Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-10
"Sam Jones. >

"Sam JONES'
Ed. Register.-I have been to St
Louis hearing the Rev. Sam p. Jones,
the great American Evangelist, and !
will give your readers a few points ol
interest relative to this man.
Mr.. Jones is unlike any other preach
er in the land. / said, "Mr. Jones'"
Now, he don't like to be called "Mr.
JONES'" nor REV. Mr.. JONES'" nor
BRO. Jones" but he wishes to be call
ed ..SAM JONES" He is about 81 or
38 years old; small in stature; has fine
head upon his shoulders; dark hair and
long dark mustache. His eyes are sunk
deep into his forehead, and he looks
like typical man of grit.
Sam Jones wears full suit of plain
black cloth, standing collar, and mar
row black neck-tie. His boots are small
and are good fit. His manne., in the
pulpit is easy. He is no more embar-
rassed than the child at play. His
nerve is simply wonderful. 1 saw him,
in the great music hall, face six thou
sand or more of intelligent people, in-
fifty preachers of all sects; al
so, College professors, scientists of ev-
cry school, infidels, doctors, bankers,
cattIemen from the Far West, cow boys
from New Mexico, and over dozen
shorthand reporters-all seeming bent
on gazing the man to death. He walk
ed out carelessiy. scarcely looking
around, and in deep, trained, bass
voice, said: Lets sing No. As in gos-
pei hymns" During the singing he
keeps time with his hands and feet.
He usually calls on some one else to
lead in prayer. Then he announces
hymn, and while they are
singing it he sits with his legs crossed,
swinging one foot. When the song is
ended, he arises slowly and walks to
the front, and announces his text In an
ordinary manner;then he looks straight
before him; then he giances to the right
and left, his eyes as keen as the hawks;
be sees what he has before him. Un-I
iaunted, he looks his hearers in the
lace, and seems bent on reaching ev-
cry ybody's case. He makes you cry,
then laugh, then applaud, then Won
Ter. Lightning strikes one class of
sinners from his bolt; then, just as an
,ther class of sinners getin good way
IF laughing at the surprise of the 9TH
srs, he let's loose a bolt that strikes
hem, and the time has come for the
)ther side to laugh.
He impresses any one at the very
irst that he is sincere and greatly in
earnest. No man can hear Sam Jones
through and say he is not an honest
man in his belief and teachings. Il
ioubt that any man can hear Sam
Jones twice and not love him. He is
the friend of the right, the friend of
bhe poor, the friend of the weak, and
only the enemy of corruption and sim.
The newspapers scarcely do him JUS
tice. They publish the sensational
parts of his talks, and leave out the
more solid matter.
He attacks sin and wrong wherever
it is seen. He wields bis sword like q
master, and hacks to pieces corruption,
whether 1t be found in brother Or a
sinner.
He is as brave as Julius Caesar. meek
as Moses, and as untiring as Paul, I
would not say that he Is an orator, but
be is eloquent. He is as tender as a
and as fierce as Elijah.
He has no method-he only preach.
es the gospel, and appeals to the con-
science aud soul. He breaches at sin
right before him: sin that yerybody
sees and admits.
Talking with him is as easy az
He appears to be rough,
but when you hear him and catch his
spirit, you say 1t is alright. He courts
no class and seems to be dead to praise.
He loves opposition from, the fact that
opposition shows him the hiding place
Of his enemy. His is no ordinary gen.
us. He is one horn to the work. Per-
haps there il not a man in the world
that is such complete master Of as
semblies as Sam Jones.
He sways the vast assemblies and
The thousands who listen to him like
The hurricane sways the forest. In q
Of time he can make all laugh,
and then be can make them cry.
He seems not to belong to either the
higher nor the lower courses of society,
but is man suitable for all, aud feels
that he is brother To an. He il an
educated man-osiginally lawyer by
His slang is phrases bor-
rowed to make more keen the arrow
points which he shoots. His had
grammar is only bait, thrown ont to
catch weak-mindoi critics. and woe
unto him who bites at his bait.