I was able, but no visible results seemed to follow. One day the wife of
one of my two church elders came to me in my study, and told me that her
son had been awakened by the faithful talk of a young Christian girl,
who had brought some work to her husband's shoe store. I said to the
elder's wife: "The Holy Spirit is evidently working on one soul--let us
have a prayer meeting at your house to-night." We spent the afternoon in
gathering our small congregation together, and when I got to her house
it was packed to the door. I have attended thousands of prayer meetings
since then, but never one that had a more distinct resemblance to the
Pentecostal gathering in "the upper room" at Jerusalem. The atmosphere
seemed to be charged with a divine electricity that affected almost
every one in the house. Three times over I closed the meeting with a
benediction, but it began again, and the people lingered until a very
late hour, melted together by "a baptism of fire." That wonderful
meeting was followed by special services every night, and the Holy
Spirit descended with great power. My little church was doubled in
numbers, and I learned more practical theology in a month than any
seminary could teach me in a year.

That revival was an illustration of the truth that a good work of grace
often begins with the personal effort of one or two individuals. The
Burlington awakening began with the little girl and the elder's wife. We
ministers must never despise or neglect "the day of small things."

Every pastor ought to be constantly on the watch, with open eye and ear,
for the first signs of an especial manifestation of the Spirit's
presence. Elijah, on Carmel, did not only pray; he kept his eyes open to
see the rising cloud. The moment that there is a manifestation of the
Spirit's presence, it must be followed up promptly. For example, during
my pastorate in the Market Street Church, New York, (from 1853 to
1860), I was out one afternoon making calls, and I discovered that in
two or three families there were anxious seekers for salvation. I
immediately called together the officers of the church, stated to them
my observations, instituted a series of meetings for almost every
evening, followed them with conversation with enquirers, and a large
ingathering of souls rewarded our efforts and prayers. I have no doubt
that very often a spark of divine influence is allowed to die for want
of being fanned by prayer and prompt labors, whereas,