A RHETOR‘CAL CASE STUDY (3? A SELECTED
SPEECH AND RELATED OUTLINE MATERIALS OF
MELViN E. TROTTER

Thesis for the Degree of M. A.
MiGHiGA—N STATE UNWERSITY
Haward Geerge Longcare

1966

THESIS

LIBRARY

Michigan State
University

 

ABSTRACT

A RHETORICAL CASE STUDY OF A SELECTED SPEECH
AND RELATED OUTLINE MATERIALS
OF MELVIN E. TROTTER

by Howard George Longcore

This study concerns itself with the life and speaking
of Dr. Melvin E. Trotter who came to Grand Rapids, Michigan,
in February of 1900, to superintend the Grand Rapids City
Rescue Mission. For forty years he labored in the rescue
mission movement both in Grand Rapids and in sixty—seven
other missions across America. Trotter was the most promi~
nent rescue mission personality of the period, and during
the period from 1920 to 19UO became a national figure in the
field of evangelism as well. It was in these two areas
that Trotter made his major contribution to the society
and to the religious world until his death on September 11,
1940.

This study searches for the persuasive methods used
by Trotter which enabled him to be successful in the work
of rescue missions and of evangelism. Materials were
limited to one complete sermon manuscript, thirty—five
sermon outlines, numerous sermon outline fragments, personal
interviews with living colleagues, two books by Trotter, a
record containing a short sermon preached by Trotter, mission

files, and some newspaper clippings.

Howard George Longcore

The study was organized in the following manner:

Chapter I, The Introduction, includes a brief state-
ment of the purpose, significance, limitations, materials,
and method of organization of this study.

Chapter II is a biographical sketch of Trotter with
emphasis on significant contributions to the fields of
both rescue missions and evangelism.

Chapter III is a historical survey of the Mel Trotter
Rescue Mission, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with emphasis on
its beginning, and the part Trotter played in its first
forty years.

Chapter IV is a study of the doctrines and ideas of
Trotter.

Chapter V deals with Trotter's delivery and style.

Chapter VI is a case study of the one available
sermon manuscript, "Double Cure."

Chapter VII consists of conclusions and recommenda—
tions for future studies.

Also, a bibliography and an appendix consisting of a
copy of the sermon, "Double Cure,” are included.

Although the researcher did not accomplish all he
hoped to accomplish in the discovery of persuasive techniques
employed by Trotter some significant items of information
were revealed:

1. It was discovered that Trotter was better known

to the general public outside the Grand Rapids, Michigan,

Howard George Longcore

area for his speaking in Bible conferences and in evange—
lism than for his work in rescue missions.

2. The effectiveness of Trotter's speaking seems to
be his simplicity, frankness, and power of delivery, coupled
with his skill in using illustrative materials. Trotter
spoke the vernacular of the common man, and he was greatly
hindered in his communicative ability when he attempted to
use another style as was illustrated when he went to England
to Speak.

3. Trotter tended to use a recurring pattern of out—
lining in his speeches. The pattern was simple in develop-
ment and logical in structure based largely upon the Bible
as his authority.

4. Trotter had a simple, clear, and precise style.
Although the language was slanted to the lower social
element, it was never crude nor vulgar.

5. Trotter was both interesting and amusing in his
sermon style. He had a keen sense of humor which was used
much in his speaking, but this was secondary to his main
purpose of bringing peOple into contact with Jesus Christ

and, through this contact, eliciting an overt decision.

A RHETORICAL CASE STUDY OF A SELECTED SPEECH
AND RELATED OUTLINE MATERIALS

OF MELVIN E. TROTTER

By

Howard George Longcore

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Department of Speech

1966

MELVIN E . TROTTER

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter
I. INTRODUCTION
Significance of the Study
Materials Available
Limitations Imposed . .
Method of Study and Organization
II. TROTTER: A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

III.

IV.

VI.

Early Childhood

Early Adulthood
Conversion Experience
Mission Work .

Camp Work

Evangelism .
Recognition
Philosophy . .

End of the Road

MEL TROTTER RESCUE MISSION: A HISTORY
Beginning
Movement . . .
Mission Work .
A Changed Life
DOCTRINES AND IDEAS

Doctrines
Source of Ideas

DELIVERY AND STYLE

Delivery .
Style . .

A CASE STUDY: DOUBLE CURE

 

Setting and Occasion
Audience . . .
Arrangement

Logical Proof
Emotional Proof
Personal Proof

Page

K) \lmkfl-Jl‘ P—J

ISO
101
102

Chapter Page

Source of Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

VII. CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

APPENDIX A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

In February of 1900 in the city of Grand Rapids,
Michigan, a young man began a ministry which was to last
over forty years and have a significant bearing upon rescue
mission development across the United States. In the en—
suing years this young man made his contribution in the
field of evangelism as well, both in the United States
and in Northwestern Europe.

It was in January of 1900 that some business men
invited a group of converts from the Pacific Garden Mis—
sion, Chicago, Illinois, to come and to hold meetings in
Grand Rapids with the thought of establishing a city rescue
mission. Melvin E. Trotter was a member of the group. He
was extended an invitation to become the first superinten—
dent of the Grand Rapids City Rescue Mission. He accepted
the invitation and in February of the same year began his
life work.

The night the mission opened the crowd was four

times too big for the place, and it was a funny
bunch. The rich and poor, drunken and sober,

washed and unwashed, young and old, all in the

same room and singing the same songs and praying
to the same God. Three girls were savedlon that
first invitation, and that’s going some.

 

1Fred C. Zarfas, Mel Trotter, A Biography (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1950), p. 36.

1

 

This was the beginning of a ministry to meet the spiritual
need of a social group of people in the city of Grand Rapids
not reached by the area churches, and it launched a man into
his life work. Trotter was just thirty years old and a
Christian2 for only three years when he came to Grand Rapids

to head up the rescue mission work.

 

2Melvin E. Trotter, These Forty Years (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan Publishing House, 19AO7} pp. lOC & 118. Trotter's
definition of a christian may differ from many. He believed
in a definite conversion to the Christian life which included
a decision. Two quotations will clarify this position in
regard to this and the conversion experience.
There is no question in my mind, that the greatest day
I have ever lived was the 19th of January, 1897, when the
Lord Jesus Christ came into my life and saved me from my
sin. It was after repeated failures, in fact so many
that hope was practically gone. I am positively sure
that that was my day; that God the Father, God the Son
and God the Holy Ghost planned it, and the stage was com—
pletely set for me to be saved that night.
That transaction revolutionized my entire life. It in—
cluded my mind, my body and my soul.
It is no trouble at all for me to know what is meant
"by the new birth.” The old things passed away so thor-
oughly that I have never once wanted the things which
dominated my life.

 

Listen my friends. Some young man, some young woman
in this room, some older ones, have been trying to do it.
They have been church members for years and yet they
haven't definitely yielded. I spoke about this thing
one night, and at the close of the meeting gave the invi-
tation. A woman in deep mourning walked down the aisle,
whom I recognized when she got near the altar, and when I
got into the inquiry meeting I said, ”Mrs. So-and-so,
what are you here for?” I knew her to be a worker in the
Church.
While I am a member of the church, I have never defi—
nitely on the ground of my sinnership and condemnation
yielded myself to Jesus, and heaven is too dear to me now
to make any mistake, so I just want to come and give my
heart to Christ. Here is what she said, ”I have taken
my place as a sinner; I have accepted His place in right—
eousness, and because He has paid my debt I know I am
saved.

Soon after the death of Trotter on September 11, 1940,
the mission changed its name from the Grand Rapids City Res-
cue Mission to its present name, the Mel Trotter Rescue Mis—
sion.

The purpose of this study is to survey the history of
the Mel Trotter Rescue Mission, and to examine the rhetori-
cal procedures and techniques used by this man in persuading
people to change their opinion concerning Jesus Christ. I
will attempt a search for techniques which made this man
particularly effective in two areas of endeavor: (l) The
rescue mission endeavor, and (2) evangelistic campaigns, in—
cluding army posts and factories.

The Mel Trotter Rescue Mission is a charitable reli-
gious organization in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, min—
istering to the needy of the city. Many of the peOple
reached by the mission efforts are alcoholics or transients.
The mission is not connected with any denominational group,
and crosses the denominational barriers to use people in the
handling of the many phases of the work.

It is anticipated that through this study answers for
the following questions will be forthcoming:

1. Are there some particular techniques which Trotter
used that could be adopted today to make the rescue mission
work generally more effective?

2. What lines or argument did he pursue?

3. What are some of Trotter's ideas and doctrines,

and where did they come from?

A. What kinds of proof did Trotter rely on in his
Sermons?

5. What are the characteristics of his delivery and
style?

6. What type of arrangement did he use? Did the
arrangement have any bearing on his effectiveness as a
speaker?

In addition to providing answers to these questions
a bibliography will be constructed for future reference

and research.

Significance

 

The rescue mission is in essence the arm of the church
working in the deprived area of the city. Trotter says,

It is an institution which has for its object the
rescuing, or saving of lost souls. It is the
church at work for a class of folks who would not
come into a regular church building, so the Mis-
sion goes after them.3

It is almost always interdenominational; the church
at work in thfi downtown, where good and bad congre-
gate nightly.

The rescue mission movement has had a definite influence on
the city of Grand Rapids, and it has met a spiritual need
for a particular social group. It has attempted to rehabil-

itate some in the slum sections to a life of usefulness.

 

3Ibid., p. 31.
1:

 

Ibid., p. 34.

There will be little emphasis in this study relative to the
religious and spiritual contribution of the mission, but
an attempt will be made to find general methods used by
Trotter in regard to persuasive techniques and their value
to the mission movement with carry over value to the present
day.

In a general survey of the pertinent literature,
the researcher finds there have been no studies dealing
with the speaking of Melvin E. Trotter, of the Mel Trotter
Rescue Mission, or of the relationships that speaking
techniques have played in the work of the mission move-
ment. While talking with the Mel Trotter Rescue Mission
superintendent, Rev. George Bontekoe, I discovered a
genuine need for gathering this material together inva
form which could serve as a survey of the history of the
mission. There are no other studies underway in this area
at the present time.

While working in the Grand Rapids area, I have had
the opportunity to speak in the mission which created an
interest to do some research and study of the mission and
of Trotter. Because of his contribution to both the field
of missions and evangelism, I feel Trotter offers suf-

ficient material for an interesting and significant study.

Materials Available

 

In my search for materials, I was able to discover

only one complete sermon manuscript of all the preaching of

Trotter. From Miss Ruth Hartman I received much help in
personal interviews, and she had thirty-five complete ser-
mon outlines plus an additional supply of fragments of ser-
mons and notes of Trotter. She also helped me document much
of my primary source materials. A former superintendent of
the mission has contributed substantially with a biography
of Trotter. Trotter himself contributed two books, Jimmie

Moore of Bucktown, and These Forty Years. Lee B. Inman con-

 

 

tributed an aid in his tribute to Trotter, ”Boss” and His
Mission. Carl F. H. Henry included Trotter in a chapter of

his book, The Pacific Garden Mission. I have one radio tape

 

recording of a message, and a record, Yesterdayfs Voices

 

which includes a short sermon of Trotter. Personal inter-
views with Rev. George Bontekoe, and Casey VanderJac, Evan-
gelist, have been of great help. Rev. Bontekoe has been
gracious enough to allow me to use mission materials and to
work in the personal library of Trotter at the mission. Mr.
Trotter had a rather well stocked library which is located

in the mission.

Limitations Imposed

 

For over sixty-five years the Mel Trotter Rescue Mis—
sion in Grand Rapids has been a refuge for those less for—
tunate persons who need a helping hand, a free meal, and a
place to sleep for a night or for a short period of time.
It has established itself as a landmark in the downtown

area, but some of the old landmarks are passing away at the

present time due to the urban renewal program in Grand
Rapids. The Mission has had to move to 225 Commerce
Street this spring. Many studies could be made of the
mission in its present location, both from a social point
of view and for its religious significance to the community.
Because of the magnitude of the Mel Trotter Rescue
Mission in its many ramifications, this study is limited to:
(l) A brief biography of Trotter touching his leadership of
the mission over a span of forty years. (2) The general
historical survey of the Mel Trotter Rescue Mission because
of its significance to the development and understanding of
the speaking materials. (3) A case study of one sermon,

Double Cure, because it represents the only complete sermon

 

manuscript in existence. (4) Classification and use of
thirty-five sermon outlines and various outline fragments
and notes of Trotter. This material will be used generally
as source materials in comments on ideas, doctrines, de-

livery, and style.

Method of Study and Organization

 

This study will be organized in the following fashion:

Chapter I, the introduction, includes a brief state—
ment of purpose, the significance of the study, limitations,
materials available, and the method of study and organ-
ization.

Chapter II is a biographical sketch of Trotter with
emphasis and detail on items significant to his work in

the mission movement and the field of evangelism.

Chapter III is a historical survey of the Mel Trotter
Rescue Mission.

Chapter IV is a study of doctrines and ideas presented
by Trotter in the one sermon manuscript and the outline ma-
terials.

Chapter V deals with the delivery and style of Trotter
in his speaking performances.

Chapter VI is a case study of the sermon, Double Cure.

 

The rhetorical analysis will include setting and occasion,
audience, arrangement, logical proof, personal proof, emo—
tional proof, source of ideas and effect.

Chapter VII will consist of conclusions and any recom—

mendations for future studies deemed beneficial.

CHAPTER II

TROTTER: A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

Perhaps few of us realize the important role which
the rescue mission plays in the life of the derelicts,
both men and women, who roam the slum areas in the larger
cities. Melvin E. Trotter was acquainted with all this.
It was from the derelict life that he was changed, and
it was in this area of the social world Trotter left his
greatest impression and made his largest contribution to
society. The life story of this man points up what many
refer to as the redeeming grace of God. The change his
life and work took can be understood, not as an accident
or of a person grasping an opportunity, but by taking into
account the love of God and the power to change lives
resident within this love. The measurement of this love

came in the pragmatic test of the life which followed.

Early Childhood

 

Melvin E. Trotter was born in Orangeville, Illinois,
May 16, 1870, to William Trotter and Emily Jane Lorch
Trotter. For many years William Trotter was an habitual
drunkard and an alcholic. Not only did William drink him—
self, but he served it to others as a bartender. Melvin's

mother, Emily, as he described her in later life, was a

9

10

saintly woman, teaching her children to know the Holy
Scriptures and to pray. There were seven children in the
William Trotter household. With an alcoholic husband,
Emily Trotter had a hard task in doing the necessary
things for her children's life and health.

Melvin was five years old when the family moved to
Polo, Illinois, about 165 miles west of Chicago. Here
William Trotter earned his living as a bartender. Under
this social influence, Melvin grew into young manhood. The
William Trotter family lived in this city for twelve years.
During this time Melvin received all of the formal edu-
cational training he was to receive. Today, one would con-
sider his training very meager for a leader in religious
circles. Melvin considered an education a waste of time and
completely unnecessary to success. His parents did their
best to keep the lad in school, but he was much more at-
tracted to the vice and to the life he saw in his father's
place of business than he was to school work. He skipped
school more than he attended according to his own admission.

In this very formative period, Melvin tended to become
a product of the social climate and situation into which he
was thrown, acquiring a taste for liquor, like his father
and his brothers. He often skipped school to follow the
footsteps of his father, even tending bar part-time in the
saloon where his father worked.

After twelve years of this life in Polo, Illinois,
when Melvin was seventeen, the Trotters moved to Freeport,

Illinois, where William Trotter bought a saloon. Now came

11

the chance for which Melvin was waiting. The restraints of
home and of his mother were too much. This was the time

for his well defined plans for making a fortune to be put
into operation. Melvin played the horses, drank, and gam-
bled away his time. At one period of time his gambling and
horse betting provided him with plenty of money, but gener—
ally he had nothing and even was forced to steal and beg for
enough money to buy a drink and a bed in the very cheapest

rooming house for the night.

Early_Adulthood

 

At this juncture in his life, Melvin E. Trotter took
up the barber trade. When he stayed away from liquor and
remained sober, he made a good living. However, it was

not long before everyone was calling him "The Drunken Bar—

" Melvin's comment in later life about this was:

ber.
Many say they can drink or they can leave it alone.
Every drunkard in the world has been able to say
the same thing, and the time passes for nearly
everyone. Men who say they can drink or leave it
alone, invariably drink. No man starts out to be 1
a drunkard; unconsciously they become slaves to it.

During this period, Melvin met a Christian girl,
Lottie Fisher, and they were married on April 23, 1891.

Lottie was not aware of Melvin's drinking problem, but

 

1Melvin E. Trotter, Tape Recording (Chicago: Pacific
Garden Mission). This tape inEIudesIthe reinacted conver-
sion experience of Trotter. It also includes a broadcast
of Trotter speaking on the Grace of God.

 

 

12

believed she had married a fine, lovable, and considerate
person which he was when sober. It did not take long to
find out that Trotter was an alcoholic. After being fired
from his barber job, Trotter tried his hand at insurance
and various manual labor jobs. His drinking habit had a
definite hold on him by now, and it was increasingly more
difficult for him to stay sober for sufficient time periods
to hold down a job. During this period their only child
was born, and they named him Melvin E. Trotter, Jr. With
the aid of friends, the Trotters moved away from the city
to a country home. This attempt to get away from the city
and its degenerating influence upon Trotter with its many
temptations of saloons, gambling places, and race tracks,
seemed to be just what was needed. By the criteria for
measurement of an alcoholic, it seemed as if a miracle had
transpired in his life, for he stayed sober for three
months.2 These three months were only too short, for one
cold winter night after Trotter, his wife, and infant had
been riding in the buggy, he could stand it no longer and
returned to the familiar sights of saloon and gambling
house. Selling his horse and buggy, he bought drinks for
everyone until all was spent. He ended the night drunk,
financially broke, and disgusted with himself for his weak—

ness. Years later, when telling of this experience he said:

 

2Zarfas, 9p, cit., p. 16. This is the only known
work on Trotter's life. It is very incomplete, but gives
a good general sketch of his life.

13

I would have given my life to have stayed sober,

but it wasn't in me. I was nothing but imbecile.
I tried my level best. I wasn't the type of man

to go down wighout fighting. I loathed the life

I was living.

His drinking continued with the passion of an alcor‘
holic and the periods of being away from home were longer
and longer, many times lasting as long as ten days or two
weeks. They had moved back into the city because they no
longer had a means of transportation except walking. Their
home in town consisted of a single, almost unfurnished
room without heat. After nearly two years of this life
which included long periods of being absent, Trotter re-
turned one night to find his son dead, and the funeral al-
ready planned. Upon seeing their two year old boy dead,
’Trotter was repentanh promising Lottie he would never drink

again. The promise of Trotter, the alcoholic, was not good;

for before the day was concluded he was insensibly drunk.

Conversion Experience

 

There is little known about the next few years in
the life of Trotter, following the death of his only son.
"Nightmare Alley” and ”Skid Row,” found in most large cities
of that day,became his home. Comparable conditions are
found in most large cities today. ”Within a stone's throw
of gigantic skyscrapers and immense office buildings a veri-

table no man's land exists-~a land of crime, depravity, and

 

3Ibid., p. 17.

1A

sickness."u It was this area of Chicago, Illinois, which
seemed literally to swallow up Trotter for the next few
blank years. There is no record of where he stayed or
what he did to keep body and soul together during this
period. It is in this type of slum area of a city that the
rescue mission makes its greatest impact. Melvin spent
much of his time in and around the Chicago slums, coming
and leaving as he chose by "riding the rods."

On one of his drunken sojourns, as Trotter himself
describes it, he "met the Lord." There seems to be no
other single traceable incident or experience in the life
of Trotter that bears greater influence upon his life, upon
his ministry, and upon his preaching than this meeting with
God through the ministry of Harry Monroe at the Pacific
Garden Mission. It was on the night of January 19, 1897,
that Melvin E. Trotter wandered in a drunken stupor on Van
Buren Street in the city of Chicago, Illinois. He had
just arrived on a freight train, tired, broke and out of
work. Trotter had continued the downward course until, in
his very own words, he was an alcoholic of the very worst
sort. He needed a drink badly; therefore, he sold his
own shoes for that drink. Research shows it was his shoes
and not the shoes of his dead son that he sold for drinks.

The story of selling his son's shoes has been widely

 

”Trotter, These Forty Years, 9p. cit., p. 62. A
historical and autobiographical sketch of the Mission
and Trotter's influence of the lives of some individuals.

 

15

circulated. As the story continues, Trotter talked the bar-
keeper out of a couple more drinks before he was thrown
bodily out of the saloon. It was a bitter cold winter night,
as it often is in the windy city. Weather bureau records
show this to be one of the colder winters for the Chicago
area.

With very scanty clothing, no shoes, and no

hope left, Melvin started the walk up Van Buren

Street, which would end on the shores of Lake

Michigan, there to cast himself into the waters

and end this torment, torture and misery. Police

records in Chicago show more than 2300 people com-

mitted suicide in this way in the winter of 1897.5
Trotter never arrived at the lake because between the sa-
loon and the lake stands the Pacific Garden Mission.

On the night of January 19, 1897, Tom Mackey, ex-
JockBy'andcard shark, was on duty outside the mission. He
saw Trotter coming, met him, and invited him into the mis-
sion. He literally pushed him through the door, propped
him upright against the wall for stability, and left again
for his post. Mr. Harry Monroe had charge of the services
that memorable night. Though dazed with drink and cold,
under the ministering of the Word of God by Harry Monroe,
according to the testimony of Trotter, he was thoroughly
converted, healed of his appetite for liquor, and set on
the course of life as a successful mission personality by
the power of the Holy Spirit. Throughout his over forty

years of preaching, this experience was one of the high—

lights. Trotter says:

 

[2
’Zarfas, loc. cit., p. 22.

