On the third evening of this revival meeting, after the Elder read the Scripture and had announced his sermon topic, a strange thing happened. Elder Sevits announced that his topic was "Casting Out Devils." Two tall, strong, rough-looking ruffians came to the front of the church and stood facing the pulpit. One of them, well over six feet [tall], held up a whiskey bottle and offered Elder Sevits a drink from his bottle in the presence of the whole congregation....
On this challenge, Sevits stepped down in front to where the two men were standing. He quickly grabbed the troublemakers by the necks and bumped their heads together with such a thump that they both collapsed before the people on the floor unconscious. The Elder then, without saying a word, stooped down and took them each by an arm and pulled them outside the church and dumped them on the ground....
Upon reentering the church, he said: "I did not expect to literally demonstrate my text and sermon topic this evening." He walked to the platform and preached such a sermon that no one present even budged an inch. The church was so startled to see a Dunker preacher in such action, and yet they all knew that he was firm in his convictions of peaceful living....
The next day the two men came to see Elder Sevits, pleading that he would not bring any legal charges against them for their actions the previous evening in the church. He told them that he would forgive them on one condition: that they each attend the rest of the revival meetings, every night.
[The two men never missed a meeting during the remaining services. Both were converted and reputed to have become elders in the church.]
Source: Kenneth Morse, Preaching in a Tavern
