell down on his knees and put his arms round her neck and kissed her with tears running down his cheeks, he then dropped his head into her, lap and they wept together. Many others that night stepped, into liberty and praised God for what he had done for them.

Sunday, March 3rd.—Town was all alive, whilst our army in grand muster was singing," Soldiers fighting round the Cross, &c.," commencing at the extreme end of the town, and carrying before it and after it hundreds of people, until the large hall was packed with all classes, many not being able to obtain admittance. Miss Booth was listened to with breathless attention. In the after service we drew the net to land, having a multitude of fishes, and amongst them we found we had caught a fox hunter, a dog fancier, drunkards, a Roman Catholic, and many others. The week-night services went on as usual, souls saved every night. The proprietor of the hall had got some large bills out announcing" Troupe of Arctic Skaters in the Congress Hall for a week! " I expected we had lost the use of the hall for that week, but the proprietor put them off by telling them it was no use their coming as "all the town was being evangelized."

Sunday, 10th. - Packed as usual; many souls brought to God.

Sunday, 17th. - A remarkable day, grand procession in the morning and large congregation inside. A heavy snow storm raged all the afternoon, but our army was undaunted—we met at the appointed place as usual, though covered with snow and snowballed, we were all in our glory, singing " 'We'll stand the storm, it won't be long, we'll anchor by-and-bye," and drawing a grand congregation. At night, Hall packed as usual, and many souls were saved.

Sunday, 24th, was to be Miss Booth's farewell services, drawing great crowds from all parts of town and country, rich and poor, until the hall was so filled, there was no standing room-30 converts at the close of the service.

WHITBY. GOOD FRIDAY.
Our army met in the Town Hall at 7 a.m. with a determination to get a blessing, and to put in a full day for God and souls, and so we did. At 10 a.m., open-air meeting and procession; at 11 a.m., in St. Hilda's Hall; at 1.30 p.m., we commenced a large procession headed by a banner with this inscription:—"War is declared, recruits wanted," And another one, "The Hallelujah Army fighting for God." "We sang all through the town and round the Cliff till 3 p.m., then had a love feast in St. Hilda's Hall. At 5.30 p.m. open-air meeting. In the hall at 7; many of the young converts spoke urging their old companions to give their hearts to God. Souls were saved, and crowds kept from the public-house, being fully taken up with our singing through the day.

On Easter Sunday great excitement prevailed, the town being very much alarmed, while two batteries of the Hallelujah artillery were firing truth and salvation into the enemy's camp, declaring the King's commandments and the terms of peace to all rebels. We then sang as real soldiers of the Cross to the centre of the town where the second battery met and joined together; we were then fourteen abreast. We had a shout like Joshua at the walls of Jericho. We then sang "Faith Triumphant makes it Glorious" up to the hall, and glory be to God souls were saved. Many of our enemies said such goings on ought to be stopped, it was more like an election time. I said, that is what it is, we want all to vote for Jesus.

Caught By A Tale.
"Thank God that I ever come to hear Cadman, I had heard many things, about him, and one was that he was a blackguard. I thought it strange for a preacher to swear, so I went to hear for myself, and thank God got converted and now belong to the army and mean to go to Heaven."

Caught At Last
A woman that has attended our meetings ever since I have been here. She came to our believers' meeting, the pqwer of God broke her heart, and like the publican she came trembling to the penitent form and cried, "God be merciful to me a sinner." She was soon set free and went home to tell her husband what the Lord had done for her.
Captain Cadman & J. Goulbourn

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