16

When I lose the attention of my audience I always
go back to the fact that I was saved from an awful
life of sin, in the Pacific Garden Mission, in
1897; that always brings the crowd back, and then
I go on with my message.6

For the following two years Trotter spent much of his
spare time reading and studying the Bible. He plied his
trade as a barber for a living, and he spent nearly every
evening at the Pacific Garden Mission or helping out in the
street meeting ministry carried on by the mission. Trotter
comments on this period on the following manner:

For nearly two years I never read a newspaper.
Finally, my father took me off to one side and
told me of many he knew who had lost their minds
over religion. My boyish answer, because I had
become as a little child although I was twenty-
seven years old, was that I could not understand
how religion could make anybody crazy, that "Jesus
has not given us again the spirit of fear, but of
power and of love, and of a sound mind." I guess
I made it rather vivid, because my father accepted
the same Christ as his Saviour not long afterwards.
Trotter learned his Bible well during this period of his

life which was a great help to him later on in his career.

Mission Work

 

In January of 1900, Harry Monroe, superintendent of
the Pacific Garden Mission, was invited to Grand Rapids,
Michigan, for the purpose of arousing interest and support
for a mission in that city. At the invitation of a group

of Grand Rapids businessmen, Monroe brought Frank Wilkinson,

 

6Trotter, loc. cit., p. 62.

 

7Zarfas, QB, cit., p. 27.

17

Tom Sullivan, and Melvin E. Trotter with him. On February
2 through February A, 1900, the men held meetings at various
churches and on Sunday afternoon at the Civic Auditorium in
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Over eleven hundred dollars was
raised to start a mission. To the surprise of many, Trotter
was invited to remain in Grand Rapids to become the super-
intendent of the mission. The committee of businessmen
found a building at 95 Canal Street to house a mission and
on February 17, 1900, Melvin E. Trotter, accompanied by his
wife, Lottie, came to Grand Rapids fromChicago, to head up
the work of the City Rescue Mission. In Chapter III we
will discuss the City Rescue Mission in more detail because
of its importance in understanding Trotter and his impact
on mission work and evangelism. This was his home base and
most important work for a period of over forty years.

In 1905, the Presbytery of Grand Rapids recognized
Trotter's worth to the Gospel work, and consequently the
call went out to Trotter to come before this group for
ordination examination. Upon satisfying the Presbytery as
to his conversion and calling to the ministry, Trotter was
ordained as a Presbyterian minister. Dr. French, president
of the Presbytery of Grand Rapids, made this remark:

Who are we to refuse ordination to one who God had

ordained? God has put his hand on this man; the8
Presbytery of Grand Rapids will follow our Lord.

 

8Trotter, 9p, cit., p. 66.

 

18

Trotter commented that this was a wonderful day in his life
enabling him to carry on all branches of the Gospel work.
In 1906, Trotter and his team of helpers began the
invasion of Bucktown. Some of the experiences of this work
which took place in Grand Rapids' worst slum section were

vividly described by Trotter in his book, Jimmy Moore of

 

Bucktown. Trotter knew the language of this group and by
his untiring efforts saw many wonderful changes take place
among the people. The years that followed showed the result
of the untiring effort put forth as sOme of these persons
took their place as prominent citizens of Grand Rapids. A
number of these converts went into different segments of the
Gospel work, and this whole area no longer was considered

"the breeding place of crime and deliquency."9

For twenty
years following his own conversion, Trotter concentrated
his efforts on the rescue mission effort, reaching out to
other cities as well as Grand Rapids. During this period
he started or helped in the starting of sixty—seven rescue
missions. Also, he became known as a gifted speaker and

Bible teacher filling in at churches, tabernacles, and Bible

conferences.

Camp Work

 

In 1917, when the United States entered the First

World War, Trotter with a quartet from Moody Bible

 

9Melvin E. Trotter, JimmieMoore of Eggktown (New York:
Fleming H. Revell Co., 19037: A few years after this narra-
tive account took place, Bucktown was torn down and rebuilt.
Bucktown no longer exists in Grand Rapids.

 

19

Institute toured the Army bases for twenty months. The
quartet consisted of Joe Overmayer, Warner Gale, George
McLeod, and Tom Hinkin. Dr. Homer Hammontree, a gifted so-
loist, acted as song leader for the meetings. The Herald
(Grand Rapids, Michigan) dated January 12, 1919, carried an
account worthy of note concerning the quality of the minis-
try rendered by Trotter and his team among the servicemen.

It was at Camp Merritt, New Jersey, that Mr.
Trotter's wonderful embarkation work was done.
There three thousand American boys went to the
altar and solemnly obligated themselves to fol-
low the teachings of their mothers and the Good
Book. As many as ninety thousand soldiers em-
barked from this place some weeks, and Mr. Trot—
ter frequently talked to as many as nineteen thou-
sand in a single night during his six weeks' stay

there.
”We ministered to them in every way," explained
the evangelist. ”We wrote and mailed letters for

them and gave them counsel. After six weeks the
influenza came and we had to leave."

I have seen them change in ninety days from
careless, irresponsible youths to serious men. I
have seen them develop as they pondered over the
dangers of submarines and no man's land and con—
sidered the probabilities of not seeing their
loved ones again. I stayed with them until they
sailed and sent them away men, every one. I said,
"Au revoir,” to all knowing it meant good-bye for
many, and I'll be there to clasp the hands of those
who return. This I do not in myself, but in the
name of Him who sent me.10

Evangelism

 

In this early period of nearly twenty years, Trotter's

ministry for the most part was largely limited to rescue

 

10Herald (Grand Rapids, Michigan: January 12, 1919).

2O

mission work. During the following twenty years, roughly
from 1920 to 1940, Trotter carried on a world—wide evange-
listic ministry in conjunction with superintending the mis—
sion work in Grand Rapids. Here one observes a transition
of emphasis on his ministry. His large evangelistic cam-
paigns actually began in 1921, with his going to Danville,
Virginia, to hold meetings in the Ridge Street Tabernacle.
The seating capacity was over three thousand. Relying on
the accuracy of the newspaper reports, the reporter tells
us there were over eleven hundred people converted in this
campaign. From the viewpoint of the Christian philosophy
it seems that the sign of God's approval was upon this ser-
vant and this was the beginning of great evangelistic ex—
periences for Trotter. Howard Hermansen, pianist, was
added to the staff which already included: Dr. Homer Ham-
montree, the American Four Quartet, and of course Trotter
himself.

After the war period, the American Four Quartet was
disbanded. A new member was added to the Team. Howard
Meinardi was added as advance man and organizer for the
large evangelistic endeavors. Trotter displayed a unique
ability to recognize and choose men who had a particular
talent for a special phase of Gospel Work. The Bee (Dan-
ville, Virginia) carried this account of the Trotter evan-
gelist meetings:

The revival was unique in many respects. In

the opinion of many the magnetism and personality
of Mr. Trotter and his aide Mr. Hammontree

21

dissipated that "reserve" which is often seen in
religious revivals of Gypsy Smith, Sam Jones and
others who have been here for the past twenty or
thirty years, recall the hand-clapping as was
evidenced at the recent revival. On one occasion
there was a burst of applause when a man came
forward to take his stand from the distant rear
of the building. The choir was frequently ap-
plauded on sheer merit of its performances and
last night Mr. Hammontree, after concluding the
moving message in the Gospel song of the lost
sheep, was roundly applauded.

An unusual number of children took a definite
stand and the evangelistic party soon endeared
themselves to the city's children generally.ll

The Trotter team went on to other campaigns in such
towns as Chester, Pennsylvania; Evansville, Indiana; Fair-
field, Iowa; Knoxville, Tennessee; Memphis, Tennessee;
Bloomington, Illinois; and Rochester, Minnesota. The
itinerary of meetings over the next few years of this
evangelistic team lead them to the far corners of America.
As Trotter's popularity as an evangelist grew to national
recognition and acclaim, larger auditoriums were needed
than were available in many of the cities. An account
on the front page of the Ledger (Fairfield, Iowa) indi-
cated the solution they and many other cities employed.

UP GOES THE BIG TABERNACLE
With a clatter of hammers and swish of saws,
volunteer workers, from every trade and profes-
sion almost, made quick work of the erection of
the big tabernacle today. It locked this after-
noon as if the roof might be on before the la-
borers knocked off for the day.
The rush of work was stilled at the noon hour,

while the tired and aching carpenters enthusias-
tically devoured the free meal at the Baptist

 

llng (Danville, Virginia), undated clipping.

22

Church, served by the ladies of that congregation.
There was an abundance of "hearty" food, and a bit
of a program. Gus V. Scott leading in the singing
and.Dr. E. B. Turner, chairman of the general com:
mittee of arrangements, making a clever speech, fol-
lowed by other short talks.

The big shed, which rose in two days on the new
post office site, Second and Broadway streets, as the
result of volunteer labor of many citizens, will be
complete and ready for the services. The finishing
touches to the building and furnishings are being
given today, and everything from the sawdust on the
floor to the big trap door in the roof, for ventila-
tion, have been arranged.

The building will seat 1,800 peOple, and the seats
which are strong and staunch are more or less comfort-
able.12

This method of building a tabernacle for a campaign was the
outgrowth from the home base in Grand Rapids. A few years
earlier, 1916, a city-wide evangelistic campaign was at—
tempted in Grand Rapids. It was necessary to engage the
help of many peOple to erect a tabernacle. Much enthusiasm
and personal advertising accompanied this very successful
endeavor which had carry-over value in Trotter's later cam-
paigns.

It is of interest to note that Billy Sunday, evange—
list, called for Trotter to come to his meetings the last
Monday night of each campaign when available. This was
Sunday's rest night. When on a number of occasions, in the
closing years of Billy Sunday's great campaigns, Mr. Sunday's

voice broke from over work, Trotter came in and handled the

meeting for him. Also, Trotter helped Dr. Wilbur Chapman in

 

l2Ledger (Fairfield, Iowa), undated clipping.

23

Minneapolis, Dr. R. A. Torrey in Buffalo, and others. It

was extremely difficult for Trotter to say ”no” when asked

to do something in the name of the Lord.

In May, 1924, Billy Sunday and his party opened a
tremendous campaign effort in Memphis, Tennessee. It was
to be a typical Billy Sunday meeting, with all the special
pre-campaign promotion. The meetings had hardly begun, when
Sunday became ill and had to be rushed to Rochester, Minne—
sota. A hasty call to Grand Rapids brought the ”pinch—

hitter” into the game. Trotter's coming was heralded in

mpg figmmgrcjal Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee) in the following

manner:

Mel Trotter of Grand Rapids, Michigan, called the
”Rescue Mission King of America," is scheduled to
reach Memphis today, in time to conduct the noon
revival service at the tabernacle. Thus he will be
continuing the campaign started by Billy Sunday,
which was given such a big push by Gypsy Smith.

The Michigan evangelist has founded sixty-seven mis-
sions in the largest cities of America. He has been
for years a personal friend of Billy Sunday, having
been converted in the Pacific Garden Mission where
Sunday made profession of faith. His presence in
Christian work illustrates a marvelous conversion
from a life of drunkenness. When the Light was re—
vealed to him, he was on his way to Lake Michigan to
take his life as the best way open to him then to end
his troubles.

He was a barber by trade before his conversion and
continued his vocation for a year after his conver-
sion, until he opened his first mission in Grand
Rapids. Eight years ago he was given up by five
specialists to die from cancer. Today he is said to

be well. An examination last fall revealed no trace
of the cancer he once had. He weighs two hundred

24

pounds and is a rapid speaker. On the platform

he uses the vernacular of the street where he

used to live.1
Trotter finished out the Memphis campaign for Billy Sunday.
An estimated seventy thousand people heard him preach, and
over one thousand ”hit the saw—dust trail”14 establishing
the fact that people were moved to make a decision and walk
the aisle to the front in open expression of this decision.
The writer is unable to establish the validity of the remark
concerning the cancer mentioned in the Memphis paper. This
is the only place I can find it even mentioned.

In 1937, Trotter and his team were invited to tour
England, Scotland, and Ireland in connection with a request
for Trotter to speak at the Moody Centenary Celebration.

The team Spent four months overseas with this particular
tour, preaching in the aforementioned countries and through-
out Western Europe. In the next three years, Trotter and
his associates preached and ministered in many different
countries as well as in the United States. Trotter was

one of the more well known evangelists of this era. Many

converts to Christ were the fruit of his labors.

Recognition

 

In the story, These Forty Years, which Trotter writes

 

about the mission that now bears his name, he mentions a

 

13The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee), undated
clipping.

14

 

Zarfas, pp, cit., p. 79.

25

degree which was conferred upon him for the tremendous con—
tribution which he made to mission work as well as to the
field of evangelism.
In 1935, the Bob Jones College of Cleveland,
Tennessee, conferred the degree of Doctor of
Divinity upon me, and I appreciate it all so

very much, yet to the gang downtown I am still
just plain Mel Trotter by the grace of God.1

Philosophy

 

It seems that a biographical sketch would fall short
of its purpose if it did not include a small portion of the
philosophy of the man characterized. In the material which
has been presented, some of the philosophy of Trotter does

show, yet from the Sppkesman-Review (Spokane, Washington)

 

comes an article which the reporter labels as the philosophy
of Trotter. This is the early period of the life and min-
istry of Trotter. He was out in Spokane to help establish

a rescue mission. The reporter draws the following comments
which he headlines, ”The Philosophy of Mel Trotter, The
Great Slum Worker."

The slums are not the creators of vice; vice starts
higher and drifts down.

I would rather live beside a fallen woman than be—
side a fallen man.

There is only one way to reform the slums; that is
through their hearts.

 

15Trotter, These (Forty Years, 92, gig, p, 66. The
Bob Jones College mentioned is now Bob Jones University.

 

26

In the slums are the best men in the world.

The churches are drifting away from the lower
classes; the people of the slums are unprovided
for in religious matters.

If you do not control the slums, the slums will
control you.1

The reporter continues with the article, but he makes some

comments that are of interest that go with the comments of

Trotter.

Mel Trotter, the great slum worker, is a large man
with a large understanding, and what is more impor—
tant, a large heart with a firm faith in the ability
of human nature to right itself when given a chance.
He is large and firm of person. His speech is quick
and decisive, and he talks striaght English without
frills, but he is not blatant.

It is our mission to bring into religion the men

who are down and out, to make them decent, and then,
when they are clean and fit for publication, [fit to
be out in society among people] turn them over to the
church of their choice. Most of them choose the
church of their mothers.

I want the public to know this. The rescue mission
doesn't go out on the street and beg money. That is
a prostitution of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If
this work is right its support is righteous. If you
invite me I will come once a year and help you. Not
one nickel you raise is to go out of this town. This
is a home work. How would you like to furnish thel7
money that opened the door of Heaven to some soul?

Trotter's philosophy embraced much more than the brief

excerpt which has been covered here, but this gives some

 

l6

Spokesman—Review (Spokane, Washington), February
5, 1911.

 

l7Ibid.

27

indication of his compassion for those caught in the grip

of the slums, and for those without Jesus Christ. His life
and his approach to life and other people had a changing
effect upon these people as he challenged them with the mes—
sage of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the claims he made

on a life for service.

End of the Road

 

Many men have rendered their verdict as the life
and work of Trotter, but probably Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. does
as ample a description an anyone in the following words:

I seriously doubt that any man during Mel
Trotter's day excelled him in force of person-
ality, in native ability, or in spiritual power.
He continues, "I have had the opportunity to
know most of the great preachers in America and
many from other lands who have lived during the
past fifty years. I never marvelled at the min-
isterial technique or gifts of any man more than
I marvelled when I heard Mel Trotter preach. The
first time I ever saw him was in Northfield, Mas-
sachusetts, when I was very young. A number of
greatly anointed and gifted preachers stood on the
platform and played upon the heart strings of hun-
dreds of Christians, both ministers and laymen,
who had come many miles to attend that annual
Bible Conference."

I have forgotten what all of these men said
and do not remember the theses that these preachers
discussed, but I do remember what Mel Trotter said.
He said what he had to say in a way that I cannot
forget. He painted on his canvas of natural elo-
quence, the most wonderful picture of Jesus Christ
as the up-to—date miracle-working Sog of God that
I have ever known any man to paint.1

In the period roughly from 1920 to 19A0, Trotter was

one of the leading evangelistic figures on the American

 

18Zarfas, Op. cit., unnumbered introduction.

28

scene. He preached not only in America, but also carried
on a successful global ministry. In 1937, while touring
England and Western Europe as one of the Moody Centenary
speakers, Trotter suffered a rather severe heart attack
which nearly took his life. Upon returning home his friends
urged him to rest for a time. He was 67 years old at this
time. He did rest for a short time, but it was not very
long before he was back in the thick of his religious
activity again. In August, 1939, on his way to Florida,
Trotter stOpped at some friends in Kannapolis, North Caro-
lina, for a time of renewing acquaintances. While visiting
and resting for the remainder of the trip, he suffered a
very severe heart attack. He was hospitalized in Ashville,
North Carolina, and responded very slowly to treatment.

In the spring of 1940, Trotter returned to his sum-
mer home at Macatawa Park, near Holland, Michigan. It
seemed he was improving and he began answering some of his
correspondence and taking some short automobile rides.

On the morning of September 11, 1940, Trotter was
awakened and served breakfast. His secretary, Miss Ruth
Hartman, checked with him as to the business of the day.
She then went to the post office to mail some correspon—
dence and to pick up the mail for the day. Upon return-
ing she entered the room to find Trotter dead.

The funeral was held at the Grand Rapids City Rescue
Mission on Saturday, September 14, 1940. The mission was

filled to capacity and many could not get into the building.

29

The service was simple. Under the direction of Dr. Homer
Hammontree, long time friends and co—laborer to the end,

and by Dr. H. A. Ironsides, renowned Bible Teacher, author
and preacher, the service was kept as short as possible.
Many of his friends and associates in the Gospel ministry
paid their tribute to the memory of Trotter. Lee B. Inman
and Ruth Hartman capture some of the tribute paid to Trotter

in the book, "Boss” and His Mission.

 

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, the work Trotter founded
and directed for forty years remains as a tribute to the
foundation he laid and to the faithfulness he displayed
to what he described as the call of God upon his life. The

' is now the motto

motto of his life, ”Everlastingly at it,‘
of the mission.

September 11, 1940, marked the conclusion of the
life ministry of Melvin E. Trotter, but the work he founded
and nurtured so carefully now bears his name. The Mission
is now The Mel Trotter Rescue Mission,carrying on the work

among the people to which the Lord called his servant,

Melvin E. Trotter.

CHAPTER III

MEL TROTTER RESCUE MISSION: A HISTORY

The Mel Trotter Rescue Mission stands in Grand Rap—
ids as an escape for drifters and down—and-out individuals
who congregate in the poorer or slum sections of this city.
The mission has recently consummated a move to 225 Commerce
Street, in the southwestern section of the city to make
room for a rebuilding program in the downtown sector. The
following historical sketch of the Mel Trotter Rescue Mis-
sion is intended to give the reader a background knowledge
of this mission and the work done here from its beginning
through the forty-year period under the leadership of Dr.
Melvin E. Trotter.

The question so often asked when discussing mission
work is: "What is a rescue mission?" There are so many
kinds of missions that it would be difficult to answer
this in a single sentence. Yet it is safe to say that it
is an institution which has as its avowed objective and
goal "the saving of lost souls." The city rescue mission
is the church at work among a social segment of the popula-
tion who would not come into a regular church building; for
this reason the mission, as the arm of the church, goes in
search of them. There are several kinds of missions: the

rescue mission, the slum mission, the family mission, the

30

31

city mission, the industrial mission, the sailor's and
seaman's mission, the denominational mission, etc., each
taking the church to the people of a particular group which
the church cannot reach or get into their regular build-
ings and services. Each of these mission efforts has as
its one main objective the salvation of the soul of indi-
viduals.1
The city of Grand Rapids was no different from many
other cities in America at the turn of the twentieth cen-
tury with respect to meeting the spiritual needs of the
people living in its slum area. The churches in Grand
Rapids were unable to get these people interested or into
their buildings; therefore, a group of people remained in

spiritual ignorance and in moral decadence without a know-

ledge of the Bible and of its message.

Beginning

 

Prior to 1900, a small mission endeavor had been
conducted on Ellsworth Avenue in the city of Grand Rapids.
This endeavor was jointly sponsored by a group of women
and a group of businessmen. On November 6, 1899, the
women met for their annual business meeting. According
to the minutes kept by Miss Emma Loomis, they heard a
report by Miss Smith on her house-to-house visitation

program.

 

lTrotter, These Forty Years, op. cit., p. 31.

 

32

Having heard of this report from his sister, R. B. Loomis
and two other business men (Thomas Peck and W. D. Patton,
who headed the group of business men) called the women to
meet jointly with them to discuss the possibility of expand-
ing the mission endeavor.

Later at their board meeting, December 2, 1899, a
motion was made to expand the mission endeavor and call a
missionary to supervise the work. Then, R. D. Patton made
a motion to the effect that Harry Monroe, Superintendent of
the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, be invited to come
to Grand Rapids for the purpose of arousing public interest
and financial support for a city rescue mission.

A committee was formed: Myron H. Walker, President;

W. D. Patton, Secretary; R. B. Loomis, Thomas Peck, the Rev.
F. P. Arthur, and the Rev. J. H. Randal as members. They
were instructed to arrange the details for Harry Monroe and
the group from Pacific Garden Mission to visit Grand Rapids.
Mr. Walker then wrote to Mr. Monroe. On January 4, 1900,
he received the following letter from Mr. Monroe:

Gentlemen:

Permit me to thank you for your kind invitation.
I shall be at liberty the first Sunday in February,
I think. May the Lord Bless you and prosper your

good work.

