The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-01-12
PRAYING FOR A REPORTER.
Philadelphia Press


 "Oh, help this miserable reporter. He is one of those ~retched sinners who work upon the papers He has the devil in his heart, and there is wart upon his heart" It was in this remarkable strain that lieutenant in the Salvation army barracks, at Fifth and Berks streets, prayed for a Pyess reporter, present in the audience. The scene was the usual one to be witnessed in the meetings called by the salvationists themselves a free and easy" Thirty or forty priva,es of the army sat upon the high platform facing the audience. The women thumped their tambourines with lively jingle, and the men carried on their re- ligious antics in highly boisterous style, while several of their number beat vigor- ously upon big, noisy drums, and the captain and his lieutenants pranced about on the platform in feverish style.
 After the reporter had been in the building about half an hour one of the lieutenants approached him at his seat on the front row and asked in dramatic tones, "Young man. are you saved ?' l don't know for sure, are you ~ was the reply. Yes, of course am," exclaimed the lieutenant. Wont you accept of salvation! have it here for you. Come, kneel down and pray with me" But the reporter said he did not believe in emo tional religion, and begged to be excused. {" What are you here for, thenE Why did you come up to the front seat ~ And then, seeing a pencil in the re- porter's hand, who up to this time had nn tptd htc hns nd rnt of protruding from his pocket, the salvation ist exclaimed An! see; you are reporter, a wicked, worldly reporter. You work for the venal, sinful papers :: you are in the service of the Evil One. Oh, leave him and join us." But the visitor' was not yet persuaded and the salvationist then went on again Young man, are you Christian. The reporter said he hoped he was.
 The lieutenant then eyed his victim and said: "Young man, you are false [, the belief which you claim to pro- fess," and, so saying, he bobbed up from his seat, and, kneeling down on the floor, stopped the exercises which were going on on the platform by beginning to pray for the reporter, as follows:
 WV navy d iNPoitCi uiioCl able reporter sinful servant of the un- holy newspapers-a good young man gone wrong. Satan has made him eb- stinate, and he will not yield to persua- sion and be saved. Oh, help the wicked reporter Help this reporter. The devil holds the fort in this reporters brain. He's going to h. Hallelujah !. Oh. may he join the Salvation army, oh 1. Give him repentance. He is a type of all reporters. and they are all a wicked lot The lieutenant stopped, to give the reporter a chance 10 kneel down. The men and women soldiers shouted |: ' Save the reporter" Help the poor reporter" "Down with the devil,- was wicked once, but now am pure.' The lieutenant then began: "Oh. kill this reporter kill him. Take him away that he may do evil no more. He IS too obstinate to yield. He knows he ought to. but he is proud-all reporters are. Oh, strike this reporter down he is the devil in disguise
 Another salvationist took up the prayer. 4 woman was the last to en- deavor to induce the wicked reporter to repent, and then the entire regiment of the army began to sing for the reporter, during which he left.