The interest had reached such a height, that at this closing service nearly two hundred anxious souls requested the prayers of Christians. God's people met the responsibility, and carried the work forward for weeks with great success.

A letter, written some weeks after my departure, says, "... We have had a glorious work in Amsterdam. There must have been two hundred and fifty conversions, already, and they are all such bright, active converts. Large additions have been made to the churches. An unusually large proportion of the converts are young men. And still the work goes on. We all find plenty of work to do

Such is the outline of some of the four days' meetings among the churches.

And from these my own experiences in such meetings, from the success that has everywhere attended them, and from the fact that the church, years ago, reaped similar blessings from them, I am led to the firm conviction that in them we have one of the most valuable agencies that can be employed, at the present day, in promoting revivals of religion.

They can hardly be objected to on any ground: They are practicable; neighboring churches can easily come together for such a work for four days.

They bring together the best, most active, and earnest element of our churches for deliberation, prayer, and labor. They thus lead out of forms of service that have become stereotyped and lifeless, correct mistakes, and give to all the benefits of the experience of each.

They promote harmony and love between Christians of different churches and denominations.

They enlarge our conceptions of the power and resources of the church, and thus strengthen our faith and courage.

And, to crown it all, they are generally followed by a precious revival of religion.

CHAPTER XX.

REVIVAL GLEANINGS.

OSTON, MASS. In the spring of 1859 I

B held a meeting in Tremont Temple, and

preached about eighty times. This was a very precious meeting, and wide-spread in its results.

country to this meet

As the Temple will seat about three thousand persons, and the seats are free for all, it is a great resort for the multitude. Many came from different parts of the city and ing, found Christ precious, and carried the influence far and wide. I learned that between one and two hundred converts united with the Temple church, and many with other churches, as the fruit of this meeting. I held another meeting in the same place in 1862. This meeting continued about three months. My home during this last meeting was in the family of Deacon Timothy Gilbert, the founder of the Temple enterprise, who has since gone to his reward on high.

"The memory of the just is blessed."

In the spring of 1866 I held a union meeting in Boston with the Shawmut Avenue (Baptist), Park Street, and Mount Vernon (Congregational) churches; dividing the five weeks of the meeting between the three. I need say but little more about this meeting than to refer the reader to the notice given of it in the fifteenth chapter of this volume, by Rev. Dr. Kirk and Rev. Dr. Hague.

I held another meeting of four weeks in Boston, in the First Baptist church, January, 1868, Rev. Dr. Neale, pastor. This meeting will be cherished among the pleasant memories of my life. There is a noble class of working members in this renowned church of two hundred years' standing.

The work is still progressing. I give below the pastor's account of the meeting, taken from the "Watchman and Reflector" of January 23, 1868.

"REV. A. B. EARLE IN BOSTON.

"Allow me to say a word in your paper of the recent labors of Rev. Mr. Earle in my church. I had hoped that by special and continuous meetings, the church, pastor, and all, might be quickened anew; that the effort might be blessed to the children of the Sabbath school; that Christians who have thought to cherish their piety in secret might

be led to make open profession of faith; and that strangers in the city, young men from the country, and persons who do not attend church anywhere, might be induced by the excitement of the occasion to come into the meetings, and thus be reached by the gospel. It is with grateful emotions that I am able now to say that these anticipations have been more than realized. Many conversions have already occurred among the young people of the congregation, and the number is multiplying daily. The members of the church are awakened to new life. There is among them a fervency in prayer, a sense of personal responsibility, and an activity of individual effort, that I have not seen for years, and which are so essential to a church's prosperity.

"Mr. Earle is admirably fitted to this service by his long experience and personal character. He is a laborious, praying, and most trustworthy man. His preaching is faithful, earnest, direct. He deals in no claptrap or offensive personalities. He interferes with no pastoral prerogative, but goes to his work like a true ambassador of the cross, with strong faith and most untiring persistence, and watches for souls as one that must give account. Resorting to no arts to secure personal favor, he has yet greatly endeared himself to us all. The farewell meeting and the parting interview will be