HIn His Name,”
Harry Monroe

 

2Mel Trotter Rescue Mission. This letter is on file in
a scrapbook. It is copied as nearly as possible from the
original handwriting.

33

In the ensuing days, Mr. Walker contacted Harry
Monroe about the details of the coming meetings and the
following letters from Mr. Monroe explains his attention
to the details of the coming meetings.

PACIFIC GARDEN MISSION
100 E. Van Buren Street
Chicago, Illinois

January 12, 1900

My Dear Mr. Walker——You have doubtless received my
telegram. Will be on hand to begin what I trust
will prove a great uplift to the people of God and
the beginning of better days for the poor and sin—
ful who need the encouragement that a live wide
awake Rescue Mission can impart. Mr. Walker the
Success of this undertaking will be assured only by
much prayer and faith in God let all the people be-
gin to pray on this line and I believe Grand Rapids
will witness a mighty wave of blessing and salva-
tion, such as it has never seen. Now let me sug-
gest a few things. I will send you some of our re-
ports and have them write upgthe work in that way
it will call the attention of the people and ac-
quaint them with the magnitude of the work. You
will find this an important factor. (again) I will
have printed some square cards announcing our com—
ing. (which I use with profit) these cards are to
be hung in drug stores and other public places. It
would be wise to have them put in the street cars
also. Do not begin to make public (I mean) [sic
the advertising to [sic soon. The best resu s
will be derived by having everything ready to
spring on the people one week before the meetings.
once more be careful regarding the program do not
crowd to [sicl many speakers in one evening. the
singing is very important I will send you 2500

song sheets with say 10 song books containing music.
I think a coronet [sicl would be a great help in
the singing. confidential have the people expect
to help you business men and others meet the men I
shall have with me in a social way they are fine
fellows and they will inspire confidence in the os-
sibilities of Rescue Mission work in your city.

 

 

 

34

Pay strict attention to details and we will do
our best as God shall help us
Please find post script

”In His Name”
Harry Monroe

3

PACIFIC GARDEN MISSION
100 E. Van Buren Street
Chicago Illinois

January 22, l9OO

Dear Mr. Walker

Yours at hand-—shall comply in every respect with
your wishes when I am on the ground in 15 minutes
we can arrange everything 0 K only attend to detail
and then things will fall in line. I think I know
what you hope to accomplish and as the Lord shall
help me and my helpers we will give the matter our
best effort. Regarding the Churches Sunday morning
I think you had best secure one more Church I shall
have one man with me. The other three men should
be used. One in each church would be grand. How-
ever do as you think best in the matter. My printers
sends you by express 2500 song sheets, 250 cards.
lOO board 150 paper please have the board cards put
in drug stores and post office and other points
tack the paper ones all over town Have your organ-
ist learn the songs well a good organist is quite
a factor I think of nothing more of importance.
Will send you the names of my helpers in a day or
so let us hope and pray for great things.

"In His Name,”
Harry Monroe

The arrangements were completed through the business

men working with the churches who were willing to become

 

3Mission, op. cit. This letter was written in long
hand, and I have—aupITEated it as nearly as possible accord—
ing to its punctuation, capitalization, and spelling even
where it is incorrect.

”Mission, 9p. cit. This letter was written in long

hand. Punctuation and capitalization are kept the way
written as nearly as possible even when incorrect.

35

involved in a venture of this nature. A series of meetings
were planned as follows:
Friday, February 2, 1900 --Park Congregational Church
as 7:30 P. M.
Saturday, February 3, 1900--Division Street, M. E.
Church at 7:30 P. M.
Sunday, February 4, 1900 --City Auditorium
at 3:00 and 7:30 P. M.

On Sunday morning the men were to be spread out to
speak in several of the city churches.

Consequently, on Friday, February 2, 1900, Harry
Monroe, accompanied by four ex—drunkards, drifters, and
gamblers, arrived in Grand Rapids. The name of these
”TrOphies of Grace” as Monroe referred to them, were
Melvin E. Trotter, Charles Palmer, Tom Sullivan, and Frank

Wilkenson. They stayed at the Old Eagle Hotel at top

prices which were one dollar a day for room and meals at

5

twenty-five cents each.

The arrangements necessary to the meetings had now
been completed, and after the first meeting was completed
the following letter shows the confidence placed in these
men by the committee:

Myron H. Walker, Pres

W. D. Patton, Sec'y

R. B. LOOmIS Committee
Thomas M. Peck

Rev. R. P. Arthur

Rev. J. H. Randall

 

5Fiftieth Anniversary Brochure, Mel Trotter Rescue
Mission, 1950, p. 12.

 

36

Grand Rapids, Feb. 3, 1900

Dear Sir:--

You doubtless have observed by the press that the
above named committee has secured the services of
Mr. Harry Monroe and his Rescue Mission band of Pa—
cific Garden Mission, Chicago, to conduct some ser-
vices in the interest of Rescue Mission work in our
city.

These gentlemen are now here. They conducted the
first of these services last evening. A large and
enthusiastic audience greeted them.

The committee desires to go on record by saying
that they are a most exemplary lot of men, able,
earnest, enthusiastic, and filled with the Holy
Ghost.

A conference for the discussion of Rescue Mis—
sion work will be conducted in the parlors of the
Fountain Street Baptist Church this afternoon, five
to seven o'clock. Your presence is desired at this
conference, and the committee takes this occasion
to invite you, and to urge you to be present at
this conference and meet these gentlemen from Chi—
cago.

(a light lunch will be served)

Service will be conducted this evening in the
Division Street Methodist Church at 7:30.

Yours very truly, 6
Signed by the Committee
At the conclusion of these meetings, the committee
asked Trotter to stay over an extra day. At this time, he
was asked if he would consider becoming the superintendent
of the mission to be started in Grand Rapids. It seems
significant that these men, composing the committee, were
paying high tribute to what is considered native ability.

Trotter had little educational background and even less

 

6Mission, op. cit. This letter was typewritten and

sent out to all EHose considered interested in an enlarged
Rescue mission endeavor for the Grand Rapids area.

37

experience, only recently was he connected with the Chris-
tian movement and with mission work.

No decision was forth-coming at this time, and
Trotter returned to Chicago. The following telegrams,in
reply to inquiries sent to Trotter, tell us the consequences
of the committee's continuing interest and request.

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY
13 Canal St. Grand Rapids, Michigan
P. M. Feb 9 1900
Dated: Chicago 11
To: W. D. Patton
75-83 Lyon Street

Communication received and accepted as outlined.
I await orders.

Mel Trotter 7
152 Webster Ave.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH - - CABLE COMPANY
37 DE Wn Vt 8 Part
Chicago 111 Feb 6 1900
W. D. Patton
75 Lyon St Grand Rapids Michigan
Will leave Chicago at noon Saturday with wife.
Mel Trotter 8
8:16 P. M.

As near as can be determined, these communications

were the confirmation of a decision which the committee

 

7

Mission,

8

cit.

92-
Mission, 3p. cit

38

had presented to Trotter to become their superintendent.

On February 24, 1900, Trotter, accompanied by his wife,
Lottie, arrived in Grand Rapids. This was to be his start
as the mission superintendent and to begin the work which
was to have lasting and far reaching effects. In the mean—
time, the committee for the Grand Rapids City Rescue Mis-
sion sent out this letter to those interested and concerned
about this type of a ministry for the Grand Rapids area:

February 12, 1900
To the Contributors:

At a meeting held Saturday evening in the Y.M.C.A.
building, the following board of 15 was elected:

Rev. L. H. Davis, Wm. Logie, Cornelius Basker,
Prof. Albert Jennings, Rev. I. P. Powell, Van A.
Wallin, M. B. Van Vranken, James R. Wylie, S. O.
Livingston, (Pres. E. E.,) E. B. Tompson, (Pres. E.
L.,) Chas. 8. Davies, (Pres. B.Y.P.U.) Rev F. P.
Arthur, W. D. Patton, Thos. M. Peck, and R. B.
Loomis.

The above committee elected officers as noted at
the top hereof and are now ready to proceed to in-
augurate the work.

Your contribution to this work is now payable, and
that no delay or embarrassment to the work be sus—
tained, we request that all contributors kindly make
their remittances to Thos. M. Peck, Treasurer, (us-
ing the enclosed special envelOpe), with as little
delay as possible, and by so doing very materially
aid in the inauguration of the work.

Yours very truly,
W. D. Patton,
Sec'y9

R. B. Loomis,
Pres.

 

9Mission, 9p, cit.

 

39

This seemed to handle the financial affairs of the
new mission. After one week of the service of Trotter in
the Grand Rapids City Rescue Mission, the following letter
was sent to all concerned parties, being addressed to each
personally, and showing the confidence the committee placed
in Trotter.

Grand Rapids, Mich., Mar. 3, 1900

Rev. J.W. TeWinkle,
235 Watson St., City.

Dear Sir,

The Executive Committee of the "City Rescue Mis-
sion,” 95 Canal St., desires to advise the Pastors
and Christian Workers of Grand Rapids, that our
Supt. Mr. Melvin Trotter, is now on the field and
in full charge of the work.

(Mr. Trotter comes to us from Pacific Garden Mis-
sion, Chicago, and the work here will be conducted
along the same harmonious lines.)

We have closed the first week's work and with
most satisfactory results to all.

The Committee desires to be-speak for Mr. Trotter
the warmest co-Operation from our pastors and their
people. He needs your help and your prayers in the
conducting of this most important work in our midst.
He is a man of God and here for the Glory of God
and the salvation of souls.

We believe that all we ask you will gladly accord.
Will you be kind enough to advise Mr. Trotter if
he is at liberty to call upon you for a short Gospel
talk, as dates may be arranged for during the year

and by so doing greatly oblige?

Yours very truly,
R. B. Loomis, Pres.
Thos. Peck, Treas. 10
W. D. Patton, Sec'y

 

10Pii‘tieth Anniversary Brochure, 2?.- Cit-: p- 13'

 

40

Thus was born in the city of Grand Rapids a rescue mission
reaching out to the lower social elements which infiltrate
the area referred to,by almost everyone, as the slums.
Among these social outcasts the mission has been working

faithfully now for sixty-five years.

Movement

The mission was not anchored to one place throughout
the many years of its history. Need for larger facilities
to accommodate the growing crowds and other problems have
neccessitated several moves through the years. These moves
and the circumstances surrounding them tell an interesting
part of the history of the mission and of the ability and
the faith on the part of the superintendent.

The Committee had finally found a building at 95
Canal Street which became the birthplace of the Grand
Rapids City Rescue Mission. From the very first night the
mission drew large crowds.11 It was not easy to maintain
order in those early days of the mission. Mel Trotter
introduced to the mission movement a form of Christianity
known as "muscular Christianity," but he was getting the
job done as indicated in the following narrative of Jerry,

the policeman on the Canal Street beat.

I am mighty glad that I was on that beat the first
month of the mission. I was there every night, and

 

llZarfas, op. cit., p. 36.

41

the crowds were big, and folks were getting saved.
But I never have seen such opposition. The devil
himself seemed to be going to the meeting. Every
night a bunch of young fellows, and sometimes not so
young, would try to break up the meeting by talking
and laughing and singing dirty words to the songs,
as an officer I didn't have a bit of right to go in
and stop it unless I was called in . . . They had a
scrap every night. Will I ever forget the old song
sheet? No. 6 was ”More about Jesus”, and Miss Smith
was at the old organ, and Mel would say: HSing No.
6” and down he would go. He would grab some fellow
and put him into the street, and you only think he
would not do it.

His brother George was saved in March, and he put
him at the door. George was a young fellow, but
husky, and between them Trotters, one in front and
one at the back, it was a poor place to start any—

thing.
The gang finally framed on him, and got big Jack,
from Leonard's -— their factory was then on Market

Street. The boys got him drunk, and started him for
the mission. Of course, you all know that Jack was
supposed to be the greatest bar-room fighter in town
and he would rather fight than eat. I think if I
had been at the door right then, I never would have
let him in, but no doubt it was the best thing that
could happen, because when it was all over, the Ole
Man was a little the worse for wear, but we needed
an ambulance for Jack. I never saw a man so well
whipped. He got fit for publication about two days
later and came down to the mission, and gave him—
self to the Lord, and became one of the workers

down there.12

Even with all the physical opposition they faced, the
crowds kept getting larger and larger. Finances and support
from the churches were insufficient for the need, but it was
easy to see that the little storeroom on 95 Canal Street
would not be large enough to serve the general purpose of
reaching this section of Grand Rapids. Very soon Trotter
had his eye on a vacant lot right across the street from the

Eagle Hotel on Market Street where he was staying

 

l2Trotter, pp, cit., pp. 18—19.

 

42

temporarily. A lease for the property was secured, and a
mission building constructed in forty-four days. "Five men
gave five hundred dollars each, and the balance was raised
by selling bricks at ten cents apiece."13

Suddenly at 70-72 Market Street stood the Grand
Rapids City Rescue Mission building with a seating capacity
of seven hundred and fifty. It was the largest mission
building in the country at the beginning of the Twentieth
Century. This seemed like more than sufficient space, but
the new mission was soon filled to overflowing. A Sunday
School was started which later grew in number to six hun-
dred; mother's meetings were organized; the famous Friday
night Bible classes were originated, featuring the finest
Bible teachers in the country. This Bible class became one
of the outstanding features in the ministry of the Grand
Rapids City Rescue Mission. It continues today with the
same basic format.

A few years later insufficient space forced the mis-
sion to build an addition of a two-story unit attached to
the original structure. In spite of this new part, with-
in a four year period of time it became apparent to the
mission superintendent and its board of supervisors that
they were faced with some sort of drastic action.

On the corner of the street opposite from the mission,

stood what was known as Smith's Opera House with a seating

 

 

l3Fiftieth Anniversary Brochure, op. cit., p. 16.

“3

capacity of 3000. The action necessary to obtain this

piece of property proved difficult and a hard-fought battle
ensued. Trotter was not always free from criticism, and it
seems that some of these critics were justified when they
said that both the businessmen who made up the Board of
Directors of the Grand Rapids City Rescue Mission and
Trotter had used some poor business procedures in obtain—
ing Smith's Opera House. The 33222 (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
ran an editorial under the dateline of August 18, 1906.

Very many of those who contributed for the purchase
of Smith's Opera House for Mission purposes undoubt-
edly did so with a view of ridding the city of an in-
stitution which they regarded as objectionable. Pub—
lic sentiment has long condemned the sort of theatri-
cals which in the past have made this opera house
notorious throughout the state, and when the movement
was started to convert it into a mission it met with
immediate favor. The apparent failure to put the
theater out of business is keenly felt by those who
contributed of their money and their efforts to that
end.

The Press cannot but feel that the mission author—
ities have laid themselves open to criticism by the
manner in which this business has been handled.

Would the very able and conscientious men who com-
pose the Board of Directors have purchased property
for their own use which was bound by a contract sim-
ilar to the one entered into by Mrs. Smith? In all
probability the explanation is that the businessmen
themselves have been too busy to look after the de-
tails of the transaction and left them to the paid
superintendent of the Mission. Mr. Trotter is an
earnest, enthusiastic leader of meetings, and is
sincerely devoted to the work of saving men, but does
not pretend to be a businessman. An institution, how-
ever, into which so much effort and high Christian
purpose is put will be of much more worth to the com-
munity if its business is conducted in a businesslike
manner, and businessmen who become in a way responsi-
ble should look carefully to its conduct in those
particulars.

But while the theatrical organization holding the
contract for the use of the theater may have the law
on its side, the Press is of the opinion that it will

44

display very poor judgment in insisting on its
claim. The Grand Rapids Public has shown clearly
its desire with reference to the building by its
contributions. The house has been dedicated by the
community to mission purposes, and it will not take
kindly to those who thwart that purpose. The man—
ager of the Empire Circuit cannot hope to make a suc-
cess financially in the face of an outraged public
sentimenE and the sooner they realize that fact the
better.1
The criticism of the action of the mission superintendent
and Board of Directors in this venture seems justified from
a strictly business standpoint. The editorial points out
the carelessness of the Board of Directors in allowing
Trotter to pursue such an adventure on rather unsound busi-
ness tactics.

Nevertheless, the conversion of Smith's Opera House
from a burlesque showplace into a house of prayer captured
the interest and enthusiasm of the populace of the Grand
Rapids area. ”On September 30, 1906, the Smith's Opera
House was formally dedicated as the Grand Rapids City Rescue
Mission at a cost of $47,000. Throngs filled the place

nightly.”15

Mission Work

 

But the city rescue mission has another job to do
which is much greater than the erection of buildings. They

are down in this area of the city to reach the unchurched

 

l4££§§§ (Grand Rapids, Michigan: August 18, 1906),
editorial.

15Zarfas, pp, cit., p. 39.

——

45

social element living here with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The social, moral, and physical conditions were deplorable
in this part of the city, but without a doubt the poorest
of all the slum section of Grand Rapids was the area re-
ferred to as Bucktown. Here the mission was able to reach
out for Christ and witness of his grace. Many lives were
changed and captured for good. The time came when Jimmie
Moore, a colorful local inhabitant, was able to make this
comment while standing on the corner of Market Street,
”Dis don't look like old Bucktown. Dis is

quieter'n a Quaker Meetin'. Why, we don't need

a policeman down here no more than a settin' hen

needs crane's legs.”16
Eventually, this area was torn down. It consisted of shacks
and miserably run down dwellings. Room was made for new and
more comfortable homes and businesses in this area where
once was the notorious Bucktown. Some of the romance of

the mission work done in this area is captured in Trotter's

book, Jimmie Moore of Bucktown, the story of a small boy

 

touched by the ministry of Melvin Trotter.

The year 1907 saw the inception of the Annual Janu—
ary Bible Conference which is the highlight and the cele-
bration time of Trotter's "Spiritual" birthday, January 19,
1897. Each year this conference has continued drawing some
of the outstanding men in the religious world from both near

and far to minister both in preaching and singing. Dn Homer

 

16Trotter, Jimmie Moore of Bucktown, pp, cit., p, 231,

 

46

Hammontree, long time friend and associate of Trotter, was
the song leader for many years until his death in 1965.

Such work as that done by the Grand Rapids City
Rescue Mission could not be handled properly without much
assistance of persons other than the superintendent. On
December 16, 1913, it called Rev. Gordon Hart as its first
full time assistant superintendent. Formerly, this man
had been the pastor of the Reformed Episcopal Church in
Detroit, Michigan. Because of the absence of Trotter from
the Grand Rapids scene, this position took on added signifi—
cance to the mission work going on in Grand Rapids. Much
of Trotter's time was required in his task of establishing
or helping to establish sixty-seven missions across America.
These missions were all organized and operated in a similar
fashion to the pattern of the Grand Rapids Mission.

Through the years of Trotter's mission endeavors,
he developed a motto, "Everlastingly at it," which the
mission in Grand Rapids maintains as its motto. He estab-
lished a rule which likewise lasted down through the years;
"Everything free as the Lord provides." The mission pro-
vides meals every day, seven days a week without charge;
they have dormitory facilities for anyone needing a night's
lodging without charge; they maintain a reading room and
hold Gospel meetings nightly, all at the expense of those
of the community with a compassion upon the less fortunate.
The work of the rescue mission is generally aimed at the

drifters, the homeless, and the derelicts, but it does not

47

neglect the slum area and the people caught in this social
climate. The mission is concerned with meeting the spiri-
tual need of all these individuals,often by the vehicle of

physical help.

A Changed Life

 

The mission movement is really a movement of people
using their lives in service to their fellow men. Some of
the indications of success from a pragmatic point of view,
are the viewing of the changed lives of what were termed
Hhopeless cases.” As Trotter indicated-on numerous occa—
sions in interviews with the press, all who walk the "saw—
dust trailH are not changed, but even if one out of a hun-
dred is changed the effort has been of significant value to
the community and to the Lord. An example of this change
is recorded in the life of Herb Silliway, one of the early

converts at the Grand Rapids City Rescue Mission. This man

went on to make a major contribution in the mission movement

in the years that followed.

It was only a few weeks after they opened when
someone brought old durnken Her Silliway to the
mission. The Ole Man [Trotter] was always after
barbers. He was one himself, and he thought bar-
bers were the best judges of human nature, and made
such wonderful Christians. He got Silliway after
he had been on a drunk for four days, straightened
him up, got his job back, and gave him some of his
own barber tools to go to work. Then came the most
awful fight I know of. He lost that fellow six
times in four weeks. Twice he tried to kill him—
self. Hunt, a brother officer, pulled him out of
the canal once, and I got him out the other time.
But I think it was May 24th when we called the wa-
gon and put him in the police-station in his wet
clothes, with no coverings, and the next morning

48

the Ole Man found him nearly dead. His clothes,
were all puckered up, and he was trembling like an
aspen leaf. He tried to talk to Silliway, but he
could only stand and cry. Silliway finally got to
the bars, grabbing them said: ”My God man, I be—

lieve you love me." Mel said: ”Yes, Herb, I love
you like I love my own soul," and they cried to-
gether. Herb said: "You will never be ashamed of
me again," and he never was.

Later on Silliway was his first assistant. After

more than a year, Mel went-over to Milwaukee, and

opened a mission and made Silliway the superinten-

dent. Later on they built a new building over '

there for $100,000, one of the finest missions in

the whole country. Herb was very successful for

many years in that work.
As in the case of Herb Silliway, many of the mission super-
intendents in the missions establishedby Trotter were se—
cured as products of the mission endeavor in Grand Rapids.
Trotter trained many of these Grand Rapids converts himself,
a fact which may explain why many of thetother missions were
operated on a similar basis to the mission in Grand Rapids.
As the fame of Trotter grew, many outside responsibilities
were incurred. Trotter was away from the home base in
Grand Rapids more often and for longer periods of time,en—
gaging both in mission endeavors and in an extensive evange-
' listic ministry which carried him to many parts of the world.

