PAUL AND SILAS PRAYING CLEAR THROUGH
These holy men of God were conducting a soul-saving, sin-killing, devil-driving revival in Philippi, On their way to the place of worship, Paul proposed a street service. They mounted a box and began to sing the sweet songs of Zion and the crowds thronged about them. Soon Silas led in prayer that melted many hearts and caused tears to flow freely, then Paul, the mighty preacher of the Word, opened the Gospel that pricked hearts, uncovering sin, showing men that restitution and confession must be made, before God would pardon.
By the time Paul closed this heart-rending message, a talented actress came screaming through the crowds, falling at the mourner s bench, crying, "Men and brethren, what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas said, "Confess, repent, and keep on until you strike rock bottom." She cried, "I can't." Silas said, "This is the only way, no card-signing will bring a know-so, heartfelt case of religion. You must not only give up your sins, and go out of the sin business, but you must repent of what you have done. Suppose we should go in debt sixty dollars worth at the store, and then come again in a few weeks, purchasing another sixty dollars worth, and saying to the merchant, 'I purpose never to go in debt again, I will pay as I go from this on.' The merchant would say, 'That is good, but what about the sixty dollars you owe me?'"
These holy men of God were conducting a soul-saving, sin-killing, devil-driving revival in Philippi, On their way to the place of worship, Paul proposed a street service. They mounted a box and began to sing the sweet songs of Zion and the crowds thronged about them. Soon Silas led in prayer that melted many hearts and caused tears to flow freely, then Paul, the mighty preacher of the Word, opened the Gospel that pricked hearts, uncovering sin, showing men that restitution and confession must be made, before God would pardon.
By the time Paul closed this heart-rending message, a talented actress came screaming through the crowds, falling at the mourner s bench, crying, "Men and brethren, what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas said, "Confess, repent, and keep on until you strike rock bottom." She cried, "I can't." Silas said, "This is the only way, no card-signing will bring a know-so, heartfelt case of religion. You must not only give up your sins, and go out of the sin business, but you must repent of what you have done. Suppose we should go in debt sixty dollars worth at the store, and then come again in a few weeks, purchasing another sixty dollars worth, and saying to the merchant, 'I purpose never to go in debt again, I will pay as I go from this on.' The merchant would say, 'That is good, but what about the sixty dollars you owe me?'"
The actress followed this godly instruction struck rock bottom, the fire flew, grace filled her heart, and the Holy Ghost witnessed that all her sins were forgiven. She, leaping up, stood and began shouting and praising God. Her face was wreathed in heavenly sunlight.
One who had seen all this ran to the theater men, saying, "There will be no theater tonight, no play." The manager said, "Yes indeed, we have one of the finest, one of the most talented women of the entire country, who will act tonight." "Yes, but," said the man, "I tell you she will not act tonight, I know what I am talking about." The manager looked at him and said, "Are you crazy?" "No, but I tell you, sir, as I was coming to the theater, I heard some sweet singing on a street corner, and went across and there on a goods box, two men, with bright, shining countenances, were preaching the Gospel; some were in tears, others wringing their hands, while your actress, who had elbowed her way through the crowd, was standing near the box shaking from head to foot. At the close of the sermon, she fell at the goods' box crying for mercy. Soon the preachers were down by her side, exhorting her to quit sin, and make her crooked paths straight. Soon she jumped to her feet, and I tell you we had some shouting." The manager says, "You don't say so. A talented woman, one who had signed a contract to play so many nights, an actress of her ability, attending a street service, and getting so excited that she would permit herself to make such demonstrations on the street? I can't believe it, it can't be so, you are wholly mistaken." "Well," said the man, "come with me."
The two hurried off up the street, and as they came near the box meeting, Silas was assisting the actress upon the goods' box, so she could give her experience. She began by saying, "As I came along the street, I heard the song that my darling mother often sang to us children. It brought up those happy by-gone days. Mother stood before me saying, 'My child, my child, stop at this service.' I found myself with others. listening to the songs and sermon; somewhere, I caught a glimpse of my poor lost soul and ah! such awful agony took hold upon me that I began to shake all over. I tried hard to control myself; I said, 'This will never do, am I losing my mind?' but shake I would. When Brother Paul gave the invitation, I was glad to go down there by other poor lost sinners, just like other poor lost sinners. I confessed all my sins. The devil said, "What about the contract?' I said, 'I am done now and forever hereafter with theaters, plays, all that is wrong.' I told the Lord if He would pardon my sins, I would be anything for Him. I had much to give up, to repent of, but when I did all they told me and all God showed me, the fire fell, the glory rolled into my soul and I tell you, I know from head to foot now that Jesus saves me. Glory! My soul is happy. Let me exhort you all to do likewise and let this day sweet knowledge of sins forgiven come to you."
