August 1, 1895.
To the same.
... We had a few out again yesterday afternoon. There have been only 10 or 12 in the afternoons, but I have felt the Lord was giving blessing... in the way of establishing souls in the gospel. I am satisfied that some Christians who have been coming, have been getting blessing.
Last night before the meeting began, our infidel Haight came to me and wanted to know if I would give way to him tonight, and let him tell the same audience why he was a skeptic! I told him, No. I had acceded to his request in stating publicly my reasons for believing the Bible true, but this was further than I could go — I had no fellowship with infidelity, and to give him the floor would be that. I could not do it. He tried to argue the case, and to show I ought to do to others as I would have them do to me! I think he was a good deal chagrinned. A crowd was waiting outside to hear the decision. He went out to them and I heard him say: “No, sir, he won’t do it,” with a good deal of acrimony in his tone. But he failed to hinder the crowd from coming back. A great many came in who had come the two nights previous, of the laboring men. And quite a number of Christians were present last night. There were not as many people as the night before — we did not expect this — but there was a company of from 150 to 200, and the roughest of them listened very attentively, and some seemed touched. I spoke last night from Luke 15. Some of the Christians have been rejoicing in the things they have heard, and speak of it one to another. I have just been trying to get before them the grace of God in connection with such Scriptures as Romans 3;4;5 Eph. 1:7; 1 John 2:12, etc. And the interest has seemed very real....