As responsibilities in both evangelism and mission

work increased, Trotter found it advantageous to divide his
time equally between them and his duties as superintendent
of the Grand Rapids City Rescue Mission. Six months of each

year he spent away from Grand Rapids, and the six months at

home were used strictly in the Grand Rapids work.

 

l7Trotter, These F0rty_¥ears, pp, cit., pp. 19-20.

 

49

Trotter was a very capable organizer and asked for
and received devoted loyalty from the men who assisted him
over the years. Many mission centers across the country
called upon Trotter to help them raise their annual budget.
In all these years, while raising thousands of dollars for
other missions who appealed to him for help, his own work
did not suffer financially.

It was his joy that not once in the forty years

when helgirected the work did he fail to raise the
budget.

This in brief is the life story of the Grand Rapids
City Rescue Mission from its inception in the minds and
hearts of a few individuals and continuing through the forty
years of the Trotter leadership. Twenty-five years have
passed since Trotter left the mission to be with the Lord.
The Grand Rapids City Rescue Mission has changed its name
to the Mel Trotter Rescue Mission in honor of its founder
and long time superintendent. This spring it was necessary
for the mission to move to a new location, 225 Commerce
Street. Here it continues to carry on a strong fundamental

ministry to the slum area and to the lower social element

of the southwestern sector of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

18Zarfas,pp. cit., p. 104.

CHAPTER IV

DOCTRINES AND IDEAS

The ideas present in the sermons of Melvin Trotter
are not always easy to trace for he read broadly, listened
to and took notes from other men, and documented very little
of his material. He ministered during an era when the cleav-
age between the "Fundamentalist" and the ”Modernist” was
flaring into an open theological conflict. Trotter very
early identified himself and his ministry with the ”Funda-
mentalist" movement although he did not become embroiled
in the conflict. He seemed to feel his work could be most
successful as he kept free from open warfare with either
group. The ministry of the mission movement was dependent
to a large degree to both segments for their support in sus—
taining the mission program.

I have tried to keep away from a controversial

ministry. It is just ”Jesus" all the way through.

Naturally I am a ”Fundamentalist”, but have many

wonderful friends among the modernists. I am a
”Pre”, but do not quarrel with the ”Posts”. I do
not agree with the so—called ”New Theology” so I
still preach ”Jesus”. Every one knows where I
stand, and I have tried my best to let the other

fellow do the fighting. The same in College Work.l

 

lMelvin E. Trotter, These Forty Years, pp, cit., p. 65.

 

59

51

With this simple paragraph Trotter gives us some of his
basic theological position from which it is possible to
conSIruct his doctrines of faith with the help of his ser—
mon outlines with a reasonable degree of accuracy and com—
petence.

When Trotter accepted the superintendency of the
Grand Rapids City Rescue Mission in 1900, it was mandatory
for him to build as well as deliver numerous sermons. The
task also required sermons fitted for many different occa-
sions, such as the mission meetings, area churches, busi—
ness clubs, and outdoor gospel meetings. Likewise, this
was true in other cities where Trotter was called to min-
ister the Gospel. Trotter needed a variety of ideas suit~
able for many different occasions which helps the researcher

to develop his doctrinal position.

Doctrines

 

In the discussion of the doctrines of Trotter, it will
not be exhaustive of each, but only what is deemed important,
outstanding, or necessary to each particular doctrine dealt

with in this study.

The Bible

 

First of all one needs to examine some of his basic
beliefs about the Bible. The great majority of his preach—
ing and speaking engagements called for a knowledge and use
of the Bible. Therefore, it is natural to ask the question,

”What did Trotter believe about the Bible?” Trotter

52

believed the Holy Bible to be the true Word of God, once
given and complete, and sufficient for the human need. He

proclaimed it as such. In the sermon, Which Shall We Be-

 

lieve, God or Man, Trotter expressed his feelings about

the Bible in the following manner:

Today it is popular to put great faith in what
man says (learned men) but little in what God
says. Men of science set the world ablaze, but
men of God are discredited. Throw away everthing
they cannot understand in the Bible. Swallow
all the literary critic, erratic preacher or
scientist says. What foolishness. They change
daily. God Always right. Never mistaken, un-
changing. The opinion of all men no weight
against the Word of God. Proven easily. Stood
the test for nearly 2000 years. Still going
strong. The wise man believes this book against
all else, even theologians. Bible says one thing,
men another.2

In this same sermon outline, Trotter has included thirty-
nine Scripture references in defense of the authority of
the Bible. Trotter's usage of the Bible in all his preach-
ing substantiates his confidence in its authenticity.
Furthermore, the sermon, How to Read the Bible, indicated
Trotter's concern for the Word of God. This sermon shows
his ideas of the value of the Scriptures, and in particular
the fact that the Bible is the Word of God and does not
just contain the word of God. Trotter said the Bible is

a message of God to man and not a full history of the

race. The following excerpt from the outline bears this

out:

 

2Melvin E. Trotter, Sermon Outlines (Researcher's

personal files, 1966). Phrases and the sentence structure
lack smoothness, etc., but this is the way the outline reads.
This will be true of most of the sermon outlines of Trotter.

History in His Story. You need the author-(knowledge
of) to read it.

You must obey the truth when you find it or the book
becomes sealed.

Bible not a book, but library. It tells how to live.
The Book is Jesus on Paper.

But I don't believe the Bible. Your belief don't
change God's Word.

It's reasonable at least to believe the Word of God.
Best folks do. It has stood the test.3

In the sermon outline, How We Mpy Know Jesus Better, the

 

first point discussed is the value of the Bible to the

individual. Trotter said, ”It tells how to live and the

Bible is Jesus on paper.”l‘L

Trotter summed up his belief in the reliability of
the Bible in the following statement:

I claim there is nothing new under the sun, and
anything I find in the Bible is mine. Therefore,
I stick mighty close to it. One of my friends said,
"I always have three points to my sermon; First, I
take a text, Second, I leave it, third, I never get
back to it. Just the same, God said it, and I will
keep right on reading the Bible to the end.5

It is of interest that at the very start of his
Christian life Trotter had the same feeling toward the Word
of God. For a period of two years Trotter spent every
available moment in Bible study.

For nearly two years I never read a newspaper.
Finally, my father took me off to one side and

told me of many he knew who had lost their minds
over religion. My boyish answer, because I had

 

Trotter, These Forty Years, pp,cit., p. 61.

 

54

become as a little child although I was twenty—
seven years old, was that I could not understand
how religion could make anybody crazy, that "Jesus
has not given us again the spirit of fear but of
power and of love and of a sound mind." I guess I
made it rather vivid, because my father accepted 6
the same Christ as his Savior not long afterward.

The importance of the Bible in Trotter's ministry is
illustrated in all his sermons by the quantity of Bible quo—
tations used. Frequently, as many as fifty verses are used
by Trotter in a single sermon. This is particularly notic-

able in the outlines of the sermons; The Christian's Strong

 

Box, How to Read the Bible, Which——God or Man?, Not "To

 

 

What" but "To Whom," Which Shall We Believe, God or Man?

 

 

Noah's Carpenters, Law and Grace, and The Power of the

 

 

 

Gospel. In these sermons Trotter deals with some of the
ideas which men hold concerning the Word of God in contrast
with what the Bible claims to be. Trotter speaks of the
ancient religions of Buddhism, Mohammedanism, and Confusian-
ism; he also speaks of skeptics and atheists. In the

sermon outline, The Christian's Strong Box, Trotter points

 

out six specific ideas in reference to the Bible's claims.
The outline lists them as follows:

I. The Pardon Documents, John 3:16
11. The Adoption Document, Romans 8:15
III. The Christian's Insurance Policy, Romans 8:28
IV. A Will, John 14
V. A Deed, John 14:2 7
VI. A Living, Phil. 4:19

 

6Zarfas, op. cit., p. 27.

7Trotter, Sermon Outlines.

 

In the sermon outline, Which Shall we Believe, God

 

or Man? Trotter points up several different things than
already mentioned. In the outline they are first listed
as you will see them and then expounded.

Existence of a personal Devil.

Future judgment.

Difference about hell.

Future probation.

Way of Salvation.

Conditions of entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

fr
_\ 6

Best time to repent and accept Christ.

NO‘WDJZ‘UOfOH

In the sermon outline, How to Read the Bible, Trotter

 

concerns himself with a review of the Bible generally, and
then he points out: (1) how Jesus took quotations from the
Old Testament and applied them to himself and his day, (2)
how prophecies had been fulfilled, and (3) how to spend
time searching out the truth of repentance, assurance, par—
don, and justification.

In each of the outlines mentioned, Trotter was defend—
ing the truth of the Bible and its dealing with these ideas
in contrast to some men. In general this material indicates
that Trotter believed the Bible to be the very Word of God.
He claimed it was a divine book, and Trotter used it as his
authority for claims made while preaching. Trotter used
more internal proofs than he did external proofs for the

authenticity of the Bible.

 

8Ib1d.

56

God The Father

 

In the first half of the Twentieth Century, when
Trotter was doing his preaching, there was much division
and confusion among church people relative to the concept
of God. Trotter, a Fundamentalist in doctrine, presented
a clear picture of the person and personality of God
according to his belief and doctrinal position. Following
his ordination council examination in 1905, which dealt
with doctrines, Trotter related the following account of
some of the proceedings that day:

My examination started with ”Christian Evidences.”

I said: ”What's that?” They said, ”Are you saved?H
And I said: ”You bet.” They said: ”How do you
know?” and I said: ”I was there when it happened,

in Pacific Garden Mission, January 19, 1897, ten
minutes past nine, central time, Chicago, 111.,
U.S.A." They all laughed, but that was the truth.
Then they asked me what I knew about ”Church history.”

I said: ”You know more about that than I do.”
They said: ”Are you Calvinistic or Armenian?" I
said: ”You can search me, my father is Irish.” And

in just seven minutes I had finished my theology

course. It takes some ministers seven years, but

there is a good advantage in being a ”Trotter.” It

is faster.9
Actually, Trotter knew rather well what he believed and was
capable of the defence of his position as we see by his ser-
mon and the outline materials. He was a Trinitarian, i.e.,
he believed in one God who manifests himself in three per-

sons, namely: God, the Father; God, the Son, Jesus Christ;

and God, the Holy Spirit.

 

9Trotter, These Forty Years, pp. cit., p. 66.

 

57

In a sermon outline of chapter one of the EpiStle
to the Romans, Trotter outlines a discussion of the concept
of God, the Father in the following manner:

I. God is Divine.

II. God is prime mover in the work of grace.

III. God is all powerful.

IV. God is wisdom.10
With this sermon outline is a comment on the intent of the
book of Romans: ”To build us up in the knowledge of God and
to see Jesus Christ in relation to God."11 It seems reason-
able to follow this outline of Trotter in an attempt to
establish his idea of this doctrine.

From several sermon outlines, it is possible to draw
some of the Trotter thinking about God, the Father. Through-
out the sermon outlines from which the researcher works, some
thirty-five complete and documented outlines, numerous
sermon fragments, and some notes evidently taken at various
Bible conferences, it is possible to gain a general idea of
.God. But for specific ideas it isnecessary to look rather
closely at specific outlines and comments of Trotter.

First, God the Father as a divine being is developed

by statement in several sermons and by the attributes of

the divine being. In the sermon outline, This is By Belovpg

 

Son, In Whom I am Well Pleased, the second major point deals

 

 

lOTrotter, Sermon Outlines, pp; cit.

 

58

a
specifically With HThe Statement of Divine Satisfaction."l¢

In the exposition of Romans Chapter 4 outline, Trotter dis—

H

cusses "divine mercy” and ”divine grace. In the sermon

outline, Enoch, Trotter makes the statement, ”God has never

13

vacated His divine throne.” Trotter made more of the
divine nature of God by the characteristics he developed in
his sermon outlines. The attribute of righteousness is

referred to in the sermon outlines, Romans Chapter 4, Simon

 

and the Woman, Debtorship, and The Foundation of God Standeth.

 

 

 

The divine attribute of love is developed in several
sermons. This is one of the themes of the Trotter Sermons.

In the sermon outline, Simon and the Woman, Trotter says:

 

If Jesus a prophet would not permit woman to shower
evidence of love and affection upon him. Simon

cold self-centered, satisfied in his thinking,

utter contempt for woman, believed that he was inter-
preting the divine attitude. . . . Of the tenderness,
compassion, mercy of God he knew nothing. Simon had
certain knowledge of God- purely intellectual, of

His holiness and righteousness, but nothing of His
Grace and Mercy.1

In the sermon outline, A Little Drama, Trotter develops the

 

attributes of God as ”the Invincible Spirit, love, deliverer,
master, and the Almighty.”15

Holiness of God is another attribute which is prominent
in the sermon outlines of Trotter. Particularly in the ser—

mon outline, Debtorship, Trotter brings this out:

 

 

Ibid. 13ibid.

 

 

U1
KO

Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel because it had
in it the power to make not ashamed.

Because it revealed the holiness and righteousness
of God.

Because it had power to cleanse after he saved, and
because you can have it by faith. Some folks are
ashamed 6f Jesus, therefore debtorship makes no
appeal.1

This is by no means an exhaustive study of the at-
tributes of God, as shown in the Trotter sermon outlines.
Some of the other attributes mentioned are as important
but less well developed and several will be mentioned in con—
nection with the other aspects of the development of the God
Concept.

Secondly, Trotter maintains ”God is the prime mover
in the work of Grace.” This concept is further developed
in his sermon outline, The Grace of God. The following
basic outline of this sermon gives Trotter's thinking on
the subject of Grace.

They [sins] are blotted from God's Book
They are blotted out with God's hand.

They are blotted out for his sake. 17
They are blotted out from his memory.’

«11‘me

In the second major division of this outline, Trotter am-
plifies this in the following way:

1. Because God's hand made the record.
He wrote. He blotted.

2. It was His hand against which you offended.
Sin against self and others, but God is the One.
Despised Him and killed His son. Yet his hand
blotted.

 

 

-—-—. ———-—.-—-——-—.~.

6O

3. The Offended hand blots out. His hand—made
worlds, floods, killed Pharoah, saved Israel,
yet that hand blotted out.

4. Hand of justice. The same hand wrote "YOUR SIN
WILL NOT BE UNPUNISHED.” The Soul that sihheth
it shall die. This hand blots out what He
wrote. HJust and the Justifier.” Jesus paid
it.

5. The Hand of the Supreme being.

Made world , angels, man, heaven and hell.
He Biots.l

Thirdly, the idea of the omnipotence of God is brought

our in a sermon entitled Lot's Choice:

 

When he left his uncle Abraham and went to the
plains, and from there to Sodom, He [Lot] did it,
not because it was of God, but of himself, and for
self, and when his enemies came in against him,

they took him and all he had. Never was it so as
long as he stayed with Abraham, for God fought for
him, and had it not been for Abraham, he never would
have gotten out of it.19

In a sermon entitled simply, Wisdom, two attributes of God
are developed: (1) Omnipotence of God, and (2) Omniscience
of God. Some of the comments made are:
Not only God of the Sabbath. God of Providence,
nature. Author and director of human life. Always
by our side. Works through my hands, brains.
All God's wisdom and strength given to Moses, per—
sonally.2O

In the sermon outline, Elijah's God and God's Elijah, Trotter

 

brings out the power of God in three ways: (1) His is a
God who hides his people, (2) His is a God who Provides for

his people, and (3) His is a God who Guides his people.21

 

Ibid. 19Ibid.

 

2OIbid. 21Ibid.

 

61

Fourthly, Trotter brings out the idea that God is

all knowing. In the sermon outline mentioned before, Wis-
dom, this idea of the all knowingness of Goo is develOped.

God offered to Moses wisdom to know what he ought

to say, and power of utterance to say it right.

Same spirit is our endowment for service, to which

he send us. Becomes mouth and wisdom, which all

our adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or

resist. If we look at our strength or weakness,

or upon wisdom of others we will find our earthly

alliance a snare and be taught to depend upon God

for all our resources. If He sends, He furnishes

power . . . . God divinely taught them in hour of

need, to device and execute most wonderful designs,

perfect and beautiful.22
Trotter uses this often in his invitations. God is all
knowing; therefore, He knows the individual heart need;
i. e., the manuscript sermon closes with the invitation for
the person to respond because God knows only one way of sal-
vation. God works on our response to Jesus Christ, and not
by Church membership, good works, baptism, or anything else
that man can do.23

From the material covered, a concept of the idea

of God which Trotter held can be observed. With some
degree of assurance, it is possible to say that Trotter
believed God to be: a supreme divine being, holy, right—

eous, all powerful, all wise, merciful, loving, a provider,

a defender, and one extending His grace to all who will

receive it.

 

Ibid.

 

23ibid.

 

62

Christology

—w——

 

Following the development noticed in the doctrine of
God, the Father, it is interesting to see what Trotter be-
lieved concerning the person of Jesus Christ. In all of
the sermon outlines which I have, every one contains some
mention or reference to Jesus Christ or to his work in Sale
vation. As mentioned earlier, Trotter steered clear of the
theological controversy going on at the time. He identified
with the "Fundamentalist" movement throughout his forty
years of ministry, but as he said, ”it was just 'Jesus all
the way through . . . . Everyone knows where I stand, and
I have tried my best to let the other fellow do the fights

."24 Trotter believed Jesus Christ to be: (1) both

ing
divine and human brought together in one person, (2) per-
fect in his character, carrying the attributes of the divine
nature as well as the human nature, and (3) a complete
atonement for sin.

Many sermon titles are evidences of the place Trotter
gave in his ministry to the person of Jesus Christ. Here
are a few of the more expressive titles he used: Jesus The
Wonderful, How to Know Jesus Better, The all Inclusive Gift,
The Touch that Heals, The Reserve of Jesus, Christ and Pork,

Christ and Judas, Jesus and Sinners, Man's shame of Christ,

The True Refuge, and The Christ-like Man,iStephen.

 

 

2“Trotter, These Forty Years, 92, cit., p. 65.

63

First, Jesus Christ according to Trotter was both
divine and human in nature. Christ's divinity is pointed

out in his sermon outline, This is MygBeloved Son, in which

 

he states:

The disciples were looking at three, and also
wanted to build tabernacles for them, and in these
words, God puts the Son as divine over the others.
They were servants and He is a Son, much greater,
in that One was a law giver, the other a reformer,
and the law was a school master to bring us to the
Son, and it always pointed to the Son who would
fill it full, in other words, the law given by
Moses, was just a looking glass, and Christ was
the soap and water of the Atonement.

Elijah the Reformer, or Prophet, called Israel
back to God and the Law, and foretold of the com-
ing of the Son. He was more than just a common
son. He was beloved of the Father.

In other words, God's hopes of redemption were
all wrapped up in Him.2

In an extract from the sermon outline, Jesus the Wonderful,

 

Trotter speaks of both the divine and human natures of

Christ:

First Nature

A. He is a Divine Being.
Divine as no other is divine. He said he was
the Son of God . . . . Bible makes it plain as
day that He was God. Unitarians are Wrong or
God is Wrong. He is wonderful as a divine Be—
ing.

B. He is a real Man. Johm lzl-3
Became flesh and dwelt among us. Son of God——6
Son of Man. . . . Perfect diety-—perfect man.2

It is of interest to note that Trotter held up the divine

nature of Christ, but he also spoke of the human nature of

 

25Trotter, Sermon Outlines, op, cit.

 

Ibid.

 

64

Christ with equal vigor. Trotter.had an experiential
working knowledge of what could happen in a life, and spoke
of it often. In the sermon outline The Cross, Trotter
spoke of Jesus Christ first as the substitute for mankind,
the Just taking the place of the unjust. ”He died as a
substitute to remove the cause of emnity between God and

"27

man Trotter said,in the outline for Jesus the‘Wonder-

EEl, that He is the "Mediator between God and Man-rHimself
man, Christ Jesus."28

Secondly, Trotter indicates that Jesus Christ was
perfect in his character with the attributes of the divine

and human natures. In the outline of the sermon, Jesus the

Wonderful, Trotter says:

 

Absolutely perfect without blemish, or spot. For
34 years He lived in a world that constantly sought
to find a flaw in Him and could not. For 19 centuries
infidels have hunted for some flaw in His character
and found none. Flaws in Churches-—not in Him.
A. Perfect in Holiness

The Holy one and Just.

Unclean spirits--"The Holy one of God."

Tempted in all points but without sin. Heb “:15.
B. Perfect in Love.

Love to God. Delight to do thy will, Oh God.

Love to man. Took in all men. John——Nath.,

Man of Gadara, Mary Magdalene. 29

Rich, but for our sakes became poor.

In the outline of Romans, chapter 5zlell, Trotter has in-
cluded a comment with this same thought:

Delivered for offences. Raised to Justify.
Jesus life is clear of all the offences for which

 

27Ibid. 28Ibid.

65

he was delivered.

Now introduced into God's resurrection power without
Spot.

It's not a perfectly righteous man living here for
our justification, but One hgs died and been raised
by God from among the dead.3

Thirdly, Trotter believed Jesus Christ to be the com—
plete atonement for sin. In the sermon outline on Romans,
Chapter 5, previously mentioned, Trotter said:

Believer accounted righteous for God's world.

No stain, sin or reproach. No charge can be brought
against him.

