Exhortation: noun: language intended to incite and encourage

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhortation

From: “Quicksand” by Nella Larsen – Chapter 20, Page 141

“Helga Crane was amused, angry, disdainful, as she sat there, listening to the preacher praying for her soul. But though she was contemptuous, she was being too well entertained to leave. And it was, at least, warm and dry. So she stayed. listening to the fervent exhortation to God to save her and to the zealous shoutings and groanings of the congregation.”

Exhortation is used to describe the passionate words of the congregation when they were speaking to God to save Helga.