The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-01-05
Praying for a Reporter.
tPhiladelphin Press.l


tPhiladelphia Press.
"Oh, help this miserable reporter.
He is one of those wretched sinners
who work upon the papers. tie has
the devil in his heart, and there is
wart upon his heart" 1t was in this
remarkable strain that a lieutenant
in ths Salvation Army Barracks, at
Fifth and Berks streets, prayed for
Press reporter, present in the audi
ence. The scene was the usual one
to he witnessed in the meeting, called
by the salvationists themselves "free
and easy" Thirty or forty privates
of the army sat upon the high plat
form facing the audience. The NO.
men thumped their tambourines with
a lively jingle, and the men carried
on their religious antics in a highly
boisterous style, while several of their
number heat vigorously upon big
noisy drums, and the captain and his
lieutenants pranced about Oh the
platform in feverish style.
After the reporter had been in the
building about halt an hour one of
the lieutenants approached him at his
seat on the trout row and asked in
dramatic tones, Young man, are you
saved ?" II don't know for snre. are
your" was the reply. eyes, of course
/ am " exclaimed the lieutenant.
"Won't you accept of salvation? l
have it here for you. Come, kneel
down and pray with me-" But the
reporter said he did not believe in
emotional religion, and begged to be
excused. "What are you here for,
then 4? Why did you come up TO the
front seat ?" And then, seeing pen
Gil in the reporters hand, who up to
this time had not told his business,
and roll of paper protruding from
his pocket. the salvationist exclaimed:
"Ah! see; you are reporter, q wick.
ed, worldly reporter You work for
the venal, sinful papers; you are in
the service of the Evil One. Oh,
leave him and join u.s." But the Wis,
itor was not yet persuaded and the
salvationist then went OH again; "My
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 to the belief which you claim to
profess" and SO saying, he bolted up
from his seat, and kneeling down on
the floor, stopped the exercises which
were going on on the platform by be-
ginning to pray fol- the reporter, as fol.
lows:
1--WE have a reporter bere-a mis-
cradle reporter-a sinful servant of
the unholy newspapers good young
man gone wrong. Satan has made
him obstinate. and he will not yield
to persuasion and he 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! Give him re-
pentance. He is type of all report
ers, and they are all wicked lot.
The lieutenant slapped to give the
reporter chance to kneel down.
} The men and women soldiers shouted:
"Save the reporter! Help the poor
reporter! Down with the devil ]
was wicked once, but now lam pnrep
The lieutenant then began: "Oh,
kill this reporter; kill him. Take
I him away that he NAV do evil nc
more. He is too obstinate to yield.
he knows he ought to. but he is toe
proud--all reporters are. Oh, strike
this reporter down; he is the devil in
in disguise"
Another salvationist took up the
prayer. A woman was the last tc
endeavOr to induce the wicked report
er to repent, and then the entire reg
iment of the army oegan to sing fol-
the reporter. during which he left.