We are justified for God's world. All under the
administration of our Lord Jesus Christ.31

In the sermon outline, Jesus the Wonderful, Trotter comments

 

on the work of atonement:

A. He made a complete atonement.
Redeemed us from the curse of the Law being
made a curse for us.

B. Saves from Sin's power.
He will set you free from that power. Anyone.
Everyone. Cussers into worshippers.

C. Do more wonderful things in the future.
Raised the dead with His voice.
Be like Him.3

In the sermon manuscript the comment Trotter made concerning
the atonement is similar:

God made Jesus to be sin for me; that is the thing
he did. He knew no sin, but God made Him to be sin
for me . . . He took my death; I took His life. He
took my miserable condemnation and my desert of hell;
He absolutely took it and went to hell and gave me
heaven . . . . If God is going to send Jesus Christ
to take my place, and make Him to be sin for me, He
must take the punishment that I deserve.

 

3OIbid. 31Ibid.

66

Some Good friends of mine say, ”Trotter, you ought
never to talk about Jesus going to hell." I say,
"Hold on; if my sin deserved hell, He went." I

like the Apostles Creed because the words, "He
descended into hell," have not been taken out. He
did descend into hell if He was in my place, because
my sin demands it and your sin demands it. And

if He didn't go, you will.' I am preaching substitu-
tion pure and simple. There isn't anything else to
preach. If He didn't go, you will. Thank God He '
made him to be my sin, and He must not only take my
punishment, but He must take my he11.33

From Trotter's notes on Colossians which he received from
Dr. Gray at a Bible conference at Eagles Mere, New York,
the following comment is made on the person of Jesus Christ:

Christ dwells in us and his dwelling in us is our

hope of glory. My identification with Christ is

all things. He is the head and we His body. 'This

is true of whether we experience it or not.3

Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that Trotter

believed in a complete atoning work in the person of Jesus
Christ. He believed Christ to be divine and yet human in

one person, and he considered Jesus the perfect person with

the Attributes of God.

Pneumatology

 

'The third person of the Trinity is perhaps more dif-
ficult to unfold but Trotter gives considerable material
in his outlines about the Holy Spirit. Trotter believed
the Holy Spirit was: (1) a person and not a force, (2)
endued with the characteristics of the Divine, and (3)

known by His work.

 

34

”leis. lb_i£3_-

67

Trotter in dealing with the Spirit spoke of Him in

the first person. In the sermon outline, The Spirit of

 

Wisdom, Trotter referred to the secret of Joshua's life

as coming from the Holy Spirit:

His high qualities of wisdom, strategy, faith

courage, perseverance - all given by Holy Spirit.
And He can still give to soldier of Christ for 9g
conflict, leadership, service, that same power.J’

In the sermon outline, Tongues Like as of Fire, the Symbol
of the Church, Trotter again uses the first person when
referring to the Holy Spirit. Trotter had a sermon which
is simply entitled, The Holy Spirit, in which he brought
out this point. Trotter preached a sermon for which the
outline, The New Birth, bore evidence of the person of the
Holy Spirit:

3rd. The Method, or How to Be Born.

1. By Holy Spirit's power. He is a living
person working on spirits of men, quickening
them, transforming, regenerating and imparting
new nature to us.

2. Through instrumentality of Word. Water and
Spirit. Water means Word. Being born again,
not of corruptible seed. Through the Word
of God. "Bythe Word of Truth." Spirit of
God works new Birth. Word of God the instru-
ment through which He does it. Preach word

in ggirit and men are born again. He will do
it.

Secondly, Trotter gave to the Holy Spirit the same
characteristics that he accredited to God, the Father, and

Jesus Christ the Son. In Trotter's sermon outline, Esau,

 

 

 

68

he develops the idea of the holiness of the Spirit by an
explanation of a Bible passage:

I Cor. Says your body is temple of the Holy Ghost.
Its gates closed against all the would insult

His holingss, or deny His love, or be contraty to
His will.

In the sermon outline, Walk in the Spirit, Trotter said the
H38

 

”Flesh opposed the Spirit by lusting. It is noticed
when studying the outlines of sermons dealing with the
Holy Spirit, Trotter used the concept of God and the Holy
Spirit interchangeable in several places.

Thirdly, Trotter mentions much the work of the Holy

Spirit. In the sermon outline, The Holy Spirit, Trotter

 

brought this out in his outline headings:

I. The Holy Spirit is a Person.
II. Every Believer is Born of the Spirit.
III. Every Believer is Indwelt by the Spirit.
IV. Every Believer is sealed by the Spirit.
V. Every Believer is Baptized by the Spirit. 39
VI. Every Believer may be filled by the Spirit.

Likewise, in a sermon outline, Quench not the Spirit,

 

Trotter continued the development of the Work of the Holy
Spirit.

I. The Need of the Spirit — Because of His ”Work”
He convicts of sin.

He brings regeneration.

He reveals Jesus Christ.

He leads into all truth.

He directs and guides the Christian. Out
of bondage of the law.

He brings forth the Fruit of the Spirit--
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

7. He teaches us to pray.

O\ mil—LUMP

 

40

38Ibid. 39Ibid. Ibid.

37Ibid.

 

69

It appears that Trotter was concerned with the work of the
Holy Spirit for it reappears in many of the sermon outlines.
In the sermon outline mentioned above, Trotter continued the
work of the Spirit when he said:

We must allow Him to design, execute and control

our lives. He alone can do this. Hundreds of

ways we might walk. He alone knows the right

and best one. Loves us so much He is more inter—

ested than we are. You can't do it, Jerm. 10:23.

It is God's plan to guide His ohild.“l
In brief, Melvin E. Trotter believed in a Trinity which in-
cluded three personalities and yet all were united in one
person. Each had His own duties to perform, each carried

the attributes of holiness, righteousness, love, mercy,

and power, and each was divine.

Sin and Salvation

 

It is of interest to note the basic thoughts of
Trotter concerning mankind. Considering the Calvinistic
religious philosophy of Trotter in particular reference to
the estate of mankind, he worked tirelessly in the mission
effort and in the field of evangelism to confront people
with the claims of Christ. Not only did Trotter recognize
and believe in a lost, totally depraved nature of mankind,
but he prOpounded the Scriptural cure. Sin is mentioned
or alluded to in every one of the thirty-five documented
sermon outlines available to the researcher: in fact, in

the notes and outline fragments this same pattern is to

 

ulIbid.

 

70

be seen. In the manuscript of the sermon, Double Cure,

 

attached as Appendix A, Trotter mentions sin or names
the particular sin 106 times. He also points out in
very definite terms the cure God provides in the Bible.

Trotter defines what he means when he uses the

H H

term sin in the sermon, ThefiSerpent in the Hedge:

 

Sin is a violation of the law of God. The Law of
God is the way in which we have the right to walk.
Its boundaries or hedges are the rights of God and
other men. Sin is refusing to accept these bound—
aries—-breaking through these hedges. All along
the way God has set His tablets or signs saying
”Thou shalt not break through here."

Sin, then, the breaking of the hedges, is humanity's
supreme folly.42
Trotter believed in a definite conversion experience.
Many times He would go back while preaching to review his
own conversion experience for the audiences. It could
happen in many different ways, but Trotter felt there was
a definite time when a person must recognize his sinful

condition and personally do something about it. At the

close of the sermon manuscript, Double Cure, Trotter gives

 

an illustration of this experience:

I spoke about this thing one night, and at the
close of the meeting gave the invitation. A
women in deep mourning walked down the aisle,
whom I recognized when she got near the altar,
and when I got into the inquiry meeting I said,
”Mrs. So-and-so, what are you here for?” I knew
her to be a worker in the church.

She replied, ”You know, Mr. Trotter, I buried
my husband.

 

42Ibid.

 

71

I said: "Yes, I know. I saw it in the paper."
She said: ”You know I haven't anyone left
now except one brother, who is in Idaho. My
husband, my daughters and sons, my father and
my mother and everybody dear to me have gone
to heaven; while I am a member of the church, I
have never definitely on the ground of my sinner-
ship and condemnation yielded myself to Jesus,
and heaven is too dear to me now to make any mis—
takes, so I just want to come and give my heart to
Christ."43

Trotter made the idea of pardon as plain as he did
the place of the sinner. His sermon outlines refer to
pardon and forgiveness in many ways: Simply as pardon,
reparing the hedge, the Christian's insurance policy, God's
deliverance, escape from punishment, and other similar ex-
pressions. Likewise, the titles to some of the sermon out-

lines show his emphasis on sin and salvation: The Wells of

 

Salvation, The Danger of Resisting God, How to be Saved,

 

Saving the Younger Brother, The Verdict, The Brazen Serpent,
Christ and Sinners, Christ and Judas, Man's Shame of Christ,
Debtorshi , Passing over Jordan, The Needy Soul, The Com—

passionate Christ, God's Fighting Forces, Reconciliation,

 

 

and The Double Cure. In a sermon outline, The Cross,

 

Trotter develops the universal need:

First He died as a substitute.

Second he died for all.

First Reconciliation.
Removes the cause of emnity between God and Man.
After the flesh--all look alike.

Second Redemption.

 

Pays my debt. Bought me back. 44
Ransom for all. Gave His life a ransom for many.
43Ibid. 44Ibid.

 

 

 

72

Trotter made very little change in preaching tech-
nique whether to the mission crowd or in a Bible conference
or church. The recurring theme of sin and of salvation
was used in both places. ,This theme could be extended a
great deal, but it seems unnecessary because of the recur-

rence of thought in most of Trotter's sermon outlines.

Eschatology

 

In the doctrine dealing with last things, it is of
interest to again bring to attention a comment made by
Trotter quoted in the first page of this chapter, which
stated: "Naturally I am a 'Fundamentalist,‘ but have many
wonderful friends among the 'Modernists.‘ I am a 'Pre,'
but do not quarrel with the 'Posts'."45

Trotter believed in a pre-tribulation rapture of the
Church prior to the millenial reign of Christ upon the
earth. To break this down into its component parts it
would form the following pattern: (1) the rapture of the
saints, (2) the judgment of saints, (3) the tribulation
period, (4) millenial reign, (5) judgment of sinners, and

(6) the new heaven and new earth.

In the sermon entitled, The Judgment Day, Trotter has

 

an outline of things to come and their certainty. "Two

future events certain, Jesus is coming back to reward his

saints, and the second to judge the world,”46 said Trotter.

45Ibid. 46Ibid.

73

First Certain. .
God hath appointed a day. Men laugh, but can't
laugh it away. Judge future by past. 'Judgment
is a sure as Jesus. . . . His guarantee of it is
the Resurrection. That is sure. If He rose, He
Judges.

Second Universal.
No class judgment, everyone . . .'. No escape only
in Christ. oMight escape a policeman (me), unhung
murders; criminals not-in-jail, but all will be
there . . . . Infidels+-all will be there. All
hypocrites there.

Third Basis of Judgment;
Deeds done in body, not a chance after death . . . .
All will come before God. Secret things, nobody .
saw it but God . . . . Idle words. Speaking againSt
Christ's deity, Bible, etc.
Great basis of judgment day will be what we do with
Jesus.

Fourth. The Judge.
Jesus himself.

Fifth. Issue of the day.
They will be eternal

Eternal joye-life-—glory. 47
Eternal woe--despair-—shame.

To continue this idea of future things, Trotter out-
lined a sermon dealing with death which he called God's
Exray. In the second major division, Trotter deals With the
judgment of saints.

Judged here not for sins but for works
Rewarded or suffer loss figcording to works.
What will our life Show?
In the invitation of this sermon outline is included a ref-

erence to ”The Judgment seat of Christ."49 Trotter also

refers to judgment in his sermon outline, The Foundation of

 

God Standeth Sure, in the following manner:

 

 

fi—_ fi—

74

We are troubled by those in the church who are not

Christians. God knows His own. The wheat and the

tares grow together until the harvest. Then comes

the separation . . . . Thank God we do not have to

judge. In the last scene, the Judgment, He will

separate the sheep from the goats. Because He

judges the heart. 0

The emphasis Trotter placed on the conversion ex—

perience of individuals gives some indication of the fer-
vency with which he held the doctrine of future judgment.
It is also noteworthy that Trotter looked for the return
of Jesus Christ at any moment. He mentioned this in many
of his sermon outlines and indicated he expected an imminent
return of Jesus Christ. In a sermon based on Heb. 12:2,
Trotter brings out that we are to "look toward Jesus as the

n 5].

coming King. Again it can be observed in the invitations

to the sermons, The Wells of Salvation, and The Danger of

 

 

Resisting God. As one goes through the outline material it

 

is plain that this is the invitation plea used for many of
his sermons, and is the driving force behind a man concerned

with the salvation of individuals.

Source of Ideas

 

It is interesting to speculate where sermon ideas
and materials come from and how this develops into a sermon.
Because of the many preaching opportunities which came to

Trotter, it was necessary to come up with ideas of various

kinds for the general mission meetings, for various church

 

 

 

75

engagements, and for evangelistic and conference occasions,
Trotter indicates that the development of sermon outlines
was very difficult for him. It seems that his ideas came
largely from three areas: (1) ideas from individuals and
Bible conferences, (2) reading, and (3) from his own back—

ground and experiences.

Ideas from Individuals and Bible Conferences

 

Trotter was the first to admit the difficulty he had
in the development of a sermon. The following quotation

indicates the manner one sermon, The Grace of God, was ob—

 

tained:

Getting outlines is the hardest thing for me to
do. Let me tell you of a sermon I have preached
for thirty years. I saw a little script in the
Institute Tie, by Dr. Robert Speer: ”Free from the
condemning power of the law; free from the con-
trolling power of sin; free from the conquering
power of death." I knew if I could get a text for
it, it would make a good outline. John 8:36 made
the text; ”If the Son therefore shall make you
free, you shall be free indeed."

Later on George Johnson Ross preached in North-
field [Massachusets] on ”Forgiveness." He said
that with the Bible closed there is no forgiveness
in society, in nature, in man. He said that the
Church never knew forgiveness until they discovered
God was punished Himself in His Son, so I had my
point. Studying Romans with Dr. Wm. Newell, I
found from 6:11—23, three words, "Reckon, Yield,
Obey," and I had my second point. "Yield yourself
unto God, and sin shall not have dominion over you."
I asked Dr. Gray if he could tell me in just a word
how to have victory over sin. He said: ”Y-I-E—L—D."
Then reading in the report of the Congress of Re-
ligions, at the World's Fair, ”What after Death?”
I found my third point. ”Jesus Christ tasted death
for every man," and He set me free from the conquer—
ing power of death.52

 

 

52Trotter, These Forty Years, 9Q, cit., p. 61.

 

76

This sermon contains a record of being preached 59 times
across the United States, both in churches and Bible con-
ferences.

While at conferences, Trotter took notes on what
the other speakers said. From Rev. George Guille, Trotter
received a series of messages on the Holy Spirit. From

Dr. Gray, he took a series on the book of Colossians. These

 

notes were turned into two sermon outlines which Trotter

entitled, Reconciliation, and The Gospel Ministry, respec-

 

 

tively.
Across the top of the sermon entitled simply, Adorn-

ing the Doctrine, Trotter has placed the words, "This out-
"53

 

line I stole. I put the meat on the bones.

So all the way through, I have grabbed everything

I can find, and used it to the glory of God.

When Harry Monroe would say something good he would
turn around to me and say, "That's gone," and it
was. I said to Dr. Chapman one day after he preached
on Isa. 43:25: "I am going to steal that." "Steal
it." he said, "that's the way I got it." Later on

I found that Gratton Guinness had preached it, so

I gave him credit for it. Then later on I found
that Christmas Evans had prfiached it a hundred years
before, so now it is mine.5

Reading Other Than the Bible

 

As we noticed in the sermon outline, The Grace of

 

God, another way in which Trotter obtained material was

reading other than the Bible. At the Mel Trotter Rescue

 

53Trotter, Sermon Outlines, op. cit.

 

5“Trotter, These Forty Years, op. cit., p. 63.

 

77

Mission the library of Trotter is maintained. It is quite
an ample library for a preacher containing many commentaries
on the Bible, devotional books, biographies, expositions of
Bible passages, etc. The library of Trotter contains very
little secular material; some books of poetry, a few novels.
It is easy to speculate where some of the sermon ideas came
from, but this would be only Speculation based on some of
the books contained in the library. Trotter said, "In

all my forty years of ministry, I received more help from
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan than from all other ministers put

H55

together. One evening at Winona Lake, Indiana, Trotter

was preaching from Dr. Morgan's sermon outline. Dr. Morgan
stepped through the door of the meeting place:

I looked at him and said to the people, rather
embarrassedly: "The message I am to preach to you
tonight, I got from Dr. Morgan. I am only telling
you this because he Just stepped in the door, other-
wise you would have thought it was mine." I went on
and preached the sermon, and when I had finished, he
came to me and said: "You rascal, don't you blame
that thing on me. I never heard that in my life."

I said: ”The trouble with you is that you don't re-
cognize your own child when you find him dressed up
in my clothes." Then he said something aboug the
fact that I would look rather queer in his.5

Trotter uses De Quincey's Essay, and Marie Corelli's_
Barabas "to try to make him beautiful in the sermon out-

line, Christ and Judas."57 Trotter also used happenings

 

of the day as illustrative material to point up ideas he

 

55Ibid., p. 62. Ibid.

57Trotter, Sermon Outlines, op, cit.

78

was developing. In the sermon outline, Not "to What" but

 

"to Whom," Trotter uses the newspaper account of the East-

 

man suicide to illustrate the hopelessness of being with-

out Christ. A sermon entitled Complete Satisfaction con-

 

tains a poem without identifying the author. The poem is

entitled When We Shall See His Face. The size of Trotter's

 

library suggests the possibility that he drew on it quite

extensively for material to build his sermons.

Background and Experiences

 

Many of the illustrations used by Trotter came from
his own background and experiences. His conversion ex—
perience was used many times, especially with a restless
audience.

Then, of course, I always have had my testimony

to fall back on. When I lose the attention of my
audience I always go back to the fact that I was
saved from an awful life of sin, in Pacific Garden
Mission, in 1897; that always brings the crowd
back, and then I go on with my message.5
Trotter had a wide background of experiences from which he
could draw for illustrations. Trotter also used the testi-
mony of friends and acquaintances, as in the case of

Charlotte Bronte. In the development of the sermon, The

Assurance of Immortality, Trotter includes the dying words

 

of Bronte, "God will not separate us now. We have been so

happy."59

 

58Trotter, These Forty Years, op. cit., p. 62.

59Trotter, Sermon Outlines, op. cit.

 

79

Some of the other sources came from missionaries
and other religious leaders. In the sermon outline,

Adorning the Doctrine, Trotter uses the testimony of

 

Aelean Watson as the example and evidence that commends
the message of Christ. Trotter uses quotations from men
such as: Finney, Whitfield, Moody, Sunday, J. Wilbur
Chapman, G. Campbell Morgan, Sir Walter Scott, Bob
Ingersol, Sam Jones, Spurgeon, and others.

There are two things which stand out in all of the
Trotter sermon outlines and in the manuscript of the ser—

mon, The Double Cure: (1) his use of personal illus-

 

trations from all walks and portions of life; and (2) his
reliance upon the Bible for stories, illustrations, and
proof for the claims he makes concerning Christ and the
Word of God. Trotter did not rely to any significant
degree on materials of a secular source of literature, but
did draw heavily upon religious personalities and their
writings for sermon ideas.

In conclusion, the material we have covered indi-
cates that Trotter drew heavily upon other people for his
ideas. He was a "Fundamentalist" in his theological
position, and because of this his sermons bear the im-
print of this religious ideology in contrast with "modern-

ism."

CHAPTER V
DELIVERY AND STYLE

In the production of an effective sermon, delivery
can not be overlooked. It is unnecessary to argue the
importance of delivery to the person who appreciates the
art of speaking. To the person unacquainted with the art
of public speaking, delivery brings all the other processes
of sermon building into prOper focus. The saying of Demos—
thenes, mentioned by Cicero on numerous occasions, is often
grossly misrepresented:

He did not say that the first thing, second thing,
third thing in oratory is "action," in the present
English sense of that term, but "delivery," for this,
as is well known, is what the Latin "actio" signifies.
And delivery does not consist merely, or even chiefly,
in vocalization and gesticulation, but it implies
that one is possessed with the subject, that he is
completely in sympathy with it and fully alive to its
importance, that he is not repeating remembered words
but setting free the thoughts shut up in his mind.
Even acting is good only in proportion as the actor
identifies himself with the person represented—-
really thinks and really feels What he is saying. In
the speaker this ought to be perfect; he is not under—
taking to represent another person, to appropriate
another's thoughts and feelings, but aims, or should
aim, simply to be himself, to utter what his own mind
has produced.1

 

1John A. Broadus, On the Preparation and Delivery of
Sermons (New York: Harper Brothers, lQEfl), p. 335.

80

81

Delivery

In the case of Melvin E. Trotter, one becomes aware
of these elements taking their place as one studies his
habits of delivery. For this reason it is of interest to
discuss some of the attributes of the delivery technique
of Trotter who was completely in sympathy with the gospel
he preached. The material used indicates that Trotter used
his expressive and forceful body movements to make plain
his message in the minds of the audience. The zeal which
he employs as he attacks his message is noticeable.

"Rapid Fire Speaker and whirlwind evangelist

arrives in town!" Thus the newspapers used to
announce Trotter. One description of him was
given this way: "Mr. Trotter leaped out of his
chair and into his story of Elijah and almost
immediately the Temple echoed with laughter."
Those who heard him said his addresses were
marked by "Tender and forceful applications of
the truth, with barbed points thrust home by
native wit."2

A speech, or a sermon, in the strict sense of the
term exists only in the act of speaking or in its delivery.
All that goes on before could be properly called prepar-
ation, and all that follows could be referred to as a
report. For the material in this section, it is exceed-
ingly important that one remembers not to think of speech
and delivery as separate entities existing apart and in-
dependent of each other. The idea of becoming eloquent

through the mere study of voice and gesture is absurd,

and yet this will be the two basic elements discussed.