The manager saw for himself that that night's play, so far as that actress was concerned, was done for. He went to the head men and said that something must be done here and now, to stop this religion. "It is spreading, it is breaking into our business," said he, "and causing folks to make fools of themselves, by confessing their sins, and restoring money that they had gotten by burning things to get the insurance, and in other fraudulent ways. You know if this strikes us, we are ruined, for some of us have never gotten an honest dollar. Such a religion would bankrupt us, and I fear some of us would land in the penitentiary. We should not allow such evangelists and such a Gospel to get into our church, and I am rejoicing that they are largely being kept out and crowded to brush
arbors and tent-meetings. We must call for a level-headed, brainy, safe, conservative man, who will preach us a sermonette twice on Sunday, while we attend theaters, have our card parties and dances, go to the circus and skating rinks, and drink our wines, but be it understood, we must pay big and bring up all the collections, we must organize different societies and work like Trojans."
This speech excited and influenced the minds of the leaders; they rushed off to the street meeting, and arrested Paul and Silas. Paul said, "Why arrest peaceful citizens? We are preaching the old-time Gospel that brings old-time results." But they hurried them to the court, had a mock trial, and sentenced them to a whipping and the dungeon cell. The dungeon was cold and damp, not one ray of light to be seen, With their ankles and wrists in stocks and bands, and with bleeding backs, they were left alone to suffer thirst and hunger.
Toward midnight, after meditation and secret prayer, Paul said, "Silas, lead us in prayer." Silas prayed, "Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. Teach us to pray. Thou seest our bleeding backs, Thou knowest our sufferings, hear us while we pray. We know that Thou art almighty. Thou didst open the Red Sea, Thou didst open up the Jordan, Thou didst tear down the walls of Jericho, Thou didst stop the moon and the sun, Thou didst lock lions' mouths, and quench fiery furnaces, Thou art God." Paul began to shout, and said, "Pray, Silas, I feel the power." Silas prayed, "Through one man's prayers Thou didst lock up the skies, through three hundred Thou didst give the devil a galling defeat, yea, Thou didst blow Thy breath in the mulberry-trees and put to flight all the devils upon a battlefield." By this time Paul was shaken by the power, he began to praise God, the stocks and bands fell from his ankles and wrists, and he leaped around the dungeon shouting, "Silas, my soul, is on fire." Then there was a tremendous concussion, such a shaking as they had never felt before. Silas, too, had been freed from his chains, and he was making the welkin ring. The old jail was shaking, reeling, staggering like a drunken man, jail doors and windows were crashing, and prisoners were leaping from their beds of slumber, thinking the world was coming to an end. The jailer, being thrown from his bed by this earthquake, screamed to his wife, "What is the matter? What has taken place?" Looking toward the prison, he saw things luminous as at midday, and tremblingly said, "I'll kill myself, all the prisoners have escaped." Grabbing his sword, he was about to commit suicide, when Paul cried out, "Mr. Jailer, kill not thyself, for we are all in here, there isn't a 'Come-outer' in the crowd." The jailer cried out, "What must I do to be saved?" He fell at the mourner's bench and, by daylight, he and his household were converted, a church organized, and he was pastor of the church at Philippi.
This speech excited and influenced the minds of the leaders; they rushed off to the street meeting, and arrested Paul and Silas. Paul said, "Why arrest peaceful citizens? We are preaching the old-time Gospel that brings old-time results." But they hurried them to the court, had a mock trial, and sentenced them to a whipping and the dungeon cell. The dungeon was cold and damp, not one ray of light to be seen, With their ankles and wrists in stocks and bands, and with bleeding backs, they were left alone to suffer thirst and hunger.
Toward midnight, after meditation and secret prayer, Paul said, "Silas, lead us in prayer." Silas prayed, "Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. Teach us to pray. Thou seest our bleeding backs, Thou knowest our sufferings, hear us while we pray. We know that Thou art almighty. Thou didst open the Red Sea, Thou didst open up the Jordan, Thou didst tear down the walls of Jericho, Thou didst stop the moon and the sun, Thou didst lock lions' mouths, and quench fiery furnaces, Thou art God." Paul began to shout, and said, "Pray, Silas, I feel the power." Silas prayed, "Through one man's prayers Thou didst lock up the skies, through three hundred Thou didst give the devil a galling defeat, yea, Thou didst blow Thy breath in the mulberry-trees and put to flight all the devils upon a battlefield." By this time Paul was shaken by the power, he began to praise God, the stocks and bands fell from his ankles and wrists, and he leaped around the dungeon shouting, "Silas, my soul, is on fire." Then there was a tremendous concussion, such a shaking as they had never felt before. Silas, too, had been freed from his chains, and he was making the welkin ring. The old jail was shaking, reeling, staggering like a drunken man, jail doors and windows were crashing, and prisoners were leaping from their beds of slumber, thinking the world was coming to an end. The jailer, being thrown from his bed by this earthquake, screamed to his wife, "What is the matter? What has taken place?" Looking toward the prison, he saw things luminous as at midday, and tremblingly said, "I'll kill myself, all the prisoners have escaped." Grabbing his sword, he was about to commit suicide, when Paul cried out, "Mr. Jailer, kill not thyself, for we are all in here, there isn't a 'Come-outer' in the crowd." The jailer cried out, "What must I do to be saved?" He fell at the mourner's bench and, by daylight, he and his household were converted, a church organized, and he was pastor of the church at Philippi.
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