Saved by a Shout!

 SAVED, BY A SHOUT

From "Parson of the Islands,"
By Adam Wallace
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Joshua Thomas arrived one day while the servicer was in progress, and was called up to "exhort," after the sermon had been concluded. The eyes of the congregation kindled, as they followed him in his movement towards the "stand." Arriving there, he pulled off his low crowned hat and cast it aside, he then took off his overcoat, and laid it away, and, turning to the expectant people, he said, "It comes to me, I must first shout!" He thereupon began to jump, and clap his hands, saying, "GLORY!" "GLORY!" and continued thus until he was in a fine glow of religious fervor.
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The people looked at the man, and then at each other, with smiles at the oddity of this movement, but after a little, some ventured an "Amen." and the feeling began to infect those in immediate proximity to the stand, until quite a number were responding, and shouting in concert. He then quieted down, and gave an earnest exhortation, full of good sense, and commanding the eager attention of his congregation.
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A gentleman was present on that occasion, and became the subject of deep conviction under this singular proceeding. His statement, afterwards, was in substance as follows: "At first I thought the man was a fool, and the preachers were to blame for asking him up. I was about leaving my seat in disgust and indignation, and retiring from the ground; for, though I was not a professor of religion, I respected its order too much, to see it caricatured in that manner.
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I finally concluded to stand it out, rather than attract attention by my departure. I took a steady look at him, and in that instant one of the strangest sensations I ever had experienced, came over me. I felt that the Spirit of the Lord was there, actuating the man in what he said and did, and FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALL MY LIFE, I TREMBLED FROM HEAD TO FOOT, UNDER A NEW AND OVER-POWERING CONVICTION THAT I WAS A LOST SINNER.
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"I tried to shake it off by going outside among my friends, and made some effort to leave the place altogether, but I could not. The hand of God was on me. I went forward and humbled myself publicly as a penitent seeker of pardon, through the atoning merits of Christ.
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"Before leaving that place I obtained an evidence of acceptance with God, and was inwardly assured, 'Thy sins are forgiven thee.'
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"I had been all my life a hearer of the gospel. I had paid a decent respect to the observances of the church, and had sometimes thought myself as good as was necessary, or, at least, as good as others around me, until that scene of shouting unsettled my balance, and swept away my false foundation. I can now," he added, "most cordially endorse a good holy shout anywhere, and help a good Christian at any time to praise a pardoning God."
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This gentleman became a prominent member of the church, and ATTRIBUTED HIS CONVERSION TO THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF BROTHER THOMAS, under the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit. "His ways are not our ways, neither are our thoughts his thoughts. He will send by whom he will send," and work out his own designs, according to the counsels of his will and wisdom, by means that human ingenuity is incapable of devising.
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Sometimes an impulse received in the pulpit, or an impression conceived in a moment, may be from the right source; and to crush or disregard it, would be doing violence to the Spirit, and wrong to one's self, when, if followed, some great and good result might be attained.
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Parson Thomas considered himself authorized to shout, as clearly as it appeared to be his duty to sing or pray. Many a private opportunity he has improved in this way, when none but the God he loved and praised was nigh.