 

2Zarfas, op. cit., p. 112.

82

The Athenians set a far greater value than we do upon
the art 0f speaking, or "The statuary and music of oratory."3
They were able to listen to the political and Judicial
speeches with the same critical bent with which we listen
to music or a literary lecture, and even to a sermon. But
even taking delivery in its broadest sense, one finds that
Desmosthenes by no means treated delivery as the great thing.

He took it for granted that an orator would be

careful about materials, arrangement, style, and

his orations show that he himself was thus careful

in the very highest degree. But delivery, peculiarly

important in Athens, had been for him a peculiarly

difficult task. Hence is striking, hyperbolica1—-

Delivery is everything.

In his delivery, Trotter used the Bible in his hand

as part of his gestures. Throughout the major part of his
delivery of a sermon, the Bible was in use.

Contributory sources may be observed as you see

him in action on the platform. He wastes no time

in getting started on his sermon, beginning to 5

speak as he approaches the pulpit, Bible in hand.

In the early years of the ministry of Trotter, he went

to Spokane, Washington, to help them start a mission. The

Spokesman—Review (Spokane, Washington) carried an article

 

dated February 5, 1911, which spoke of the philosophy of
Trotter and carried with it a series of sketches showing

the broad gestures employed by Trotter when preaching.

3Broadus, op, cit., p. 337.

uIbid., p. 338.

5Trotter, These Forty:Xears, op. cit., p. 119.

 

83

Trotter was so desirous to communicate the gospel message
to those committed to his care that he employed extreme
measures. He was known to move away from the pulpit when
preaching to be closer to the congregation, and at the
mission would walk among the men at times.

The comment so frequently made about speakers and
about Trotter as well, "It's not what you say, but how you
say it!” is intended to praise highly the art of delivery,
but,in reality, it bears the implication-that a person may
be empty—headed as long as he speaks well. It seems
superfluous to say that Trotter was not only effective in
the way he presented his material, but that there was a
message of vital importance to be delivered.

His teaching is positive and constructive, rarely
negative or controversial. You sense the fact that
he has a firm grip on the essentials of the Bible
and that he loves it, His theology is the experi-
mental kind. He tried it out on himself and then
for long years on thousands of desperate cases,
high and low. Behold, the doctrine worked! Why
shou d he care to try any other remedy for human
sin?
Furthermore, from a pragmatic point of view, his effective-

ness as a speaker is illustrated in the two most used ser—

mons. The sermon, Double Cure, has recorded on the outline

 

42 preaching occasions and 479 overt decisions; while, The

Verdict has 51 recorded preaching occasions and 1031 overt
7

decisions.

 

Ibid.

 

7Trotter, Sermon Outlines, op, cit.

84

Many Speakers fail to communicate their ideas because
they fail to think of delivery as an aid to the communica—
tion of the message, but as an end in itself. Trotter had
something which he felt was important to communicate to his
listeners and he used all at his diSposal to make the mes—
sage as plain, simple, and vivid as possible.

Trotter had a tenor voice which had great flexibility.
While still under the care and tutoring of Harry Monroe at
the Pacific Garden Mission, Chicago, Illinois, Trotter sang
tenor for the mission and in street meetings. His personal
secretary for twenty years, Miss Ruth Hartman, described
Trotter's voice as ”not of the high nasal variety of some
tenors, but a voice with great feeling and of good tonal
quality." However, Trotter was able to develop sufficient
volume for his mission work and for evangelistic meetings.
Many times he spoke to very large audiences under adverse
conditions without the aid of modern electronic equipment.
Very few of the auditoriums were equipped with sound equip—
ment of any kind except a sounding board in the early part
of the Twentieth Century; therefore, it was necessary for
Trotter to communicate the message with whatever talent and
ability God gave him.

He wastes no time in getting started on his sermon,
beginning to speak as he approaches the pulpit,
Bible in hand. The voice is mellow yet penetrating

to distant corners, the gestuges are in keeping
with the man and the message.

 

8Trotter, These Forty Years, 22: cit., p, 119,

 

 

85

Some men use several methods of speaking depending
upon the audience and the situation under which they are
to speak, but Trotter used an extemporanous method of
delivery exclusively. His sermons were outlined, and as
far as can be determined never used a manuscript. The only
manuscript in existence, as far as this research has shown,

is of a sermon, Double Cure. This was not delivered by

 

use of a manuscript, but was delivered from an outline and
was transcribed in shorthand by Miss Ruth Hartman, and then
it was typed into a manuscript. A copy of the sermon manu—
script is included in this study as Appendix A of the
thesis. Even though this sermon was preached many times it
was never done with the use of a manuscript. Trotter, in his
extemporaneous manner of speaking, used an outline to keep
him on the theme of the message, but many times deviated
from the outline and improvised as the occasion demanded.
His outlines are notated where he saw an improvement was
needed. If the sermon lacked an appeal or if the appeal
needed changing, it was noted in the outline. Trotter had
the ability to change and adapt to an audience, particularly
when interest was lagging and he needed an appeal to draw
the audience back to the message.
Then, of course, I always have had my testimony

to fall back on. When I lose the attention of my

audience I always go back to the fact that I was

saved from an awful life of sin, in Pacific Garden

Mission, in 1897; that always brings the crowd back,
and then I go on with my message.

 

9Zarfas, op. cit., p. llu.

86

The Trotter delivery could be described as dynamic,
forceful, dramatic, and expressive. He used his voice to
great advantage, and he augmented his voice with his body
gestures.. Miss Ruth Hartman expressed the opinion that the
movement and gestures used by Trotter helped in the present;
ation of the message.

Mel Trotter was called one of the most arresting
personalities in the evangelistic world of his

day. He was also known far and wide as "King of
Mission Men." Somebody writing about him said:

"He is the voice of disquiet and challenge; he is
the disturber of comfortable peace; he hurries with
breathless eagerness from point to point, a human '
dynamo, always in action; and he carries the lighted
torch ever in his hand, the trail of conflagration
ever in his wake."10

Trotter was flexible and able to move with the emotional
challenge of the audience. He was sensitive to feedback
and responded to it, as was indicated in his ability to
sense the audience restlessness and to adjust to it with

the story of his own conversion experience.

£22.13

Cleverly evangelist Trotter moved the heart strings
of the people as an harpist moves across the strings
on his harp. But it was not all sweet and humorous,
again and again his utterances landed with the stun—
ning blows of reality, or like the meteor streaking
across the black draping of night. They pierced
like a surgeon's knife until one by one his hearers
hung their heads and at the invitation walked down
the aisle to Jesus.11

 

 

87

In the art of speaking when one talks about style the
main ideas present are vividness, clarity, forcefulness,
and adaptability in reference to the words, sentences, and
paragraphing of the material. >Trotter was not aware of
developing a style,I am sure, but some of these items show
up in his Speaking.

His ready wit and clever phrasing of words stood
him in good relationship with his audiences, whether in
the American rescue mission or in the foreign English~
audiences. From an English magazine which is unnamed in
the biography of Trotter, an interesting quotatiOn is taken:

A Short and true accounting is that God's creative
power thirty-five years ago touched the life of a
man in the depths of despair; and ever since, God
has been renew that power.

0 O O O ' O O O O O I O 0

He has learned that laughter lies ver close to
tears, that wholesome humor will relieve the strain-
of the pathos and tragedy that must be portrayed in
any true presentation of life. The sermons are in-
teresting because God's truth is illuminated by Sig-
nificant details of his own or thousands of other
lives which have been laid bare to his keen but
sympathetic observational powers. *At the cloSe
comes the appeal to let Christ in--tender, natural,
unforced, considerate. Mel Trotter succeeds be-
cause he is himself, God's man, an imitator of none,
a winner of souls in his own way.1

Not only was Trotter's ready wit and good humor recog-
nized by the English audiences and newspapers, but the Ameri-
can audiences and newspapers gave record of this type of dy-

namic preaching also in a statement already quoted in this

study:

 

l2Trotter, op, cit., pp. 119-120.

88

”Rapid Fire speaker and whirlwind evangelist
arrives in town!” Thus the newspapers used to

announce Trotter. One description of him was
given this way: "Mr. Trotter leaped out of his
chair and into his story of Elijah and almost
immediately the Temple echoed with laughter."

Those who heard him said his addresses were

marked by ”tender and forceful applications of

the truth, with barbed points thrust home by

native wit."l
In the comments above two interesting observations stand
out clearly; (1) his use of time, and (2) his use of wit
and humor.

Trotter had a style of speaking which included many
characteristic idioms, known and understood best in Ameri-
can rescue mission circles and by American audiences. In
1937, Dr. Harry A. Ironsides and Trotter were invited to
Speak at the Dwight L. Moody centenary celebration. Dr.
Ironsides warned Trotter of the trouble he might expect to
encounter because of the difference in the background and
culture of the American and English audiences. Ironsides
told Trotter that the English audiences would not be nearly
so susceptible to his diction and American colloquialisms.
Great multitudes gathered in Westminister's Central Hall,
London, England, to hear these two outstanding and well
known religious personalities on alternate nights.

When Mel first took the platform he was mechanical
and stilted and hardly himself. Finally, realizing

that he was progressing quite unnaturally and quite

unsuccessfully he stopped nervously for a moment,
then remarked that he had been cautioned about his

13Zarfas, 9p, cit., p. 112.

89

diction. "I lost three—quarters of my vocabulary
the night I was converted,” he said, "and I have to
do the best I can with what I have left.” Then he

drove into his message, Slang or no slang. "Remember
Lot's wife,” he said; "She rubbered and was seasoned
forever.” The auditors gaSped and gaped. "That's

all right,” reacted Mel, ”you'll get it by freight-—
later!” Back in the crowd Mel's old friend, G. Camp-
bell Morgan, thought he could help breach the gap.

He laughed at the top of his voice; the crowd re-
cognized his laugh and joined in the merriment. From
that moment onward Mel was in stride. He plunged into
the throng and pleaded for souls. Nouns, verbs, ad—
jectives——Americanisms or no Americanisms——flowed

forth calling men and women to Christ. When the in— la
vitation was given, forty souls responded to the call.

Some of Trotter's remarks are of interest because they
point out his way of phrasing and use of words. He used
these on numerous occasions. These are a few typical ex—
amples taken from his biography:

That poor old beggar had been there for thirty-eight
years with his back on his bed, but after he met
Jesus, he went away with his bed on his back!

They talk about Billy Sunday. Say, unless you
catch as big a string of fish as Old Bill you'd
better keep your mouth shut and dig bait!

4’

Somebody asked French, "Why don't God kill the devil?"
To which French replied, "Because he'd leave so many
orphans if he killed your daddy.”

There‘s no joke about death. This business of
patting you in the face with a spade, you tell me
it's a joke? You know it's no joke!

The fellow that never makes any mistakes never
makes anything else.

Character is what you are when you are alone in
the dark. Gossipping old hens make a dent in your
reputation, but, Thank God, they can never destroy
your character.

1“Carl F. H. Henry, The Pacific Garden Mission (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 19h2), p. 72.

 

90

I never apologize for being a Christian or for
being a Christian worker. If I wasn't selling the
best goods on earth, I'd sell some other.

No nation will rise higher than its homes.

No one wants to be a drunk, but while the hog
is there we carry swill to it.

Lots of people go bugs on religion, but nobody
ever went crazy on Christianity.

Don't mistake God for your meal ticket, or a fire
escape from hell.

”‘7“- -“"-‘m

‘9:

I would have given two years of my life for two
drinks of whisky in the old days. But the same
passion for whisky then is my passion for Jesus
Christ now. I have never wanted any whisky since
my conversion.

‘_x“ a" I»-
‘. -:

It seems as if the manner of phrasing of his Speeches

caught the imagination and attention of the audiences and

helped to carry and maintain interest toward the message

throughout the Speech. It is the type of language which

gains its greatest appeal among the lower social class.

Trotter's language may have been crude at times, but it

was not vulgar. He lost the vulgarity when he was con-

verted. In Trotter's book, Jimmie Moore of Bucktown, this

 

language style is used throughout the book to relate a

touching story of the slum sector of Grand Rapids, Michigan,

long Since past.

Wit when used well becomes a valuable tool in the

hand of an experienced speaker. Isaac Barrow, English

divine of the Sixteenth century, speaks of wit in the

following manner:

15Zarfas, 9p. cit., pp. 114-116.

 

91

Wit is proper and commendable when it enlightens
{the intellect by good sense, conveyed in jocular
expression' when it infringes neither on religion,
charity, and justice, nor on peace; when it maintains.
good humor, sweetens conversation, and makes the
endearments of society more captivating, when it
replies to obloquy; when it counterbalances the
fashion of error and vice, playing off their own
weapons of ridiculeagainsttfem; when it is not used
upon subjects imprOper for it, or in a manner unbe-
coming, in measure integperate, at an undue season
or to a dangerous end.

Trotter was full of good humor. Often his audience would
rock with laughter, but the humor was directed to the
enlightenment of the message.

There was another side to the appeal of Trotter to
men which is found in his dealing with the servicemen of
World War I. Trotter talked ”straight from the shoulder.?

Mel's Bible talks to these men went right to
their hearts. They knew a man's man when they
saw and heard one. Here was a man who came up
out of the depths. This man knew the ropes . ‘

They listened breathlessly as he told them about
the bitter cold night in Chicago when he almost
ended his life in the chilly waves of Lake Michigan..

They remembered something of their own bitter
experiences in a life of sin . . . . When the altar.
call was given the soldiers started to come, until
after twenty months of such work over fifteen 17
thousand of them made profession of salvation.

On the basis of this information it is.possible to
say that Trotter's style was simple, not labored or arti-
ficial, but freely flowing and natural.. In the opinion
of the researcher, Trotter deliberately kept his style

plain and vivid to minister more effectively to the type

of audience, and the particular type of ministry in which

 

16Ibid., p. 112. 17Ibid., p. 69.

92

he was engaged. This quick observation of the language
reveals a forceful or energetic style. His choice of words
and phrases was bold and expressive,drawing the picture

with clarity. Earlier it was pointed out when Trotter

went to England, he attempted to change and adapt to the
English audience, but was not effective in his communication
until he returned to the style and delivery familiar to
himself. The terse sayings which were a part of the Trotter
presentation increased the effectiveness of his message.
Trotter was not given to verbosity; his messages were Short,
often running less than half an hour. Trotter was also
illustrative in his style using the story and illustration
to great advantage in his presentation of his sermon. It
could be said that Trotter did not imitate anyone, but

developed a style peculiarly his own.

CHAPTER VI

A CASE STUDY: DOUBLE CURE

 

By the early 1920's Melvin E. Trotter had become
a very well known mission personality and evangelist. It
was during the 1920 era that Trotter changed his emphasis
from a total mission effort to include more outside work
in the field of evangelism. Trotter spent nearly half of
his time each year in evangelism and the other half in his
rescue mission effort in Grand Rapids. The sermon under
consideration was preached many times, in many places, and
under many differing Situations. In an examination of the
dates and places in which the sermon was used and recorded
on the sermon, it is of interest how often this particular
sermon was preached in the 1920's. Evidently it was one of

the favorite sermons of this period.

Setting and Occasion
Because of his acceptance as an established speaker
in religious circles, and especially in the rescue mission
movement in major cities in America, Trotter had many oc-
casions and requests to speak. The sermon, Double Cure, is
“the only known complete manuscript of any of the Trotter

Esermons. Another sermon, Grace of God, is on a record, Yes-

 

 

};erday's Voices. The Grace of God was probably taken from a

93

9A

recording and consequently tape recorded because tape
recording was not used in this period. I also have a
recording on tape of this sermon which I received from

the Mel Trotter Rescue Mission files, but it is not the
complete sermon used in the regular mission or evangelis-
tic meetings. However, it does give some indication as

to the way Trotter spoke, the quality of his voice, pauses,
hesitations, etc.

The manuscript for Double Cure was taken down by Miss

 

Ruth Hartman, personal secretary of Trotter, as it was be-
ing spoken at a meeting in the Grand Rapids City Rescue
Mission during the annual Bible Conference. It was not
being delivered from a manuscript. The manuscript does
not indicate pauses, movement, hesitations, dropping of
syllables, or anything of this nature.

This particular sermon, Double Cure, was used at

 

least forty-two times, and probably many more times than
those recorded on the last page of the sermon outline. It
is extremely doubtful that this sermon was ever developed
again in exactly the same way as the manuscript records

it because Trotter delivered it from an outline.

Audience
The audience for this particular sermon under con-
sideration consisted largely of two groups of people:
(1) The first group included the men and women who came to

the mission because they were living in or near the mission

95

and were part of the social group to which the mission work
was directed generally, including the drifters, and alco-
holics, and (2) the second group was composed of those who
came to the special meeting in progress which drew from the
churches in the Grand Rapids area. The special meeting was
the Annual Bible Conference held around the nineteenth of
January of each year to commemorate Trotter's spiritual
birthday. This was the conference of 1923. This Annual
Bible Conference drew widely from the Western Michigan

area, and continues to do so even to the present time.

Arrangement

 

Probably the outstanding feature of this sermon of
Trotter's lies in its Simplicity. Each of the three main
parts to the sermon body falls very naturally into its place,
so that it is extremely easy to follow Trotter's logic. As
one looks over the outline of the sermon, it is clear that
the introduction plays an important role in the total ser-
mon arrangement. The introduction was the relating of the
actual events surrounding and following the conviction of
Bill Ceasar for murder and of the higher courts upholding
the opinion of the lower court. It was used as a "grand an-
alogy"1 throughout the entire speech to point up the need

of pardon for the problems under discussion. A comment by

 

1The term, "Grand Analogy," comes from the course
taught by Dr. David Ralph, Speech Criticism, and has ref-
erence to the general Speech plan of the entire sermon
under consideration. The reference to the similarity and
comparisons between the story of Bill Ceasar and the teach-
ings of Scripture are used through the entire sermon.

96

Trotter brings this to a focal point just before the transi—
tion paragraph which leads into the main body of the sermon.
Old Bill was up against what you might call the
real thing. He was under a double sentence of
death. If he were cured, he must die for his
murder; if he got a pardon, he must die of his

disease. A pardon wouldn't help him; a cure
wouldn't help him. What he needed was both.2

The entire sermon divides very easily into three main
divisions or parts: (1) the introduction, (2) the main body,
and (3) the conclusion. The introduction is the relating
of a timely event already discussed. The main body has
three divisions; two of the divisions establish the problem
and the third gives the solution to the problem. The con—
clusion brings these points into focus and presses for the
decision desired.

The first major diVLsion of the sermon body deals with
the establishment of the fact that sin is a disease. It
begins with a statement of his contention to this effect:

You know very well that sin is a disease. David
once said, ”Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and
in sin did my mother conceive me." Isaiah declared,

”From the sole of the foot even unto the head there
is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and

putrifying sores,”--a horrible picture. Paul said,
HIn me §that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good
thing."

It will be noticed that Trotter used three Bible quotations
in his claim. This seemed to be a rather normal and

frequently used pattern of development for Trotter.

¥

2Melvin E. Trotter, Double Cure, Manuscript (Personal
files).

3

 

Ibid.

97

With the statement made about sin, Trotter proceeds
to establish the Bible as his authority. He deals with
this by explanation and illustration from the Bible record,
and then Trotter draws two personal comments: (1) dealing
with the nature of man, and (2) dealing with the responsi-
bility of man.

I don't believe He ever made that man to die or
he wouldn't have been made in the likeness or image
of God.
Now that is not a very pleasant picture, but it is
here and we might as well face it.
Trotter followed these comments with a discussion arranged
in syllogistic form with an explanation of its falseness.
1. Adam was made in the image of God.
2. Seth was born in the image of his father, Adam.
3. Therefore, Seth must be like God.5
These three statements are taken from the text in respec—
tive order, but with the materials of explanation which
are tucked in between left out.

With the completion of this argument, Trotter moves
to his second major division of the body with a contention:

But sin is not only a disease, it is a crime.

In Isaiah 53:6, we have this word, "All we like
sheep have gone astray." So you see, it is not
only a disease, but a crime. We have all com-
mitted the thing. We were not only born in sin;
but we have done the thing.6
There are two other Bible quotations that go with this
statement making it in arrangement similar to the first

contention. In the development of this argument, Trotter

uses seven illustrations, followed by a story of a young

 

Ibid. 5Ibid. Ibid.

98

lady who committed suicide which seems to be a real event.

I cannot establish the authenticity of this case, but assume
it to be an actual event because of the details included

and the nature of Trotter's work. As Trotter moves the
narrative along he makes pointed remarks which keep the
analogy of the introduction alive. In this second division
of the body, Trotter uses a poem. This is not at all his
normal type of material, but seems to be used here in the
arrangement for effect because of its emotional appeal.

Having established the two problems, Trotter proceeds
to offer the solution. Trotter makes known the remedy and
followed it by three Bible quotations:

So I have to find a remedy. I have to find

two. One thing won't do. A cure is not going
to help you. Thank God, you have got to have
something more than that and you can find it in
Jesus Chrlst. Did you ever notice PS. 103.3?

It is at this juncture after the three Bible quota-
tions that Trotter inserts his own conversion experience.
He then proceeds to point up the comparisons in the analogy
he started in the introduction. He continues with an il-
lustration, a personal conversation, and three short illus—
trations. These illustrations and his general development
are interspersed with Short incidental comments.

The purpose paragraph becomes part of the problem so-

lution and the transition sentence into the conclusion of

the sermon.

 

7Ibid.

 

99

And you know the funny thing about it, if he had
turned old Bill Ceasar out of the penitentiary with—
ut giving him righteousness forever, Bill would
have been pointed out as the old murderer. His
little children would have been pointed out as child—
ren of a murderer. His old mother could not walk
the streets with her head uncovered because her son
was a murderer. But thank God, Jesus was made his
sin that he might be made the righteousness of God
in Christ. And God not only sgved him, but He made
him as if he had never sinned.

Coupled with this paragraph is the last sentence of
the sermon: ”Will you give your heart and your life to
Jesus Christ to-night?” which forms the real purpose of the
sermon.

The conclusion is clear and well defined in its place
in the overall structure of the sermon and in the sermon
objective. There are two main ideas within the conclusion:
(1) to view truth, and (2) to make a response. The motiva-
tion for the sermon itself is clear, as it is explicitly
stated in the conclusion.

The analogy is never lost from the beginning to the
end of the sermon, although sometimes the relating of an
illustrative story seems to digress to some degree. Prob-
ably the characteristic most prominent, aside from the Sim-
plicity, is the use of personal illustration.

By way of classification, this sermon would fall gen-

9

erally into the pattern of ”Motivated Sequence” of Monroe,

 

Ibid.

 

9Alan H. Monroe, Principles and Types of Speech (New
York: Scott, Foresman Co., 1939), p. 195.

 

100

or into the "Subject-sermon" with the explanation-compari-
son formula of BroaduS.lO

Overall the arrangement is clear, precise, and Simple
to follow. It leads easily from one major point to another
without being forced. This is the general procedure of

develOpment of Trotter as indicated by the number of sermon

outlines which followed this general pattern.

Logical Proof

 

Trotter seems to follow a pattern familiar to his
general sermon outlining for the development of his argu—

ments in this sermon, Double Cure. The one notable excep-

 

tion to his general pattern is the insertion of a poem, The

Ninety and Nine. This is not indicated by his outline ma-

 

terials as general to the develOpment. He uses
reasoning from a grand analogy as his point of comparison
and relates his sermon and Bible materials to this.
Trotter uses a statement of fact-backed up usually~
by three Bible quotations, but on occasion he will use a“
stacking method of Bible quotations or illustrations. It
is possible to observe this in the second division of the
main body of the sermon under consideration. Generally,
Trotter follows the same logical pattern which is simple

to follow, clearly understood, and well drawn out.

 

10John A. Broadus, On the Preparation and Delivery of
Sermons (New York: Harper & Bros., 19437, p. 13A.

lOl

Trotter used a syllogistic type reasoning as a nega—
tive development of one point, the first main point of the

main body of the sermon, and he goes on to explain its de-

fectiveness.

Emotional Proof

 

Cleverly evangelist Trotter moved the heart
strings of the people as an harpist moves
across the strings on his harp. But it was
not all sweet and humorous, again and again
his utterances landed with the stunning blows
of reality, or like the meteor streaking
across the black draping of night. They
pierced like a surgeon's knife until one by
one his hearers hung their heads and at the
invitation walked down the aisle to Jesus.

In the sermon, Double_Cure, Trotter used some appeals

 

which dealt with the emotions. The entire analogy of the
introduction seems to aim at the problem of need, both overt
and innate. Trotter introduced the idea of death seemingly
to identify the greatness of the need. The mention of mother
and children of Old Bill further add emotional appeal to

the analogy.

Trotter uses the discussion of the drunkard and the
little girl who committed suicide and drew them out to the
point of stirring the emotion of sympathy. He again appeals
to the family relationship. This is a strong appeal in
this sermon. It is used no less than sixteen times.

Several times in the sermon, Trotter used the appeal

of love for family, and the love of God, and he coupled this

 

llZarfas, Mel Trotter, A Biography, pp, cit., p. 114.

102

with the idea of forgiveness. 0n the other hand, Trotter
uses some definite fear appeals. He talks about hell in
two different places. He talks about judgment in several
places. His basic invitational appeal is the escape from
judgment. He uses the story of Jesus and the punishment
meted out to him; the whipping, Spitting, scourging, and
mocking of Christ are told with the reference to the pos-
sibility of escape from hell and from judgment.

Trotter talks of the death chair; he mentioned the
church, patriotism, Red Cross nurse, burial of husband,
son and daughter. Trotter mentions heaven in several
places in the sermon.

Trotter used his own conversion experience in the
sermon. Trotter mentioned filat he used this many times to
bring back attention when the audience became restless.
Trotter was not afraid to use the emotional appeal to make
his message of greater significance to his audience.
Trotter wanted a definite decision to be made and he in—
volved the emotional nature of the person to get this re-

Sponse in a change of opinion toward Christ.

Personal Proof

 

It is necessary to consider that when Trotter Spoke
at the Annual Bible Conference in the Grand Rapids City
Rescue Mission he was already well known as a mission per-
sonality. His personal proof was well established before

he spoke that day. Along with his reputation, there were

103

some things said within the sermon that would add to his
personal proof.
Early in the sermon Trotter established his belief
in the inerrant Word of God. He says he is old fashioned
which in essence placed him in the religious camp of the
"Fundamentalist” group. I
' A
I am old—fashioned enough to believe the Bible ‘
from cover to cover. The Bible contains the
Word of God. No, the Bible is the Word of God; t
I like it better that way,--then I can get my f
foot on it anywhere and it won't slip. So I am , “(

going to keep on believing what God said about ,3
original sin. . .

t.

Later in the sermon, Trotter expresses his belief and ac-
ceptance of the Apostles Creed. He mentions his relation-
ship with the D. L. Moody family which naturally identified
him even more closely with the ”Fundamentalists” in the
mind of the audience.

Implications may be drawn in various places which
have a definite bearing on personal proof. Trotter claimed
no credit or merit in overcoming his desire for liquor.
Here humility highlights personal proof. Throughout the
sermon, Trotter attempts to identify with the audience in
the problem and in the need of the prOper solution. He was
no better than they were. He included his personal testi-
mony as an illustration of this fact.

However, the one outstanding feature of his sermon,

which I believe lends credence to the things he says, is

12Trotter, op. cit.

 

104

the broad use and careful choice of Bible quotations and
illustrations. His support of his major points, his ac-
ceptance of the Bible as final authority, and his use of it
rather than secular literary and historical materials seems
to help build the speaker's ethos for this type of audience.

He further identified with the audience in his use of
the common vocabulary as evidenced in this sermon and as

noticed in the sermon outlines also.

Source of Ideas

 

Trotter used two general kinds of ideas in the devel-
opment of this sermon: (l) the Bible, and (2) various il-
lustrations. His many uses of Bible quotations and nar-
ratives served two functions: (1) to set a basis of argu-
ment for a particular idea presented, and (2) to prove a
point already under discussion. In the sermon, Double
Cure, Trotter made use of a news event,common to the aver—
age person of die time,aS a grand analogy running through
the sermon.

The strongest element of appeal and of interest in
the sermon is the use of his own personal experiences. The
discourse abounds with these illustrations; some of them
have high emotional value.

Trotter indicates that his particular purpose was to
discover a cure for two basic wrongs in the human life: (1)
the need of forgiveness for wrongs committed, and (2) the

need of cure from the desire for wrong. The idea of

105

forgiveness is present in nearly every sermon outline of
Trotter and strongly influenced the Double Cure. The con—
cept of God's forgiving him carries over into this sermon
as Trotter relates his own conversion experience. To
supplement this testimony, Trotter gives further illustra—
tion of this by employing the example of others, i.e., the
eighteen year old girl who had taken carbolic acid, the
man on the train who harbored a dislike for preachers, or
the story of Sam Hadley and his bout with whiskey.l3 The
idea of love is brought out very clearly. Evidenced by
his own life, Trotter never knew the love of God until he
was converted at the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. In

this sermon, Double Cure, Trotter reaches back to his Bible

 

knowledge to develop this concept. Trotter knew a mother's
love and a wife's love, but not a love that could change
his life until that night in Chicago when he was converted.
This love is expressed in the conversation between Bill

and Jesus, ”God so loved the world that He gave me, Jesus,
”ll!>

to die.

The concept of sin which Trotter brings out is the
"Fundamental” Calvinistic view. Trotter deals with this
from both the position of original sin and from the posi-
tion of personal involvement. Undoubtedly, this idea
came from his association with those of the ”Fundamental"

position and from his study of the Word of God.

 

 

l3Ibid. Ibid.

 

106

It seems as if the main objective of Trotter in this
sermon is to have people realize their need and to show
them how it is cured. Throughout the sermon, Trotter sup-
plements his ideas with emotional material. The emotional
nature of the sermon is typical of many of the evangelists
of this period and it shows in the other outlines of the
Trotter sermons.

Therefore, it is possilbe to say that Trotter drew
his ideas and his material from several sources: (1)
from the Bible, (2) from his reading of newspapers and other
literary material, and (3) from his own personal experiences
and encounters with others. All of the materials Trotter
gathered and put together in this meaningful way to gain
an opinion change on the part of the audience. His ef-
fectiveness in accomplishing this was indicated by the
number which responded to the invitation at the close of

the services.

Effect
The drive which turned Melvin Trotter into a success-
ful rescue mission personality and evangelist has been ex-
pressed in a few short statements:

He is the voice of disquiet and challenge; he is
the disturber of our comfortable peace; he hurries
with breathless eagerness from point to point, a
human dynamo, always in action; and he carries the
lighted torch ever in his wake.

He follows no lead except that of his own urgent,
unquiet spirit, unquiet because he has the whole
burden of humanity's salvation on his heart and
mind.

107

He drives straight forward, deaf to the appeals
from the right hand or the left; friends cannot
persuade him; enemies cannot molest him; parties
cannot limit him; he is like the wind that ”bloweth
where it listeth.”15
Applying this standard to the sermon under consid-
eration gives some idea of the urgency which characterized
the appeal. There is no indication on the sermon outline
or anywhere else I can discover in my research relative to
the effectiveness of the sermon on this particular night.
It seems reasonable to conclude that the sermon was successful
in as much as he preached this sermon, Double Cure, at.
least forty—two times and records over four hundred deci-
sions. In a count of the notes on the thirty-five sermon
outlines before mentioned, it was discovered Trotter preached
these sermons four hundred forty—six times. These are re—
corded times, and he may have preached them many more times
because these are records of the larger meetings. Another
indication of the effectiveness of his material, Trotter
was invited thirty-one times to speak at the Annual Bible
Conference, in honor of D. L. Moody at Northfield, Massachue
setts, and was present twenty-eight times.
Perhaps Trotter failed to measure up to what he ex—
pected and strived for in his ministry, but the tribute

other preachers and associates have paid to the man and his

ministry are an indication of his effectiveness:

k

15Zarfas, 9p, cit., p. 106.

108

Mel Trotter's oral ministry was unique. Using

words of another, God seemed to make one Trotter

and then tossed the mold aside. What human ca

n

safely estimate the souls that will be in heaven

through his great mission work, evangelistic

campaigns and preaching in war camps during 1917

and 1918! Few men could draw the evangelistic
as could Mel Trotter. His evangelistic appeal

net

brought many thousands from alé walks of life to

definite decision for Christ.1

One charm about him was that of his human in—

terest, and his humor was ever sparkling over.

His message was pre-eminently for the ”Down and

out, but there are those who are "Up,'
It was remarkable how he reached these also.17

and ”out."

As he speaks, you realize that he has not only
looked into the Book, but into human hearts, hungry

or self-satisfied, proud or stricken, broken,

de-

spairing. Every week he has come to close grips

with human need. Out of all this rich experie
comes illumination for his Bible texts-—life s
that are thrilling, pathetic, humorous, told i

nce
tories
n per-

fect taste. He has learmed that laughter lies close
to tears, that wholesome humour will relieve the

strain of that pathos and tragedy that must be
trayed in any true presentation of human life

por-

Mel Trotter succeeds because he is himself, God's
man, an i itator of none, a winner of souls in his

own way.1

 

l6
consin: Lee B. Inman, 19A07: pp. 1284129.

 

17Ibid., p. 122.

18Trotter, These Forty Years, 9p, cit., pp.

 

 

Lee B. Inman, ”Boss” and His Mission (Cameron, Wis-

119-120.

V32:
0

CHAPTER VII

CONCLUSIONS

Many of the objectives of the researcher were not
accomplished in this study. However, discovery was made
of gaps of knowledge in existing material which in itself
would give rise to several interesting and significant
areas of study. This has been a pilot study into the life
and work of a man, Melvin E. Trotter, who made a major
contribution in the area of rescue missions and in the field
of evangelism. While looking for general principles of
persuasion in the speaking of Trotter which could have
carry-over value to our contemporary time in the work of
rescue missions and to our methods of persuasion generally,
several items of interest were discovered.

I. It was discovered that Trotter was better known
to the general public for his speaking in Bible conferences
and in evangelism than for his work in rescue missions.

2. It was concluded that the effectiveness of
Trotter's Speaking seems to be in its simplicity, frank—
ness, and power of delivery, coupled with his skill in
using illustrative materials. Also, Trotter Spoke the

vernacular of the general man, and he was hindered in his

109

110

communicative ability when attempting to speak in another
manner as was illustrated when he went to England.

3. A general pattern of outlining in Trotter's
speeches showed up. This was true in the manuscriptfof
the sermon studied as well. This pattern was simple and
logical in structure based largely upon the Bible as his
authority.

A. It was discovered that Trotter had a simple,
clear and precise style. His language was slanted to the
lower social element, but not to the extent that he be-
came crude or used any vulgarity in speaking.

5. It was of interest to note that Trotter was
both interesting and amusing with a keen sense of humor
which was used in his Speaking, but this was secondary
and subjugated to his main purpose of bringing people in
contact with Jesus Christ, and eliciting a decision from
this contract.

One purpose of this study was the search for a pattern
or a technique of persuasion which if adopted would make a
speaker more effective in rescue mission speaking. The
writer is unable to say that he found that certain defi— ,
nite pattern or technique. He did find that Trotter was
completely sold on what he was doing and entered into the
program with much zeal and enthusiasm“

The possibilities of further research are numerous
because there has been very little work done in this area.

Robert L. Hammond has a study which Somewhat parallels

111

this in the area of temperance speeches which has been
of considerable help. Some of the areas which would lend
themselves well for further study are listed:

1. A further study considering a complete biography
of Trotter because of the sketchy material now available.
The existing biography leaves out considerable portions
of Trotter's life.

2. A study of the mission as to its influence and
significance in the social community. A complete history
of the mission would be an interesting, much needed, and
productive study, particularly now that the mission has
just consumated its move to 225 Commerce Street.

3. A rhetorical study of the speaking habits of
Speakers who speak in the rescue mission in relation-
ship, or perhaps in contrast, to their normal approach to
a different type audience.

A. A more exhaustive study of the speaking of Melvin
E. Trotter might be a possibility if sufficient new
material could be discovered and collected. There is a
source which the writer has not touched. The son of
Casey VanderJac, missionary to Mexico, with a permanent ,
home in Phoenix, Arizona, is reported to have some
material gathered on Trotter. It was not possible to

obtain this material for this study.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

112

-‘ II‘M—Q-
— _
.

*4 _
t Just”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Auer, J. Jeffery. An Introduction to Research in Speech.
New York: Harper & Bros., 1956.

Brock, Harold A., and Hance, Kenneth G. Public Speaking
and Discussion for Religious Leaders. Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice—Hall, Inc., 1961.

Brembeck, Winston, and Howell, William. Persuasion. A
Means of Social Control. New York: Prentice-
Hall, Inc., 1952.

 

Broadus, John A. On the Preparation and Delivery of
Sermons. Edited by Jesse B. Weatherspoon.
New York: Harper& Bros., 1944.

Crocker, Lionel. Public Speaking for College Students.
New York: American Book Co., 19567

Dillistone, Frederick W. Christianity and Communication.
New York: Scribner and Sons, 1956.

Griffith, Francis, Nelson, Catherine, and Stasheff, Edward.
Your Speech. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World,
Inc., 1960.

 

Hance, Kenneth G., Ralph, David C., and Wiksell, Milton J.
Principles of Speaking. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth

Publishing Co., Inc., 1962.

 

Henry, Carl F. H. The Pacific Garden Mission. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1942.

Inman, Lee B. "Boss” and His Mission. Cameron, Wisconsin:
Lee B. Inman, 1949.

McBurney, James H., and Wrage, Ernest J. Guide to Good
Speech. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-
Hall, Inc., 1960.

Minnick, Wayne C. The Art of Persuasion. Boston:
Houghton—Mifflin Co., 1957.

Monroe, Alan H. Principles and Types of Speech. New York:
Scott, Foresman Co., 1939.

113

114

Schubert, Leland. A Guide for Oral Communication. New
York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1948.

 

Thonssen, Lester, and Baird, A. Craig. Speech Criticism.
New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1948.

Trotter, Melvin E. Jimmie Moore of Bucktown. New York:
Fleming H. Revell Co., 1904.

 

. These Forty Years. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1940.

 

Walter, Otis M., and Scott, Robert L. Thinking and
Speaking. New York: The Macmillan Co., 1962.

 

Zarfas, Fred C. Mel Trotter, A Biography. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1950.

Articles and Periodicals

Press (Grand Rapids, Michigan), 1900-1940.

Herald (Grand Rapids, Michigan), 1900-1940.

Unpublished Material

Hammond, Robert L. "A Rhetorical Case Study of Selected
Temperance Speeches Given by Glenn Cunningham in
Detroit, Michigan February 24, 1957 to March 8,
1957.” Unpublished Master's Thesis, Department
of Speech, Michigan State University, 1960.

Workman, Arvin LeRoy. "A Rhetorical Analysis of Selected
Public Speeches of James Russell Lowell."
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Department of
Speech, Michigan State University, 1965.

Other Sources

 

Personal interviews with Rev. George Bontekoe,
Superintendent, Mel Trotter Rescue Mission, Grand
Rapids, Michigan. Summer 1965.

Personal interviews with Miss Ruth Hartman,
Personal secretary for twenty years to Melvin E.
Trotter.

Personal interview with Casey Vander Jac,
Evangelist and personal friend of Melvin E.
Trotter. July 12, 1964.

115

Outlines of Sermons of Melvin E. Trotter.
Given into my keeping by Miss Ruth Hartman.

Harvey, Paul. Yesterday's Voices. A Record of many of
the World's greatest Christian Leaders. Waco,
Texas: World Records Inc.

 

Tape Recording of a Radio Sermon, Grace of God.

 

Mel Trotter Rescue Mission. Fiftieth Jubilee Brochure,

1950.

 

APPENDIX A

116

THE DOUBLE CURE
-—by Dr. Melvin E. Trotter

In 1893 in Sing Sing prison there was a man named

Bill Caesar. Bill had been found guilty of murder in the

 

first degree, and sentenced to be electrocuted. When a new ! 1‘
trial was denied him he had taken his case to the Supreme {
Court of the State of New York, where, after months of de— 1
lay, the decision of the lower court had been sustained. i)
Finally, by mortgaging his home and everything else and -
raising all the money he could from friends, old Bill had
been able to get his briefs printed and his case carried
to the United States Supreme Court at Washington. All
this time he was in jail going through the most awful piece
of torture, waiting for the return of the case in the United
States Supreme Court. After a long delay word came that
here also the decision of the lower court had been sustained.
There was no hope for him, and old Bill absolutely collapsed.
He discovered one tiny ray of hope, however. He
reasoned, "If I can only get the governor now to give me a
reprieve and sentence me to life imprisonment in Sing Sing
prison, maybe the state of New York will some day have an—
other governor, and he will give me a pardon." Now that

was a little like a drowning man grabbing at a straw which

is a good way off, and yet that was the only hope he had.

117

118

After his collapse Bill just Simply gave up and went
into a decline and finally the doctors declared that this
fellow had what they called in 1893, quick, or galloping,
consumption. We do not have that now; we have "tuberculo-
sis" instead, which is altogether a different thing, and
yet which works just the same. But the point is that when |
Bill got this quick consumption, of course his friends “

rushed over as fast as they could and they said, ”Look here,

i
1
Doctor, you must do everything you can for old Bill, and L
f

a”
get right at it; give him the best room and all the nurses 9
you have.”

The doctor said, "Wait a minute. Why do you suppose
I want to kill myself trying to get old Bill Caesar cured?
If I cure him he will have to die in the electric chair."

Next they wrote to the governor, saying, "You will
have to do something for old Bill, for he had quick con-
sumption. You must pardon him; that is the only thing you
can do, and you will have to do it quick. He is all broken
down; the man is very sick with this incurable disease.”

And the governor said; "Wait a minute. Don't let us
get excited. Why do you suppose I am going to pardon this
man Caesar? He will die of his disease. A pardon isn't
going to do him any good.”

Old Bill was up against what you might call the real
thing. He was under a double sentence of death. If he were

cured, he must die for his murder; if he got a pardon, he

119

must die of his disease. A pardon wouldn't help him; a cure
wouldn't help him. What he needed was both.

That is the picture of every man, woman and Child born
into the world since Adam fell. It has always been just
one story, that Sin is not only a disease, but Sin is a
crime. There are a lot of people who tell you to be very
gentle with certain kinds of Sin, like drunkenness, because
drunkenness is not a sin, but a disease. All right, but
just remember this one thing; when a man is a drunkard, he
is a sinner. That is a forgone conclusion.

You know very well that sin is a disease. David once
said, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me." Isaiah declared, "From the sole of the
foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but
wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores,” --a horrible
picture. Paul said, ”In me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth
no good thing."

I am old—fashioned enough to believe the Bible from
cover to cover. The Bible contains the Word of God. No,
the Bible is the Word of God; I like it better that way,——
then I can get my foot on it anywhere and it won't slip.

So I am going to keep on believing what God said about
original sin. He said, ”The soul that sinneth, it shall

” And when He made Adam in His own image He made him

die.
without death in him. I don't believe He ever made that
man to die or he wouldn't have been made in the likeness or

image of God. But He told him if he did a certain thing he

. . wanes-.4“ nan. - .--m~n§1 m
‘ J ; .
' M A. A

120

would die; and Adam did it and he died. And from that day
until this there have been uses for graveyards and under-
takers. ”It is appointed unto men once to Die." Death is
in the land and it is a disease that has every one of us;
the moment we come into the world we are starting off to-
wards death, if the Lord Jesus Christ should tarry. Now

that is not a very pleasant picture, but it is here and we

'Trwu-r

might as well face it. Quick consumption had old Bill
Caesar, and death as sure as that has got you and me, un-

less we can find somebody who will bring us a double cure.

.Wofi . .m'h."l."d-‘.IT‘
Kip—u; -

Adam was made in the image of God, and in the fifth
chapter of Genesis we are told that Seth was born in the
image of his father Adam. You say, if Adam was created in
the image of God, and Seth was born in the image of Adam,
therefore Seth must be like God. But the trouble was that
between the time Adam was created and Seth was born, sin had
come in; and Sin is in us all. There is something that
comes in with that thing that means that the tendency is
always down. I would like to talk to men a moment or two.
Every red—blooded man knows that if he lets go of himself
he will go down. Somebody says, ”Oh, no; if a man falls,

1

he falls up.l But don't you forget it, the tendency is
down, and it takes all the manhood one has, to be the man
he wants to be; and many a time he crawls away by himself
and admits to his own heart that he is unable to do it even

then. I would not be afraid to include you women, too,

just here and say to you that you know very well that there

121

is something about you that always makes you heartsick
when it reveals itself to you, because the tendency is
down. You get hold of yourself and you try your level
best to hold yourself up where you belong, but in spite of
all you can do, that miserable thing is in you. Why did
that boy do that? Because it is in him. What made that
girl do that? Well, it is in her. It is there, this mis-
erable thing that we got with Adam. Everywhere you go you
will find it the same way. The little bit of a fellow has
just as much Sin in him as the fellow that is big and red
and hearty. He gets suffering just as well as the big
fellow. It is everywhere because we have been bitten by
the same thing. There isn't one who ever escaped it.

But sin is not only a disease, it is a crime. In
Isaiah 53:6, we have this word, ''All we like sheep have
gone astray." So you see, it is not only a disease, but
a crime. We have all committed the thing. We were not

only born in sin; but we have done the thing.

Notice in the Word how you went astray: "We have
turned every one to his own way.” That is sin. Your way
is not God's way. "As the heavens are higher than the

earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts.‘I Those are God's words. You way is
sin, and that is the reason, He tells you, that you went
astray; "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned

every one to his own way.” That is the way of sin.

122

If you are a farmer, you know what a sheep is. Sheep
are not fierce animals, they are not vicious in any way.
They are just simply fools. They will just wander off.
They will go right by a Sheepfold, the gate that will let
them in to safety. They see something green over on the
hill and follow it, just as you do. Do you know why He
said you are like sheep? Because the Sheep do not go out
looking for trouble; they just go astray. I never knew a
man or woman who ever intended to go out and look for
trouble. I never knew a man who deliberately started out
to be a drunkard. I never knew a women who started out
intentionally to go down and hit the very bottom of sin.
Nobody ever intended it. Nobody is vicious to begin with;
but like sheep, they wander off in many different ways.

Let me throw out a hint or two on the way folks go astray.

Do you mean to tell me a man starts out to be a drunk—
ard? A fellow who "can drink or leave it alone,” he always
drinks. He never intends to form a habit. I never intended
to become a drunkard, and yet I lived to see the day when
I could no more stay sober than I could fly, if I could get
hold of anything to get drunk with. Do you mean to tell me
I intended that? Never. I went down a step at a time,--
one glass, three, four glasses, five; and the first thing
you know, you are playing the sky limit. That is the way
they all go. You go down and get among the bums and they
will tell you, ”oh, my, I never intended to get down here."

Not one of them ever did. And yet at last they wake up to

123

the fact that they are hopeless slaves; and when they do,
there is nothing left for them but to go and end their mis-
erable lives.

I do want to say this about the bum: There is a
little hope left, because the moment they become absolutely
hopeless they almost always take their lives. Thank God,
for that little hope old Bill Caesar had, just grabbing
at a straw. He said, "If the governor will just give me
a reprieve, maybe some other governor will be elected some
day who will pardon me.” He still had a hope, or he would
have tried his level best to take his life, I'm sure. You
know that is the funny thing about sin. It always gets you
down to the very place you don't intend to go.

I was called at two o'clock one morning. I hurried
to the police station. A little girl had been brought in,
about eighteen years of age. And she looked so young for
her age. She had taken carbolic acid. I knelt down beside
her. The doctor was there, and he said, ”I don't believe
she will understand you.” I tried to pour into her dying
ear the story of Jesus. I did my best to get her attention.
I got down beside her and I said; "Listen, Jesus loves you,
and Jesus died to save you. You know, He died to save
sinners; you must be a sinner, and He died to save you.
Jesus loves you.”

At first she didn't seem to hear, but pretty soon I
caught her trying to say something, and I listened, but we

couldn't understand. Her tongue was thick and black and

124

her lips were swollen. And I repeated: "Jesus loves you,
and we love you; just remember that He is right here now,
and that He will not forsake you if you will only turn your
face toward Him, even in your dying hour. They tell you,
you cannot live. Listen to me." And I tried to tell the
poor little thing. Then I led in prayer hoping maybe she
could hear. Old Pat stood beside me-- a great, big, Irish
cop, a good friend of mine. Pretty soon I stopped praying,
but was still on my knees, while the big fellow stood there
with tears running down his cheeks, although he was used to
pretty hard sights. Pretty soon I heard her lisp again,
and I crawled down and put my ear by her burned lips, and

I heard her pray, ”Now I lay me down to sleep," the only
prayer she knew, perhaps. I heard her say, "I lay me down”
-- She went away; she came back again and tried to finish
the prayer, but when she got to ”If I should die,” she
never finished it. When I straightened up after pulling
the sheet over the little face I turned to the cop and said,
"What do you think about it?"

He said; "It's hell, Trotter. Tell me where he is,”
he said; "he is perhaps out looking for another victim,
while she lies here a suicide. She never meant to be bad.
She is a pretty thing. Somebody lied to her."

"All we like sheep have gone astray." She just wand-
ered off. No more harm in that poor little thing than there
is in the sheep, yet she wandered away just having her own

way. Started out with dress that was wrong, in company

125

that was wrong, in places she had no business to be. You
need not draw on your imagination. I wonder if you fathers
and mothers all know where your boy is. Is he out running
your car, roaming around in sin, or is he here? Where is
he? There is the trouble with the whole business. They
never intended to get down--just like sheep.

"Ah," but you say, ”you see, Mr. Trotter, we don't

I

get down.’ You do in your own way. My way was drunkenness.

That poor child's way was to fall into Sin, though She never

all 2... urn—ml-ah ‘\ . visa-x11”
.
i

I .
*7..th ‘

I

intended to, any more than I intended to be a drunkard.
The point is, you have gone astray, and you not only have
the disease of Sin, but you have committed the sin.

You have gone astray like a sheep. Suppose He had
said, "like a dog.” A dog will always get back. I had an
old dog. My father tried to lose him; drove him twenty-
five miles into Freeport. He never did love that dog, while
I always loved him. He put him in the back of a buggy
where he couldn't see, hauled him away twenty-five miles,
and had a man lock him up until he got out of town and then
let him loose. When he got home, the dog was there to meet
his team. You never could lose him. They say, the cattle
come back, too. But sheep never can get back alone. That
is an unwritten law. That is why a shepherd must go and
bring back his sheep. They do not get back alone.

But none of the ransomed ever knew

How deep were the waters cross'd;

Nor how dark was the night that the Lord pass'd thro'
Ere He found His sheep that was lost:

126
Out in the desert He heard its cry--
Sick and helpless, and ready to die.
And all thro' the mountains, thunder—riven,
And up from the rocky steep,
There rose a glad cry to the gate of heaven,
"Rejoice! I have found my sheep!”
And the Angels echoed around the throne,
"Rejoice! for the Lord brings back His own!"
He didn't wait for the Sheep to find Him; He went out 3
I f
and found the Sheep. That is why you go astray. Like a 9
sheep you cannot get back. No man can get back; no woman
can get back. They talk in these days about prize fighters 5
coming back, about ball players coming back! I will tell . k.
you that nobody gets back alone. They are too much like
sheep, because, "All we like sheep have gone astray.”
You say, "Oh, well, I got away from it alone all
right." But look out you don't get back again. I want to
tell you the last end of that man is worse than the first.
Always remember it is like a sheep that we have gone astray,
and here is the way we went astray, ”We have turned every

one to his own way."

You don't mean to do it, but when you
drift away, the first thing you know you are yielding to
that Sin; it may be temper, it may be envy, it maybe pride,
it may be jealousy, it may be drunkenness, it may be steal-
ing, it may be lying. I don't care what it is, ”We have
turned every one to his own way." So you see you are not
only a Sinner by birth, but you are a Sinner because you
have committed it.

A fellow said to me on the train one day, ”Oh, you

preachers make me sick."

127

"I am not a preacher,” I replied. "I wish I was. I
don't know enough.”

He said: ”I don't care what you are. You Christians
are always talking about a man going to hell because Adam
sinned."

"No," I said, "you will never go to hell because Adam E
sinned, you will go to hell because you refuse the remedy
God provided for Adam's sin. Don't you go crying about a

something that has absolutely been taken care of. If you

 

go to hell you will go over the broken body of Jesus Christ . L!
who died to keep you out."

So I have to find a remedy. I have to find two. One
thing won't do. A cure is not going to help you. Thank
God, you have got to have something more than that and you
can find it in Jesus Christ. Did you ever notice PS. 103:3?
"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy
diseases." Forgiving iniquities, healing diseases. That
is the thing. You have got to have a double cure. And you
will find it in the Lord Jesus Christ. ”Thou shalt call
His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their
sins." Why, a large part of all His earthly ministry was
taken up in healing bodies, but that was only a part of His
mission. If Bill Caesar had had his body healed he would
have died for his crime. The ninth chapter of Matthew is
one of the best illustrations of the truth. When they all
raged because He said, ”Son, . . . thy Sins be forgiven

thee;” the Pharisees said, ”Who can forgive sins but God?”

128

and Jesus Christ said, l'Whether is easier, to say, thy
sins be forgiven thee; or to say, arise and walk? But
that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth
to forgive Sins (then saith He to the sick of the palsy,)
Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thine house.” And
he put his bed on his back and walked. You know the wonder-
ful thing about it is that He can do both. In the Lord
Jesus Christ we have the double cure, and we must have the
two things.

Suppose I had started out of the Pacific Garden Mis—
sion the night I went in there and was converted. I went

in the door, knocking the chairs down as I went, and Harry

Monroe led me to Christ. He put his arm around me and said,

"Now, old fellow, you pray," and I did. ”You do this,"

and I did. I did everything I was told. I was looking for
a way out. Suppose Jesus had whispered in my poor drunken
ear, ”I have forgiven you all the sin you have ever com-
mitted." I would have said, "Thank You, Jesus; I certainly
need it, and Iiflunnchu for it.” But I would have gone out
into Van Buren Street and into the first saloon I could
find to get a drink. But, thank God, He didn't do that.

He not only forgave me at the altar, but He healed me. I
have never wanted a drink from that minute to this. He
forgave me all the sins I ever did commit or ever will com—
mit. Thank God, He healed me, and I do not want the drink.
I deserve no credit for being sober, because when He for-

gave me He healed me.

129

A Roman Catholic asked me the other day, "Mr. Trotter,
what do you think of men coming to Christ in rescue missions
and yet never being delivered from the desire to drink
whisky?”

"Well," I said, ”I think there are men who are con-
verted that do that, and yet I always say that there is
deliverance from even the desire to drink, if they will
accept the double cure in Jesus Christ. I certainly have
seen it. You needn't tell me when a man will do what I
used to do,—— sell the shoes off my feet, open my veins
and sign the pledge with my own blood, to break it in an
hour,-—you needn't tell me by that thing I was the master
of it. No. Jesus came in and gave me a new heart."

Sam Hadley was telling how he got away from whisky
and never wanted it. After the meeting a physician, a
lady, came up to him and said: ”I have enjoyed the meeting
tonight, but please do not say again the thing you said to-
night. I am a physician, a graduate of such and such a
school, and I know you never, never can be saved from the
desire to drink whisky, like that, because after drinking
alcohol it works on the stomach until the stomach is just
Simply ulcerated, and there is no possible cure within six
months and sometimes even years and sometimes never.” And
she said again, ”Don't ever say that again because some pro
fessional man or woman may hear you and know that you are-—

I don't say dishonest-—but you are simply fooled."

130

Sam said, "Well, hallelujah!"

She said, "What is the matter with you?”

He said again, ”Hallelujah!”

She said, ”Are you a fool?"

He returned, ”Praise the Lord!”

She said, "What is the matter with you?"

"Well," he said, "I knew God gave me a new heart. I
never knew before that He gave me a new stomach."

It is the double cure. And that is the very thing I
am trying to bring you. Thank God, He can not only save you
from your sins but He can heal you so you don't want the old
sin. Wouldn't you give most anything in the world to-night
if God would help you to be just what you want to be, in—
stead of having that horrible thing that you know to be
wrong? Wouldn't you give most anything to be healed as well
as forgiven?

You go and confess your sin. "He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins.” But what about getting away from
them? Have you got to go to—morrow morning and do the same
confessing, and have Him forgive it? Wouldn't it be wonder-
ful to be delivered from the Sin? Listen to this wonderful
verse that I love perhaps above all verses. It tells the
double work that Jesus came to do. "For He hath made Him
to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). God made
Jesus to be Sin for me; that is the thing He did. He knew

no Sin, but God made Him to be Sin for me. The second

131

thing He did; ”That we might be made the righteousness of
God in Him.” He took my death; I took His life. He took
my miserable condemnation and my desert of hell; He abso—
lutely took it and went to hell and gave me heaven. Double
work. If God is going to send Jesus Christ to take my
place, and make Him to be sin for me, He must take the pun-
ishment that I deserve.

When they gave me a Bible, Mrs. Clark gave me a little
two-and-a—half-cent Testament; and for a year I never read
even a paper. I didn't read anything but my Testament. I
learned a verse every day and I could quote it and tell you
where it was according to the King James version. I studied
Romans and Acts for a year. We always put new converts into
Acts and Romans before we ever take them back into the Gos—
pels. Matthew is as cold as a dog's nose, if you don't
know where to put him. You can't read the Sermon on the
Mount to a poor old bum. Well, you know I just read that
wonderful Book and I just stuck to it.

One morning I was on my knees praying. I had gone
into the back room of my barber shop. Heaven seemed to
Speak to me. It was a beautiful time of prayer. And pretty
soon it came to me just like thunder out of a clear Sky,
"Yes, He did go through terrible suffering, but He was
taking your place; all the things that were done to Him
were done for you, and if He hadn't borne them, you would
have to." And then I said, ”Hallelujah, Jesus, if You love

me that much, I am going to love You a little more." And

132

then I went back over the punishment, and when they smote
on the back, I saw it coming to me, and I hadn't a word to
say. If God is going to make Him to be my Sin, why, He
must put on Him the purple robe and put a reed in His hand
and a crown of thorns on His head. And the soldiers walked
back and forth and said, ”Hail, King of the Jews!” I can
understand how they could mock Him; I had it coming to me,
and He was taking my place. Bless His holy Name for that.
I can understand it now. I know now why they whipped Him
and Scourged Him and made a fool of Him and mocked Him. I
know why He did it. He was in my place, that is all. God
made Him to be my sin. If He is going to make Him to be
my sin, He must bear the punishment of my sin..

Some good friends of mine say, "Trotter, you ought
never to talk about Jesus going to hell." I say, "Hold
on; if my sin deserves hell, He went.” I like the Apostles
Creed because the words, ”He descended into hell," have
not been taken out. He did descend into hell if He was in
my place, because my sin demands it and your sin demands
it. And if He didn't go, you will. I am preaching substi-
tution pure and simple. There isn't anything else to
preach. If He didn't go, you will. Thank God He made Him
to be my Sin, and He must not only take my punishment, but
He must take my hell.

Let us get to Friday morning, the morning of Bill's
execution. At twenty minutes past four old Bill's mother

was allowed to go to the cell to bid him good—bye, for the

133

governor had refused to pardon him. At twenty minutes of
six o'clock his wife and children came. The guard watched
very closely because he was so afraid that something might
be slipped to Bill and they would cheat the state of New
York out of the body that belonged to them. And then at
about six o'clock Bill came out into the little room and
sat down in the electric chair, sat there coughing with
quick consumption, bent over, before they strapped him
back into the chair. Supposing Jesus had walked in there
in person and said, ”Mr. Caesar, if you will get up out of
that chair I will sit down and become your death.” We can
imagine Bill answering back, ”Don't joke me; this is no
time for joking.”

"I am not joking you, Mr. Caesar; if you will get up
out of that chair, I will sit down and die and let you go
free. I do not owe the state of New York anything, and be-
cause you took a life you must pay your life. I am willing
to give Mine in your place. You go home to your family.”

Bill, without looking up, might say, ”How can You do
that?‘

”Well,” He would say, ”God so loved the world that He
gave me, Jesus."

"Oh, are You Jesus? Are You Jesus?" Now he would
look up.

Oh, I wish I could get you folks to look up to-night.
If I could get you to look up and see Jesus I could spoil

you for the world forever. The trouble is, we do not see

134

Jesus. I wish I could get you to do what I am trying to
have you see Bill do. If you would only raise your eyes
and look up and see Him in His beauty.

But Bill said, ”How can You do it?”

"God so loved the world that He gave Me, Jesus, to
die.

We can picture Bill Slowly rising, and Jesus saying;
"Wait a moment. Before I Sit down and become your death,

I want you to come over here.” Bill slowly walks over.
And He says: ”See here, this is My place here; that is
death over there. That is going to be death in a little
while. But this is My place over here. I stand before
God without Sin. I am God the Son. God the Father, God
the Son. No less God, because the second Person in the
Trinity. God has nothing against Me. My Father said in
Me He is well pleased. There is no sin in My life; and
if you will come over here, I am going to reckon all My
righteousness unto you, and you are going to sit down or
stand here in My righteousness. In order to accomplish
this I am going over there and become your Sin."

And you know the funny thing about it, if He had
turned old Bill Caesar out of the penitentiary without
giving him righteousness forever. Bill would have been
pointed out as the old murderer. His little children would
have been pointed out as the children of a murderer. His
cflxlmothercould not walk the streets with her head uncovered

because her son was a murderer. But thank God, Jesus was

135

made his sin that he might be made the righteousness of
God in Christ. And God not only saved him, but He made
him as if he had never sinned.

Come with me a minute. I wonder if you understand
what it means to get up definitely out of the death chair
where you belong, and where you and I must go, because
every man has sinned. HA11 have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God"; and you are never going to get any-
where until you definitely get up. You can Sit down here
and be baptized, you can sit over in this death chair and
be confirmed, you can sit over here and take communion,
you can sit over here and attend the church, or work for
foreign missions, or be patriotic, or be a Red Cross nurse;
you can sit over here and give your heart and your life
and your body for your country; but you will never be con—
verted until you get out of that chair and let Somebody
become your Substitute and die in your place, and at the
same time come over here and be reckoned righteous in the
sight of God.

God not only took my place, but He gave me His; and
I stand here to—night just as sure of heaven as if I were
there this minute. I would rather be right here. I know
Him and I know that He took my place and He paid my debt;
and I know I have definitely yielded myself and accepted
His righteousness. Have you ever definitely done it?
Brother, Sister, have you really definitely dealt with

God on your own sin? Have you ever taken the place of

136

condemnation, ready to be strapped in because of your Sin?
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die”; and we have all
sinned, been born in it and committed it, and Jesus Christ
because we have got the desire cures us, and because we
have committed the crime pardons us. And then, thank God,
He imputes to us a new character, making us as though we
had never sinned. I do not stand before you, if you
please, a reformed drunkard. I am a transformed man, a
child of God. Tell me why Mr. Moody allows me on this
platform. Tell me why he receives me in his home. Tell
me why he allows me to mingle with his wife and daughters.
Because I am a reformed man or forgiven? No, it is be—
cause I am a new creature in Christ. I have His righteous-
ness.

Listen, my friends. Some young woman in this room,
some older ones, have been trying to do it. They have
been church members for years and yet they haven't defin—
itely yielded. I spoke about this thing one night, and
at the close of the meeting gave the invitation. A woman
in deep mourning walked down the aisle, whom I recognized
when she got near the altar, and when I got into the in—
quiry meeting I said, HMrs. So—and—so, what are you here
for?" I knew her to be a worker in the church.

She replied, ”You know, Mr. Trotter, I buried my
husband.H

I said, ”Yes, I know. I saw it in the paper."

 

137

She said: ”You know I haven't anyone left now ex-
cept one brother, who is in Idaho. My husband, my daughters

and sons, my father and my mother and everybody dear to me
have gone to heaven; while I am a member of the church, I
have never definitely on the ground of my sinnership and
condemnation yielded myself to Jesus, and heaven is too
dear to me now to make any mistake, so I just want to
come and give my heart to Christ.”

Here is what she said, ”I have taken my place as a
Sinner; I have accepted His place in righteousness, and be-
cause He has paid my debt I know I am saved." And I say
to you, some of you folks in the church right here who
have been church members for years, yet who have never
definitely dealt with your sin and your God, having God
deal with it in a definite way, if you are going to accept
it, you must accept it in a definite way. Will you give

your heart and your life to Jesus Christ to—night?